It's nearly three months since the Mooneyes Hot Rod and Custom Show (HRCS) and I really don't know where the time has gone. I took these photos at the show, in Yokohama, because there were so many characters that I loved the look and style of that I wanted to share.
Go, founder of Brat Style, on his custom sand bike with apes and high-rise handshift
Cool dude from Addict Clothes, a very classy Japanese brand. He has a vintage racing Norton in the back of his 600cc minitruck. These small vans are very popular, even in the motorcycle community, because they enjoy tax benefits compared to full size vans.
Load-in day.
Nuts SR500 with a 600-something big bore and extended cooling fins, dry clutch, hardtail and wheelbarrow tyres.
Do you like them long...
... or short. The 1970s show bike style was big at Yokohama. You can keep it. Shift's Ironhead Sportster looks like it had been shrunk in the wash, I prefer it.
Standy were new to me, but had some wonderful dirt track style racers, including this KR750. They're from the town Chikusei-shi in Ibaraki Prefecture I think, but I couldn't find a website of theirs that worked.
Asterisk has won the bike of the show previously and showed up with this stunning Knuckle with a banana springer front end. We featured Asterisk's wonderful XG750 in Sideburn 25 and their KX500 dirt track race bikes in SB13.
By the way, if you want to find which bikes or stories and interviews have featured in which issue refer to our website's MAGAZINE ARCHIVE (I do, all the time).
Justin from Built The Traditional Way was one of the US guests. His stunning lake bed racer has handbeaten alloy bodywork and a 1948 UL Harley bottom end matched with Carlheim race top ends developed for, if I remember rightly, midget dirt track car racing. This bike won the prestigious Born Free Show in California, perhaps the most important custom show in the world now. Justin is an incredibly talented and has a, this is an overused word nowadays, very humble demeanour. What a lovely guy.
I don't know who this is but's he's totally digging the tank on this OTT XS650 that was engraved by Cheetah. Cheetah is one talented dude. He's also our next cover star.
This is Cheetah...
I love his handpainted Shoei. See more of him in Sideburn 36, available to pre-order soon.
Roland Sands was another US guest, and brought this modern BMW made to look like a 1930s Boxer. Roland Sands Designs covers so much ground, from a large parts and clothing range, to events like the Moto Beach Classic, to the Super Hooligan Championship, but they can still turn out incredibly well made custom and concept bikes on demand. Amazing company really.
This bike had a handshift and, I think, foot clutch. Roland rode it into the arena through a huge crowd.
Another guest was Ryan Mullion of The Tiger Shack, from Orange, CA. His pre-unit bobber is so neat. This is just before the 9.30 Sunday morning ride in, for the guests and luminaries.
Chris Graves of Fast Eddy Co and his 1975 Shovel ready to make an entrance
Mr Krafty Tokyo, who runs a clothes shop in Harajuku, and his wonderful 1972 Triumph TR6RV daily rider
Ducktail Watanabe and his Yamaha SR500 track bike. Ducktail is featured in Sideburn 36 too.
This is Shiroh Nakajima of 46works and his beautifully finished BMW R100Rs airhead.
This BMW was a whole different kettle of fish. BMW are developing a 1800cc boxer twin, and they decided to let the world know by presenting it in a one-off special, with a 26in rear wheel, made by Japanese custom builder ZON.
As yet, BMW hasn't announced what showroom bikes the stock motor will debut in. Such an unusual way to present a new motor. BMW really are not square any longer. This bike isn't a runner though. We were told the cases were empty.
You want big wheels? 30in enough?
There were some very stylish cats, like this car club...
and this one.
The Japanese are very keen on sweary outerwear. This jacket probably cost £500.
Not everything is sweary though...
...some of it is unfathomable...
...some of it daft.
Mooneyes, as a company, and a show, is obsessed with post-war Californian culture, and most things about the show reflect that. This very tight surf band, The El Caminos, played on the floor in the middle of the trade stands...
Then Nik Simich of FartCo (and twisted surf band Thee Cormans) joined them for a song. We featured Nik's wonderful artwork in Sideburn 29.
In another corner, on a proper stage, was a pin-up contest and some other bands that were also right up my street, like The Minnesota Voodoo Men and Jackie and The Cedrics (who have been playing since 1965. Lots of changes of personnel. Cute drummer with them currently).
This is the amazing artist, and musician, Rockin' Jellybean.
There were some very striking couples I asked if I could take snaps of. Not sure if the scrunched up eyes is a Japanese thing, but I took a few photos and he did it on every one. If you want to avoid a crappy plastic bag ruining your extremely considered outfit, buy a Sideburn Engine Tote bag for just £5.
More styling...
Dungarees and Rat Fink shirts
White frame sunglasses and very questionable backdrops that wouldn't fly in many countries.
More stylish cuteness
There was a full-on '50s style hairdressers in one corner...
The Mooneyes stalls did amazing business all day. Vans created a special editions show and people were buying multiple pairs, I assume to flog on eBay.
This is the photo I chose to end this megapost on. If you've got this far, you're already on the right wavelength and I don't need to explain why
Thanks Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show, it was inspiring!