As I was catching up on Bikernet.com news one morning I saw where Bandit had sent me an encrypted assignment in one of the articles. Buried at the end of his article about the LA Calendar Bike Show, he mentioned that he had found a couple of sic choppers that happened to be from Phoenix and that he would contact Scooter (me) to see if he (I) could shoot them. I felt like Mr. Phelps from the old “Mission Impossible” … You know … he always found a tape recorder in the men’s room of an old service station that asked him “… If you decide to accept this mission …”. Anyway, I got the message and decided to accept the mission.
I first reviewed the web site for SSinster Choppers, www.Ssinisterchoppers.com to see what I was working with so that I could find the appropriate model. John Shope, the owner of Ssinister, has a knack for building very edgy chops so I needed an equally edgy model. The search was on and you are the beneficiaries of that effort. Chainsaw Chelsea of www.GodsGirls.com fortunately answered my call and was quick to agree to participate in the shoot. Check her on Gods Girls. I knew we could work together when I read about her sexual fantasy, which is “I like to punch dudes in the face while I’m fucking them … No joke”. I kid you not, just look at her profile. But make no mistake Chainsaw has got her shit together and it will be my pleasure to work with her again for your benefit.
I got the OK from Mark to shoot at his bar, the Hideaway. (Thanks Mark and I will see you on the salt). We all arrived at the Hideaway Bar (www.hideaway-usa.com) somewhere in Cave Creek, Arizona, on a Saturday morning in July. We started at 8am as Arizona in July can get real ugly and this weekend was not going to be any different. But that did not deter Chelsea. She was on time and ready.
As we set up the first bike to shoot the topless shots before the bar opened we all noticed that there were about 20 day laborers waiting to be picked up right in front of the bar. I asked Chelsea if she was OK with all these guys rubbernecking to get a look and her response was “let’s give’em something to think about for the rest of the day.” I have to believe that it was an unexpected treat for them. I love working with professionals. And so it began.
John Shope starting building bikes when he was 18 years old. He worked on his own bike and for friends. Given his creativeness and the quality of his work he could very easily be a bike tour headliner right now were it not for a 12 ½ period when he became a guest of the federal government.
As they determined that a semi load was slightly over the personal use limit and John refused to roll on his partners. The feds decided to play hardball. John got 15 years on the inside and served 12 ½ years of it. There may be a few guys who owe John big time.
John had been building bikes in Portland for several years and a few months ago decided that he had had it with helmet laws and 320 days of year of rain and headed for the Arizona desert where he and his wife Sara and their son Colton now live. His bikes are simply outstanding and John is developing his own celebrity clientele.
The Cop Bike belongs to pro golfer Pat Perez. His current project is a Captain Morgan bike which should be done soon and you will no doubt see it here on the pages of Bikernet. If John sells the Cop Bike, Pat plans to buy the Copperhead, so basically both bikes are for sale.
I will continue to watch the site for my next clandestine assignment.
–Scooter
Ssinister Choppers
Scottsdale, AZ
Phone: (602) 309 – 3352?
E-mail: John Shope – Owner JS@ssinisterchoppers.com
Owner: John Shope
Builder: Owner, Ssinister Choppers
Website: Ssinisterchoppers.com
Build time: Three months
Engine
Year/size: 2006, 96-incher
Type: Shovelhead
Builder: S&S and Ssinister
Pistons: Wisco
Heads: STD
Valves: STD
Cam: RedShift
Lifters: Hydraulic
Carb: S&S Super G
Ignition: Morris Dual Magnetos
Exhaust: Ssinister, dual flame thrower
Finish: Bass Boat Copper
Transmission
Builder: Baker
Type: 6-speed
Clutch: Primo
Primary Drive: Primo
Final Drive: 630 O-ring chain
Finish: powder coating
Frame
Builder: Diamond Chassis modified by Ssinister
Type: Rigid
Rake: 46 degrees
Stretch: 4 out, 4 up
Molding: Ssinister
Finish: Bass Boat Copper
Front end
Builder: Three guys
Type: Springer
Finish: Powder
Wheels
Front
Size: 21 by 2.5-inch
Type: 80-spoke
Caliper: Hog Hauler
Rotors: who cares
Rear
Size: 10.5 by 18
Type: 60-spoke
Tire: Metzler
Caliper: Three guys sproter
Finish
Color: Copper flake
Painter: Ben’s Custom Paint in Oregon
Graphics: Ben
Molding: Ben
Powder coating: Class Act, Del Gibbons
Accessories
Front fender: Why?
Rear fender: Ssinister modified with Gil Bag in fender
Gas Tank: Ssinister
Oil Tank: in fender
Dash: Yeah, right
Handlebars: Ssinister Choppers
Risers: None
Hand controls: PM
Foot controls: PM
Mirrors: PM
Footpegs: Ssinister
Headlight: Headwinds
Taillight: ’59 Cadillac
License mount: Ssinster
Seat: Ssinister and Jebs seats
Starter: Terry Components
