Black Bikers Experience

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SNCC photographer Clifford Vaughs is arrested by the National Guard, Cambridge, Maryland, May 2, 1964. Photo by Danny Lyon ©Danny Lyon/Magnum Photos

  

  

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It is almost impossible to be concurrently a chopper rider and be a success in Entertainment Business world. These two scenes just don’t recognize or respect one another.It is almost impossible to be concurrently a chopper rider and be a success in Entertainment Business world.

  

But in California today there are three men – Frank Reynolds, Gut and Cliff Vaughs who have not only made it successfully in business but also have been able to maintain active memberships in two of the state’s most publicized clubs.

  

Freewheelin’ Frank has written an astonishing best seller about his experiences for Grove Press called simply “Freewheelin Frank” and already has a second volume of poetry in the works.

  

Gut is the colorful manager of one of California’s heaviest rock groups, the Blue Cheer, which has already released a hit single and smash album on Mercury.

  

But it is Vaughs who is the interesting because not only is he a chopper rider but a successful film maker, producer, civil rights leader and black. Vaughs rides with a predominantly black cycle club out of the ghetto area of Los Angeles. (The Chosen Few MC)

  

Vaughs is college educated, BA from Boston University and formally began his film career as a maker of documentaries. His “What Will The Harvest Be” a story of the thrust of black power in the south was shown several years ago on ABC-TV. This film featured such civil rights leaders as the late Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael and Julian Bond according to Cliff. It was later suppressed, I guess, because they showed it here twice in California and in Chicago. But it wasn’t pushed. I think this was done because this was the first public expression of black power.

  

From documentaries Vaughs went into film production, and it is significant to note that this is the first time in the Hollywood film industry, aside from Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby that an unknown black man has been able to break into production.

  

Chopper Magazine talked to Cliff Vaughs about his feelings toward the Hollywood manufactured cycle image, the integration of white outlaw clubs, Peter Fonda as a plastic hero and the emergence of the chopper rider as the final romantic American hero.

  

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD OF CYCLING?

  

“In terms of my own relation with my own motorcycle, it’s the final romantic expression that is left in this country. Obviously the frontier is gone. The cycle is the one thing that you can build from nothing—just a basket, and make something very, very beautiful and really put yourself into it. This goes from a simple question of chrome, to developing new designs, sissy bars, new ways of riding and things like that.”

  

HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INVOLVED WITH A CHOPPER?

  

“Certainly bikes attract a great deal of people who have basically been frustrated in their life. I haven’t been frustrated but I do view my bike as another way of relieving a lot of tension from myself. I have been riding since 1962. I even missed the March on Washington because I was building a chopper. I like my bike and I like Choppers and I’m very concerned about the restrictive legislation that is coming out from most states against the rider. Laws that are trying to keep Choppers off the road, and I think that a Chopper is a typically American expression.”

  

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CHOPPER IN YOUR NEW FILM?

  

“In “Easy Riders” the cycle is just a vehicle to get around on. It’s like the horse from the old days. What we are basically doing is psychological western. We have two guys who have problems and are into their own bag. They are good friends, they’ve made one big score and are off to Miami to retire. Now in the course of the film a number of things happen to them on their trip. These are things that could happen to a guy if he were driving a car, flying in an airplane or riding on a train—except for the fact that being on a bike—they are more vulnerable to what’s going on.” Chopper asked Vaughs if the movie was going to say the same thing its predecessors from American International have said again and again.

  

“This is not what we are into. I think we can change the image of the cyclist, and make a significant contribution to changing the development of the cycle image. I don’t feel that Hollywood today is producing anything of much significance. And I think that this is the time to make the change, because the western has been the major success in this country. If we can change the vehicle from a horse to a cycle—and still develop good stories and good concepts then I think we have made a significant and artistic contribution to bikes and films.”

  

We asked Vaughs if any fulltime chopper rider could be trained by Hollywood into a Fonda role.
“No Peter and Dennis are very heavy into a lot of cultural things. They are in a position to be very, very socially aware of what’s going on. A lot of bikers just don’t know what’s going on because the whole weight of having to deal with everyday situations or hustling to live precludes any awareness of other problems. I mean, theirs is a hunting and gathering culture. You must remember that most bikers are not in a medium where they can project anything. Even if an average rider went on ”Meet the Press,” he would give the same rap about oppressed bike riders, patriotism, etc.”

  

He stated that before the film was started he indicated that one of the main things “Easy Riders” should do was break down the whole idea of black and white motorcycle clubs. “Because my investigation showed that white clubs had restrictive clauses and it’s only the blacks that are integrating. The Chosen Few has been integrated for a long period of time.”

  

“In this film said Vaughs we have a situation where the two main characters are riding across country. Their bikes break down and they run into about 50 black cyclists. They are very, very up-tight, scared and shaken up. But, it works out very well because the black cats just say, “Can we help you get some gas?” Everything is very groovy. And that to me seems a real situation.”

  

“I maintain if that situation can happen and it does in real life there is still some hope. There are many, many people that maintain that it can happen. “But I’ve seen it happen this way.”

  

Does Vaughs feel this situation is only confined to the cycle world? Naturally he answers in the negative.

  

“The cities are still going to burn despite the fact that these black cats stopped to help these white cyclists on the road.” That baby is reality.

  

CLIFF’S BIKE REFLECTS TRADITIONAL DESIGN. THE 68 ENGINE NESTLES NEATLY IN THE EARL RIGID FRAME. THE REAR SEAT HAS BEEN UPHOLSTERED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SISSY BAR, AND THE FRONT FORKS RAKED AND TENDED. THE EARLY BRAKE ROD HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A DC CHAIN, AND THE TANK HAS BEEN FANCIFULLY DECORATED WITH MULTICOLOR FLOWERS.

  

THE FRAME ON CLIFF’S BIKE IS A 57 HARLEY STRAIGHTBAR. HE EXTENDED THE ORIGINAL GLIDEFORKS 8 INCHES AND RAKED OUT THE FRAME 7 DEGREES.

  

THE MOTORCYCLE IS THE LAST ROMANTIC EXPRESSION LEFT IN THIS COUNTRY. THE FRONTIER GONE AND THE MOTORCYCLE IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU CAN STILL BUILD YOURSELF FROM A BASKET CASE.
Written in Chopper Magazine around 1968.

  

Below is a photo of Cliff Vaughs today.

  

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I am posting this article again because I received a response from one of my visitors on my former blog and it went like this:
Comment by MR. JACKY J BROWN on March 22, 2010 3:15 am
“Why would you want to have a predominantly black bike rally in a predominantly white community? Why not have it in St. Louis?”

  

Please read the article and let me know what you think. Let’s keep this dialog going. It is important that we continue to support cities that won’t give us challenges. What’s wrong with New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago, DC and I know we can think of others if we tried.

  

Officials in Columbia Missouri say the National Bikers Roundup could have at least a $3 million economic impact.

  

The funny thing is they referred to the National Bikers Roundup as a Mini-Sturgis. When they mentioned Sturgis they didn’t find it necessary to include that Sturgis is a white biker rally but they did make it clear to Columbia residents that the National Bikers Roundup is a predominantly black biker rally.

  

I wonder why it was important to let the residents of Columbia, Missouri know that 30,000 or more black bikers will be heading their way August 3 – 8, 2010. Let me give you a clear understanding of why they found it necessary to let the residents know who was coming to town:

  

Races in Columbia:

  

• White Non-Hispanic (80.4%)
• Black (10.9%)
• Two or more races (2.1%)
• Hispanic (2.1%)
• Chinese (1.3%)
• Asian Indian (0.9%)
• American Indian (0.9%)
• Other race (0.8%)
• Other Asian (0.8%)
• Korean (0.6%)
  
    
  
  

Now with knowing this information be mindful and govern yourselves accordingly.

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I have realized that within our community as black bikers the younger black riders have a tendency to disrespect the more seasoned and knowledgeable bikers on the set. Some think they know every damn thing and just don’t know, they will get their asses served to them on a platter by some us of out here. These videos show the reversal of what you would think might happen. Don’t be too quick to judged or size up someone because of age or race. You don’t know what they might be working with.

I want you to check out these videos. You might want to call the “ambalamce” yes I know I spelled it wrong cause this is what the guy said after getting his natural black ass kicked. He got served a two piece and a biscuit and asked for the ambulance to come for him.

What the hell This is why young bikers on the black motorcycle club set need to be careful running up on older bikers thinking because of age or race they won’t get handled. Slick Pimp kicked his ass. This man is my hero

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This man was responsible for the Chopper. Most African American bikers don’t know the Chopper was created by black men. To be correct, black bikers.

I believe it was around the mid 50’s over on Florence Ave., just east of Central Ave., was Benny Hardy’s motorcycle shop; just a few blocks west of the old MC Supply Company. Benny Hardy was one of the few, if not the only, African Americans who was an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer at that time.

Hardy’s customized bikes inspired the chopper, the long bike, and the entire pimp my ride craze. Ben E. Hardy was know as the chopper god and motorcycle titan. For those who’d like to know the shops actual address is 1168 E. Florence in Los Angeles, which is now an auto repair shop.

Bikers aren’t aware that Cliff Vaughs , who is a member of the Hollywood Chapter of the Chosen Few MC, was the man who designed the bikes for Easy Rider and he called on his friend Benny Hardy to help build the bikes . Cliff Vaughs designed all three with direction from Peter Fonda. They never gave these men credit for their outstanding work. You may intermittently hear some credit to Benny Hardy but rarely Cliff Vaughs.

Aside from the obvious racial issues of the time, they were also dealing with the politics of Hollywood, which is a world in and of its own. The truth should be told and I am here to do it. The bike below will show the similarity to the bikes black motorcycle clubs and black bikers road in South Centra LA and Oakland, California.

I salute the black bikers and black motorcycle clubs of the 40’s, 50’s & the 60’s for paving the way for the black bikers and black motorcycle clubs of today!

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