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Motorcycle clubs.

OK. I have an invitation to stay for the summer should I wish to do so. Will probably to and throw until I get where I want to be.

Bit of background on Torrox: It is just another Costa del Sol costal resort really. Very Conservative in many ways - lots of staid, retired people. Sensible German folk walking around carrying sun loungers (why pay €4 a day when €25 buys a good lounger from Lidl leaving you enough cash to keep well stocked on saurkraut, pickled fish and rye bread from Aldi for your Two week holiday?). It has that temporary feel. Nothing here is expected to last forever, yet somewhere from the cheap bricks and mortar a very natural charm is starting to evolve. I like these places off season. Preferably post season - late September/early October, much more chilled. Pre-season all the locals are a little full of dread about the 14 hour/7days a week ahead of them.

fugitivos2.jpg

This is Fugitivos club house. On prime commercial land sandwiched between big name supermarkets on the main 340 coastal route. Bandidtos club house is a little farther out of town.

Beautiful evening, so I am going to chill whilst fishing with a 24 pack, a bit to smoke and goulash for supper. People are willing to let me ask questions. Want to tread carefully here, because there are some fascinating stories from all sorts of backgrounds.
 
Other than the rocks and the stones that the sea washes onto the beach and away from the beach all the time, the oldest things in Torrox are the people. So, I was a little surprised to learn they have a museum about Roman stuffs. Perhaps it is full of walking frames and orthopedic devices from ancient Rome? Dunno. Hope this thread doesn't turn into a story about ageing bikers who have given up their hell raising in favour of retirement in warm clime, crime free, no police, little geriatric seaside towns. Probably not.

Not quite a holiday for me. I am taking it easy. Night fishing last night for a break from the Rock'n'stuff. Probably again tonight. Fabulous moonlight and a great education learning by mistake after mistake! Not much to sketch here other than chopper bikes and Harleys'. Just about covering costs by sketching the Lego houses on the promenade - much more challenging than it looks.

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Huge chicken to cook (didn't catch anything last night). It is a fun, free life, but you have to forget about the money.

Señor 'F' is off to Germany via Switzerland. More later on this. Just writing to remind myself.
 
Nice sketch Stan

Thanks.

Next sketch will be a Harley Eagle summat with a 2 Litre engine :confused:

Really having fun so far. But, I am craving a bit of non-macho female company. Two weeks of all male fun and games is enough, so I have invited all my girlfriends to come and visit. Erm... erm... erm...

Anyone here want to visit me? No sex - just a bit of female equilibri!?!
 
Atrocious old bollocks re: the bikes :D

"a Harley Davidson motorbike...renowned for their beauty and speed and possess a 1600cc engine"
 
Looks like they're all factory customs with bolt-ons from HD; picked from the catalogue for $$$$$$$
 
There are better bikes. I think? Sketches will come.

I am not really learning much new about the clubs and members' as an organisation, but I am getting some great personal stories and fabulous support from members and friends of clubs. Not surprisingly, they appreciate art - their own tattoos are pretty amazing works. Some guy who is a tattoo artist for one of the clubs just bought a sketch of the promenade.

Hopefully putting sketches of proper custom Harleys soon.
 
"Clad in club motto gear" :confused: ^^^ That's such a shit piece of writing.

Probably a beginner looking for writing experience. It is free sheet, expat Spain!

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Señor 'F' is on his way to Switzerland in an old V40 bought for a one way trip. He shall return in a 1984 quality camper van. Before leaving he bought Señor 'O' a tattoo machine. The fucker! I guess he thought it was funny - Two alcoholic artists camped up in a beach cave with a generator and a tattoo machine!!!

Oh noes. It is not going to be pretty. I may run.
 
I am on the run without any new tattoos. Couldn't stop thinking about the Roald Dahl story Skin !!!!!

I am now in Malaga. Lots of invitations to visit other motorcycle clubs. Finally getting into the nitty gritty (where there is any). The racist aspect (which is undoubtedly there) bothers me, so I want to ask more questions about the Anglo Saxon iconography and lack of anything not obviously white in all the clubs imagery. My very good friend Señor 'O' actually proudly wears anti White Pride badges on his biker come punk gear and runs the Bandidos bar on Sunday nights. It isn't like they have any objection to any political, or moral belief. Spent Sunday night at the bar seeing out the early hours before taking a morning bus to Malaga. A couple of MC members turned up just as we closed the shutters at about 3am. Ended up staying open until 7am. One Bandido member was from Austria, because I love Vienna I gave him a sketch for a couple of drinks and got connections for Bandidos in Austria.

Making this my Summer project wherever I am. Bandidos seem to be very popular people everywhere, so my focus will be with them, but exploring all other groups also. Granada Old Skool sound a bit to wanky to be interesting, but I will ask anyway. Talking of asking, I am going to ask Harley Davidson themselves for a little interest. IF YOU DONT ASK, YOU DONT GET. Big potential here.

Thread may go quiet for a while. Loads of stuff to sort out before I can afford any more playtime. I will come back to it and post sketches of bikes after Harley Davidson have told me to fuck off.
 


Thread comming back to life.

A little background info' firstly. I think it is important. I am now in Malaga making connections with club members and wondering how to approach Harley Davidson whilst chasing the love of a very beautiful, confident, 100% woman. Don't stand a chance, but hey...

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My very good friend Señor 'O' is someone I have known for many years. He is off to Cologne shortly, but I hope when he returns he will allow me to do a full interview with photographs here. He is possibly the person I respect most in my current life! We used to get beaten up together by police :cool: Well, not so :cool: actually. When you are down and on the streets looking over your shoulder all the time, a kicking from police letting you know you have nowhere to run to when things get ugly is a big blow.

Myself and Señor 'O' have a very strong bond that will never be broken. When someone told me he was in Torrox I had to visit. Hadn't seen him for about Six years. Last time I saw him in Granada he had just rescued a friend from death. Literally carried an unconscious body Two Kilometers down a mountain, put him in a supermarket trolly and wheeled him to an ambulance. The guy was in a coma for Three months with no interest from family. Myself and 'O' made sure we both visited hospital at least once a day to ensure the life support machine didn't get turned off. I organised collections of English books and newspapers for when our friend regained consciousness. He did, and survived TB with secondary meningitis with minimal brain damage. 'O' has found him a home in Torrox where he lives very happily with the dog I rescued for him.

This is 'O', and this is me. We care. But, you should never mess with us. It is the way you have to be when you live the lives we lead.

We will always give attentive ears. Feed you a good meal. Lend a shoulder. You will feel safe and secure in our company always. And, most importantly, you will feel wanted and valued regardless of your history, background, or anything. We will turn a blind eye so long as you are honest with us today.

'O' was my connection with the motorcycle clubs and bikers. And, if the guys and girls are good enough for his company, then they are more than good enough for my company.

Couple of days ago I received word on the street that a mutual aquaintance had taken a fatal fall from a balcony in Granada. The guy was based in Torrox, so I sent 'O' a message in the hope the news was a mistake. His reply was that he would ask around and very simply "I am here for you 24/7". Genuinley, we are both around 24/7 for anyone who needs us.

A very interesting guy with a very interesting life history. Hopefully he will let me tell it here another day. In the meantime, it is pissing it down in Southern Spain and I am off to chase a very beautiful, curvey, gorgeous, powerful girl :)
 
Comradery.

I can see the appeal of club membership in this. There is a very strong bond between members. However, Señor 'O', like myself doesn't do respect for hierarchy. All and everyone should be equal beyond badges, medals and fancy titles.

I need to sketch another bike to send to Harley Davidson - I lost all my photographs :(

Comradery. Señor 'O' had a lifetime companion. A beautiful German Shepherd who lived to be 13 years of age. One day, in Granada, a few years ago, Señor 'O' came and sat with me. Obviously distressed. His dog was getting old. Too old to be happy and painless. He struggled to walk, because the rheumatism and arthritis had become too much even in the dry, clean mountain air of Granada. Barely a word was spoken. I simply emptied my pockets of all I had and off Señor 'O' went to the vets. Beautiful Arian lies resting forever in the forests below the hills of the Alhambra.

I know what comradery means to me. I'm still trying to find out what it means to motorcycle club members. Not sure my Spanish is quite eloquent enough, but most MC members seem to speak English anyway. So, I am off to find another Harley to sketch.
 
They're definitely 1% here in Australia and not to be taken lightly! But all outlaw Mcc have had to go underground here in qld now because of the vlad laws. Total ban on colours, It's a mess tbh.
 
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Our local Mcc, the Rebels, were blamed for most of the Ice available here. And yes, they were responsible for a lot, but they also 'policed' the market, you know? & since 2013 the stats for ice possession have actually quadrupled.
 
When I say popular with everyone, I suppose I mean popular with all in my own social circles.

The local expat story I linked to earlier is nice PR for Bandidos and Harley Davidson, but the same newspaper has previously published stories about police warning of the alarming rate of growth and the drugs and violence that supposedly go with the culture. On the whole, they want to be good people. I am very much an 'each to their own' sort of person - if you are not harming, or bothering anybody else, then where is the problem.

I asked a light question about the racism issue. The reply was simply that there will be good and bad people within any society. Some MC members may be racist, but they are very much the minority. So far, I have enjoyed the company of all I have shared time with (not many TBH).

Sketching a Harley this afternoon. Going to rent a lock-up as studio and bed for Three months in Malaga, so I can visit Torrox regularly whilst making cash here. I will ask the 'ordinary' people for their point of view about the clubs also. Torrox is pretty much police, and crime free. Mostly, because it is essentially a retirement town. The (lets call it Rock) scene that happens is effectively controlled and policed by Fugitivos and Bandidos, but they keep it to themselves. There is no pushing, or anything like that. So, I see no problem. I suspect the locals see no problem (cocaine use is almost socially acceptable here). I also suspect the police are happy with the situation. It sort of self-controls very effectively. If you want to be an idiot and upset them, then sure; trouble will come your way. It is upto you.
 
It was El Noche en Blanco in Malaga last night. It is the day all the galleries and museums open up for free to locals and a night of street art. So, I got drunk and stoned and did this...

Dibujo.JPG
Malaga Dreaming. Just a practice for what I want to send to Harley Davidson. Highly detailed bikes put into a contextual comic style sketch. 1.5 Meters x 3 Meters approx. Like huge handmade posters. Badly photographed, badly cropped. Going to put it on the street for the afternoon and evening to see what sort of reactions I get.
 
Stanley, far be it for me to criticise your art but motorbikes and Harleys should obey some basic rules according to their type.

One is ground clearance, your Harley is not low enough to the ground (the front and rear wheels are too low down giving it much too much ground clearance, and

secondly the engine, the low and central round cover (probably an ignition cover) is exactly in the centre of the V made up by the two cylinders which should branch out from that cover in their respective angles quite exactly. Your rear cylinder in particular does not line up with the engine cover at the centre of the V.

:)
 
Perhaps you can see better from this pic: See how the cylinders line up exactly with the round cover on the crank case.
2016_5_489468_velocityredsunglo.jpg
 
FFS! Totally freehand man. No rulers, or measures - nada. But, yes, I am a long way off from sending stuff to Harley Davidson. Practice, practice, practice.

Not sure where this thread goes from here??????????????????????????????????
 
Out of interest Stan, why are you interested? I prefer it when you're doing something 'different'; the camino, the lithographs, the Granada caves, Ibiza insanity even. Is it just me or is this kind of bike scene just a bit...dull? Not generally - I've always loved bikes - this scene though: factory customs, tailor made cut offs etc etc is really conservative. Also it's been done to death. I could tell you most of what you're going to find out I reckon, as could loads of people on here who've been (to a greater or lesser degree) part of this kind of scene over many years. I can't see it's changed much tbh.

You should be part of the hipster biker scene that apes the one you're looking at :D There's a bike builder in Malaga who's well weapon Macco Motors » Macco Motors Plus you could make loads of money; people on this scene are fucking loaded.
 
Out of interest Stan, why are you interested?...

Just stumbled into via a good friend. Something I know little about, because I have never really had an interest myself. Now I am seeing the interests of others I can see potential for work.

TBH I am already finding it all a little boring. Met some good people, interesting people - mostly on the periphery of actual club membership. Met a few members of clubs in Spain and people who are members in other countries. Spoken to a couple of VP's. Not really interested in the drug network, but have seen what goes down. Just curious to understand the appeal of becomming a club member and the value held in Harley Davidson image. Might continue further.
 
Something remarkable about the Harley Davidson motorcycle company's marketing and reputation is that many customers tattoo the HD brand and images of the engine or bikes onto their bodies.

Not many companies can say their customers do this!
 
Just stumbled into via a good friend. Something I know little about, because I have never really had an interest myself. Now I am seeing the interests of others I can see potential for work.

TBH I am already finding it all a little boring. Met some good people, interesting people - mostly on the periphery of actual club membership. Met a few members of clubs in Spain and people who are members in other countries. Spoken to a couple of VP's. Not really interested in the drug network, but have seen what goes down. Just curious to understand the appeal of becomming a club member and the value held in Harley Davidson image. Might continue further.
 
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