Intoxicating Custom: Hoosier Daddy Choppers’ Jack Daniel’s Sporty

By IBxAnders - January 3, 2012

words by Peter LaFrance
photos by Jack “Yeah, I’ll have one more” Cofano
Barnett Harley

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of bikes themed around somebody’s favorite libation, some good, some bad, and some, well I have to give the owners kudos for even trying I guess. Most involve sticking on some doo-dads they found in their garage or eBay, slapping on the brand’s name in paint every chance they get, and call it a day. Theme bike done, shut the garage door, and go watch some TV. In all the incarnations I’ve seen, nobody ever used the one element that might not pertain to the particular booze in question and something I never realized was missing until I saw the pics of this bike that shutterbug Jack Cofano took at the Rat’s Hole Show. Figured out what I’m referring to yet? Yup, you got it, a damn barstool which is as much involved with slurping down some booze as the booze itself.

Jon Shipley of Hoosier Daddy Choppers in Bloomfield, Indiana, gets the trophy for the incorporating the thing we all struggle to sit on, stay on, try to look cool on, and, most importantly, not fall off of ― the bar stool. Not only is this ingenious, but he took it a step further and deliciously made it out of wood with a nice ring of upholstery tacks holding the Old No 7 Brand logo in leather in place. I’m not sure, but it even looks like it can still be adjusted up and down. This is one bar stool you don’t want to fall off as it could be a bigger problem if that happened at speed unlike the semi-stationary stool at your local watering hole.

There’s also a hell of a lot of nice things going on with this 1977 Ironhead Sporty besides just this seat, though. Jon really got into the JD idea with that copper oil tank with to-die-for patina that looks like it was making mash just yesterday. Look a little closer and the No 7 sight glass is just too cool. Well done Jon. The wooden cask on the left, which I assume holds the battery/electrics, is also a neat touch and counterbalances the seat well while adding to the theme without ending up “themey.” Somehow Jon made it look just right as it is and not something stuck on just because he could.

As far as the rest of the bike, Jon’s made a bike that doesn’t rely on the theme-only to carry it and it’s actually a well-formed and extremely attractive bike that you could envision actually riding to a waterhole or whatever. It’s radical enough to catch your eye, but not radical enough to be stupid or overdone. Hell, even the way Jon combined his clutch/handshifter takes it out of the intimidating range for average riders and it even comes with a shot glass for your Jack in case of a road emergency. My only concern about this bike is if the stool/seat still spins like a regular barstool as that’s where I lose it in a bar (hey those bar stools seem to come alive and would just as soon spit me off after a few drinks), but then if I had a pair of bars to hang onto like Jon’s bike, it probably wouldn’t be a recurrence of my old slippery bar stool problem. Anyway, kudos to Jon Shipley and Hoosier Daddy Choppers for turning out one fine ride that doesn’t use a theme for a gimmick to cover up bad design, but instead uses it to accent a fine build.