People often ask where we find the bikes to feature? For me, as with many of the contributors it’s usually when you see a bike - approach the owner, word of mouth or via email.
Emails are good because you can attach a photo and your details, therefore making it easier for “The Big Feller” (Chris) to work out the best contributor for the job. The selection process for the contributor is usually by state and town. One such email Chris received and passed onto me was by a bloke named Dino. The first email read like this.
“Hi! Just wondering how I can put my bike in the mag? As I am a fond reader.” Chris looked at the attached photos and emailed a reply along the lines - it’s a bit pink? (the bike). Dino’s reply to the Big Feller was “Hey yeah it’s a bit pink! But it works great with the ladies!”
When the shoot fell into my lap my first thought was much like the boss “it’s pink!” On the day and in the flesh my opinion of the colour and the suitability of the colour on the bike swayed. The Pink Dino chose was House of Kolor two pack baked enamel Candy Pink. Dino defends his choice of pink stating “the bike gets a lot of attention everywhere it goes!” Dino was right, his bike was a real head turner which was made even more apparent as the day went on with people coming out of the woodwork with their cameras to take photos of Dino’s Chopper.
Dino said he wanted to make a statement. He is no stranger to using bright colours on bikes. Dino’s previous bike’s were both custom Harley Davidson Softails Dino dressed up with after market accessories - one a bright green and the other orange.
An American Chopper fan, Dino says he was inspired by the programme and wanted to get himself a “full blown custom Chopper”.
Dino found a bloke in Queensland willing to trade a Chopper for his boat. On first glimpse Dino thought the bike was black and boring but could see the potential and decided to trade When Dino traded, the bike had only travelled 3000km. The bloke who owned the bike commissioned Cairns Custom Choppers to build it. The Chop has engineering approval both in Queensland and the Northern Territory with Queensland registration.
Within days of receiving the bike, Dino had it stripped down, had the frame sprayed and everything sent out that needed to be done elsewhere with the rebuild taking five weeks in total. Dino said he ordered a ‘shit load’ of parts from Adams Custom Choppers (USA) but unfortunately found himself adding a 6 speed Ultima gearbox to the shopping list after blowing the original box on his maiden run. Another notable purchase was the front guard, which Dino modified before fitting. The chassis of the Chopper is a Midwest Chopper 250 wide arse Softail with a 42º rake, 6” stretch and 58mm Big Bastard front end. It also has 21” Billet front rim and matching rear. The Chop is powered by a 100 cubic inch Revtec V Twin. Dino didn’t like the look of the exhaust at first and tossed up replacing the existing LA Hooker 4 into 1 style exhaust with a Big Radius system. The Hookers got spared from the scrap heap - the look and the sound of the LA Hookers having grown on him. As well as modifying the front guard, Dino also modified the rear.
Dino was and still is wrapped in the all in-one Speedo which came on the bike and displays everything from speed to a rev-tacho and the time. Dino decided to remove the rear struts and re-welded the struts inside the guards to give the rear fender a clean look with no bolts or fittings while keeping the original molded tail light.
Dino is often asked what the rear pegs are for? While the Chop looks like a ‘solo ride’ in actual fact the rear guard is also pillion passenger friendly with the aid of a product called a ‘Pussy Pad’ which is held on with suction pads.
While the work is on going on the Chop, Dino has decided to put the bike on the market and wants to (next time) build his own bike from the ground up.
I have all faith in Dino of achieving his ambition, if only due to his automotive background. Dino has come from the ever growing number of gear heads tinkering in the custom bike scene. Dino owns a company called Binix Pty Ltd situated in Mortdale in Sydney’s South. Dino, with business partner (Nick) have the enviable job of running a GT Falcon restoration business (www.gtford.com.au). The boys sell hard to get parts and do full restorations on the Legendary GT Falcons.
In my correspondence to Dino I mentioned that I often get let down by models - I am a fan of the female flesh draped over a motorcycle. In my eyes a bike without a ‘babe’ is like a horse without a jockey! Without hesitation Dino says “I’ve got just the Girl – Denise”. Denise is a 26 year old small business owner, Salon on Eighty Nine (hairdresser and nail artist). She is a lover of all bikes but in particular Harley’s. Denise puts her love of the V Twin down to the noise and vibration. She also likes the beastly looking bikes and the same goes for her men! She’s in the right place! The self confessed ‘Queen of Bling’ likes her bikes bright and to stand out in the crowd, thus the love for Dino’s Pink Chop. Denise gets to go cruising with the boys and has only one complaint “They won’t let me ride them (the bike that is)” and goes on to explain “It doesn’t matter, if I had my license they might?”
Special thanks must go out to Adam who lent a hand for the shoot.