The Low Buck

I remember, back in the 90s, how I once had an interest in motorcycles. I began to look at magazines, but I never followed through and bought a bike. I read Magazines about real motorcycles, and by real I mean Harley Davidson. Easy Rider was my first choice, but I couldn't see the bikes for the chicks draped over them. If I wanted to see tanned, shiny women, I would have bought Vogue or Harper's Bazaar. I looked elsewhere and found a far better choice: Iron Horse Magazine. This was the real McCoy. Bad grammar. Abrasive language. And real motorcycles, or, more accurately, choppers. And the guys at Iron Horse did not appreciate all those old yuppies who rode over accessorized Harleys while wearing Harley jackets, bandannas, underwear, and countless other yuppie corporate American junk. The Iron Horse crowd were minimalists and hard core.

What I miss about Iron Horse was a column called Chop on the Cheap, written by a guy who went by the nickname Low Buck Larry. He would find some BSA or a piece of junk Harley Sportster and make it work, and Larry always did this while staying true to his frugal calling. As I tinker and expand The Fleet, I often think of Low Buck Larry, for anybody can, with enough time and money, build a super bike, but to do so without spending money as though their project were destined for the Department of Defense, shows true ingenuity. This is one thing I truly love about the the cycling community here in Portland. I see some very cool, inventive bikes which cost less than either of my top creations while matching my work in style and inventiveness.

My focus on this, my last project, -it really is, honest- is to produce a commuter that can carry just about anything: groceries, recyclables, school books and binders, and bike parts. And I'm going to do it on the cheap.