hopper MAG

Right out the Showroom

Everyone knows that when you get a new bike the first thing you do is break off the reflectors, rip off the stickers and flip the bars. Mark took a brand new sportster off the showroom floor from Glendale Harley and did just that. He calls this bike “Checo Black”.

He worked this bike over with his own unique taste and expression. Mark definitely cares more about riding than spending hours wrenchin’ on a bike on the side of the highway. His ‘09 black and copper sportster represents what is now and whats great about our scene.

Its a blend of function and personal style thats going in new directions.

The New School

Theres a lot to be said for someone who chooses the solo path; it might be a lot more free than a group but there is not a lot of support sometimes when you need it the most. Mark gets by working out of a friends garage for the small fixes and changes.

The internet has changed the chopper game no doubts and this is where Mark says he gets most of his advice. Mark had a lot of insight in this regard by saying, “magazines don’t give me the emails of the people I see… when you use the web you can reach out right then.”

When is a Chopper a Chopper?

With a nod to the past and a desire for something new, Mark created a style all his own; a functional bike that stays on the road more than on a lift. What do you call a bike that is not quite a chopper but not a stock ride either? At what point is a chopper a chopper anyways these days?

Checo Black defies easy categories. We struggled to think what to call this kind of bike. To call it a sportster is not enough, but to say it’s a chopper is saying too much. There’s no doubt that Mark is moving quickly towards a chopped up panhead in the years to come for sure. But for now he is happy with the way his bike is looking. On a typical day in LA your gonna see a lot bikes that defy the stereotypes that easily come to mind, Café this, Triumph that, chopper that… All we know for sure is that this bike is different and see lots of opportunity for us in the industry to adapt too.

What place does this bike occupy in the “scene”?
Is it a bike you will see at Hippy Killer ? Maybe…
Is this a bike your gonna see at Dealer event? Maybe…
Is this a bike that bridges between what is great about the past and what is cool now? Yes.

Whats to Eat?
Lets ride.

When we first met up with Mark what struck us most was how does this skinny guy eat so much? Right after our meet up at Philippe’s for breakfast, he was instantly hungry and talking about his next destination to eat. Within a couple of hours he was chowin’ down at Tommys.

His passion for riding and being on the move with his friends is what Mark is about. Its not about a big club ride or a big event. When we asked Mark about Cooks Corner, he responded with “ whats that?” This is what we love about this guy. He just don’t care about whats “scene”, who is cool or where everyone else is going; he is out there riding and making his own adventure.