Not only did the god-awful color aqua seem to dominate for some stupid reason (or just stick in my mind), but they couldn’t find enough places to put it on so they covered up every piece of brightwork and trim piece just to make sure you were gagging. And if that wasn’t aqua-awful enough, they highlighted it with neon graphics just to make sure that the first thing you’d have to do if you bought it was a repaint ― stat! The sight of bumpers and grilles painted aqua still gives me fingernails-on-a-blackboard in my brain.

Maybe that’s why I get so taken by simple and clean bikes like the black and chrome #37 board tracker built by Rods & Rides by TD that Jack Cofano shot at the Rat’s Hole Show this year. Hey, when all else fails, you simply can’t go wrong with good ol’ black and chrome (well you can if there’s too much chrome, but that’s another story). Rods & Rides owner, T.D. Ward, has been consistently turning out custom bikes like #37 that win awards while still providing an opportunity to actually ride them like, well, a motorcycle.

Riding this bike would be a trip, though, as like any hot rodder worth their salt, T.D.’s gone a bit hot-rod wild in the power train end with a 127” Ultima engine spinning that narrow 21” rear wheel. This bike ought to win any burnout pit contest in less than a heartbeat if it involved quickest time to tire explosion. And, it’s so light it could probably do it in any of the six speeds encased in the Ultima transmission too.

But back to the black and chrome, T.D.‘s mix of an old style and new components doesn’t look out of place and I think that’s due to his color scheme. With just about everything black except for the engine and tranny (okay, the downturn handlebars and headlight too) really gives it a vintage look that would probably even photograph better in black and white. All T.D. would need is a wool riding outfit and a leather flying cap and it’d be a done black-and-white deal.

For more info on all the cool cars and bikes of Rods & Rides by TD, visit www.rodsandridesbytd.com.