So when it comes to putting on well rounded chopper shows across the country, there are many dynamic duos that really make it a true team effort, sort of like a ying and yang, they each bring something to the table that makes their show unique. Just a small example for the midwest you have Scott and Warren of Mama Tried show or the West Coast, Grant and Mike of Born Free, but theres no duo quite like that of Willie and Roadside Marty, who put on the "Choppertime" show twice a year at Willie's Tropical tattoo in Ormond Beach, Florida. A true grassroots event that began with some of Willie's friendships with legendary builders and their shared love of everything custom on two wheels, often making Tropical tattoo a destination to park their innovative rides. After the shows first year Willie brought on Roadside Marty as his master of ceremonies and sparked a friendship and team that would carry the show into the one of a kind "happening" and ultimate destination for builders and riders all over the country to showcase their talents at a true old school biker show. We ran a feature last week with the shows founder Willie but we also wanted to hear from the outspoken quit witted Roadside Marty who we had come to know from years of wild biker events. Marty brings his own flavor to the show "roasting " each builder as they receive their awards in the most brutal fashion you can imagine. Absolutely a no holds barred comedic onslaught that no matter who you are, you'll either end up walking away laughing your ass off or questioning life as you know it. Marty is no stranger to judging himself and takes all criticism just as much as he gives it so in the spirit of good fun he often enters his bikes in other bike shows as well, leveling the playing feild. We caught up with Marty the day after the Choppertime show where he had riden his 1946 Knucklehead Harley Davidson into the famous Daytona Broken Spoke Saloon to enter their "Garage built" bike show. We spoke in depth with Marty on his take on the "Choppertime" and some of his wild stories over the years that surround his involvement with the event. So we bring you now our second installment Choppertime part 2, Roadside Marty.
Deep within the confines of the biker subculture has always remained a series of "happenings" and moments over the years, pure, raw, forever nostalgic moments that have given fellow bikers a sense of pride for having lived through them or been a part of them. We have always tried to pay homage to moments like this and regionally these moments have become something that have transformed the landscape surrounding these biker happenings and brought others in pilgrimage to find their own sacred yet wild moments within them. Daytona Bike week forever immortalized by the striking images in the pages of biker magazines of the eighties and nineties was forever transformed when Daytona legend Willie Jones of the famed "Tropical tattoo" in Ormond beach began hosting a "true to the core"custom bike show called "chopper time" birthed from the comradery of fellow bikers and custom builders that would often make his tattoo shop lot a staple of their adventures. The show soon became the mecca of Southern motorcycle culture and held true to its core values for over 2 decades now. Early on bringing along the outgoing vaudevillian talents of the quick witted "Roadside Marty" as his master of ceremonies and an All Star cast of judges that made the shows awards a true "judging of its own peers" the show was destined to get bigger and better with every passing year. Not only did the show allow builders from all over the country from all walks of life to showcase their talents, connect with like minded individuals over a cold well priced brew or just simply cruise the lot looking for continued sources of inspiration, it also had a very important cause fueling it that not everyone knew about.
Vintage motorcycles and for this instance particularly old Honda's, seem to hold their own collection of stories and memories between families all over America and the world over. Whether that experience may have been a father teaching his son to rebuild a set of inline four carburetors in their garage on the weekends or maybe even the first bike that you remember your Uncle ever taking you for rides on or beyond that maybe it may have been the bike that got you into motorcycles altogether. Well no matter what the story, their lineage and their story is also yours. This sentiment certainly holds true for one such vintage inline four enthusiast Brenen Hiler of Indianapolis, Indiana who recently had the chance to acquire the 1975 Honda CB750 that was the bike that started it all for him. Passed through his family a few generations that CB stayed barn fresh and just a can of carb cleaner away from a solid ride for 3 decades until it was finally time for Brenen to be reunited with it. We sat down with him in his home shop in Indy and discussed his love for all motorcycles and how it progressed over the years all beginning with one very particular blue honda CB750.
Zylstra Choppers out of Grand Rapids, Michigan is known for his well defined style that includes a range of high performance big bore motors in classic 80's muscle bike chopper style frames. We had come to know Reece Zylstra through many motorcycle events over the years but we wanted to get down to the route of where it all began for him and what lead his amazing progression of building extremely high quality machines from the start. What we came to realize about Reece was that much like many builders in the midwest he learned his skilled trades through years of dedication and hardwork that with every bike got more refined and more satisfying than the one before it. After years of honing his skills he has built some of our favorite bikes, bikes that have earned their place not only in some of the biggest magazines and bike events in the country but actually out there on the roads stacking mile after mile. We joined Reece on a chilly winter day at his home shop, talked about his Upper peninsula Michigan bike event "Apocalypse Run" and got to get up close with the one bike he couldnt let get away, his 1955 FL generator Shovelhead Harley Davidson.
It's always a great thing to find a vintage motorcycle that has just the right amount of patina that shows it's been appreciated yet actually ridden and such is the case with this 1974 Amen Savior framed CB750 chopper from Brandon Paschke. Originally assembled from parts ordered out of the back of an old biker magazine this bike started out as a product of the chopper boom in the 70's and remained true to the style all these years. We caught up with Brandon and his bike at Powell Farms in beautiful Oregonia, Ohio just after the wild party vibes of the Devils Staircase hillclimbs where many bikers make the homage trek with their vintage bikes continuing a tradition of rolling custom machines out to the farm, something that's been happening literally since the 70's when many of the Amen framed bikes were on the rise. From the photos you could honestly look and imagine you were back at Powell Farm in 1974 seeing as how both the farm and the bike have changed so little in almost 50 years. So to get an idea of how Brandon came to own this awesome survivor we picked his brain on the bike and some of the good times he has had with it continuing on with its journey.
