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1973 Yamaha XS650 Chopper

Dezember 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.

Northwest Noise - Hot Carl Racing

Dezember 07, 2021

So, what do vintage Japanese motorcycles, the flat-out speed of the Bonneville Salt Flats, and punk rock, f*** it all attitude have in common? Hot Carl Racing, that’s what.

There are some people that you know have one hell of a story, and the combo of Dan Osborne and Mike Dillard of Hot Carl Racing are just the type of enthusiasts that we love at Old Bike Barn. Recently, while Bear was shooting for yet another speed record at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, he came across a couple of dudes with a set of outrageously fabricated Yamaha XS650’s that he had never met before. Turns out, these guys not only ran one hell of a bike but had an incredibly interesting story to tell.

"Chicago" Honda CB750 Survivor Chopper

November 02, 2021

The idea, to hand build a one of a kind show stopper that wasn't a Harley Davidson. An idea that Bob Hannon of Schaumburg, Illinois had beginning in 1981 when assembling a team a various Craftsman all over the Midwest to build the “Project: Ultimate Honda.” “The goal is to build the show bike of show bikes, a machine that could not be beaten” said Bob in a Choppers magazine interveiw in 1982. The build was picked up by the publication Custom bike - Choppers magazine as an ongoing feature in multiple issues during the full build process and the hype really began to circulate about this one of a kind machine. Once completed Bob traveled the show circuit in 1982 winning award after award under the bike name “Chicago.” After a couple of years of racking up trophies, the bike laid dormant only to end up changing hands a couple of times and was then finally discovered again around 2005 by chopper enthusiast Jim Tigner. The bike at that time had been completely disassembled repainted bright purple and crated in a custom crate leaving Jim with the daunting task of collecting all of the 1980’s magazines and figuring out a blueprint to restore “Chicago” to its former 80’s glory. We caught up with Jim and the fully assembled masterpiece CB750 chopper at this year's Wauseon swap meet and he shared with us a little back story on how he came to restore this one of a kind show stopping Honda survivor chopper.

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Honda

1976 Yamaha TT500: Flat Tracker

September 28, 2021

Flat Track racing is deeply rooted in motorcycle history, especially here in North America dating back to the early 1900s. For many people, the invention of the motorcycle was a new way of transportation, but for some it was a new lease on life. For those that saw the motorcycle as something more than just getting you to and from work, little did they know they would be on the ground floor of building the longest running extreme sport. Although Flat Track racing may not be for everyone, it is easily respected and appreciated by anyone who has thrown their leg over a motorcycle.

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Yamaha

1948 EL Harley-Davidson Panhead

Mai 25, 2021

When it comes to vintage choppers just about everything under the sun has been done, so it takes a true craftsman to take the inspiration from other builders and projects and make it truly their own. A machine that stands out and continues the line of inspiration for generations to come. Such is the case with the very unique 1948 Panhead built by Dan Haas. Dan has spent a lifetime collecting antique oddities and sharpening his skills in metalwork and fabrication and his build is like a perfect blending of his love for obscure antiquities and the dedication to his craft. We spent a weekend with Dan in beautiful Daytona Beach Florida for the 2021 bike week and had the chance to get up close and personal with his incredibly "one off" machine. Something that you absolutely can not walk past without doing a double take at all the intricate details and custom brackets and fabrication. So here is our chance to do that double take and get to know Dan a little better in this one on one interview.