For those of you who think this is just another article by a guy who loves some old bikes most people have never heard of, let me fill you in. I didn’t know much about Crockers myself, until a few days ago. Bandit gave me the assignment to write an article about these bikes and […]
Rarest Booze Fight Crocker Restoration Read More »
The early 80's were the glory days for my generation. We were out of school, young, our whole lives ahead of us. We lived fast, partied like each day was the last. We thought we'd live forever as the age of 40 seemed a million miles way. Most of the people around me worked the
Crazy Horse – More Life & Times Read More »
Joe's record breaking run took place March 13th, 1937–Bike Week in Daytona.
Joe Petrali Photos Discovered Read More »
There she sits, one of 50-factory race Indian 648s built in 1948, with a chromed frame. That frame bothered me. Who would restore a factory racer and chrome the frame, reminiscent of Captain America glitz? Researching the history of this rare, race-winning flathead I asked and read about the model and its history, but kept
The Indian 45/45 Controversy Read More »
Yo Bandit, Since you guys decided to get my account fixed, I felt compelled to share some family pics with the Cantina, in appreciation for your dedicated staff's diligence. Attached you'll find three pics from my grandfather’s Indian shop, in New Rochelle, N.Y. He was the first dealer in the country to sell a bike
First Indian Cop Bike Dealer Read More »
TWO VON DUTCH ITEMS FOR SALE– A framed display of the last pinstriping brush used by VON DUTCH with a picture of VON DUTCH at his easel in his shop at Santa Paula in Dec. 1987, after leaving the '87 RATFINK meet where the brush (a RAPHAEL sword #00)was purchased. He used this brush, his
REAL VON DUTCH SHIT FOR SALE Read More »
Indianfor1927 In a rare find we broke into the Bob T. collection to discover a complete flier on the 1927 Indian new model rundown. Follow this brochure to find out all the benefits of owning the ultimate motorcycle in 1927.
A note from Crazyhorse: I was going through the Cantina and saw that you were featuring the old stories of our lifestyle. So I sat down and wrote this. It's my story of how I came to be the person I am. I have a few other stories, good old crazy adventure stories from the
How A Little Girl Became Known As Crazy Horse Read More »
Illustration by Dick Allen. This is one of only 30 Black Lightnings ever made and was the first one in the USA. This bike held the 1-mile world speed record (unsupercharged) in 1953 and then held the American record of 182 mph supercharged. This is probably the meanest pre-1950 bike you will ever see. This
Rare Historic Connection–Rollie Free Read More »
Three simple expressions but they represent perhaps the most powerful fusion, not only in yesterday’s rock n’ roll era, but also in today’s. The Ace Cafe was built in 1938 as a roadside cafe to cater for traffic using the then new North Circular Road. In World War II, the building was badly damaged and
The History of The Ace Cafe In England Read More »
Something strange happened at the Bikernet Headquarters about a year ago. We got a call from a odd homeless San Pedro bird. He was one of those guys who drifted in and out of our lives. As a young man his life went to shit behind drugs and alcohol, until he had a son and
Bikernet Discovers Rare Engine Read More »
As its first full time employee Keith Bandit Ball knows the history of Easyriders Magazine, as well, or better than most. For almost 23 years as Editor he set the tone and flavor of what used to be called the “Bikers’ Bible” under the direction of Lou Kimzey and later Joe Teresi. Besides Easyriders magazine,
Bandit Interviewed By US Rider News Read More »
An ad for one of the very first swingarm big twins. It musta been a pre ’64 Panhead. We busted into Bob T’s garage recently while he was lost in a bottle of Jack Daniels, but not that gone. We just barely roamed into one of his antique collection drawers and he came to life,
Rare Old Bike Tools Read More »
This rare Crocker sold for an all-time high dollar amount of $275,000 in November of 2006. The broker was Don Whalen of Sierra Madra Motorcycles, (626) 358-9696. If anyone can find a bike or a buyer, Don can. There's a constant controversy regarding Crockers. Many of the bikes available today were never complete bikes, but
The Crocker Archives Read More »
Here’s a trophy from 1947, worth thousands now. We needed something cool and rare for the Cantina Digital Discovery area, so I was told to hauled ass to 17 Palms, Califa, a dusty berg in the Mojave Desert. A buddy of mine, Bob T. lives out there in the sand. In the shell of a
Actual Vintage Triumph ad from Bob T. Collection. Change it is inevitable and it is constant, be it a change in scenery around the house or the changes in noises you make as you get up off the floor from working on your bike…things change. I recently made a change on the job front and
Restored 1953 Triumph Blackbird Read More »
This is a steam trike sitting for sale about 2 blocks from my place, had to grab my camera,” said Gene Koch of Drag Specialties. “It’s a one-off that somebody built and I've never seen anything like it. Needs a lot of work, the owner had no idea who built it or when. Wants $7,000.
Discovered: One-Off Steam Trike Read More »
Classic biker cartoons from the 1920s from the Bob T. collection. “We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation has many civilians up in arms and excited to join the military. For those of you who can't join, you can still lend a hand. Here are a few of the areas
Non-Military Code Of The West Discovered Read More »
We're fortunate to dig up fantastic historic material. Paul Garson backed up Robin's shots with the following text. Here is Robin's caption: THE FELLOW WHO SENT THESE TO ME RECEIVED THEM FROM AN OLD SHIPMATE ON THE USS QUAPAW ATF-11O. INTERESTING AS HE'S NEVER SEEN THEM ANYWHERE ELSE. I THINK THEY'RE SPECTACULAR. PEARL HARBOR December 7th,
Amazing Shots from Pearl Harbor December 7th, 1941 Read More »
“The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire” was a popular truism of the 18th-mid 20th centuries. The vast island nation’s colonial “properties” around the world, extended from the “Raj” of the teeming Indian subcontinent to the rubber and oil riches of Southeast Asia. There was another saying, “Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen Go Out
The History of BSA Motorcycles Read More »
If you didn’t like high school algebra and doing your taxes makes your head spin, maybe you shouldn’t read the following. We get into some deep waters as we try to fathom the often bizarre world of Harley-Davidson’s “secret codes” employed since the dawn of the company’s existence. But if you’re into old bikes, like
Doing H-D Math: The Number Mystery Read More »
History is what the winners say happened. In this case, the winner was Harley-Davidson. The Milwaukee Marvel alone survived the Hundred Years War, a century of innovation and most often extinction. Scattered across the scrap yard battlefields of the first few decades of the 20th Century you could count the rusting steel bones of around
The History of The Prehistoric Motorcycle Read More »
In a rare find in the dark recesses of a California Desert Bob T. motorcycle historian, found this rare Indian sales brochure. We bring it to you exclusively in Bandit's Cantina. Since I couldn't find a year mentioned I called our Bikernet Historian, Don Whalen, of Sierra Madre Motorcycles in Pasadena California, and waited for
Indian Documents Discovered In Desert Read More »
This Dave Mann painting was comissioned by Easyriders in the late '70s. I saw you, hug your purse closer in the grocery store line. But you didn't see me make a donation to the Salvation Army. I saw you pull your child closer, when we passed each other on the sidewalk. But you didn't see
