Tank Bibs Galore!

[Spinner]

I haven't posted many pics lately as it was a mad rush just to keep up with orders. Here are a couple of new ones I did as the result of Christmas orders, haven't gotten pics of them on the bikes back yet as folks are still getting back to their homes & bikes so shop pics will have to do for most of them.

The first one is a Florida Gators themed tank & fender bib set I did.

Starting with the tank bib, it’s Hermann Oak 5/6 oz veg tan leather with a custom “fierce Albert” relief tooled into the center, surrounded by a tooled Gator belly pattern. An inlay wouldn’t have worked but we wanted to continue the theme of the gator hide throughout so I tooled it in instead. Royal Blue kangaroo lace in a triple loop pattern for the edges round it out. The color is done using Golden Fluid Acrylic paints. For the fender bib, we started out simply looking at the “Gators” lettering and again one conversation led to another which led me to looking at alligator hide prices. The inlay is real alligator tail (had to use the tail for the back of the bike!) inlayed into the same 5/6 oz. Hermann Oak leather and lacing & paint as the tank bib. This one was even more challenging as I didn’t have the pattern for the 1800N yet so Jim and I coordinated measurements & photos via email, decided on a shape (pennant style) and then the client crossed his fingers and hoped I’d get it right. I think it worked out pretty well…

Next up is a bib a client ordered for her husband to memorialize his brother who died of cancer earlier this year. Celtic triad cross in Ultramarine blue with the memorial text below. There was so much text in such a small space that I decided to literally carve it in with my TurboCarver II and the bone cutter bit instead of tooling it. It worked out pretty well, a very slight fuzz on the edges and the flesh was a bit soft underneath. Using my finger to remove the fuzz and lightly burnish around the lettering and then I used a small modeling tool to press/dig out the soft flesh and then dyed the piece. Once dyed, I sprayed on the top coat and used a small pointed brush to saturate the inside of the letters to stiff the flesh inside so it wouldn't fuzz up or come loose. Made for a great flat contrast against the satin bib.

Following that was a set of bibs and lever wraps for a couple with similar bikes. The first one (hers) has a tooled feather and cell phone pocket. The second one (his) has a 4.5" x 10" vinyl map pocket. The vinyl is edged with black chrome tan and the bottom and right sides have velcro to allow easy opening of the pocket to insert maps, cards, etc. The chrome tan edging and velcro attachment give the pocket just enough lift to make is easy to get a semi-thick map in there without having to 'squeeze' it in. The lever wraps are map out of the same 2 oz. black chrome tan. I deviated from the normal design of eyelets & lacing and instead skived & doubled the chrome tan and then punched the holes to work the same as a shoe laces up and then used 5 cord waxed hand stitching thread. The client simply slips them over (I prestitched them over a 1/2" dowel) and tightens the stitching so it lays nice & tight similar to how a wrapped steering wheel looks & feels.

Last but certainly not least was a two-tone bib that a client requested. He had procured the plum purple chrome tan from a local large name brand shoe factory and it matched the accents on his bike "Purple Haze" pretty well. I tried a couple of variations of how to make it work but in the end we were both happiest with this result. The bib was formed, dyed & finished as normal and then the purple chrome tan cut & glued on top of it. To highlight the color change and hide the join of the two pieces I did a line of applique braiding down both sides, reversing the run down the right side so they both 'run' in the same direction. Then a black chrome tan maltese cross was glued & stitched over the top of the purple to finish it off.

Enjoy!

Chris

[Rohn]

Really cool.

I like the feather and the cross the best, but all are great.

[Hibbert]

Those look great! I'd love to learn how to make those

[shadowryder]

Absolutely brilliant Chris,your work is awe inspiring and i wish i had a fraction of your skills.

The forming round the bottom of the tank is really a really special touch.

JJ

[Hell Bent 4 Leather]

I'd like to learn to make these for my bike too! I have a '97 VLX. Also,I've cosidered doing a full tank cover, but how do you attach this to the tank? Mine doesn't have a tank dash to hold it down at the top, and how are you attaching it at the bottom? And if your interested,here's a forum dedicated soley to people who ride and customize Shadows, they're a little rough on noobies, but it's all done in fun, kind of a hazing in of new members and there's tons of great info on customizing and tricking out your Shadows! http://www.shadowrid...orums/index.php A little advice that'll help them warm up to you a bit quicker, fill out your profile and post pics of your bike in your gallery when you sign up. Over there, they like to say no pics = no bike. In spite of the rough introductions, most of them are really good people who will help you out with advice on just about anything Shadow related. Nice bikes, and trike btw!

Edited December 29, 2011 by Hell Bent 4 Leather

[shadowryder]

I'd like to learn to make these for my bike too! I have a '97 VLX. Also,I've cosidered doing a full tank cover, but how do you attach this to the tank? Mine doesn't have a tank dash to hold it down at the top, and how are you attaching it at the bottom? And if your interested,here's a forum dedicated soley to people who ride and customize Shadows, they're a little rough on noobies, but it's all done in fun, kind of a hazing in of new members and there's tons of great info on customizing and tricking out your Shadows! http://www.shadowrid...orums/index.php A little advice that'll help them warm up to you a bit quicker, fill out your profile and post pics of your bike in your gallery when you sign up. Over there, they like to say no pics = no bike. In spite of the rough introductions, most of them are really good people who will help you out with advice on just about anything Shadow related. Nice bikes, and trike btw!

Hi Hellbent,

I am already on the shadowriders forum,though i,m not sure Spinner is but most of his work is done for shadows.

see you around,,

JJ

[Spinner]

Thanks guys, appreciate the comments. For those wanting to make a whaletail bib for themselves, I did write up an article about a year ago to explain the process. It can been found at BareAss Choppers website: http://tech.bareassc...herworking-101/

HB4L: I'm actually a member of a ton of forums including ShadowRiders. I don't get over there much as the VTX guys have kept me pretty busy the last year or so but I do swing by and see what's happening. Currently I'm a registered member of these forums: ShadowRiders.net, HondaShadow.net, ShadowAero750.com, All Aero Forum, SpiritWorld, VTXOA, VTXCafe, VTCafe, Bareasschoppers.com and visit about a half dozen others when I have time and that doesn't include my Facebook pages or my blog.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Spinner

[Hell Bent 4 Leather]

Cool! Just thought I'd throw that in there in case you fellas hadn't seen that forum before!

[McJeep]

Outstanding as always guy - How on earth you manage to do some of the work you do for such reasonable pricing, I dunno.

If ya ever need other measurements for the Neo, lemme know - there's one right handy in the garage ;0) 1300R as well

[Spinner]

Outstanding as always guy - How on earth you manage to do some of the work you do for such reasonable pricing, I dunno.

If ya ever need other measurements for the Neo, lemme know - there's one right handy in the garage ;0) 1300R as well

Thanks McJeep. As for pricing, that's the tough part with this stuff. A lot of it has to do with what the market will bear. Not many bikers would or are able to pay $300+ for a custom tank bib. Hell, most guys know a friend or a friend of a friend that will custom paint the tank for that much so I have that to deal with. Luckily, 80% of my clients ask for pieces that are "just like that one I saw..." or something like that and once I've done one, the kinks are worked out and each one becomes faster & easier. I can now tool a complete VTX logo in about 20 minutes and the POW/MIA symbol in about 45 so part of it is simply getting faster at it. I won't get rich at the prices I charge, but it keeps me working and I get to see my work on a lot of bikes and that's always fun. I'm working on securing a large corporate client right now though that may end up changing the whole landscape of what I do and how I do it or at least cause me to introduce a "production line" of similar products. AKA bread & butter work.

[McJeep]

Yesssss, the kinks - I'm quickly learning that I need to get some "production" line things going to keep the lights on and save the "custom" one offs for special clients They eat up wayyy to much setup time for me to be able to charge that much - wouldn't get any business at all if I did ;0)

[leatheroo]

I love all your bibs, i have just read over the tutorial you did....wonderful information.....just one question...with the velcro, how are you attaching the other part to the tank....i understand that one part is stitched to the leather, is the other part glued to the underside of the tank??

cheers

[Spinner]

I love all your bibs, i have just read over the tutorial you did....wonderful information.....just one question...with the velcro, how are you attaching the other part to the tank....i understand that one part is stitched to the leather, is the other part glued to the underside of the tank??

cheers

Hey Roo, glad you like them and the tutorial. For the velcro, I use Velcro brand Industrial Strength Stick Back Velcro. I buy the 2" wide x 15' rolls as most pieces used are about 2" long and 1" wide. This gives me about 180 pieces per roll or enough to do 60 bibs.

It works very well for fastening under the tank and to the bib itself. It's so strong that it generally doesn't need to be stitched to the bib but I do anyway for peace of mind. If the tank is cleaned underneath where the velcro will be stuck prior to placing the velcro down the stuff doesn't come off easily. It's actually a bugger to get off which is why I make it to where it will be under the tank and out of sight should someone decide to ride without their bib later. Lesser velcro will come off due to engine heat under the tank but this stuff doesn't let go. 2 years and umpteen bibs later and not one comment of it failing.

Side tip, I usually attach the loop side (softer side) of the velcro to the bib and the hook side to the gas tank. The hooks are much more durable in regards to heat & dirt so if the bib is off they don't get messed up whereas the softer loop side can melt or collect dirt making them not hold as well.

Cheers,

Chris

[Tina]

Love your bibs, Love your tutorial on them.

Thanks a load Spinner