It's a Minnesotan Thing

It's been arctic blast cold here in Portland over the last week. But no matter the weather you can always count on Shawn, our lead developer,  to spool up the Gixxer for the bitter commute. He's been hard at work on his newest creation - a pretty knit helmet liner. He's from Minnesota so he knows a thing or two about pretty hats. He also has some matching mittens which are not pictured.

Matte Black - Final Suicide

Yet another Matte Black creation - 'Final Suicide'. The Icon garage team was pressured into test riding this beast in front of the mildly intoxicated home town crowd. To say it was a bit of a handful doesn't do it justice - this is one bike that definitely earns it's name.

FInal Suicide's proud owner displays the questionable 

ergonomics while the poster in the background begs 

us to stop before someone gets ruined - we don't

heed it's request

Based off a Yamaha 750 - or not - only the Matte Black

Garage Team knows for sure and they aren't talking

Kurt rides off, merrily chanting the Final Suicide's theme song -

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die..."

Luckily it comes equipped with a change of trousers

to save post test ride embarrassment

Team Merc

Apparently #2 didn't get the memo...

The man, the myth, the legend - Jason Britton

Looks like the father of modern day stunt riding got a little anxious to wear his new signature series helmet. Someone from the Philly area sent us this photo of Jason warming up for his show at Clutch Control. This is all you'll see until we launch this helmet in January of 2010. Until then hold off on practicing those rolling burnouts, you're gonna need the tire money to put towards your new helmet purchase!

Blown Ducati

During one of our photoshoots we had Jason Britton take a Hypermotard for a spin; 

Word on the street was that the ride ended with 

the Duc looking something like this. The truth

is something a bit less messy, but...

Elongated wheelies and aircooled Ducatis...

...don't mix very well

This is a simulated image of what happened

The actual culprit was oil shooting out of the crankcase breather. Lesson learned - If you're going to impress the local gelato crowd with your extended 12 o'clocks you'd best buy the extended warranty.

*No Ducati was (permanently) harmed in the making of this blog post

Deus Ex Bridgeport

My Dad used to own a production machine shop in Detroit. I would work summers there as an assistant to Fritz the Machinist. I learned enough about machining to make me a huge danger to myself and those within fly cutter range. It's strange how sentimental I get at the smell of coolant, machine oil, and hot steel chips. The perfume of the Industrial Midwest. -Kurt

Fritz's purple iron killer 

 

Fritz's old handwritten tap & clearance chart that I still use to this day 

The Fluffer

Walter, (Icon's Photo Shoot Coordinator & Female Model Talent Scout) caught here doing what he does best. The man loves his work.