Von Dutch Triumph's

It takes a whole book to even touch who Von Dutch was. A real good one is "The Art of Von Dutch" by Tornado Design. I bought a copy a few years ago for $80 and it was well worth it. One of the many things about Dutch that is brought to light in the book is that he was an original 1940's biker. A real drinkin', racin', hell raisin' dirty buzzard. Over the decades he customised just about everything under the sun. The quantity and quality of his life's work is absolutely mind blowing. There will never be another like him and the modern motorcycle company bearing his name is a insult to his legendary life. How can you use a name from a man like this for products that have absolutely nothing to do with him?

One of the many really cool periods of Dutch's life is when he worked in Bud Ekin's Motorcycle Shop rebuilding retired desert sleds into custom street bikes. This is something very appealing to me and something I am also working on now.

Cycle World magazine editor David Edwards is the man who bought the latest Von Dutch bike to grace the pages of ebay. For the measly sum of $3350 it is his to do what he will with. Shame on the previous owner for neglecting it so badly! There is a certain point where keeping something in absolutely original condition is a bit of a lost cause and I think this bike is at that state of condition. David is restoring it and it is being chronicled on the Cycle World website. I am very interested to see what he does with it! I also want to say that Cycle World magazine is one of the best all around motorcycle magazines in the US these days. David Edwards and crew are all vintage bike savvy and many a vintage motorcycle story finds it's way into the magazine on a regular basis. David has bought up more than one old period custom Brit bike over the years and from what I've seen he has some very nice iron in his collection.