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| AXIS
101 MOTORCYCLE started in the mind
of a young Waban-Aki (Indian) boy somewhere around
1962 during a gathering on a hot summer day at the
Mount family farm outside of Flemington, New Jersey.
The anticipated arrival of a distant and older relative
that he didn’t (and still doesn’t) know
was on his mind. At the gathering his grandmother
took him to, there was much talk of this relative’s
arrival. The long haired motorcycle terror of the
family was about to make his entrance. He blasted
up that dirt road to the farm in grand style; the
dust cloud could be seen long before his shadowy
figure was in sight. Yeah, that was definitely the
start. Right on! was the only word to describe it. |
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| In a dirty Levi cutoff, no shirt,
dust caked face, and disbelieving relatives watching,
he laid that old panhead, minus the air cleaner,
front fender and kickstand against the corner of
the corncrib. The first real rebel the boy had ever
laid eyes on, sauntered up to the spread of food
on the picnic tables and paid tribute to his disenfranchised
kin. The only thing more interesting than the rebel
was the machine, a real work of art. Staring down
the throat of that brass linkert, the boy didn’t
realize he was gazing into the future. |
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| Well, it took a few years but at
the age of fifteen, three hundred dollars from his
grandmother in hand that was meant for a collage
education, and a ride from a friend ( later to be
known as Hot Dog ), he purchased a running 1947,
61ci knucklehead from a farmer with the last name
of Presley. |
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| It wasn’t long before parts
were everywhere. Why he had to tear into that old
motorcycle I’m not sure. It took almost a
year to get it running again. By that time he knew
every old codger in the flatlands of Ohio that had
knuck parts and advice to offer. |
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| It is important to
mention Eddie Long (Mr. Motorcycle) of Cridersville,
Ohio at this time. Eddie was long time owner of
Lima, Ohio Harley Davidson and ended up working
out of his garage and shed in his back yard. He
was builder of flathead race motors with trick bearings,
68ci. knuck race motors and cast his own aluminum
knucklehead barrels in the 50’s. The aluminum
technology was not up to par back then and he couldn’t
keep the sleeve in. Thank you Eddie. |
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| We will fast forward almost a decade,
past the various ups and downs, colorful people
and the education of dealing with the devil, to
the boy’s epiphany of opening a shop. The
shop, “HIGH ROLLERS”, a 24hr.motorcycle
shop and outdoor grill was quite a point of interest
in the small town it called home. The police found
it especially irresistible. They set up an undercover
operation, to monitor the shop, declaring it a haven
for stolen motorcycles. No such thing! But it may
have taken the heat off the guys, allegedly, up
the street renting a house to run truck loads of
Columbian pot to that part of the country…so
the folklore goes. |
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| For awhile those shovelhead strokers
at HIGH ROLLERS were built by the late and great
Elmer Trett of Oxford, Ohio (if you don’t
know the name, look it up on the web, he was the
real thing). This shop found its stride under the
management of one Stoney York, who was often seen
with a wryly Orangutan. |
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| From there came the next shop…the
now young man, started,” CROSSROADS CYCLE”
– a bit more tame but still qualified for
full time observation by the towns finest. A great
guy and mechanic, Mike “the wrench”
Gardner along with the one and only FISH who kept
the chaos in check, were the regular mugs at CROSSROADS. |
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| Time moved on and so did everything
else – people, dogs, pow wows, motorcycles,
music, guns, and money. The rest of that era can
be saved for the movie. |
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| January 2005, South San Francisco.
AXIS 101 opens. With the talents of Tony Barrett,
(machinist, drag racer and bike builder of the highest
degree) of Minneapolis, Minnesota powering the new
found efforts of the aging boy to open yet another
shop. With the advice, guidance, and wisdom of people
such as Lee Wickstrom, Lee’s Speed Shop, MN.;
Bob Wright, R&D Performance, MN.; Mike Roland
(another motorcycle race legend) and an extraordinary
woman, Lori K. Watso. |
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| Since opening, the AXIS 101 MOTORCYLE
tiospaye (extended family) expanded to include Paul
Johnson and family of Johnson Engineering, Iowa;
Mike and Sara Nolen and crew of Cycle Barn Racing,
Alabama(#1 AMRA); and Bruce, Sharon and Jason of
Horse Power Express, Campbell, California. Well,
that’s the history so far. The only other
thing left to be said is that…I’m the
boy that was look’n at that linkert back in
‘62, seems like yesterday. |
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| A special thanks to my Mother, Mo Kah
Maun Equay; wife, Lori; son, Thunder Sun Watso; Hoover;
Rudy and Heather of 415 Clothing, San Francisco;
Big Wayne of California Choppers, San Francisco;
Tony Catrell (the best man);Jambo – HAMC California
NOMADS and Family; and Spade George of Hole in the
Wall Cycles, San Francisco; and all of you, you
know who you are, who extended hospitality in many
ways and - to my Grandmother, Marjorie Hurlbert
Swift, (September 17,1895 – January 10,1992). |
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Stay Strong,
watso |
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