Fin 2020, j’ai rencontré Chris alors qu’il était de passage à Phoenix. Perpétuel routard, ce franco-américain qui semble avoir trouvé la fontaine de jouvence, vit sur sa moto, War Pony, un RoadGlide Harley Davidson 110th Anniversary (2013) qui ne compte plus les miles.
At the end of 2020, I met Chris while he was in Phoenix. Perpetual backpacker, this Franco-American who seems to have found the fountain of youth, lives on his motorcycle, War Pony, a Harley Davidson 110th Anniversary RoadGlide (2013) which no longer counts the miles.
Chris on War Pony, his 2013 Harley Davidson Road Glide, refuels at Cave creek before heading back to Phoenix on November 1, 2020.
C’est grace à RKHoob, un ami motard commun vivant dans le sud de la France, que nous sommes entrés en contact via Instagram.
Chris avait décidé de donner une seconde jeunesse à sa monture qui commençait à donner quelques signes de fatigue, plutôt que de racheter un modèle plus récent. Il fait partie de cette communauté qu’on appelle les Drifters. Rebelles d’esprit, farouches adeptes d’une liberté radicale, ils sillonnent les routes de la planète, et se retrouvent régulièrement au milieu de nulle part. Et ils possèdent un réseau sans pareil pour tout ce qui touche à l’entretien de leur machine.
À Phoenix, c’est chez Jeff que tout se passe, au nord de la ville, sur la 19ème avenue. Open Road Cycle Works est un shop ouvert sur la rue, où rien de ce qui s’y fait n’est caché aux clients motards, trop contents de voir leur mécanicien préféré s’afférer sur leur moto chérie, en sirotant une Bud fraiche toute droit sortie du réfrigérateur, toujours plein et prêt à dépanner. Il faut dire qu’à Phoenix, Arizona, il fait chaud, et souvent très très chaud.
À sa mesure, Chris donne la main et participe au lifting de la bête. Tout ou presque est déposé. Il faudra une période de plusieurs semaines environ pour mener à bien l’opération. Jeff ne chôme pas et son atelier tourne bien. Mais certaines pièces ne sont pas toujours disponibles rapidement.
Le 7 février 2021, trop excité comme un gamin ouvrant aux pieds du sapin le cadeau qu’il s’est fait à lui-même, Chris explique sur son compte insta tout ce qui a été entrepris.
It was thanks to RKHoob, a mutual biker friend living in the south of France, that we got in touch via Instagram.
Chris had decided to give a second youth to his bike which was starting to show some signs of fatigue, rather than buying a newer model. He is part of this community called the Drifters. Rebels of spirit, fierce followers of radical freedom, they travel the roads of the planet, and find themselves regularly in the middle of nowhere. And they have an unparalleled network for everything related to the maintenance of their machine.
In Phoenix, everything happens at Jeff’s shop, north of the city, on 19th Avenue. Open Road Cycle Works is a shop open on the street, where nothing that is done is hidden from biker customers, too happy to see their favorite mechanic working on their darling motorcycle, sipping a fresh Bud right out of the fridge, always full and ready to troubleshoot. It must be said that in Phoenix, Arizona, it is hot, and often very, very hot.
To his measure, Chris gives his hand and participates in the facelift of the beast. Almost everything is deposited. It will take a period of about several weeks to complete the operation. Jeff is not idle and his workshop is doing well. But some parts are not always available quickly.
On February 7, 2021, too excited as a kid opening the gift he made to himself at the foot of the tree, Chris explains on his insta account everything that has been undertaken.
She is Alive again!
War Pony went for a serious lifting, entire engine rebuilt, replacing main bearings, install of a
Feuling cams plate, oil pump, Wiseco forged performance pistons, machine work, valve work and assembly, a Thundermax ignition system,
S&S head pipes, Man O War compensator M8, Wiseco Ed Piston kit, and brand new tires Michelin Commander 3.
Well now I have the best engine man can built …. and I’m broke😅….
At the end of the day , cheaper than to buy a new bike anyway.
Open Road Cycle Works did a real great job, I was down in Phoenix when my engine problems went to the worst,
and @scooter_tramp_scotty , got me there .. thanks Brother.
And thanks to @openroadcycle for sheltering me and my bike, and thank you so much to Coach and wife Tina to giving me a roof and good whiskey!🙏👌👍
#openroadcycleworks #phoenix #arizona #harleydavidson #motorcyclevagabond #ontheroadagain #fuckthevirus #backintrack #adventuremotorcycle #theworlismine #campvagabond #zenitude #scootertrampscotty #betterthanever #usa #donewithpoliticalcorrectness
Ami.e.s motard.e.s, Si vous le croisez sur la route, n’oubliez pas de le saluer. Où qu’il se trouve, il connaîtra à n’en pas douter les lieux les plus insolites et pittoresques à découvrir, et sera j’en suis sûr heureux de les partager.
À l’heure où j’écris ces lignes il se trouve quelque part en Europe sur son autre destrier, un Street Bob Harley Davidson non moins confortable et toujours prêt en enfiler les kilomètres!
Biker friends, If you meet him on the road, don’t forget to say hello. Wherever he is, he will undoubtedly know the most unusual and picturesque places to discover, and I am sure will be happy to share them.
At the time of writing, he is somewhere in Europe on his other steed, a Street Bob Harley Davidson no less comfortable and always ready to put on the miles!
