Saturday, December 31, 2022
2022 was one hell of a year for me. I was thrown challenges I didn’t think I could overcome. Tested in ways I never could have imagined when it came to family. The year started our finding out my dad had brain cancer. Father/son role was suddenly flipped. I became provider and care taker for my dad while he fought his battle. May 21st he passed. Three weeks later, June 11th, I married my best friend of almost 10 years @miss_mundy. The venue was in the same Pennsylvania coal country town my father’s family came from. We grieved the loss of my father in July as a Celebration of Life near his birthday. Then Kate and I took an almost 2 week long honeymoon around Colorado in September. We found it to be an amazingly cleansing experience being in the mountains. Reflecting who we are, how we came together, and how we’ve stayed together this long. It’s hard to not to get sucked into the negative aspects of the year. It was incredibly hard and so amazing at the same time. My immediate reaction is 2022 can suck it and move on but I can’t. I’ll take 2022 as one hell of an experience and a test of strength to be prepared for 2023. Cheers, 🍻see y’all next year.
Thursday, November 3, 2022
Another job done. Swipe to see. This bike was brought in by @makeshift.matt. This is his late father's 1200 Sportster he inherited. Matt's dad was in the bike scene in the mid '60s much like my dad was. We also lost our dads within the past two years. In a sense Matt and I are kindred spirits probably like our dads were. Matt's dad, Greg, owned a radically chopped swingarm pan. At one point it had a wild sissybar and an extended I beam springer front end, then later changed to a glide front end. Matt wanted to build a tribute to those earlv days of his dad's pan out of his dad's last bike, the 1200 Sportster. So we fabbed up some trick mounts for the wassel tank, late model FXWG rear fender chopped, round air cleaner, covered shocks, drag pipes and shorty mufflers. Seat made by the one and only @dnseats6779 to replicate a happy medium of what Greg had back in the '60s. Right side license plate and taillight mount was a challenge but we were able to make a sturdy mount off the belt guard. Little bit of carb tuning since the video and she rips! All it needs now is the fancy lace paint his dad had. The way I see it, it's the best of both worlds. A tribute to an earlier time and also a super reliable machine. Rumor has it there may be some front end work next, but this bike is ready to roll for now before the snow flies.
Friday, October 21, 2022
FOR SALE! Early ‘70s 900cc Ironheads. Both sets have been sand blasted, valves lapped and freshly painted. The front exhaust valve on the black set has some marring on it but it doesn’t extend into the valve seat. $250 shipped for either set. Empty rocker boxes are included to the first person who wants them. #chopperswapper
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Monday, September 12, 2022
Had a fantastic time at @defnotdoc ‘s All Chop’d Up show at the @crypticgallery in Poughkeepsie on Saturday. I didn’t take nearly enough pics. Even took home some gold too for “Best in Gallery”. So good to see friends and familiar faces before the season begins to wind down. I definitely will be looking forward to what Doc has in store next year!
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Sunday was something really special. I've been working with @deanchoochlandry this summer taking photos of my Dad's Sportster clone bike for something pretty big! We've shot at 2 locations that harken back to my Dad's history. One of them being at R.S. Phillips Steel in Sussex, NJ where my dad worked for over 20 years until his retirement in 2019. This steel yard was also my first full time job out of high school and where I met Ben. My old boss, and owner Scott Phillips, was more than accommodating to allow me to bring my dad's bike and shoot photos in his old shop. We were there starting at 7am and finished around noon. I haven't spent that much time at the steel yard in over 10 years. It was certainly bittersweet with a flood of memories and emotions. Many things have changed at this place and many things have stayed the same, and it strangely still feels like home to me. I learned a lot here working beside my dad and Ben. Many parts and sissybars were made at break time on the giant road plate table in the shop over the years. We even raked my sportster on that table. It only felt fitting to shoot the finished '69 clone bike on it. Never was a finished bike up there before, never had a reason to until now. It was a little nerve wracking hoisting it in the air to get on the table but it was definitely worth it. I had to hold back a few tears taking the whole scene in. Sunday was certainly one for the books. Not only were good times had with good friends, good photos taken, I felt like some closure happened as well. Big thank you to Dean and his daughter Dahlia for spending there Sunday morning taking photos and a big thank you to Scott Phillips for opening up the yard for us! Dad, I know you'd approve. I love ya and miss ya.
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
I just want to personally thank everyone who came out Saturday for my dad’s Celebration of Life. It means the world to me and my family. It’s truly amazing how many peoples lives my dad has touched, despite the reclusive curmudgeon he was, and Saturday was proof of that. These few photos don’t do justice of the set up we had to display his wide range of work over the years. (I had to swipe these images from my mom’s Facebook, I didn’t have a chance to take any pics) Anyway, thank you all again. If anyone has any more pics from Saturday please send them to me, I would love to archive them. I’ll see you on the other side, Dad.
Friday, July 8, 2022
A celebration of life for my dad will be held Saturday, July 23, from 12 to 4 pm at the Stillwater Firehouse, 929 Stillwater Road, Newton, NJ 07860. In keeping with my dad's personality, it will be a casual time together. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 12 to 2 pm; then starting at 2 o’clock there will be a time of reminiscence, celebrating my dad's unique life. Attendees are welcome to share their memories of him. Cash bar and light refreshments will be served. The firehouse has plenty of flat ample parking so riding your favorite motorcycle or driving your favorite car/truck is highly encouraged. A small after party and bonfire will be held at the shop. Those who ride or drive from afar are welcome to camp the night and keep the celebration going. If you’re interested in camping please shoot me a DM. Hope to see you all there. Thanks. Link in bio for his obituary.
Thursday, July 7, 2022
FOR SALE 1980 DODGE B100 103K Miles $4K FIRM The Good! · The driveline is awesome in this thing. · 360 LA V8, 4 Speed Manual A-833. (She definitely boogies!!) · 2yr old Weiand Intake, Edelbrock Carb, Summit Electronic Distributor, McLeod Clutch, water pump, motor mounts, exhaust. · New brakes, U Joints, regulator, alternator, shocks, leaf springs. · Rear was rebuilt last summer. · Kicker speakers with Clarion radio CD/Blue Tooth · 2” Receiver, trailer wiring works, tows very well. · Comes with 5 extra 15” “Cragar style” black steel rims, round holes, with tires. · Many other new parts I can’t remember to list. The Bad! · She’s got some battle scars and body rust, really needs back doors and floor patching by the filler neck. · Needs new wiper motor. Someone take this great little shorty to the next level! Current life situation is forcing sale. (Has nothing to do with the previous post 🤣) Can’t keep everything, can’t get to everything, need to start downsizing.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Sunday, May 29, 2022
There really are no words. To try and come up with the words makes it feel too real that he's gone. It's been a long week to find my voice in this so, here goes. On the morning of Saturday, May 21st 2022, my Dad, Joseph Carl Piorkowski passed away after his sudden 4 month battle with brain cancer. It's true what people say, that no one understands what it really feels like until it happens. Losing a parent is incredibly heavy but this feels like so much more. It's impossible to fully describe the sheer magnitude of the loss of his presence, or the utter frustration of what was robbed from my Dad. Cancer causes everyone to lose something, but this felt extreme for my Dad because it was the very thing that made him who he was and what made him happy. A terrible twist of fate. Growing up with Joe as my Dad wasn't always easy. Not for my mom or my brother either. More than half of his life he just kept his head down, avoided people and worked his knuckles to the bone. However, a man of many talents, he made great efforts to do creative things with my brother Ray and I. It wasn't until later in his life he really came into his own and found happiness through his art, metal sculptures, building motorcycles again and making friends in the resurgence of the vintage motorcycle community. I'm sure it felt odd at times for him partying at campouts and riding with people less than half his age. But he did it! He enjoyed it. It likely made him feel less of a screw up half his life to see so many people look up to him, listen to his stories, and build bikes similar to those he rode so many miles on. To call my own Dad a legend feels funny to me, but it's the single word that keeps recurring from others. To see so many people inspired by him makes me proud to call him my Dad. I am forever grateful for what he has taught me and I will do everything I can to keep his legacy alive. I want to thank everyone for their support over the past few months. I want to say rest in peace Dad but, instead I hope you're riding in peace, along with Uncle Neil, Dave and Casey and continuing your adventures across the cosmos. JCP 7-9-49 5-21-22 A Celebration of Life TBA at a later date.
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