Joker Machine



If it weren’t for the precision parts that came from Joker Machine, Bandit would still be in the leaning Bikernet garage trying to make forward controls from old rods and wrist pins for the Blue Flame. Bandit ran into Geoff, Joker’s general manager, at the Indianapolis dealer expo, where Geoff reminded the old guy of his past offers to collaborate on a project bike.

Bandit had been intrigued with Joker since it started. He could spot quality and design capability and, of course, good-looking girls. Bandit reveled in the Joker Machine logo with its Mardi Gras colors. The company obviously was cutting edge, and ranked with the very best in its league of components. Through the years, Bandit was devoted to helping a number of companies that already built billet components. His hands were tied. Yet he continued to be impressed with the Joker level of quality and style. Finally, the old guy had the pleasure of working with the ailing Geoff, the boss, Diane, and her brother, Richard, the masterful designer. Joker began as a machine shop cranking out military spec components for the aerospace industry. Diane’s father bought the business with his partner in 1971. Diane, also came on board the same year. Her brother followed in 1987. They continued to fill government aerospace contracts and build hot rod automotive parts and irrigation components. Behind the machine shop, her father and others built bikes. These riders, who were working hard to make a living in their smog-filled Azusa, Calif., machine shop, had no idea that some day they would be able to aim their talents and expertise at the industry they loved most — Harleys.

They started manufacturing parts for the marketing arm of Pro One in 1991. They continued until 1995, when they established Joker Machine to market their own parts. At the time, they were building a new custom project and Diane came up with the Joker notion for the tank art. Richard took her concept and created the Joker artwork, which was never intended for a business logo. The cutting-edge notion kicked off the risk-taking, bad-boy image we see with numerous companies in the industry today, including Jesse James’ West Coast Choppers. It was all in fun, yet it brought the risk-taking nature of bike riding to life. You couldn’t miss it. The company took on a new aura with the Joker line, although government contracts continued to provide a stable income. “Aircraft contracts are a miserable way to make a living,” Diane said. “The red tape is stifling.”

They enjoy the creativity, style and constant movement of the custom motorcycle industry. “All the kids in our family are creative. Plus, Richard understands the entire process of creating and manufacturing components. We just had to pick up the marketing end. Richard enjoys continually upgrading our line with new technology and developments that keep the line on the cutting edge of the industry,” she said.

They started with lighting products, then expanded to hand controls and forward controls. They work with one major distributor, have a growing dealer network and continue supplying the retail market.

In the future, Joker plans to roll into accessories for the twin cam motors. “Our parts are top of the line and expensive,” Diane said. “But we stand behind each and every component.” Joker’s shop is a pristine, 8,000-square-foot facility on a large lot.

The major players at Joker still ride, including Diane with a Road King, Richard is building another custom Softail with the Joker touch and Geoff who rides street and drags. “Three years ago, we got involved with racing,” said Diane, her eyes sparkling as she talks about the drags. “Geoff used to race dirt bikes, but then he started practicing on a Buell at the drags. That’s when we started to sponsor Ron Fringer, who raced top fuel. Joker Machine is also the HDRA pro-stock series sponsors, with Geoff racing in the H-D modified class. We’d like to see more prize money for these guys, but we find the drags to be an outstanding outlet for marketing our products. The enthusiasts are very dedicated.”

Geoff has qualified fourth in his class in the AHDRA. Although the family owned business is built around precision and exact detail, the crew is jovial and easy going. I suppose it comes with knowing what you’re doing and being confident in your product.

–Wrench


 

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share

April 18, 2002 Part 1

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH – IS BANDIT REALLY BACK?

Jose Takes Over–So Bandit’s back in town. Glad he made it in one piece. The girlsleft PR in a hurry and there’s been at least a week to “catch up” on thingsthat were missing. So things will get back to “normal?? Sorry to burst thebubble, Se?or Bandido, but the ladies and crew did an excellent job whileyou were rolling the seas and they even managed to have lots of fun whiletaking time off on your coin….I don’t know if this is happening to youbut after a long time at sea, everything looks different. The world becomesnoisier and you tend to miss those moments of peace while in the middle ofnowhere. I guess that is why people go back to the sea time and time again.

Yep I’m going editorial once more (sorry Bandit). While reading somearticles and a message at Your Shot, my busy mind started buzzing once moreand this is stuff we deal with everyday. “Oh but it’s a rigid, that’smurder to the back, and with these roads…”Let me tell ya people, have you ever ridden one? I can’t say that yourwife?s cooking is bad unless I’ve been invited for dinner.

Sure we need a degree of politeness at the shop, so I can’t tell them tofuck off, but here it’s a bit different. I ride rigids and so do a lot ofour friends. Our backs are fine and the doctors and chiropractors don’tmake a red cent on us. Sure I have ridden old rigids and they are rough,they bang and bounce you around and sometimes you feel like pissing blood,but all these new choppers are as smooth as the latest Softail with loweredshocks, wide tires and long wheelbase. I have been able toride lots of bikes during this lifetime and if I were going to choose themost comfortable one, that would be an old FL with the pogo-style policeseat.

Those Harleys beat any new dyna or softail hands down, even the older rigidFL bikes are amazing to ride. The balance, the seating position and thatpogo seat kick ass!

Nowdays we are selling and building a lot more rigids. We have customerswho have never ridden one and come back after 900 miles or so praisingthe rigid, and not on a stretcher. More so, they look better (style wise) andare cheaper than any other bike, plus they are fun. Like I always say, ?If Iwant extreme comfort I will take my car.? I will always admire those guyswho took their Old School choppers and rode them all around Frisco like itwas nothing. Try riding up to Potrero Hills on a suicide clutch, rigid,slap shift chopper with no front brake. That’s tough! Besides, I knowwhat I know today thanks to a kick-only old chopper. You learn about thebike and how to keep it running, flipping a switch and pressing a button tostart is the easy way, sometimes we gotta pay our dues.

So before dissin’any rigid, first ride one. Something might be learned.

OK, and now to the news:

COP BIKE

This a photo of our friend Carlos on a ’70s FL. A friendly cop inMexico City allowed him to pose for this photo. We are receiving some morephotos from the Caribbean and South America and will post them soon, waitfor the ones from Cuba.

One more time……..NO! Jesse James is not in jail. It was all arumor by people who have nothing better to do, and yes, he saw a marketingopportunity and took it. “Free Jesse James” stickers and shirts areavailable at our shop. Want one?

We heard that Bandit was captured by a tribe of nympho,Japanese, midget,Amazon chopper chicks…He’s actually still missing and all of his arrivalstories are a smoke screen. The Bikernet crew is sending the Costa Ricanarmy to rescue him, since he refuses to be rescued……. We will have anupdate, if I can find him, and beg to be kidnapped also. Do you believethis one too?

Things have been pretty quiet on the bike scene here in Puerto Rico. I’mguessing everyone is locked up getting their tax forms ready and hoping forthe best.

The Storm Riders MC had a small ?just friends? ride to the Caribbean Seaside this Sunday. Twenty or so guys on choppers and rigids. They crossed the mountain range and ended up in the southern town of Guayama fora bike meet. My guess is they were having too much fun in those mountaintwisties since they never made it to the meet. Wish I had a photo of a 10″ up 45 degree chopper rigid carving the mountain roads, with a passenger,for those “know it all” rubbies….

Next Sunday the Dia del Motociclista at the local race track in Salinaswill take place. This event welcomes all kinds of bikes and will featuredrag races and a “custom” show. We are trying to make a Harley day, so theboys in cruisers can go and have fun without the Yamasaki riders creatinghavoc. I think it would be cool to have an all V-twin drag challenge.

Laughlin is near and we received news that Big Mike is tying the knotpretty soon. Also, our friend Noel from CrazyRigids.com shirts willbe there showing his wares. That’s one event that we have never done and Iknow it will be fun, well maybe next year….

For those of you lucky enough to score The Horse No. 23, Wow, those Japanesechoppers are cool! They certainly have a style of their own and createbikes with what they have available. If you have not seen the mag, try tocheck it out. That was a cool article by our globe-trotting reporter friendThe Sheriff…..We are guessing when he will make it to Puerto Rico…..

I’m outta here, the chopper that I mentioned a couple weeks ago (builtfrom takeoffs) is done and we are doing the shakedown run this weekend. Wemanaged to stay within budget and it looks cool to me. Maybe next week Iwill post some photos of the extremely cheap chopper. By the way, with thisreport I’m not trying to put anyone down or sound like I’m venting myanger…..Some readers will think I’m right, some will think I?m insane……But I sayit like I see it…..See you next week.

Jose – Bikernet rigid chopper ridin’ report.

New Babes In The Cantina- Check ’em out!

htb

Jose said it all in his Caribbean Report— As Sir Francis Chichester mentioned so articulately in his novel “Gypsy Moth” about sailing around the world: “Hope always persists beyond reason.” So I return from the glorious open seas that lure men into a false swaying sense of reality. Once out to sea I couldn’t wait to return to the coast and motorcycles. Only I discovered after we scrapped the corroding gray hull of the Leon against the Houston docks that myriad bills awaited, disputes were stacked under the good news, unfinished projects lingered, and lackluster profits and missing parts met me in the driveway. But goddamn the sex was fine.

So, to answer Jose’s all-time question about the sailor who returns from the adventures that greet him from port to port to the mundane bill-paying humdrum life at home, will the sea lure me back? Fuck no, is the razor-sharp answer to that question.

It was the experience of a lifetime, but there are more hidden behind the next book project and plans for annual book-research travels to some of my favorite sites within the wonderful continental United States. Let’s get to the news and to work on Nuttboy’s Pro Street.

chopper heaven print

HOT OFF THE PRESS–I was at the printer last night doing a press check on my latestprint “Chopper Heaven” (see attached), that we are debuting at Laughlin. Likethe previous prints, they are lithographs printed on a premium 80-poundacid-free cover stock.

The prints measure 18-by-27 inches (image size is 10 1/2-by-20 inches)and are available as a signed limited edition of 300 ($39.95) and an unsignededition ($19.95). For more info, call Chris Kallas (310) 316-2790.

Come by ourbooth at the Colorado Belle and say hello.

Continued On Page 2

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share