Lolita

Chicano engraving exemplified!

- David Cohen

Baldy tells us that there are people at his work that have known him for 21 years and still don’t know his real name. I wasn’t able to establish it either, but I did learn about Chicano style, high-quality motorcycle engraving and just what a stunner his 2012 Softail Deluxe, Lolita is.

We’d just done a photoshoot around Petrie Village, north of Brisbane in very hot and sunny conditions so we headed to the local watering hole for some rehydration and so I could get the story of this multiple show-winning machine. “Why Lolita?” I asked. “It’s Spanish for good looking girl or Spanish mistress, and it went well with the Chicano-style bike. I got it in 2011, it was black in colour and dead stock.” About three years ago I added the Ride-Wright heavy spoked wheels, Sampson fishtail pipes and took it to Stage I with a Power Commander, K&N air cleaner and a tune.”

“Then we did the paint – or rather, Nathan from Livin’ Loco Garage on the Gold Coast did the paint. As you can see it’s a fantastic job, a very intricate job that’s been done to perfection. I can’t recommend him highly enough. The finish also features custom free-hand and pinstriping with variegated opal gold leaf inlay. I also stretched the rear guard, while the front is standard.

“Then we added Shotgun Air Ride suspension on rear and Dirty Bird air suspension to the front – although the front is out for maintenance at the moment,” he continued.

“Then I saw some stuff that had been engraved and thought, “That’s it! Engraving!”