By now you would have to be living in a cave somewhere on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border not to have seen the outlandish rides crafted by Billy Lane and the crew at Choppers Inc. This star of the gearhead boob tube has created some of the most "out there" rides we've ever seen. Surprisingly, his personal bike is rather down to earth, but as one would expect, it still maintains a punch of his own personal flair.
Billy Lane's daily rider started off as a mostly complete '48 panhead that he bought at a swap meet at the Harley-Davidson 1OOth anniversary. He found that he had sold all his custom bikes and really wanted something he could ride. He has always loved bobbers, and in his book Chop Fiction he says it's because of photographer Danny Lyon, who in 1966 snapped a now famous photograph of an Outlaw crossing the Louisville Bridge on a panhead bobber. Billy says, "From the first time I saw that photograph, I knew that style was timeless." The love for bobbers led Billy to finish Hell's Belle with a very raw look. He stripped the bike of its fenders, exhaust, seat and gas tanks, and made his own. "There is no hammer or English wheel work there. All of the panels were bent over my knee. I made the fender, sissybar, and pipes in another day. People really identify with and love that bike. Arlen Ness told me it brought back some memories." Billy says.
When we asked him to dig in and ferret out some of the details, he replied, "Details? The frame is bent, and the floorboards are Club Castings. The handmade leather seat is off of the first Harley I ever rode. The hood emblem is from a '41 Cadillac." Last year when Billy was in Laughlin riding Hell's Belle he ran out of gas 100 feet from a gas station. While pulled over by the side of the road a cop rolled by and told him to get out of the road. One thing led to another, about which Billy grins, "I look great in handcuffs...."
Specifications:
Owner: Billy Lane City: Melbourne, Florida General Year/make: 1948 Harley Davidson Model: panhead Assembly: Billy Lane Engine Year: 1948 Builder: none Displacement: 74 cubic inches Pipes: Billy Lane Painting Painter: Billy Lane Color: clear Type: Ace Hardware Frame Type: rigid Builder: Harley-Davidson Rake: 30 degrees Accessories Handlebars: H-D Fenders: Chica Headlight: H-D Taillight: Choppers Inc. Gas tank: Billy Lane Oil tank: Mooneyes Seat: unknown Grips: RFSD Front end Type: springer Builder: H-D Wheels Make: H-D Size: 21-inch front/16-inch rear Tires: Avon Brakes: drum Photographer: Michael Lichter
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By now you would have to be living in a cave somewhere on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border not to have seen the outlandish rides crafted by Billy Lane and the crew at Choppers Inc. This star of the gearhead boob tube has created some of the most "out there" rides we've ever seen. Surprisingly, his personal bike is rather down to earth, but as one would expect, it still maintains a punch of his own personal flair.
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