S&S Shovelhead Chopper
Having eight-thousand pounds of steel crush your legs is something that would almost certainly stop the average biker from ever ripping down the highway on a chopper again. As gruesome as you can imagine, this happened to local rider Shawn Holbrook a couple of years ago. The news of the incident scared the hell out of his friends and sent waves of concern through the local motorcycle community. Don’t worry, there’s good news.
Outlander Art Co.
There’s something captivating about artistic works that illuminate fine details using only a constrained amount of resources. Built around the subject of motorcycles and the people who ride them, Allison Lear created Outlander Art Co. as a platform for her wood art. It’s easy to imagine one of her pieces hanging on a wall in your home or office—a visually pleasing representation of our passion for two wheels. Sometimes we need a physical reminder that no matter how trying life can be, throwing a leg over a motorcycle allows us a temporary escape.
BMW R100 Cafe Racer
There’s no place like home. That phrase resonates deeply with those who had to move away from Western Pennsylvania. Spending time in another city or country opens up an interesting perspective of where you were born and brings light to memories that were previously buried in your subconscious.
Steampunk Ironhead
There’s something about steampunk design that seems to fit well with Pittsburgh’s history. The retro-futuristic industrial style was glorified during the twentieth century through science fiction and fantasy and often represented with the likes of gears, brass, and Victorian-era influences. Although the stories were typically set in the wild west, the gritty mechanical theme just feels like a possible parallel universe of the Steel City.
Dark Necessities
There are certain motorcycles that everyone just seems to love. This is one of them. Nick Miller’s 1955 panhead was built to characterize a specific period of choppers built in the 1960s. It’s the type of bike that people can see themselves riding. There’s nothing overly flashy about it. No wild paint or crazy weld work.
Roll On Cycle
There’s a feeling of comfort and trust that comes with developing a good relationship with a local hands-on motorcycle shop. Being able to walk in and talk directly to a crew about what you’re needing done is something you can’t find too often these days. This type of service still exists at places like Roll On Cycle in Oakdale, Pennsylvania.
Sportster Cafe Racer 1250
The garage is where many of us spend our free time. It’s important to have a space that allows us to be creative and try new things. The thought of working with motorcycles day and night might seem exhausting to some, but for gearheads, the chase of speed and precision is all part of the fun. This idea resonates with our contributing writer, Ryan Zapko. As a pilot and someone who has been flying since age seventeen, it only makes sense that wrenching on motorcycles would be the perfect thrill outside of the cockpit.
Bridge City Paint
Spending your entire life around cars and motorcycles isn’t a bad way to live, especially when you pick up the intricate craft of custom painting. We talked with Phil Williams of Roll On Cycle about his technique and path to becoming a full-time painter. His operation goes by the name of Bridge City Paint and is now housed within the same shop that his family has run for decades.
S&S Panhead
The last time we checked in with Ryan and Nathan Cipoletti they had put together their first chopper from the frame up, a slick black 1975 Harley-Davidson FX. Since then, they’ve been quite busy collecting more pieces and building or modifying numerous choppers in their spare time.
Lucerne
If you’re from Pittsburgh or Cleveland, you’ve probably seen this Sportster before. It’s been all over the internet and has bounced around to different owners before making a home with Erin Fitzgerald in the Steel City. In a lot of ways, Erin and Lucerne are a great fit together.
Chromophobia
Although chromophobia, the abnormal aversion and fear of color, perfectly characterizes this chopper masterpiece, its builder could not be further from the theme. Born in Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania, to a father already established as a creator of 1960s and 70s choppers, Tyler Elliott has been wrenching, fabricating, and customizing since his earliest memories.
CB350 Revival
Over time, as more restorations and custom builds start popping up, certain classic bikes seem to gain an appreciation. The popularity of the Honda CB line has remained solid throughout the years, cementing them in history as some of the most stylish, reliable bikes ever produced. The first CB models were born over sixty years ago, and when Honda moved forward with the CB350 in 1972, the four-cylinder, 347cc four-stroke was the smallest multi-cylinder motorcycles ever put into full-scale production.