Editor’s note: I’ve been chasing Yaniv Evan for several months to write a feature about the P-16. He’s like trying to interview a starving field mouse, darting from one empty container to another one in search for food. No time to talk.
I finally ran into him at the shop opening. He had a shop on the alley behind Melrose, one of the busiest, trendiest streets on the planet, in Los Angeles, on the edge of Hollywood. But the alley was a far cry from facing the street. He might as well have a shop on a dusty street on the outskirts of Riverside.
At one point a vintage racing clothing store built thick glass panes into the wall separating their shops, so customers could see the Powerplant crew working. It was sort of a ruse perpetuated by the vintage clothing manufacture to give their vintage attire a sense of authenticity. It worked for a while, then the clothing shop closed down and Yaniv was faced with the dire opportunity to have his own shop on the main drag.
He reached out to several friends and tried to create a coalition of lines to cover the cost of the high-dollar Melrose street-traffic rent. Then he spoke to Roland Sands.
Roland has a terrific quirky, building in Westminster, California, in the center of middle-class suburbia. It’s a terrific building, but doesn’t give him the fast, young-blood, hip street traffic he needed to test his apparel offerings. Then he ran into Yaniv. Together they partnered to open this too-hip shop. See the release below.
I mentioned the Melrose ruse. It’s an area of too hip, but not too real products. It’s crazy. There’s a Ralph Lauren vintage store just up the street. You can buy an actual vintage motorcycle jacket right next to a paint splattered denim jacked for $500.
On Friday, July 11th Yaniv Evan of Powerplant Motorcycles and Roland Sands of Roland Sands Design opened the doors of their new concept store to 500 of their closest friends.
The longtime friends wanted to create a retail space for anyone who loves being on two wheels. Roland’s complete line of RSD Apparel and motorcycle accessories will be available for purchase and special order.
The shop will also feature Yaniv’s P16 custom parts and apparel, including his infamous vintage collection of jackets, tees, shorts, and pants. The shop will carry a complete range of industry heavy hitters including: both men’s and women’s apparel, premium denim, accessories, outerwear, helmets, and hard parts.
The goal is to create a space for all types of riders because we all have one thing in common; we all do this For the Love of Motorcycles.
Roland Sands Design is a motorcycle, product and apparel company that has its roots in racing, custom bike building and design. The RSD apparel line has a subtle merging of motorcycle heritage and modern components, for the perfect combination of style and function in jackets, secondary layers, gloves and T’s.
The RSD motorcycle accessory line comes from a high performance background with the desire to create unique products to fit your Harley-Davidson and Triumphs.
Roland lives the two-wheeled life and his crew is a diverse collection of road racers, off-road, dirt track, supermoto, and custom bike builders and riders. It is this diversity that allows them to work with the best in the industry on a variety of projects.
Powerplant Motorcycles specializes in custom vintage motorcycles. Originating in Los Angeles, California Powerplant has been in businesses for over a decade. Powerplant aka P16 was created from the love of Racing, Aviation, Hot Rods, and Vintage motorcycles.
Yaniv Evan is Powerplant Motorcycles. Over the years of working and forming Powerplant, Yaniv has been experimenting with different materials from Stainless to Brass and Bronze…. from leather to found objects…
Yaniv has developed his own unique style of taking something, whether it be a found object, a piece of Brass, and turning it into his own signature style which comes from his labor of love, building Powerplant Motorcycles. P-16, the 16 represents the 16th letter of the alphabet, P.
This retail space is an extension of “the garage”, a place where you can come to get inspired. When you walk in the shop you are immediately surrounded by the scent of reclaimed wood, leather, and gasoline.
Bikes built by both riders are showcased through out the store and a full selection of hard parts will be available soon.
Yaniv and Roland are builders first and foremost, and that will never change. This is a grassroots movement for people who ride by people who ride. This is your one stop shop for all things related to two wheels. It’s a place to hang out, it’s a ride meet up, it’s a destination shop, it’s a fashion statement and it’s all FOR THE LOVE OF MOTORCYCLES.
NAME/COMPANY: powerplant choppers
CONTACT PERSON: John
STREET/CITY/STATE/ZIPCODE: 7416 Melrose Ave. LA, CA 90046
PHONE: 323 383 7781
E-MAIL: neevo13@aol.com
WEBSITE: powerplantchoppers.com
BIKE NAME
TYPE/YEAR: P-16 bomber
BUILDER: yaniv evan “neevo”
OWNER: neevo
ENGINE
BUILDER/MANUFACTURER: S&S performance
YEAR: 2013
DISPLACEMENT: 93-inch
CAM(S): S&S
PUSHRODS: S&S solids
IGNITION: S&S
OIL SYSTEM: S&S
CARBURETOR(S): dual throat
AIR CLEANER: custom made by P-16
EXHAUST-SYSTEM: custom stainless oval by P-16
TRANSMISSION
BUILDER: Baker 4-speed
PRIMARY DRIVE:
PRIMARY CASE:
CLUTCH:
SECONDARY DRIVE:
PULLEY/SPROCKET:
CHASSIS
FRAME (BUILDER): Powerplant (oval tube) single downtube
MATERIAL: hand made oval steel
RAKE/STRETCH: o rake o stretch
MODIFICATIONS: handmade
OTHER: goose necked and shortened
FRONTEND
MAKE: 1946 Harley springer
TRIPLE TREES: H-D
FORK TUBES: Legs extended 2 inches
WHEELS
FRONT: 21 with a double star hub
REAR: 18-inch with a rear drum , star hub
FRONT: never
REAR: OG drum
TIRES
FRONT: Avon speed master
REAR: Firestone
ACCESSORIES
GAS TANK: handmade with stainless brackets (p-16)
OIL TANK: one off half tank and battery cover
FENDERS: rear handmade fender
HANDLEBARS: powerplant stainless special
SADDLE/SEAT: handmade leather
HAND GRIPS: modified Cole Foster
FOOT CONTROLS handmade by Powerplant
