Two brothers build a pair of triumph choppers Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio Some to-do lists take a little longer than others. Rick and Kent James, two brothers from Tarentum, Pennsylvania, first purchased a pair of Triumphs back in the late sixties. Rick chose a 1965 Bonneville T120R while Kent went with a 1967 Daytona 500 T100R. After putting some solid miles on the two bikes, they decided to take the leap into building custom choppers out of the bikes. Over the years, their collection of parts slowly grew, and while they never stopped riding motorcycles, the goal of finishing those two bikes took a backseat to life. Rick and Kent kept all the parts and pieces in boxes for over fifty years until recently, when they decided to return to their two-wheeled projects and complete what they never had the opportunity to finish many years ago. We met up with the duo near the Tarentum Bridge to dig into their history and how these motorcycles finally came together. When did you first purchase these bikes?Rick James: We bought the bikes used in the late 1960s. Some people call them the good old days, but I think of it as more of a learning experience. It turns out that doing things the hard way was a great way to learn. After beating the bikes up a bit, I figured we could build a couple of nice choppers. So, we tore them apart and started buying parts. Life got in the way, though, and they became literal basketcases in cardboard boxes. Every time we’d walk past the parts, it was like, man, I have to get this together. We grew up right out the road here, so this is where the bikes got their original damage. What was the plan when you first tore them apart to build choppers?Rick James: My plan back then was to build a righteous Bonneville chopper. I went ahead buying a bolt-on soft tail, 2-into-1 exhaust system, oil tank/battery box, and 16-inch rear wheel. My buddy, Darryl, donated the retro Z bars. I cut and welded the neck, kicking it out a few degrees to stretch and lower the front end a bit. It was then put away for fifty years as life moved on. My brother, Kent, had a similar story and timeframe, including a bolt-on soft tail for his Daytona. At what point did you decide to finally finish building the bikes and why?Rick James: A few years back, we decided to get them together and ride into the sunset before it’s gone. We thought, what’s going to happen down the road with all of these parts? Who’s going to appreciate that bolt-on soft tail, you know? That ate at us. We had other bikes, but these had a special spot in our hearts. In agreement, we would build bikes we could ride. We bounced ideas off of each other and did a lot of the work together. While the Triumphs are only two years apart, they turned out to be very different mechanically. Our visions of designing dream bikes were also different, which is a very cool and unique part of building custom motorcycles. Kent James: We just started picking parts up along the way at swap meets. That’s where I got the Bates seat, gas tank, rear fender, and other parts over the years. We would put the parts in a pile, but they were always on the to-do list. It just seemed like something that needed to be finished. Working together on it really helped us get them done. We’d do research and solve problems together. Rick James (left) and Kent James (right) How did the build process play out?Kent James: We started out with things like the electronics. Both motors were rebuilt. They both have the same rear ends on them, but I had to put a chain adjuster on mine to avoid the frame and cut the rear fender since it was too wide. His is a 650cc and mine is a 500cc, so it’s a little smaller and lower. I’m using a Ceriani front end with a stock front wheel and modified stock fender. The handlebars, headlight, oil tank, and a lot of the odds and ends were all from swap meets. I was aiming for comfort with this bike.Rick James: I thought I’d build a rat bike at first, but after I started molding the frame, I decided I had to go the whole way. We didn’t want the builds to be too fancy, but it’s hard to put a price on molding the frame. That’s a Cole Foster gas tank from a Harley-Davidson. The opening was wide, so I had to weld and putty that in to get it close to the frame. Building the electrical boxes was also a complicated task that took three or four times to get right. We did our research on other bikes and took ideas. Both of us had the direction of keeping them low and simple–not too much glitz. What’s kind of neat is that while we are brothers and alike in many ways, we really got the chance to do our own thing. I have a stock front end but wanted to kick it out and lower it. The soft tail also helped lower the bike a little more. Where did you learn your mechanical and fabrication skills? Rick James: Kent is a retired steel worker, and I am a retired bridge builder. We both had fair hands at welding and fabricating. Between the two of us, we met some great people and found some excellent advice and sources for parts. Back then, we didn’t have the internet. We’d have to write letters, but that’s good for learning and finding the right parts. I would recommend Klemph’s British Parts for stock parts. I used Eldred’s Collision in Edinboro for a first-class paint job. Special thanks to John at Monaco Cycle Sales in Franklin for his outstanding work and advice. Is there anything else you’d like to say about what it means to finish these builds?Kent James: It was important that we learned to walk away sometimes and come back to it later. It was a trial-and-error process. Rick James: I don’t think people realize how much time is involved with something like this. Starting out, I probably underestimated how long it would take. You need the right tools and a lot of information, but when you do it custom, you have to also invent stuff. I think we both enjoy building and fabricating things, and without Kent’s help working together on the bike, I don’t know if it would have happened. Rick James (left) and Kent James (right) Rick James' Triumph Bonneville T120R chopper Kent James' Triumph Daytona 500 T100R chopper Featured in Issue 12 1965 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120R Built by RICK JAMES 1967 TRIUMPH DAYTONA 500 T100R Built by KENT JAMES Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO

Making A Statement Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio There’s a lot to unpack with this in-your-face shovelhead chopper from Ed Jankoski. You might have recognized his name from the local scene or within the pages of our previous issues. Like some of the best personalities in the chopper community, Jankoski could look intimidating from a distance, but up close, he’s as warm and welcoming as they come. That receptiveness is well represented with his latest build, a hot pink, oversized 1980 Harley-Davidson shovelhead with a few different layers of purpose. We met up with him in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood to discuss this new build and how he was able to get a core group of friends involved. How long did you have this shovelhead before going all out with a full chopper build?Ed Jankoski: I’ve had the bike for about three years. I first reached out to Nick Miller to keep an eye on shovelheads for sale, and the next day he found this. Nick, Josh Howells from Uptahn Metalworks, and I went out and picked it up from some gnarly drunk guy. He mentioned it had some motor work done and was pretty quick. I rode it around a little bit while it was stock but was still enjoying my Sportster chopper at the time. Then in January of 2022, my buddy asked to buy the Sportster, and that kind of kicked this into gear. I was happy with the Sportster, but this was more of what I wanted. So, I sold that chopper and got into this build right away. Josh from Uptahn and I threw a bunch of crazy ideas out there. We came up with the single downtube frame, which he customized. It was raked out a little bit, roughly five degrees. The idea was to make a really narrow, lean bike. Any particular reason you wanted a cone shovel?EJ: I always wanted to do a cone shovel but only had a loose idea of the direction. Things just kind of lined up, and I got really lucky with it. After selling my other bike, the build just fell into place. How did the process unfold?EJ: A big thing for me was fitting it to my size. I’m not necessarily a heavy dude, but it gets tricky being taller. I’m 6’4”, so we extended it as far as we could geometrically without making it look goofy. It fits me very well but looks giant with anyone else sitting on it. I really liked a bunch of bikes I saw that were tight, compact, and fit well. I feel that was a big thing for this build, so we kept that in our thoughts when we were designing everything. Can you run through the bike’s parts and pieces?EJ: I’m using a Harley five-speed transmission. It’s a warehouse springer front end, maybe twelve over, with a 21” front wheel and an 18” back wheel. The panther paw kickstart pedal, taillight, and points cover were made by Andy Mak of Uptahn Metalworks. The seat was done by Diego Galarraga aka Mr. Comfy, a buddy of mine in New Jersey who is a super-talented guy. He got me some fake leopard or cheetah print, and I let him do his thing. He crushed it. Uptahn Metalworks also did the frame, exhaust, and handlebars. The bars were originally six-bend pullbacks but were too far in my gut, making it hard to ride. It was already sketchy, so we cut and extended them out a little bit. Having any advantage on these roads is a big thing, and at the end of the day, Josh and Dan from Uptahn brainstormed the bars and hit a home run. I still have the original uncut frame that came with the bike. Uptahn had a neck piece and back half in the shop, so Josh Howells customized a single down tube and made it all fit together. It’s their first custom frame build. I hope I still have it thirty years from now and that they continue to keep doing what they do. What’s the story behind the Pink Panther theme?EJ: Being a huge fan of chopper history from the 1960s and 70s, I liked that they were always known for vibrant colors. I really wanted to make an impression with this build, so I tossed some ideas around with Tyler Elliott of TE Customs. He thought about using pink. The idea worked because my dad was really into the Pink Panther, so we incorporated that. The pink is literally called “pink panther’ paint, so it’s a little homage to my dad who was a big fan of those movies. That meant a lot to me. My buddy, Ray Karhut, added some more little paint pieces that fit the theme. From there, the leopard idea came together with the seat. The big thing for me was making a statement if you were to see it coming down the road. How did the process unfold?EJ: A big thing for me was fitting it to my size. I’m not necessarily a heavy dude, but it gets tricky being taller. I’m 6’4”, so we extended it as far as we could geometrically without making it look goofy. It fits me very well but looks giant with anyone else sitting on it. I really liked a bunch of bikes I saw that were tight, compact, and fit well. I feel that was a big thing for this build, so we kept that in our thoughts when we were designing everything. What does it mean now that it’s finished?EJ: Besides being a really cool homage to my dad, my favorite part of the bike is that there are so many hands involved with it from start to finish. I’m fortunate to have a lot of friends who are very helpful and knowledgeable. I had friends involved with everything from picking up the bike to putting it all together. I’ve known some of these guys for over twenty years. That’s the most meaningful part and what I’ll remember most about it. It’s a really unique experience that we all got to throw our creativity into. Years down the line, I’ll know that I have custom one-off parts on this bike that were made by my friends. Any future projects?EJ: Not unless something comes up. I’m going to try and enjoy this for a little bit and see where it takes me. Featured in Issue 12 1980 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SHOVELHEAD Built by ED JANKOSKI UPTAHN METALWORKS Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO

A Panhead Chopper Plays Hard-to-Get Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio Imagine waiting over thirty years to buy the motorcycle of your dreams. The story behind this panhead dates back to the late seventies when Mark Klos of Bethel Park laid eyes on a fiery chopper parked outside of a local watering hole. It was love at first sight, but unfortunately, “Pamela” the panhead wasn’t available. Although she would show up every now and then in Mark’s life, it wasn’t until recently that he got the chance to make the bike his own. Those decades of patience paid off, and Mark restored Pamela to a look similar to that of her past. Alexa and I met up with him in South Park to talk about the motorcycle’s history and what it means to finally own the bike that first caught his eye many years ago. Growing up in the Pittsburgh area, how did you first get interested in motorcycles?Mark Klos: I grew up on a street with a really hardcore biker club, the kind that your parents tell you to stay away from. We rode dirtbikes in the woods when I was around eight or nine years old. These bikers kept to themselves but would occasionally have big parties up there. My fifteen-year-old cousin talked us into going up there when I was twelve. They recognized us as the kids who rode dirtbikes. One of the guys was an excellent artist and was drawing Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit on the garage door in chalk. I started talking to him and told him how much I liked it. He said he was going to paint it and that the chalk was just done as a guideline. So over the next couple of weeks, I’d go down there after school and watch him paint. They were just regular guys that didn’t scare us. Growing up on that street probably influenced my interest the most. You have quite a history with this chopper. Can you explain how you eventually ended up with it?MK: In the late 1970s, a couple of buddies and I noticed this bike and two others outside of a bar when we were walking down to the local Stop-N-Go in Bethel Park. We were in awe over them. The gentleman who owned the bike came out and kind of shooed us away. I told the guy that I wanted to buy the bike if he ever sold it, but he told me I was just a kid and couldn’t afford it. Then about ten years later in my twenties, I met the guy again when servicing a truck he was driving for Pepsi-Cola. I asked him about buying that old panhead again, but he still wouldn’t sell it. Jumping forward to 2016 when my brother and I were in Laconia Motorcycle Week, we bump into this guy again at a bar. After buying us a round, he asked if I’d still like to buy the bike and said that he wanted to give me the first shot since I’d been interested all these years. At this point, it was just sitting in a barn not being ridden anymore. Was the bike the same as when you first saw it in the late 70s?MK: He did some stuff to it over the years. Most notably, he blew up the original panhead motor. Instead of going with Harley cases, he decided to build a better-performing aftermarket motor for less. It has a Santee frame with an S&S bottom end, an STD 103” top end, and Andrews gears in the transmission. It’s at the point now where I don’t think there are any original parts left on the bike. Other than that, the back brake is a banana brake from the 1960s, but to my knowledge, they never made them chrome. So either someone had it chromed or it’s a reproduction. What did you do to the bike after you bought it?MK: I only wanted to change a few things to tailor it more to what I liked and make it better suited for riding in our area. The goal was to keep a similar look to what I remember years ago. It’s a handful, and I didn’t want to subject anyone to sit on the back, so after I got it, the first thing I did was change the king and queen seat to a springer seat I picked up from Drag Specialties. The rear fender is actually two fenders that were welded and molded together–a 1960 FLH front fender on top of a steel chopper fender. For the paint, I loved the bright flamed look from when I originally saw the bike, so I did a very similar paint job on the tank and repainted the frame from the backbone all the way down to the axle. What about the front end?MK: It used to have a telescopic front from the 1960s, but I picked up this Denver’s Choppers front end from Cycle Warehouse in Butler, Pennsylvania. My brother and I went up there in the winter one year, and after looking around, I saw that they had a bunch of springer front ends on the wall. I took some measurements on my bike and went back in the springtime. It was still there, and I got a better deal by waiting. It was perfect for the bike. I didn’t really want to run a 21-inch front wheel, but it gives the chopper the right stance. How does it feel now to have the chopper set up how you like it?MK: It feels fantastic. The bike is temperamental but really nice to ride around 70 to 75 mph. It’s loud and obnoxious, but at that speed, it’s kind of idling. On open and back farm roads, I find myself giggling at how effortlessly it cruises. I don’t consider it done, but I don’t think anyone’s chopper is ever finished. Similar to an oil painting, you keep walking by and touching it up over time. It’s my dream chopper. Featured in Issue 12 1960 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLH Built by MARK KLOS Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO

Partytime at Paradise Island Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio When most people from Pittsburgh say they’re heading to the beach in August, they typically don’t mean gathering with other motorcycle enthusiasts on the sunny sands of Neville Island. Over the last two summers, the Steel City Mods vs Rockers event has taken place at Paradise Island Bowl and Beach, where you’d be surprised to find a parking lot full of classic bikes near a beachfront tiki bar with live music and a pin-up contest. This year’s event on Saturday, August 27, 2022, was quite the party. Sergio Kyriakis of Ton Up Pittsburgh filled us in on the event’s history and details. For those unfamiliar, could you give a rundown of the history behind the Mods vs Rockers event and how your group got involved?Sergio Kyriakis: Back in 2010, there were two very enterprising young ladies that started to promote the Steel City Rockers vs Mods event. These types of events are somewhat historical in the sense that they celebrate the Mods vs Rockers of the 1950s and 60s in England. When our club, which was The Steel City Rockers at the time, found out about it, we called the girls for a quick meetup. They did not realize that our club existed, so we struck a friendship and let them know we would gladly support them in their endeavor. The first event was held in the parking lot next to the now Hofbräuhaus in Pittsburgh’s South Side Works. Eventually, the ladies decided they had enough fun putting these shows on and asked us to take the event over, so we obliged. From my knowledge, this is your second year at Paradise Island Bowl and Beach on Neville Island. What was the motivation for moving the event here?SK: You’re absolutely correct. Paradise Island Bowl and Beach is centrally located with easy access from Route 79, has a huge flat parking lot that’s good for the bikes, a full kitchen and wait staff providing food and beverages, and best of all, they have a Tiki Bar on the beach with a stage where we host our live entertainment and awards ceremony. It was a blast. The location couldn’t be any more perfect. In the past, we have moved the venue from time to time to locations we feel are more conducive to the overall atmosphere and vibe. We bring in local vendors, a vintage DJ, Rockabilly bands, and even have a pinup contest. The event has different areas that attendees can explore throughout the day. Can you go through the layout of the show and dig into what someone might expect when attending?SK: The show runs from noon to 5pm. It goes by super fast! We have vendors of all types, pinups girls, rockabilly bands, and a ton of really cool motorcycles. Some attendees are dedicated to their individual causes, while others take in everything we have to offer. Let’s take you through what a rider can expect. They are greeted at the gate where they make a $5.00 contribution and receive an entry pass. From there, they are directed to park their bike in the cordoned lot and then register to win prizes. Within the lot, there are vendors lining the perimeter. This year’s major vendors for our event were Snyder’s Riders, Mosites Powersports, and Pitt Cycle. Also on hand are leather smiths, patch vendors, t-shirts, and other custom attire, along with local motorcycle shops such as Roll On Cycle, Uptahn Metalworks, Guntown Cycle, and our friend Roger from IKON Suspension. Walking around, one can take in all the sights of bikes, some customized, some brand new. We’ve also been known to have demo rides from time to time. There are some custom builders that turn out to show their uniquely crafted machines. From the parking lot, one can head on down to “the beach” where the Tiki Hut is located along the banks of the Ohio River. There is a full-service bar that serves food, a stage where bands play, and an area where we are able to set up a vintage DJ. We’ve had DJ Markus spin vintage tunes for several years now. He’s from England and really knows how to spin a mean record! This year’s bands were The Legendary Hucklebucks and the Lowlife Drifters. That was a serious lineup, if you ask me. Once the bands have finished playing, it’s time to bring on the Pin Up contest, which is hosted by Miss Mandy Frank, where up to two dozen beautiful ladies ply their talents in hopes of becoming this year’s Miss Steel City Mods vs Rockers. This component in itself adds so much color and provides some fantastic entertainment not only for onlookers but also for the participants. They are really into dressing up and playing the part. The last part of the show involves giving out trophies for various categories of motorcycles: Best Cafe Racer, Best Custom American, Best Custom British, Best Custom European, Best Japanese, and of course, The People’s Choice. We change up the categories from time to time to keep it interesting. The major awards for our bike show are provided by our friends at Lowbrow Customs and Steve Simqu, host of the annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in Pittsburgh, who builds the trophies. The motorcycle community thrives because of events and gatherings, whether big or small. What does it mean to organize something that brings so many enthusiasts together?SK: We absolutely love bringing motorcycle enthusiasts together at these events where they can experience local custom builds and restorations. It’s also a great opportunity for the local shops to interact with their customers outside of their brick-and-mortar stores and hopefully meet some new patrons. Many folks can’t wait to come out and see us again year after year, and to be honest, we feel the same way. We are so stoked to have groups of like-minded individuals come together to enjoy some quality time with us, support the vendors and sponsors, and have a great time overall. It’s a memorable event and seems to get better year after year. I would attribute that to the participants as well as everyone who helps put on the event. Is there anyone you’d like to thank?SK: We for sure would like to give a shout-out to all our vendors starting with the management for Paradise Island Bowl and Beach, Snyders Riders, Mosites Motorsports, PitCycles, Lowbrow Customs, IKON Shocks and Suspension, Mandy Frank and the Steel City Rockabellas, DJ Markus Newman, Jason Croxall the Stage Manager, the members of the Ton Up Pittsburgh, and of course, Pittsburgh Moto for giving us this opportunity to share our love of bikes, rockabilly, and the cafe racer Rocker culture. Any plans for next year?SK: We have plans, but nothing is set in stone just yet. We will support the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and there will be a Mods vs Rockers event. Once we know for certain, we will publish the dates and update all our fans via social media. Keep an eye out on our Facebook pages as we post other events and rides you might be interested in. Thank you for all of your support, and we look forward to seeing all of you in 2023! Featured in Issue 12 STEEL CITY MODS VS. ROCKERS 2022 August 27, 2022 PARADISE ISLAND BOWL & BEACH7601 Grand Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15225 www.pvgp.org instagram | facebook Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO

Transforming a Bonneville Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio A motorcycle is oftentimes a representation of its builder. While it might look simple from one perspective, this 1968 Triumph Bonneville has a uniqueness far beyond its straightforward appearance. Originally a barn find, the bike began its transformation with the goal of becoming a salt flat racer until the pandemic altered those plans and shifted the direction to what you see here. The builder, Jessika Janene, also went through quite a change during this time period, beginning a transgender journey that would completely reshape her life in many ways. This experience had its share of twists and turns, but her love for custom bikes remained. Jessika was kind enough to share the story behind this recent Triumph build, the transition, and her ongoing passion for vintage motorcycles. What is the history behind this bike?Jessika Janene: This Triumph was won on an eBay auction. The seller said it was stored in an Ohio barn since the 1970s but was originally from Indiana. It still has the original registration and inspection stickers on the frame’s downtube. I was looking for a pre-oil-in-frame bike with a unit engine, and 1968 was a good year for the Triumph Bonneville. Did you have a direction for the build or was it something that progressed over time?JJ: My plan was to buy a low-cost 1960s 650cc Triumph and create a race bike to run at the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwestern Utah in 2020, totally self-supported, with only the help of my partner, Adrienne. I was set on participating in the AMA’s Run Whatcha Brung amateur event. This was also an all-motorcycle event, which is cool. The trials are AMA-recorded and regulated. I wasn’t interested in clocking an official record like other sanctioned events, I just wanted to accomplish the goal of making a solid run on a bike that I built–an old bike at that. Then the pandemic hit, and my plans were altered in myriad ways. What was it about this particular model or style that stood out to you?JJ: The race history of the Triumph bikes was the draw for me. The salt flat racers I love are the spindly framed old bikes, mostly Triumphs or English in origin. I liked the pure mechanical old-school engineered DIY mentality. I don’t build pristine, showy bikes that are not meant to be ridden. This was my first build designed for a specific task–just racing on the salt. Could you run through the work involved starting with the frame?JJ: The frame was modified with a hardtail section from Lowbrow Customs. I wanted a simple, light, strong, and easy solution for a stretched-frame bike, and this provided almost four inches of length. I never intended to go with the bobber seat, headlight, or brake light–they were added after COVID scrapped my plans. I figured that I’d ride it on the streets, so I needed to keep it legal. My race seat would have been a handmade, low-profile “pad” that mounted to the rigid rear frame and mudguard. This bike has the original proportional forks on purpose, which I rebuilt with all new internals and roller bearing headset. They were the right weight and had more than enough performance for these needs. The twin leading shoe front brake is a classic and has amazing stopping power. Plus, it looks crazy old-school. The paint on the front cradle frame is original, as far as I can tell. I touched it up a little bit but wanted to keep the OG paint and the vintage Indiana inspection stickers from the 1970s. All parts except the cradle and triple tree are raw steel or aluminum, oiled to keep the rust away. How about the engine and performance?JJ: The engine is a .05 overbore with high-compression pistons, ported and flowed head with proper race springs, Black Diamond valves, new seats, and bronze guides. The cams are stock with a special re-grind that focused on duration. DiStefano Speed did that specialty work. I installed all new bearings and seals everywhere on the entire engine, even new main bearings on the reground crankshaft expertly sorted at Pittsburgh Crankshaft. I wanted to avoid a battery, like most race bikes, and my hatred of points ignition and crappy coils sent me on a quest for a magneto. I found the proper one at Electrex. It has a small single-phase alternator that puts out almost 50w and a tiny regulator/rectifier converts it to DC for use on the LED lighting with wattage to spare. I installed new Amal MK1 Premier carbs with open velocity stacks–vying for the classic Brit-looking power plant. To finish it off, I used British Standard raw steel upswept exhaust pipes, a peanut fuel tank, and a canister oil tank. Finishing this lovely Triumph build was only part of your pandemic experience. You also went through a gender transformation. Could you elaborate on this life-changing transition?JJ: I started my transition in November of 2020 amid the chaos of the early pandemic and my work-from-home hamster wheel lifestyle. This revelation hit me like a sucker punch. My egg cracked, a term used in the transgender community to define the moment of revelation. I wasn’t a person who knew all of my life that I was living as the wrong gender. I was not hiding it from others or repressing it due to societal or religious pressures, but once it was revealed to me, I swore to myself that I would not live in the shadows. My life will be the same, if not better. When I told my closest colleague and friend I was in transition, he said, “Wait, you are the most “guy” guy I know. Are you kidding me?” I have become the woman I was meant to be and still remain a passionate motorcyclist and gearhead. Being transgender and living my truth makes all of the other parts of my life more special. Knowing who I am let me stand even more firmly on the foundation of what I believe, love, and enjoy. What does it mean to you to be a trans woman in the motorcycle industry?JJ: As a trans woman in motorcycle culture, I want to be visible and contribute to bringing all transgender people up. Sometimes it’s a one-on-one conversation, a magazine interview, or a public speaking event. I don’t need to wear it on my sleeve, I just live it. To me, that’s the most powerful way to be in a culture that is mostly cis men. I’m just me, I’m a woman. To close this out, is there anything else you’d like to add about your journey?JJ: I transitioned because there is no other option for me—living my truth is not negotiable. The proverbial Genie cannot be put back in the bottle. I am, and perhaps always was, a woman. When I was young society taught me to suppress anything feminine, we didn’t have options in my small world during the early 70s. Transgender was not on the radar, and a transition was unthinkable! I wasn’t born in the wrong body, this is my body, and I have affirmed it. In moto-terms, I guess you’d call me a Restomod. Featured in Issue 12 1968 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120 Built by JESSIKA JANENE instagram Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO

An Unwanted Ironhead Gets a Second Chance Words by Kurt Diserio — Photos by Alexa Diserio A person’s path into building motorcycles can typically be traced back to their creative roots. Some of the most impressive bike builds come from those who dove deep into a craft and then merged that passion with their interest in these two-wheeled troublemakers. In Raymond Karhut’s case, his love of painting and desire for learning new techniques were the perfect fit for jumping head-first into constructing a classic ironhead chopper. We spoke with him about his 1985 Harley-Davidson XLH, the process behind the build, and his path from a tattoo apprenticeship to custom chopper paint. This is your first feature in our publication, so let’s get into your history with bikes.Raymond Karhut: I first got into building Japanese bikes through a couple of friends and started meeting some chopper guys. We were building cafe racers out of Kawasaki Ninja 250s, some Suzuki Savage bobbers, and a couple of weird Honda Rebels. It was some really obscure shit. Who builds a custom 250? Eventually, I wanted to build a cool American-made chopper. It was a strange jump from the smaller metric engines. One of my biggest motivations was seeing Ed Jankoski’s Sportster chopper completed and how silly and fun it was. He had such a good time building that bike that it made me want to give a Sporty a go. How did you find this bike initially?RK: My buddy Mike living in San Diego knew that I was looking for a Sportster for sale. He put me in contact with Tyler Valentik who works at Steel City Harley-Davidson in Washington, Pennsylvania. Their dealership had a shitty trade-in that they were just trying to get rid of. It was garbage at the time, and I couldn’t even test-ride it since the chain was seized. I heard it run for about thirty seconds and still took it as a project build. When was that?RK: That was August 20, 2021. I remember because that was actually my old lady’s birthday, and I bought myself a project motorcycle. We got it complete and running on August 20, 2022. That was the first test ride, so a year to the day, we took it to a show. How did you go about the build?RK: I knew I wanted a hardtail lane splitter–something really narrow but still street-legal, rideable, and inspectable. That way, anybody could buy it and have it inspected if I ever wanted to sell it. The front end is 4-over with NOS tubes from Forking by Frank that came out of Norm’s Cycle Center. It was sitting in a box since 2009. The handlebars are Lowbrow Customs rabbit ears that we heated and bent in more because they weren’t quite narrow enough. The headlights are NOS Dixies, the tank is also from Lowbrow, and the seat and hardtail are TC Bros. We removed the foam on the seat and put in gel pads. Uptahn Metalworks did the frame cut and welding. I did the paintwork by myself over a 2-week span during last year’s holiday layoff and most of the motor work and wiring during that same time. You did a great job on the paintwork. What made you choose this theme?RK: I knew I wanted it to be a few shades of brown since that’s my favorite color. I also wanted to mix some gold and pink into that 1970s look. Somebody called it a hot turd at one point, so I thought of “Sexual Chocolate” as a theme and nickname. This is my third paint job on a bike. I was just messing around with an airbrush and tape and liked the look of classic paint styles. I figured out some of the ancient tricks with it and figured I could give it a shot. Future bike plans? RK: My old lady’s dad had a survivor chopper he parked in maybe 2001 or 2002. It’s a 1976 Bicentennial XLCH kickstart-only. I’ve been asking if I could buy it off him for years. After he saw this finished bike, he dropped it off at our house for free. We’re going to do that up for her. Anything else you’d like to say?RK: I had such a great time learning and tinkering on this build. I’ve always been into painting, maybe not always motorcycles, but it was a neat, fun project that I definitely want to do again sometime soon. Thanks to Big Ang and Ed Jankoski for helping with the bike build, along with Uptahn Metalworks for helping me with the welds. This was a group project that pulled on everybody. Also, thanks to everyone who has built and ridden a chopper for all of the cool ideas. Featured in Issue 12 1985 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XLH 1000 SPORTSTER Built by RAYMOND KARHUT instagram Words by KURT DISERIO Photos by ALEXA DISERIO