Joe Di Palmer was always a car man, a mechanic by trade. Joe over the years has owned everything from Aussie muscle cars, GT Falcons, Holden Torana’s to 57 Chevrolet’s and was looking for a bit of a change and with the house paid off decided to spoil himself (with wife Joanne’s blessing) and buy or build a Chopper. Three years Joe scoured websites and classifieds to find that right bike for the right price but kept coming up short and with many of the sellers asking around $40,000 and up to $70,000 for a second hand bike Joe came to the conclusion that with that money he could get a custom bike built.
Joe found a bike builder called Wild Card Customs at Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast who had package deals for fully Australian compliant choppers. Joe contacted shop owners Chris and Adam Hill and after talking to them found they would be able to build Joe his dream bike for the right money, with the right components and he could even pick the paint stylings and colour.
After all the searching and phone calls Joe decided to give the boys a go, took the day off from his job at Silhouette Smash at Alexandria, hopped on a plane and flew up to the Sunshine Coast where the boys picked him up from the airport.
Once at the shop Joe with deposit in hand went about checking out the parts from pamphlets and catalogues and chose his wheels from the 10 styles available. He chose his motor and seat and even his paint and graphics, handle bars, grips and mirrors and even got to have his two daughters Sienna and Jasmine on the oil tank. Joe believes the bike is a real custom in the sense of the word if not only because no two bikes built are the same because with a large selection of parts, colours and graphics and componentry. The bike cost Joe $50,000. Pleased with the deal Joe laid down his deposit and headed back to Sydney a happy man and because he got the deposit down by the given time he was given a 10% discount on the final purchase price!
But and there’s always a but when it comes to custom motorcycles there was going to be a hiccup. Big Bear Choppers suppliers to Wild Card Customs were having financial problems in the United States and the six month build was to blow out to twelve months. Joe wasn’t in a hurry and with the boys reassurance he decided to wait, if only because of the research he had done over the years taught him that to build a bike from scratch comes with its own drama’s. Firstly he would have to buy a frame and all the parts separately and the bike would have to be registered as an individually constructed bike and hard to register. The Wild Card Customs, Devils Advocate Chopper is turn-key ready.
Joe put a lot of thought into his build and the makeup and finished bike is excellent. The frame is a Big Bear Choppers, Devil Advocate Chopper with a 6 inch stretch and 6 degree rake. Joe decided to go with the 300 chain driven upgrade (a 280 belt driven arse end is standard on the Devil’s Advocate). Freedom Performance one piece heat shield pipes, custom rear pegs and mounts, 100 cube motor with 585 cam, right side Baker 6 speed gearbox, Performance Machine wheels (21’’ front and 18’’ rear), 4 piston callipers and grips, forward controls, Big Bear Choppers enclosed primary, drag bars, digital display, braided lines and there is also a removable 12 suction Phantom pad that mounts on the back guard for pillion passengers and custom rear pegs. The only alterations have been the mirrors. Joe changed the original mirrors for less bulky billet mirrors. The paint Joe chose was a Candy Red with silver blades and gold pin-stripping and decided to forgo fuel injection and choosing the carbie option because of the ease of tunning especially after any modifications. Joe was originally going to use flames in his graphics but decided to style his graphics on a car he had seen and the frame was powder coated because it is sturdier and less prone to stone chips. If you look closely you can also notice much of the bike’s tins, guards and even the custom made oil tank comes to a point much like a pitch fork or the devils tail.
Twelve months later and the day finally comes and the bike is delivered to Joe’s home and it was to be the first time he had actually seen his creation. Joe relives the moment. ‘’The guy rocks up in a van opens up doors and rolls it out and my first thought was wow, it just looked perfect!’’ Unfortunately after waiting a year and finally getting the bike Joe would have to put off his maiden run because it was to rain constantly for a whole week and all he could do was look at his pride and joy in the comfort of his garage. Now as time has passed and he has ridden the bike he is more than happy, Joe like a proud new father had this to say about his little Devil. ‘’I go to shows and there’s a lot of Harley’s around, put this in the middle everyone comes over, for $50k it’s the best value, part by part it would be worth $70k. Insurance is good because it’s Australian Compliance and because it is compliant I can put it in the garage for five years (not that he would) pull it out and just have to blue slip it for rego.’’
Our Little Devil is 29 year old professional Burlesque Dancer Lara Love. Blue eyed Lara performs in Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra and was a member of the Diamonettes Dance Troop. Lara is also a part time model and has modelled in everything from Magazines, Hair Shows and Bikini contests. One of Lara’s proudest achievements was second runner up in the 2011 Miss Burlesque pageant and has been placed in the top five for the past three years. Contestants have to perform three routines and incorporate old burlesque styles such as The Shimmy, The Shake and Burlesque Walk to score. Lara says it’s very involved but rewarding. Lara says she is definitely a bike fan but can’t say she has been on too many (me and my big mouth the offers will be pouring in now). ‘’I’m a bit girly and a bit scared of them but this bike today was gorgeous, my favourite colour red, its hot!’’ You might have noticed Lara is a clean skin (yes she does shower) that is she has no tatts a rarity these daysm has the girl got issues? ‘’No, too girly for tatts, they would have to hold me down and gag me to stop me from screaming (hmm), no I’m too scared I don’t even have piercings except my ears. But don’t get the wrong idea, I’m a girly girl but I can also be a bad girl and my favourite guy is a bad boy with tatts, that’s all I have dated, I love them!’’ . Be warned Lara has a partner so please no emails for introductions this is Lawless Magazine not a dating site you Desperado’s!