Story Bike: Stories form who we are. Some stories are written in the pages of a book, others are revealed in symbols and require storytellers to connect us to them, and sometimes a story is so compelling it tells itself.
I've started to tell my story.
It's an artistic reconfiguration of a motorcycle in which I incorporate multiple motifs, artifacts, and features that reflect the pages of my life. Instead of my story being in a book, it will be on wheels. I call it my Storybike.
It will take some time before I feel satisfied and can declare this project finished. The photos below provide a glimpse of my vision. The aesthetic is undoubtedly rough-hewn, unique, and inventive, but my story has followed a similar path. I hope you enjoy it.
The grill for the radiator turned out well
I want fibers and alternate materials worked into the aesthetic.
A work in progress.
I reconfigured some old wooden snowshoes for floorboards - the reshaped metal is hidden underneath.
Lots of prep. Taping off the front wheel
I added an 8mm film reel to the front left axle.
As a fourth generation Minnesotan, I couldn't resist adding the MN plate on the front fender.
Ad lib exhaust will be finalized this summer.
The grill ready for vinyl upholstery.
The catcher's mask flips up so I can get at the headlight housing.
Ready to install.
A small sample of things that had to go.
It was shocking how much stuff I needed to remove from the original motorcycle. I got rid of tons of plastic, unnecessary metal brackets, chrome (way too much chrome), and aesthetic features that didn't fit my vision. I must have removed sixty to eighty pounds of unneeded junk. The image of various parts (above) is just a small sampling of what I discarded.
