If you ever have the chance to see an original Denver's bike...

[Tony Bones]

go out of your way to do it.

I'd heard my machinist has one, but could never seem to mesh our schedules. Today I finally saw the bike when picking up my trans. and Holy cow! I've seen lots of neat show bikes w/ tons of fabrication, lots of chrome, etc., but this thing was something else.

What catches your eye first is obviously the 25 over springer. We're talking 10 and one half feet of bike here folks. But there's so much more. Every tube on the frame was peaked and molded. The tank was custom made and quite unbelievable. It was larger than the Wassels and such people go out of their way for these days and probably held five gallons, but you wouldn't know it due to the perfect proportions. It just blended in so well! Each mount, bracket, and anywhere a bolt went through the frame was molded. The flow was hard to describe. And that springer...beautiful. Simple too.

So this is all sounding super 70's, way over-molded, and in general, just overdone, right? No, not at all. All this work was subtle and perfect. Granted, it was no understated bobber, but it wasn't the overchromed, too much of everything mess you're envisioning. It was...tasteful, but in a waaaay far out way. How is that possible? To be honest, I'm not sure. I've seen 70's show bikes before and was overwhelmed (which is never good). Think early Arlen Ness bikes; neat, but too complicated.

I can only say that the late Denver Mullins and Mondo really were working on a different level. You hear the stories...well, believe them. Artists.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I had no idea I'd be seeing it today. Hopefully next time I'm out I can snap a few.

[SltyDog]

Pix! We need pix!

[JOCK E SHIFT]

i got hard readin your story,hope it was a pan

[nardi1]

A good friend of mine has an original Denvers Triumph. Unfortunately its been pretty hacked up. He is in the process of restoring it.

[Derek Mitchell]

I've seen the pics hangin in Mondos old dragboat shop when he was in Havasu, before he went to Henderson. Fuckin cool shit.

I cant say enough about Mondo, he is a great guy. Instead of charging me to do something, he would show and help me do it. I just walked off the street when I met him, and he treated me like family.

If you have a chance to meet him, go for it. You wont be sorry.

[G Griffin]

Originally Posted by Tony Bones

I can only say that the late Denver Mullins and Mondo really were working on a different level. You hear the stories...well, believe them. Artists...

What about Freddie!?

G.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Tony Bones

I can only say that the late Denver Mullins and Mondo really were working on a different level. You hear the stories...well, believe them. Artists.

This story was told to me from Freddie Hernandez, who was Denver's right-hand man from the beginning. In fact, Freddie was building choppers years before Denver.

Mondo had nothing to do with Denver's as far as motorcycles go. He did sell race boat cages (for the cockpits) for Denver's but that was about it.

Mondo never built a single bike while Denver's was in business (while he was still alive). Mondo bought the place after Denver died. Freddie had no interest in buying the place - why would he? Denver was dead.

Denver was also never a "Harley" guy. He main interests with motorcycles were Japanese-powered choppers.

Mondo owned two bikes while Denver's was in business. One of them was built by Freddie.

The bottom line, to me, is that who would you rather believe? Freddie, the man who can build springers, frames and entire bikes with his bare hands or Mondo?

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Tony Bones

I can only say that the late Denver Mullins and Mondo really were working on a different level. You hear the stories...well, believe them. Artists.

And... Freddie stopped selling his front-ends and frames to Mondo about 3 years ago.

[Mike V]

So was there bad blood between the two?
Are any of you West Coast guys going to make the Smoke Out with Chopper Dave?

Originally Posted by Nelson

And... Freddie stopped selling his front-ends and frames to Mondo about 3 years ago.

[caffeine]

fuck mondo.