Black on Black Panhead Chopper & Bella
Ray turned someone else’s junk into gold with this very black old school chopper.
I HAVE BEEN riding bikes since I was a kid. I was riding trail bikes, mini-bikes, and then I graduated to 754s and Ducati 900s, and now Harleys, and I bought a couple of Triumphs in-between. Yep, I have been riding bikes all my life. And I have been around the club scene for nearly 20 years. It’s a great lifestyle.
This particular bike came about… I was holidaying in America — I love it over there; they have rules but there are so many people they can’t enforce them so you can just cruise around — and I went with a mate to Ultima Motorcycles. I wasn’t going to buy anything but the goodies were just too cheap. They were virtually trying to clean out the store so they could start ordering new stuff. I borrowed some money off a mate and I bought the frame out of the junk bin. Then I went through the workshop and just bought anything they had pulled off a bike. I bought the front-end, oil tank, gearbox and wheels. They called it junk but it was really good junk.
That’s the only one of those frames around because some bloke had made it, sent it to them to try to put it into production, and they said it was too much work.
The front-end had been on a bike and the customer didn’t like it so he pulled it off — there were some marks on it — but I reckon it’s a great front-end. Actually, it was one of the dearest things on the bike.
The front guard, the way it is mounted with the front brake, is really unusual. It came with the front-end.
With the front-end being so long — it’s 12 ½ inches-over — I decided I really should make the bike look old school so that’s why I went with the round oil tank.
The wheels are called Arrowheads.
The motor is a reproduction from STD Engines. I’m not sure if it’s 107 or 109 cubes but it’s a complete Panhead right down to the three-stud exhaust; it’s just got the latest technology inside — all roller bearings, etc.
I got the exhaust pipes wrapped with heatproof cloth mainly because I like that rough look.
The bike was painted by a mate of mine, Juice. He is into bikes and hot rods; anyone from South East Queensland would know Juice. He painted the bike flat black with the gloss highlights on it. Black on black. I reckon if it’s bad enough to be good, it’s good enough to be black. Plus, I didn’t want to wreck it with any colour.
The seat I bought at a bike swap. I saw it and thought, yep, I’ll buy that; it’ll go with the old school theme. The bag under the seat can hold your licence and rego, and it filled that empty spot too.
I think I have one or two more choppers left in me. I love building them and I like riding them but, you know, they cost a bit. This bike has only done 100 km — I took it to a bike show and it won Best Chopper — so I would actually like to ride it around for six months before I sell it and build another.
Bella
HI. I’M a Brisbane girl but I love to party at nightclubs on the Gold Coast. Other than doing modelling, my hobbies are swimming and rock ‘n’ roll dancing.
I like doing the modelling — I usually pose nude — because it makes me feel proud of myself because I have accomplished something that I have always wanted to do.
In the future I am hoping I will be able to help other people look beautiful; maybe have my own modelling agency.
Pics by Wall 2 Wall; words by Ray Stinger
