DAMN TATTOO: January 2011

7-Ten?

A while back, I posted a 4 engine 45 for 5 and a 2 engine Harley Limo trike for 10. Here's another Harley 10 seater.

Below is a couple of frame grabs from a video I stumbled across a while back. I believe this video was a originally a segment on some CBS News affiliate.

I generally think such contraptions are dumb but, everyone is having a good time and it's pretty interesting to see this thing go. Watching it take a turn looks crazy as it sort of plops it self on it's outboard wheel. It also seems to teeter back and forth on as it travels down the highway.

It's called the Timeline motorcycle and it has 7 Harley engines. A J-model, Flathead, Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evo, and Twin-Cam. The engines are suppose to represent the history of Harley V-Twins from 1909 to the present. All engines run and can contribute power, but the Twin-Cam is the only one used on the highway.... what's up with that? They run all 7 for exhibition rides.

It was ridden to Sturgis in 2009. If your interested in videos, go to Youtube and search 10 Seater Harley or Timeline Motorcycle.

Maybe they should have put another seat on it and called it 7-Eleven.

Kym Marsh Shoulder And Back Tattoos

Kym Marsh is a charming English actress and singer, known as a member of the pop group Hear'Say, and for her role on the soap opera Coronation Street.

Kym Marsh has a single Kanji symbol tattoo on her left shoulder, along with three more on her lower back. She also has the names of her two children (David and Emily) tattooed in Sanskrit on her left shoulder.

A Rare-it-"T" and the "Z" Man

When Bruce Parrish told me he still had a Dick Allen T-shirt, I told him he had to send some photos.

This may be the Holy Grail of vintage chopper T-shirts. I find it interesting that it says California. Perhaps, so Dick could use the same design no matter what city his shop might move to.

I'm not sure if this is a dark photo of the same shirt or a black one. Bruce designed Dick's lettering and drew the art. Joe Hurst said Dick looked like the Zig-Zag man and says he suggested using his head on the art, but Bruce said it was from a cigarette (I never heard of and can't recall the name), that Dick like to smoke. I have to admit, it looks like the Zig-Zag Man to me. Bruce, send me the name if you get a chance.

I don't know about the T-shirt art, but....

Update: Joe called and said the cigarettes that Dick smoked were (sounds like), Shebeedees or Zabedees). That's what Bruce had mentioned. When Bruce told me I did a search, but came up empty. I now found Azadbidi, a brand of bidi cigarettes. That's likely it. Bidis (pronounced bee-dees) are small hand-rolled cigarettes manufactured in India and other southeast Asian countries.

These are not Azadbibi, but show the type. Azad's usually have an elephant on the pack. Bidis are tobacco wrapped in tendu or temburni leaf . Traditionally they are tied with string and come in flavors, like chocolate, mango, vanilla, lemon-lime, mint, pineapple and cherry.

NY South Bay Chopper?

In this case, NY means Neil Young. Vilmino of LoserRules sent an email reminding me of this photo. It's been floating around the blogs for sometime. (this version is a little larger than most). Since I've recently been very focused on the South Bay Style, it seemed like a good time to bring it up.

The sissy bar swoop and Dick Allen style springer pretty much say it's origins or influence are from the south bay. I found a version of this photo with the only credit being, circa 1992 near Sturgis. I'm guessing it's not Neil's bike, but rather someone asked him to pose on it. Can anyone provide more information?

Shawn Marion Tattoos

Shawn Marion is a excellent American professional NBA basketball player, known for his time with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. Also known by his nickname The Matrix.

Shawn Marion has a row Chinese symbols on his right leg, which were meant to translate into his nickname "The Matrix". However many have reported that these Chinese symbols translate into "Demon, Bird and Camphor" instead.

He also has a tattoo design on each arm, once of which appears to be a cross with dragon.

Just'a Few

From yesterday's Long Beach Swap Meet.

Billy Panhead. This bike gets around.

A Servi-Car would be nice to ride to the swap. Great for carrying parts, but I'd have to leave even earlier to get there a decent time.

15k with a $5 seat.

These same funky tanks have been showing up for a few month's now. Must be asking too much $.

In retrospect, I could'a should'a taken more photos. It was a nice day with temps around the mid to high 70's (sorry to our comrades in cold places). Saw a few friends and bought a few parts.

Mystery Bike Part 2, Funny Bike 1

Since I started with the third build of Bruce Parrish's bike, working backwards, here's the second version called Funny Bike 1. Just to keep things straight, the first build of this bike (to be posted soon) wasn't considered a Funny Bike.

This version shown with a long distance auxiliary tank was built around 1975. The oil tank foreshadows Bruce's move towards the use of more aluminum custom fabricated pieces. Although the later version (Funny Bike 2), is a more sophisticated and trick build, I really like the paint and look at this stage.

Bruce looking relaxed as he gets it on.

Much of the basic platform was carried over to Funny Bike 2.

Maybe I should have used this photo for my old running gag, "What Sort of Man Reads MC art?" Bruce circa 1975 with his girl friend (now wife), looking proud of his accomplishment.

All photos courtesy of Bruce Parrish

Julianna Margulies Sun Tattoo

Julianna Margulies is an accomplished American actress, featured on the television series The Good Wife and ER.

Julianna Margulies is known to have a pair of tattoo designs, one of which is a tribal sun located on her right shoulder, along with as black circular tattoo on her left forearm.

Nice Bike....

....for me to poop on!

All kidding aside, this bike (from Long Beach last fall), is a good reminder.

You might pick some other bars, style of sissy bar, or a different bend of pipes ....

....but it's hard to improve on the classic style of chop

....and no, it's not a bobber,

Vanessa Marcil Lower Back & Ankle Tattoo

Vanessa Marcil is a stunning American actress, featured on the television soap opera General Hospital, and on the series Las Vegas and Beverly Hills, 90210.

Vanessa Marcil has a Egyptian symbol for peace on her lower back, plus a flowery ankle bracelet around her right ankle.

It was recently reported that she is having both tattoos removed, saying "I don't want to look at it anymore, it was part of my younger days."

Dick Allen's Cobra, Shop and other Wild Things

All photos taken by and courtesy of Bruce Parrish

This shot of Dick and his Cobra Trike is probably familiar to many of you. It was published in Garage magazine and I posted it myself from that source awhile back. This time it's a scan from Bruce's original photo so it's without the magazine's gutter running down the image.

Dick and his pet leopard. It strikes me as very bizarre to see a wild cat on Artesia blvd. I asked Bruce about it and he replied, "Dick was really good with animals". The conversation switch gears, so I need to get back to him on that subject.

A good view of the trike. The bike next to it served as inspiration for Bruce's first chopper. More on that to come.

While Bruce's interest was in shooting the trike and this bike, I really like the fact we get a rare glimpse of Dick's shop. That's Dick to the right talking to someone who's cutoff. Those are the beginnings of more cobra trike frames leaning near the tires. If you look carefully you can also spot 7 Harley frames.

This blown version never got further than this mock up. The Cobra Trikes were a joint effort between Dick and Ed Roth. Dick welded up frames and Roth glassed up the bodies. The frames and the bodies were $250 each. Dick also made and sold the motor mounts. The bike next to it is the bike Joe Hurst referred to as Dick's Rat Fuck. It has the old purple Loco-Motion 1 tank and is the bike (with a different engine), in the previous post (Freeway Jamming), that eventually became White Bear.

It appears there was some type of parts counter in the shop. I'd love to get a glimpse of the bike inside.

I'm very glad that Bruce took and kept these photos. As far as I know, he's the only one who has shots of the shop, and once again, want to say thanks for sharing them. Now, if we could only go and walk inside them.