Stephen and Candee

Bikes

You don't get dull people owning custom bikes...

One of the best things about this job is that I get to meet some of the coolest people ever.

You just never know who you’re going to meet and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the most awe-inspiring, beautiful people. People who are obsessive, creative, addictive, talented and fascinating. Recently, It was my pleasure to run into Stephen Chivers. He’s this intimidating, powerful, bearded guy that has the kindest soul and the baddest shovel.

Stephen is married to Candee. She a beautiful, intelligent, friendly, tattooed American girl with the coolest 1948 hardtail Triumph bobber. What’s not to like about these two? Stephen and Candee are both Native American. Steve is Costanoan and Candee is Hopi and Cheyenne and they are very proud of their heritage.

They met in a punk rock bar in Las Vegas called the Double Down, I told you they were cool.

While I was taking photos of their bikes we got talking about how Stephen got into cars and bikes. He remembers the exact moment the bug bit. He was a little boy and his dad lifted him onto the talk of his BSA and rode off down a track. He says he remembers the noise, the wind on his face, the sun shining through the branches of the overhanging trees and that was it, that was the moment.

Since then, Stephen has had a string of cars, bikes, vans and god knows what else and for a while, he even had the fastest VW splittie in the country.

Since the ’80s Stephen has been chopping things up and making them go faster. Everything from a skateboard to a hot rod has seen action in his hands. He’s owned more Lambrettas than I can count, with his obsession for them starting around 1982 and has had them ever since, man and boy. Stephen is currently on a 900 mile round trip through Europe on one, now that’s devotion to the cause.

Candee rides a cool Triumph chop that started life as a 1948 3TA. Her bike has so many one-off parts there are too many to list but here are a few highlights; It’s got a 500 top end with a Mikuni carb and a one-off exhaust fabbed by the aptly named Paul the pipe. The hardtail back end was fabricated by Paddy & Chad, the front fender was cut and reshaped by Mick woods and the rear fender is by Adam Perkins. All of these people are good friends of Stephen and Candee.

Stephen rides a Harley shovel that has been a continuously evolving project, like a living breathing organism in its own right.

Underneath all the patina, and I don’t mean that carefully created, pretentious mock patina that hipsters have on their bought not built cafe racers, this is hard earned, serious shit that takes years to grow, is a 98cu (that’s 1605cc in new money) Harley shovel with big bore S&S sidewinder kit. Stephen has also fitted the monster with Delkron engine cases and STD Developments hand ported twin spark heads with large valves and a Super G carb and Crime Scene Choppers Speedline air filter and the last piece of the puzzle is a one-off exhaust by Paul the Pipe. This thing kicks ass.

There’s a 3″ primo open primary drive for that authentic rip your leg off if you’re not careful, hardcore look, and a Jelly mode 4-speed kicker box.

On those rare occasions when he wants to slow down, a squeeze on the Ktec levers has the Performance machine six-pot front and rear callipers making the Avon Speedmaster rubber work for a living.

There’s a fair old stretch over the Fat Bob tank, modified by splitting it in two and creating a cell for the oil in one half, to reach the Wrecking Crew handlebars from W&W, bent to suit Stephen by Micki Cox at Valley Gas Speed Shop.

This badass shovel runs an original 1930’s springer front end, hanging off a Paddy & Chad custom frame with 5” gooseneck and fixed spindle.

“I have spent a lot of my time travelling back and forth from the California Bonneville salt flats and Las Vegas, that’s where I met my wife Candee, luck would have it that she is just as much into hot rodding as I am. I’m putting together a Norvin which I will race one day on the salt. Hey, I may be the fastest Indian yet.”

 

 

 

 

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