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1974 Amen Savior CB550 Chopper

March 22, 2022

We often attend many motorcycle events and truth be told, seek out any custom builds or survivors projects that have vintage Japanese motors but we dont often see 550 motors in choppers. So when a good one comes along we take notice. The company "Amen" made plunger style chopper frames for many different inline four motors back in the 70's including the Honda CB750 and CB550 but the 550 frames were much more short lived and rare than the 750 ones. So when we met Steven Rodriguez at the Cooks Corner bar in Trabuco Canyon before last years Born Free show we took notice of this awesome Amen chopper he had built and been riding for some time. The bike was obviously a "daily rider" with tons of style and some really cool functionality. So we took a chance to snap some pics and talk with Steven about this neat piece of 70s chopper history.

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The Motorcycle: The Unsung Hero of the Military

February 15, 2022

It is challenging to comprehend that battles were fought primarily on horseback just over a century ago when troops went to war. Today, countries could battle their enemies half a world away virtually with the press of a button, thanks to advances in technology.

Before World War I, technological advancements brought the motorcycle into military service, and it continues to serve in various capacities today. Though it could be argued that battles, if not entire wars, were won on the back of a bike, the motorcycle does not receive the credit it deserves for its loyal military service.

How A Carburetor Works

February 08, 2022

What are carburetors and how do they work?
The carburetor is the device that delivers fuel to your engine for combustion. By design it turns the fuel into an atomize cloud, and mixes it with incoming air that is being drawn into your engine via engine vacuum. Carburetors are engineered for the size of engine they are attached to, with consideration for the amount of fuel that will be required across the entire rpm range of the engine.

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McKeag Art: The Moto Art World of Darren McKeag

January 11, 2022

When it comes to moto-centric art, there are a few names that come to mind from the chopper magazines pages of yesteryear, but the artists of today who are carrying on that tradition with a blending of mediums and style are what will keep the movement fresh for years to come. One such artist out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is Darren McKeag of "McKeag Art". McKeag blends his love for motorcycles, tattooing, and all the fast paced fun of everything in between. He mixes that style to become an extremely well rounded artist that tackles everything from tank and helmet art, pinstriping, illustration, large scale paper and canvas painting, drawing, and of course, art of the skin. We met with Darren to discuss some of the pieces he was proudly displaying at this years Indian Larry Block Party in Brooklyn, New York. We were able to get a sense for his incredible way of life and what keeps him inspired to create in the now well-defined "McKeag Art" style that has made its way all over the country in many different mediums.

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1973 Yamaha XS650 Chopper

December 28, 2021

This summer we took a trip to Michigan to participate in the Zylstra choppers Apocalypse Run up to the upper peninsula, (a feature we will be running next month) and we had the chance to connect with some really inspiring and interesting builders along the way who also made the trek for the run on their custom bikes. One stand out bike that refused to go unnoticed at every stop was this 1973 XS650 built by Nick Moyer of Chicago. With every single element of this bike custom made and fabricated from other found parts this bike was unlike any XS650 we had ever seen. Not to mention it's hard not to love a chrome frame and nods to builders like Indian Larry with his wild twisted downtubes. Basically every chance that Nick had to change up an element of the bike to make it completely innovative and original to him he went with it. Repurposing old hot rod car parts and custom fabricating other parts the bike really stands out on it's own. We waited for the dreaded upper peninsula Michigan rains to subside on day 2 of the run and sat down with Nick to discuss some of our favorite parts of the build.