When Romuald Guarino rolled in on his Fishbone custom, the crowd gathered around the machine so quickly one would have thought that he was passing out hundred dollar bills. The main attraction on this bike is the fish tank, which is part-time home for a few real live goldfish. The fish tank is constructed of hard, red-yellowish plexiglass and is positioned on the bike where the fuel tank is usually found. The fish tank is shaped like an old style Sportster tank and has a five inch hole cut in the top where the fuel cap would normally be that is always open and used to insert and extract the fish. There is a drain plug located underneath the tank that is used for removing old or contaminated water. Thick plexiglass is also used to make the amazing see through wheels on this bike.
There is something unique inside bike builders’ minds which lets them develop their own special style for each and every custom bike they build. Finding the reasons why Romuald Guarino built the Fishbone custom bike was almost as interesting as taking the photographs. “I build yachts. I’m the person responsible for all the metalwork on the boats. I do most of my work by the water and I love the marine environment. We have several large aquariums in our home and I think the sea creatures are pretty cool and interesting. I also love riding motorcycles. I enjoy having some of my fish nearby when I’m away from home or away from my workplace. This keeps me connected. This is the reason I built this bike with the special fish tank,” said Romuald.
Obviously, the Fishbone custom is not designed to transport the fish over long distances, or in a congested traffic environment. The temperature from the engine would overheat the water inside the fish tank and create a short life span for the goldfish. The vibrations would also be a bit more than the average fish could stand. When Romuald rides his machine long distances, he transports the fish in a watertight container and puts them into the fish tank once the engine has cooled down.
The frame and other parts such as the wheels, exhaust system, and air cleaner are all handcrafted from the same metal material Romuald uses to build yachts. “The metal we use to build the yachts is lightweight material, but it’s very strong and reliable, so it’s perfect for customizing my motorcycles,” stated Romuald.
The Fishbone bike is a custom in its own class. Romuald Guarino is the owner and operator of the Chop Art custom bike shop that produced this classy machine and many others. The shop is located in Toulon, France and we can expect more creative machines from this French bike builder. Oh, by the way, the real fuel tank is located under the seat and the oil tank is integrated into the frame.
SPECIFICATIONS | |
---|---|
Owner: |
Romuald Guarino, Chop Art, Toulon, France |
Build time: | Eight months |
Engine: | 1993 |
Polisher: | Chop Art |
Builder: |
H-D, modified by Chop Art |
Carburetor: | Typhoon |
Pipes: | Chop Art |
Air Cleaner: | Chop Art |
Ignition: | Crane |
Gears: | 4-speed |
Clutch: | Barnett |
Primary drive: | 3-inch belt |
Final drive: | Chain |
Frame: | Chop Art |
Wheels: | 18-inch, Plexiglass center, Chop Art |
Rear Brake: | Tolk |
Tires: | Avon, MK2, 4-inch |
Rear Fender: | Plexiglass |
Headlight: | Plexiglass |
Fuel Tank: | Chop Art, underneath seat |
Oil tank: | Chop Art, integrated in frame |
Handlebars: | Chop Art, stainless steel |
Risers: | Chop Art, stainless steel |
Seat: | Chop Art, stainless steel |
Pegs: | Chop Art, stainless steel |
Hand Controls: | Chop Art |
Levers: | Chop Art |