There was a time when the walls of Mecrin were shaken by different vibrations. During WW I it was part of the Western Front and it’s less than nine miles to the biggest WW I memorial for American troops who fought the Germans here in 1918. Out on the western shore of the river Maas, the first verse of the German national anthem still echoes in peoples’ memories. That might be the reason that the Iron Cross graphics on JC’s Bike, Hooligan, is not appreciated in his hometown. The Iron Cross was used as a symbol of rebellion against the establishment in the Fifties and Sixties by both bikers and hot rodders, with the final marketing hype being the West Coast Choppers/Iron Cross logo on T-shirts in Wal-Mart. Kaiser Wilhelm would be proud.
The Imperial German Army Helmet Type M 18 was never intended as a motorcycle gas tank and this is probably the first and possibly the last time as it barely holds a gallon of gas. Hanging from a top tube that curves like none has before, the main triangle doesn’t even look like it should work at all except for the extreme size of the tubing which has got to have its own strength benefits built in. “There is no fork in the world to hold a 230 front tire without modifying it extensively,” said JC. “I had to create my own.” Since the three springs are just for looks, the front end does not offer any suspension, it’s all just for show. “The bike needs a strong hand to ride with the 230 Avon out in front,” understates JC. With no front brake, it takes more than just a strong hand to ride. A potentially under-spec’d two-piston ISR sprocket brake provides the only stopping power. Maybe the wicked fat front tire just bounces off stuff. At least the matching 80-spoke rear wheel with a 230/15 tire puts down a large footprint when JC stomps the brake pedal.
On this project, JC has used second hand parts, but also ordered some new stuff. Fresh from the Custom Chrome Europe catalogue, the 88” RevTech Pan-Demonium engine crosses the line between old and new with looks to kill for. A Joe Hunt magneto adds a bit of Old School legitimacy to the new Pan. A RevTech 5-speed gear-set was installed in a 4-speed gearbox with a kick-starter, almost a mandatory item on a classic bobber. Feeding the thirst of the V-twin, the S&S Super E carb has a very special air filter made from Grandma Passetemps mincer, which was taken apart and recycled in several ways. The mincer’s sieve became the air cleaner and the levers to chop the meat can be seen on the left floorboard as a brake pedal. And not to be outdone, the shifter was made from parts of an old milk processor.
His visit to Germany added to his fame by winning “Best Oldstyle” at Bochum and a stunning “Best of Show” at the Custombike getting him a free ticket to Daytona to compete against the US builders. “Let’s see how they like the bike,” says JC. An Old School motorcycle with a German WW I helmet and the sex appeal of a steamroller, that’s something the Yankees should love. Not everything is quiet on the Western Front.
Builder: Jean-Claude Passetemps, School Bar Atelier
We have to admit a fascination with Hooligan builder Jean-Claude Passetemps. Here’s an Old School guy who released his “Inner Outlaw” years ago and has made it work, balancing his badass-self with his respectable businessman side. No cyborg from the Motorcycle Future, he’s passionate about old Harleys, and it’s evident by the trademark Old School bobbers and choppers he cranks out and unleashes from his School Bar Atelier (whatever that means, although we recently took a vote and decided it’s some kind of local slang for “shop”). His bikes are dirty mean and take a similar badass guy to tame ‘em, no Yuppies need apply. He’s Euro-tough, and harkens back to the days when only hooligan bikers ruled the autobahn. We picture him at some point in his life glued to his seat all through midnight showings of Girl on a Motorcycle, the 1968 cult-classic that is considered France’s Easy Rider. [Do try and get your hands on Girl on a Motorcycle, co-starring a tight leather-clad Marianne Faithful in her prime. Think Diana Rigg joining up with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper while they take a psychedelic ride across France and Germany. Made a full year before Easy Rider, it’s an amazing 1960s-era road movie that features hip camera angles, groovy music, lots of leather suits, and a Harley Super Glide.]
So in the words of those Anheuser-Busch ads, Here’s to you Mr. Perennial Badass Jean-Claude Passetemps. And if you’re nothing like our vision of you, keep it to yourself. Don’t burst our bubble. www.school-bar-atelier.com.
This bike feature originally appeared in Barnett’s Magazine issue #52, Nov-Dec 2006.
SPECIFICATIONS | |
---|---|
Bike Name: | Hooligan |
Owner: | Jean-Claude Passetemps |
Year / Make: | 2005 School Bar Atelier rigid |
Fabrication: | SBA |
Assembly: | SBA |
Build time: | Two-years |
Engine: | 88″ RevTech Pandemonium |
Cases: | RevTech |
Flywheels: | RevTech |
Rods: | RevTech |
Pistons: | RevTech |
Cylinders: | RevTech |
Heads: | RevTech |
Cam: | RevTech |
Ignition: | Joe Hunt Magneto |
Carb: | S&S Super E |
Pipes: | SBA |
Air Cleaner: | SBA |
Transmission: | RevTech 5-speed |
Primary: | 3″ belt |
Clutch: | BDL |
Frame: | SBA |
Forks: | SBA |
Front Wheel: | 9 X 15 80 spoke laced |
Rear Wheel: | 9 X 15 80 spoke laced |
Front Tire: | 230 X 15 Avon |
Rear Tire: | 230 X 15 Avon |
Front Brakes: | Nada |
Rear Brakes: | ISR Sprocket Brake |
Fuel Tank: | German Army/ SBA |
Oil Tank: | Aluminum/ SBA |
Fenders: | SBA |
Handlebars: | SBA |
Risers: | SBA |
Headlight: | Bates |
Taillight: | West Coast Choppers |
Hand Controls: | Jockey shift |
Foot Controls: | Harley floorboards |
Electrical: | SBA |
Painter: | Norbert Milotte |
Color: | Grey/ Brown |
Graphics: | Norbert Milotte |
Polishing: | SBA |
Molding: | SBA |
Seat: | SBA |