We were intrigued by this bike and reached out to the builder, Dar and Sam, from Brass Balls Bobbers. Dar builds tight, bobber styled bikes and decided to switch up and build a classic chopper. “Actually Bandit had a pal who built a bike very similar in ’71,” Wilburn Roach said. Wilburn is the Bikernet.com official motorcycle historian. He lives in a small shed, built out of a welding truck, behind the Bikernet World Headquarters.

”The owner’s name was Kenny Nelson,” Wilburn continued, even though I didn’t ask. "Even the candy apple red color was similar."

”That bike was the epitome of the classic chopper,” Wilburn rambled. “It was stripped, long, low and light.”

Regardless, Bandit asked us to look into this chopper built by Darwin Motorcycles, the creators of Brass Balls Bobbers. “How could we not cover the essence of our lifestyle,” Wilburn interjected. “It’s a classic. Nothing represents the biker lifestyle more thoroughly than a tight archetypal chopper.”

I called Dar, in Edmond, Okahoma, just to get the hell away from the rambling Wilburn. “How many choppers do you plan to build this year?” I asked.

”Hard to say,” Dar said. “We are only planning to do a few on spec, to take to shows, i.e.. Sturgis. The rest will be built to order. I would guess less than 30. Our bobbers are our big draw.”

”Where did the inspiration come from to build this bike?” I asked.

”People have been asking us to build a chopper,” Dar added. “And frankly, some bigger/taller people are just disproportionate in size to our bobbers. Our chopper fits them better, though it is not a huge bike. It also fits the average size person great. I am 5’ 10” and it is a perfect fit.”

”Basically it’s a slightly stretched and raked version of our bobber. We wanted to keep it clean, cool and simple in its lines and appearance. It’s simply a very cool bike. We wanted it to be a compliment to what we offer. Not a monster chop with radical this and that screaming look at me... Look at all my bondo and big-ass, over compensating tire size and wheel base.”

”I here you, on that one,” I said as I’m not a beach ball tire kinda guy.

”If our bobbers are cool bikes with a unique style, then this chopper says it with a bit more attitude," Dar said. "Our bobbers pay homage to the bikes of ‘40s and ‘50s. The chopper pays homage to the bikes of the ‘60s and ‘70s, when people expressed their sense of personal style with more attitude, and it really launched the custom bike phenomenon.

“A chopper is attitude. Our choppers pay homage to those original choppers. And Like our bobbers, there’s nothing on them that is not necessary. No extra crap. Just a cool, great looking, great running bike.”

”Motorcycles and women,” I said thinking about the redhead at the Smoke Out last year.

“You know, bikes are personal to people. Many have described bikes as a metaphor for a lady," Dar added. "I agree with the metaphor. However, who wants their dream lady to have a rear end three times the size of the rest of the bike? Or what if she’s splashed with so much paint that you can’t make out the real surface?”

”For me, its about pursuit of perfection. Not the biggest this or that. It’s about perfect sizes and shapes that flow seamlessly together in concert without drastic exaggerations or too much overcompensation.”

”See,” Wilburn said listening in on our conversation. “He knows the code, the experience and the essence. That’s why Bandit told you to feature his bike.”

”Fuck you, Wilburn, you old fart,” I said. “Let’s Ride.” We took off for Walker’s Café on the coast for a couple of Coronas and to arm- wrestle away the remaining hours of the afternoon, arguing over what’s cool and what ain’t.

--Renegade

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