It’s June 1st and there’s a full moon over the Port of Los Angeles. It’s eerie at night the quiet cranes and the glow of the moon. It’s an industrial cemetery. But as the sun rises it comes to life, a giant United States economic beacon. If this port is cooking so is the rest of the country. We have a vast economic thermometer across the street from the Bikernet Interplanetary Headquarters.
Okay, so enough of that, we need to go race in the very near future and we’re struggling to make progress. Ah, but we do have a report including mascot development, a solid name, a pilot’s seat, and seat belt harness. That’s for the Salt Torpedo, and I have news about the rear fender on the Bonne Belle. I’m hoping for news from Departure Bike Works in Richmond regarding my new flathead motor.
We ordered and received an aluminum seat. The drag racing seat harness system was also ordered from summit racing. Kent mocked up the seat and the Paughco frame on a shop table. I’m hoping he will start bending frame rails in the next week. It’s June.
We also mounted mock tires on our Salt Torpedo Wheels, but we will start the hunt for a high-speed tire sponsor. The rear MetalSport rotor matching the Chip Foose designed MetalSport wheel will contain two brake calipers spaced as far apart as possible to enhance rotor and caliper cooling. It’s the only brakes we plan to run.
I started to think about a mascot. I thought about calling Jon Towle, but I know he’s facing health issues. Then I remembered Atomic Bob who has worked with Prince Najar on some of the Ultimate Builder 5-Ball Racing Leather vest awards and the Smoke Out awards. I reached out.
Contact came in a very formal letter from Mrs. Atomic. I was intimidated, but kept moving forward. Next we coordinated a conference call, but I wasn’t allowed to speak to the Atomic Master. His wife translated my California gibberish. Within a couple of days sketches started flying into the head quarters.
I was immediately inspired. The Atomic One gets it.
Meanwhile we worked with Bare Knuckle Choppers on a new rear Bonne Belle fender. A delicate long distance communication challenge proceeded mostly with Mrs. Bare. I like that name, but we got her done and the fender was a breeze to install and will cover all of the area legally allowed.
Then I wanted a fin on the back to let the air drift away without the slightest drag. I spoke to Dr. Feng the official Bikernet Certified Welder, but he had a sport bike notion scooping off the back of the rider’s behind. That would have been a major project and the good doctor’s health was a consideration. He coughed incessantly between cigarettes.
Then it hit me. We had started to work with Rock and Roll Custom Paint in Orange County. The talent pouring out of a dozen roll-up industrial doors is absolutely amazing. Randy and his team gets shit done from flamed manikins to complete custom cars, to gold leafed and pinstriped antique motorcycle tanks. So, I went over to see them.
They know how to handle sheet metal and I sent them my highly refined sketches and in less that a week this fender jumped into my in box. I’m not sure if Randy got it, but it’s about as sexy as it can get, so we’re rolling with it.
We should see the paint for this rocket ship in the next week.
5-Ball Racing Sponsors:
JIMS Machine
Rock and Roll Custom Paint
Departure Bike Works
MetalSport Wheels
Paughco
Bonneville Speed Trials
