My good friend Robert ‘Dark Star’ Smith from Dallas riding a back road in Florida.
The frame of his chopper is one of the last genuine Denvers Chopper frames bought soon after Denver passed away.
Robert was a true Texan and had an incredible way of speaking, real Southern drawl. I still have the interview tape I made when recording him for my book 'Harley People’.
Sadly 'Dark Star’ is no longer with us. RIP buddy.
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I had an assignment from a UK book publisher to shoot a Harley-Davidson book cover this week. This silhouette won’t make the front cover but could make an interesting back cover.
The bike belongs to Dave Speak of Preston HOG Chapter, thanks to him for making his bike available at short notice.
Prof riding his WL45 Chopper. Now those are Apehangers alright. Photos from this photoshoot appeared in a book that Caz Carroll and I published called ‘Harley 45s Warhorse and Workhorse’. Apparently it’s quite collectable nowadays. The chain drive is on the left because he fitted a British gearbox, a BSA I think.
1905 Harley-Davidson in a restored condition and a 1907 in completely original genuine unmessed with state found in a basement.
I got into Harley photography because I liked the custom scene and the biker lifestyle as it was 25 years ago before things got really fashionable. However I soon got interested in the history of Harley and started shooting older models whenever I came across them. Soon I was commissioned to illustrate a number of books about Harleys which always dealt with the history of the marque and I had to actively seek out collectors and their older bikes.
The guy here is Lonnie Isams who at the time was based near to Houston Texas. His Uncle Cole was an elderly millionaire who had made a fortune out of running flea markets and selling fireworks. All the while he had been collecting old American made bikes with Lonnie acting as selector and purchaser and sometimes restorer.
The 1907 original model was an extreme rarity and Cole outbid H-D in an auction for it paying well in excess of $100K. how cool is that to outbid the factory!!
The 1905 model is one of only a small handful of bikes put together in that old shed by the founding fathers themselves. I don’t to this day know what that carburettor is with what appears to be a Star Of David on it. Anyone know?
Cole started up a museum in Sturgis in the late 90s but I believe that it’s now closed.
This is one of my favourite Harley photos. My friends Robert ‘Dark Star’ Smith and his son Harley Smith making passes for the camera in the Everglades of Florida after I had interviewed them for my book 'Harley People’ published by Haynes Books.
Dark Star was an accomplished custom painter, a biker through and through and a real Texan with a way of speaking that had folks entranced especially the 'womenfolk’, he was a true 'one off’. He had a great relationship with his son Harley who is a friend to me,my wife and our three sons.
What I love about this photograph is the evident pleasure and pride that Dark Star is taking in riding with his boy on Choppers Old and New school.It’s written all over his face!! Sadly Robert 'Dark Star’ is no longer with us but many remember him and I am pleased that he lives on in the magazines and books in which his pictures appear.
‘Take The Long Road’. Welsh chopper guy Dick Tree rides his jockey shift chop along a road in Wales. This is why he’s on the left side of the road because that’s the way we do it in the UK.
Steinar riding his Indian Powerplus chopper built by MCWorx of Kansas which is owned by his fellow Norwegian Frank Pedersen.
I shot this near to Moab Utah.I was sat backwards on my buddy Lawayne’s Harley trike.
Proper chopper coming at you with Welsh biker Dick Tree hanging on the apes.
Cymru Am Byth ! Which is Welsh for Wales Forever ! Welsh lady on Welsh chopper built by Dick Tree of South Wales.
This weekend is the England v Wales Rugby match a hotly anticipated encounter which should be an epic battle between these old enemies.
St George won’t be slaying this Dragon. Did I mention that I am Welsh ?
The South Of England Rally at Bisley was a great event which also benefited from some decent weather. The Ride In Custom show was interesting as there were a lot of Traditional Choppers represented, a good few Shovels and Ironhead Sporties.
One of the many highlights was the Ladies Of Harley ‘Cap'n Jack Sparrow’ rideout to Guildford Harley-Davidson.
To see many more pics either connect to my Flickr pages or go to UK HOG Galleries.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/garrystuart/sets/72157627553790956/
1934 VL model Harley.