DJHGULGHUIURP3RUWODQG2UHJRQ
+LVELNHZDVOLVWHGDVD·+DUOH\)/
but like most of these bikes, it was an
amalgam of parts, some dating back
WRWKH VDQGVRPHDVQHZDVWKH
1970s. And then there were actual new
parts that he had made himself to look
like old parts. “The bike was built
around the tank,” Kenneh said. “I saw
that tank and said, ‘Yes, I need to make
DELNHIURPWKDW·,OHIWLWDVLWZDV
except I painted the tiger on it in 1950s
style, but made the painting look old
to suit the bike.”
He did an amazing job. Kenneh
pointed out various parts and their
ages – all old – and then he pointed
to one part in particular. “You see
that hand shifter? That shifter I made
from a part from an elevator door
mechanism.” It was impossible to tell
the difference between what was old,
what was new and what he had made
KLPVHOI,SRLQWHGWRWKHPXIÁHUV
́&RSSHU7ULXPSKPXIÁHUV,KDGQHYHU
seen them before. You know, copper is
usually the base when chroming, but
these were left copper. I had to have
them.” Kenneh cut them to be a slip-on
ÀWEHFDXVHKHGRHVQ·WOLNHWKHORRNRI
clamps. I asked him where he got the
beautifully aged seat. “That leather is
from an old couch that I found at the
side of the road. I cut out the leather
and used it to make the seat.”
As I walked past the hammocks
set up in the centre of the venue for
anyone to use, I saw a young guy with
a joint in his mouth (weed had just
been made legal in Canada). I asked
if I could take his picture. “Sure, go
ahead,” he said. I asked if I could have
his name for the photo. He told me his
QDPHLV%UHQGDQ ́:KDW·VWKHSLFWXUH
IRU"μKHDVNHG,WROGKLP,·PGRLQJ
a story for Motorcycle Mojo magazine.
His face lit up. “My dad reads your
PDJD]LQH+H·OOEHVRSURXGμKHVDLG
with a laugh. He gave me his email
DGGUHVVWRPDNHVXUHKHGRHVQ·WPLVV
the story when it comes out.
Kenneh from Portland, Oregon, showshis Panhead chopper replete with coppermufÀers, handmade leather seat anda hand painted tiger on the tank.