Ironhead Chopper by TWO10
Most garage chopper shops get started in a very similar way. Someone gets hooked on old-school bikes and starts messing around with their own two-wheeled projects before things snowball. The next thing you know, they’re in deep with these wild machines, building bikes and making their own parts.
Nick SanGregory, a piercer who runs his own body piercing and jewelry store in Pittsburgh, fits this story perfectly. By the time this new issue hits the printers, Nick has already been busy with a couple of new chopper projects in his shop, appropriately named TWO10. For now, though, we’re going to focus on the 1974 Ironhead that you might have seen floating around the internet or on the floor of this past year’s Glory Daze motorcycle show. Alexa and I met up with Nick at TWO10 to chat about the sinister chopper.
Nick SanGregory, a piercer who runs his own body piercing and jewelry store in Pittsburgh, fits this story perfectly. By the time this new issue hits the printers, Nick has already been busy with a couple of new chopper projects in his shop, appropriately named TWO10. For now, though, we’re going to focus on the 1974 Ironhead that you might have seen floating around the internet or on the floor of this past year’s Glory Daze motorcycle show. Alexa and I met up with Nick at TWO10 to chat about the sinister chopper.
Can you tell us about SIX16 and the work you do?
Nick SanGregory: So, my day job is head piercer, owner, and operator of SIX16, a high-end body piercing and jewelry store in Shadyside. We specialize in safe stylistic piercings. We also design full jewelry outfits for clients who have existing piercings but want something new and refreshing.
Nick SanGregory: So, my day job is head piercer, owner, and operator of SIX16, a high-end body piercing and jewelry store in Shadyside. We specialize in safe stylistic piercings. We also design full jewelry outfits for clients who have existing piercings but want something new and refreshing.
How have things progressed since you first opened?
NS: The scene was pretty different when I first opened. I was doing way more large gauge piercings, which I still have a heavy interest in, but I noticed I was lacking a particular clientele base. I didn’t like that it felt as though you had to look like me to get cool piercings. I started to introduce more gold and diamonds, smaller delicate pieces, and more of a fashion-forward style to the collections, and the market shifted a bit. Piercing is for everyone, and I think we express that pretty well. You can view our work on social media (@six16piercing) or check out the website for booking, six16piercing.com.
NS: The scene was pretty different when I first opened. I was doing way more large gauge piercings, which I still have a heavy interest in, but I noticed I was lacking a particular clientele base. I didn’t like that it felt as though you had to look like me to get cool piercings. I started to introduce more gold and diamonds, smaller delicate pieces, and more of a fashion-forward style to the collections, and the market shifted a bit. Piercing is for everyone, and I think we express that pretty well. You can view our work on social media (@six16piercing) or check out the website for booking, six16piercing.com.
Has piercing contributed to your interest in choppers?
NS: It’s hard to say. However, I think I approach both very similarly. I love details, and I’m obsessed with the concept of making things look “natural”, or in other words, as if it just belongs there. I do find that with both subjects I can very much appreciate the super off-the-wall, wild, borderline “overdone” aesthetic—but I’m really drawn to simplicity and clean lines.
NS: It’s hard to say. However, I think I approach both very similarly. I love details, and I’m obsessed with the concept of making things look “natural”, or in other words, as if it just belongs there. I do find that with both subjects I can very much appreciate the super off-the-wall, wild, borderline “overdone” aesthetic—but I’m really drawn to simplicity and clean lines.
How did you end up with the ironhead and what’s the story behind the build?
NS: I was actually looking for a shovelhead at the time, and Josh at Uptahn Metal Works asked if I had considered an Iron. Coincidentally, Heath Hildreth had brought this one in for one reason or another, I forget. I said screw it, talked to Heath, and here we are. It was my introduction into actually building. My goal was to hang around Josh and Dan to learn and try my hand at as much as possible. It was a pretty rad time!
NS: I was actually looking for a shovelhead at the time, and Josh at Uptahn Metal Works asked if I had considered an Iron. Coincidentally, Heath Hildreth had brought this one in for one reason or another, I forget. I said screw it, talked to Heath, and here we are. It was my introduction into actually building. My goal was to hang around Josh and Dan to learn and try my hand at as much as possible. It was a pretty rad time!
Did you have a certain idea in mind for how you wanted the bike to come together or was it something that took shape over time?
NS: I always have loose ideas of what I want to make and then let it take form on its own. I decided on black and red for the paint, initially being all black with red underneath like a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, since I jokingly call myself a designer dirtball. But in fairness, this all just sort of worked itself out. We’d figure out one thing and it would give me an idea for another piece of the aesthetic puzzle, so on and so forth.
NS: I always have loose ideas of what I want to make and then let it take form on its own. I decided on black and red for the paint, initially being all black with red underneath like a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, since I jokingly call myself a designer dirtball. But in fairness, this all just sort of worked itself out. We’d figure out one thing and it would give me an idea for another piece of the aesthetic puzzle, so on and so forth.
What are some of the parts or work that stand out to you?
NS: I love how cohesive the whole bike is. It’s taken on a few forms since the initial “finished product”, but are they ever really finished? It’s a 1974, so it still had the right side shift. Josh made some linkages running through the frame’s mechanical brake crossover so we could set up the left-side shift. Making the floorboards and configuring the control setup was a lot of fun, and I dig how they came out. It’s a pretty small bike for me, but we got it to fit just right. I also really like how the exhaust is run and the rear pipe comes behind the frame and sissy bar. The bike is simple-looking in passing but still pretty complex. It just really works.
NS: I love how cohesive the whole bike is. It’s taken on a few forms since the initial “finished product”, but are they ever really finished? It’s a 1974, so it still had the right side shift. Josh made some linkages running through the frame’s mechanical brake crossover so we could set up the left-side shift. Making the floorboards and configuring the control setup was a lot of fun, and I dig how they came out. It’s a pretty small bike for me, but we got it to fit just right. I also really like how the exhaust is run and the rear pipe comes behind the frame and sissy bar. The bike is simple-looking in passing but still pretty complex. It just really works.
How did your TWO10 shop come about and where did the name come from?
NS: I was building in my basement for the past two winters, but that became too much of a mess and a pain as I really took an interest in hoarding old parts. It was also impossible to get a bike in or out without at least three people. So, I recently acquired a garage space in Southside that I’ve named TWO10. The name just worked because 210 is my address where it all started. I realized it lent itself well to being written out just like my piercing shop, SIX16. I felt like I had to do it, so there we have it.
NS: I was building in my basement for the past two winters, but that became too much of a mess and a pain as I really took an interest in hoarding old parts. It was also impossible to get a bike in or out without at least three people. So, I recently acquired a garage space in Southside that I’ve named TWO10. The name just worked because 210 is my address where it all started. I realized it lent itself well to being written out just like my piercing shop, SIX16. I felt like I had to do it, so there we have it.
From your perspective, what’s it like owning and riding a chopper in Pittsburgh?
NS: I actually quite like it. I do a lot of city riding because I live and work within the city boroughs, so I’ve gotten pretty used to it over the years. The Pittsburgh hills and random cobblestone one-ways just add an element of surprise haha!
NS: I actually quite like it. I do a lot of city riding because I live and work within the city boroughs, so I’ve gotten pretty used to it over the years. The Pittsburgh hills and random cobblestone one-ways just add an element of surprise haha!
Do you have any favorite roads or areas?
NS: My favorite spot to ride is coming from the east side through the Strip District into town late at night. You’re more or less all alone, and can just shred the open streets unbothered. soak in the city while the world is asleep.
NS: My favorite spot to ride is coming from the east side through the Strip District into town late at night. You’re more or less all alone, and can just shred the open streets unbothered. soak in the city while the world is asleep.
Is there anyone you’d like to mention who helped with the build?
NS: Josh at Uptahn Metal Works and Dan Swiderski. I can’t thank them enough. They really knocked it out of the park and taught me so much along the way.
NS: Josh at Uptahn Metal Works and Dan Swiderski. I can’t thank them enough. They really knocked it out of the park and taught me so much along the way.
TWO10
