Here at Sprocketwerks we try to hit the big events as well as local bike nights. Earlier this summer the Sprocketwerks crew had a chance to ride out to bike night at chopper builder Dave Perewritz’s bike shop in Bridgewater Mass. Upon our arrival we couldn’t help but notice the split mix between sportbikes and Harleys. As usual a walk through the crowd led us to some new ideas and some very nice custom rides. One ride that stood out was this 1978 CB 550 built by Chris from Too Trick.

When Chris was asked how the idea for this build came to be, he answered, “My philosophy on bikes is influenced from my love of choppers and my need to be different, so I removed EVERYTHING on the bike that didn't make it go fast or stop.” This build started when Chris picked up this bike for $500 dollars on the side of the road.

The over all theme for this bike was for the bike to have a stout café racer look. In order to achieve this look 4 inches of the sub frame was cut and replaced with a hand molded fiberglass tail section. The stock handlebars were chopped 4 inches then flipped to give this bike more of a sportbike riding position. The stock headlight was remounted to where the indicator lights and gauges once belonged on the top triple trees. Stock controls were ditched for clutch and throttle controls from Cycle Xchange, while the stock master cylinder, now uses a stainless steel line from Gamache Rod and Custom in order to operate the front brakes. The controls for the bike’s lighting system were mounted on a panel on the left side of the headlight. The rest of the custom parts on this bike include a gas tank from an early 80’s CB 750, battery box, license plate bracket, hatchet brake lever, 50 caliper bullet for the kick start, and sink fixtures for turn signals.

Now that the custom work was completed, paint was the next task on the list. The brown/red on the bike is a custom color that started as Candy Basecoat Scarlet and Root beer intensifier to add a brown tinge that floats over the bike. Finally the airbrushing, which is Chris’s strong point is all free hand which makes each piece he paints one of a kind.

Chris would like to take a moment to thank his Dad and Paul Gamache because with out both of them he never could have done this. Chris also wanted our reader’s to know that the bike as you viewed it is a work in progress. He has since re-sprayed the clear and added all sorts of pearls and kameleon paint.

The background for this shoot is a subject in itself as Chris and the Too Trick Crew also dabble in Graffiti as well. Chris began as an airbrush artist so crossing over was pretty simple as most of the techniques were alike. When Chris moved into his new shop Evolve hooked up the walls and Chris was hooked on Graffiti. Stay tuned for more on Too Trick.