In the not so distant past, there was a time when most bike enthusiasts were limited to the custom shops available to them. Most people out there riding motorcycles only associated themselves with a tight-knit group of friends within their neighborhood, relying on one local shop for all their needs. This was largely in part to the lack of information available to them during the late '70s and '80s, and even into the early '90s. The truth of the matter is, if you didn't hear about it from a friend, fellow rider, or happen to stumble across some blurb of advertisement in the magazines, then you would never know there was a diamond in the rough out there turning out custom bikes.
Such is the case for Warren's Cycle in Round Lake, Illinois. Warren's Cycle founder and owner Warren Heir Sr. has been a motorcycle enthusiast, service technician, and custom bike builder since the late '70s, founding his shop in 1981. However, throughout the majority of the last 30 years Warren's Cycle relied on a close group of loyal customers and dedicated employees to keep its dream alive and moving forward.
In order to keep that forward momentum going and bring some fresh blood into the shop, Warren Sr. brought Warren Jr. into the mix. As a graduate of Western Illinois University with a degree in business management, and a lifetime of experience from bouncing around his dad's shop, Warren Jr. has brought some new energy and ideas to the table. It is at that table that our story of the "Padrino" begins.
With a sub-culture based style about him and a love for bikes with a more stripped down and narrowed line to them, Warren Jr. has been focusing on bringing some new business to the shop. Warren Jr. did just that by finally calling one of his close friends Aaron Troken to the carpet. For some time now Aaron, a hotrod and truck junkie had been throwing around the idea getting a bike. Well, Warren Jr. decided it was time for Aaron to make all that talk a reality.
With a new era upon us, the use of the Internet made it quite easy to search for just the right hidden gem to re-construct. Warren Jr. searched high and low, finding a Triumph for sale just outside of Chi-town. Over the years, it was obvious that several failed attempts had been made to customize the Triumph, but nevertheless all the right parts were there. Loading up for the 50-mile drive, Warren Jr., Aaron, and DL arrived in the Chicago area a short time later. Upon their arrival, a battered, but complete 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 caught their eye. Everyone seemed interested in the bike, although it was the unique springer frontend the bike had that drew them all in. After a quick hot lap around the neighborhood the decision was made! Aaron had himself a new bike. The only issue was, Aaron never really made that decision.
Back in town with a new project ahead of them, they spent the majority of the upcoming winter doing a complete tear down on the bike. Everything was ripped off, cleaned up, re-worked, and re-built. The motor was removed with everyone at Warren's Cycle taking part in the rebuild. Being that Warren's Cycle focuses mainly on Harley-Davidson and V-Twin customs, if the part couldn't be machined in-house, British Cycle Supply was just a telephone call away.
Focusing on the narrow lines of the bike, Warren Jr. and Aaron got to work. Together they built the oil tank, fabricated fender struts, laid down a thin rear British fender, and Frisco'd a Sporty tank. A little bit of attitude was thrown in by mounting a brakeless 21-inch front wheel, and drilling some speed holes in the left side casing. Soon enough Aaron began to realize how expensive chrome could be. Re-dipping the front end, handle bars, struts, hubs, and miscellaneous parts here and there certainly added up quick. Lucky for Aaron he knew the crew at Warren's, and they assured him that they took good old American credit.
With all the fabrication work done, and all the shiny stuff back from the chrome shop, it was time for paint. Aaron sent it down to Craig at Rodsmith for all the frame work. The gas tank, oil tank, and fender went to the famed hotrod painter, Dick Skully in California for a little of his handiwork. Once the parts were painted they were sent to veteran pinstriper Brando's shop for some gold leaf and licks.
With riding season soon approaching final completion began. All the while the conversation always turned to the frontend, and its unique rockers. It wasn't until Warren Jr. was flipping through the pages of a '60s era Street Chopper that he stumbled across a photograph of a very similar Ron Finch frontend that the true origin was realized. Figuring confirmation on their belief was slim and none, the bike was completed and on the road by the start of riding season. Aaron wasted no time at all breaking in that Rich Phillips seat, putting some serious time on the road.
Sometime later, Warren Jr. and Aaron headed out for a little road trip, traveling north up to Milwaukee for Cooks Customs annual Cook-Out. As expected Warren Jr, Aaron and the rest of their were crew were having a good time, when low and behold none other than legendary icon himself, Ron Finch walks in. With no time to hesitate, Warren Jr. grabbed ahold of Ron, dragging him off to view their creation, nicknamed "Los Padrino" and the infamous springer frontend. One look at the frontend and Ron Finch confirmed it to be an original, referring to the rockers as "Aladdin's Shoes." Taken back at the surreal moment, Warren Jr. and Aaron were not only excited to have met Ron Finch, but to now know they had brought this bike with so much history into yet another era. SC