Today an old article from June 1978. This was published in Easyriders magazine and ‘Renegade’ wrote about this nice Harley.
When I started buying Eayriders I already favoured Harley’s above other brands. Choppers in particular. Then, in June 1978, I stumbled on this article. I fell in love with this type of style/bike. It ticked all the boxes. The frame, front-fork, handle-bars, brakes, rake, tank, still a bit race-like appereance, you’ll name it.
One small problem, I wasn’t 18 yet, no drivers licence either and above all, not enough money to buy a bike that could even come close like the one in this article. There you have it. I was hooked. Damn. So, the only thing left to do at that moment was to dream about it and trying to figure out how to get something like that…. A HARLEY……
Yehhhh, hmm, in my dreams mayby, but reality is an other thing. Nevertheless, here’s the bike I’m writing about.
Greetings Brothers !
This may be a bit long winded , but please bear with me .
I too was totally smitten with this bike , the Easyriders Mystery Sled .
In 1978 I was 26 years old and building my first chopper ( but not my first customized bike ).
Like you , and many young men , I had desires , but no money and very few skills .
I did build (what I consider to be) a nice chopper , but you Scandinavian Brothers might not agree .
Even though I’m American , I’m just not a fan of H.D.
Too slow . to heavy and don’t handle . BUT , to each his own .
I have since gone on to acquire many skills , I’m a master machinist and welder , working in aerospace. Which has enabled me to build whatever I want .
(but I don’t hold with “show bikes ” . If I can’t ride it daily ,and put 100K miles on it , it’s USELESS ! )
BUT ! ,now we get to the gist of the message , I have spent YEARS , trying to find out just WHO built the Mystery sled .
Not because I would try to buy it , I wouldn’t , I build my own .
But just because I want to know .
The only clue is that in the spec sheet they list the brake calipers as being built by Kevin Cameron at Monotrack Eng .
Cameron is a famous bike mechanic and writer here in the states , but I have NOT been able to talk to him .
Some where though , I did hear that the bike was actually built by the photographer from Easyriders .
I don’t know about that though .
I still have that issue of Easyriders , and I still have my first chopper , now with over 100K miles on it .
So Brothers , Ride Hard , Ride Fast , Ride Free !
p.s. I’d send you a pic , but this reply page doesn’t seem to support that .