Keep it custom baby!

So after quite a heavy Saturday night I awoke to the one cloud sky of Bali and decided that I wanted to start something on such a fine day. Something I could continue for more than a few hours here or there. As I struggled through my second helping of mie goreng the idea came to me - a portrait series on people and their bikes.

My feeling is someone’s bike, when customized, is pretty much a representation of themselves. Some say owners look like their pets, I think the same applies to some extent in the custom motorcycle scene.

Now since I wanted to make this a long term project, I thought I would take things slow on the first day, maybe a couple friends with their steel ponies and call it a day...(text continued)

what happened next did so without planning which made my day just that much better.

So still under the impression that I was taking just a couple of photographs on this first day of my ‘long term project’ I decided to start local. I called up Mira otherwise known as M.Hump and told her to grab her CG and meet me down at the Temple of Enthusiasm.

She’s there before I arrive, punctual as usual, and things get underway. Kelana (K.Hump) came along for the ride and was the perfect model for the job. Sweet, first day done and I’m pretty happy with the result. Just as I’m packing up my stuff our good friends Roberto and Harry pull into the Temple jonsin’ for a tour of the place.

So I show them the highs and lows and then spot Roberto’s squeaky clean Suzuki GT185 glistening in the sunlight. So long story short I end up shooting both him (modelling like a true Italian) and Harry with his uber tricked out KLX250 Supermoto.

After I say my goodbyes to the pair, I had to head down to RAW for a meeting with friend and owner, Mr. Tipi Jabrik. On the way I call in at Monty’s house to see if I could grab a shot of him with his CB. As I pull up he’s wrestling with his new V dub van that just wont start. He climbs out the cab to greet me and the only thing I can say was “whatever you do, don’t go change” as the sarong he was so proudly adorning was almost too perfect. I get the shot and am on my way once again.

After battling the traffic of Legian Street I arrive at RAW. Whist there I showed Tipi the images I had taken earlier in the morning and explained about my idea for the project, “and you didn’t call me first?” was his reply as he shot off into the back of shop. All of 10 seconds later he rides out, smile ear to ear atop his Kawasaki Z200 Binter “I’m ready” he declares as he sets himself up over in a corner.

This ‘long term’ project sure seems easier than I had anticipated I think to myself, right as Yopi, the OBEY manager, fellow RAW vendor and all around cool guy, walks through the door. He sees Tipi on his bike, me with a camera and without making it halfway across the room, darts back out the door. The familiar sound of a 2 stoke kicks into life and before you know it there’s a badass 1976 G7T café racer weaving through shop displays making a B line for our corner.

First 5 portraits done and dusted, feeling pretty proud of myself I light up a smoke and review my days takings. Yopi joins me, we look at images on the back of the camera and revel in the wonder that is Monte’s sarong. “There is a bike show right now in Denpasar, you want me to take you?” he said, pointing in the general direction of the capital. Hell yeah was my response and with that said we were on the way.

I was expecting a few dudes in a parking lot knocking back beers and inspecting there peers rides….Nope…full on Honda Custom motorcycle event, with break dancing and all. Unfortunately the event was coming to an end but I managed to grab some photos of the best lookin’ bikes before the sea of people leaving engulfed us.

So that was the ‘slow start’ to my project, and here are the images to prove it. Enjoy!…and please remember….Keep It Custom Baby!