The Locust.... From the Beginning

It was the end of 2006..... I had just graduated college, gotten married and starting to shoot for some national motorcycle and kustom car mags. My dad was telling me about a basket sportster he knew of in some Grey Beard's garage a town over. I didn't have a dime to my name but thought things were looking up so my dad barrowed me the green to bring it home. I felt bad.... the Old Timer was on tough times... his wife had just passed and he was losing his house because all of the medical bills. I assured him it was going to a good home. He told me he had some machining work done make it a 1200. It came with the original frame and a new Paughco rigid frame as well. I wish I could have seen it in it's glory days. In the pile I found some pretty sweet 70's pieces such as six bends and the oil filter/cooler I'm currently running. I now had my first ever motorcycle! I didn't know dick about building one but I guess I would figure that out at a later date.

In early 2007 I met Rich Phillips at the V-Twin Expo. He asked if I would shoot his bike so I headed south to the Lou of Saint, shot his bike in the middle of a tornado and became very good friends. He had just started making leaf spring front ends and asked if I needed one for my bike. I said yeah.... That would be great but told him I couldn't afford it. By the end of the weekend he offered to build my entire bike. I couldn't refuse the offer. So I brought him my original swingid arm frame and he began chop'n!























This is the overall look and stance.