Saturday, January 2, 2010

Kawazuki





Strange how the tables of fortune can turn. How thin the line is between good and evil. Such is the case with the Icon Kawizuki. Starting life as a proud '79 Kawasaki KZ1000 police bike it patrolled the streets of Portland with a self righteous air. Until one seemingly small infraction, just a bit of oil blow-by, would allow the judicious Kawi to fall into the clutches of Icon. Originally we were going to chop it in our Slabtown based shop, but certain codes of the Geneva convention prevented such actions. So we sent it off to a secret Icon garage in Lithuania. It was there that this bike would learn its true fate. For all those dollars Icon staff had spent on impound fees, the forced trips across state lines to answer for unjust charges, for the humilation of unwarranted reckless tickets - the price of retribution would be high. 


And so the interrogation began. Without even asking a single question the stock swingarm was brutally removed with a torch. It's smouldering remains sent back to the factory as notification of the horrors that would ensue unless our demands were met. Our list was long and their reply insufficient, so the mechanical brutality was intensified. Cylinders were bored to very limit of their capacity. The stock front end, pathetic and weak, was subjected to lengthy verbal humiliation before being unceremoniously yarded. Even the wiring harness would be slashed and cut into a grotesque mockery of it's formerly handsome self. 


In time the Kawazuki would accept what it had become - a monster. Powered by Kawasaki but suspended by Suzuki it found itself unfit for life within normal society. It would be insatiably drawn towards the dark city streets and deserted parking lots it once despised. A fringe dwelling aircooled beast who's only solace would be amongst it's former enemies. Indeed the hand of fate is fickle. 

Friday, January 1, 2010

Glittery Helm


Straight from the Icon locker of 'one-off' dreams comes the Domain Blessed. 458 shades of HOK's finest metal flake, 14 coats of clear, and 3 pounds of gold leaf. She's a burnt orange homage to the world we live in.  No - she isn't for sale. No - we aren't making a production version. No - it isn't meant as a joke or insult. It's just Icon being Icon. And yes - it is the chubbiest depiction of Mary that you've ever seen.    





Guided by hope, surrounded by conflict...





...bolstered by faith 






And the winner is.....

After digging through tons of entries and much heated debate amongst the Icon staff, the winner of the 24Kt Bling Gloves is......


Hello fellow ICON friends.  I feel most deserving of your golden luminescent items of HANDware that appear to have fallen from two wheel heaven, because ever since I was a young boy in my village, I have done whats right.  Brought up by only the poverty stricken townspeople of a desolate city in eastern Bulgaria, I grew up with little luxuries.  Field mice provided nourishment for weeks at a time, and working in the mines was back braking.  When the slave traders decided to shut down the mines and burn the village, I felt my calling.  I rounded up a posse of my kinsmen and resisted the slavers.  We took up arms together, used what we had at our disposal, and took back our land.  In the final battle, I jumped on my motorbike and dashed after the lead trader, Trader Joe.  Sword drawn, I jumped at him.  He avoided me, and stabbed clean through my hand.  I recovered, killed him, and saved the town.  Had I the glory of your glove, I would not have sustained such a painstaking injury.  That is why I am most deserving of your glove.  I am a HERO.


Parker B.




Second Runner Up:
Quite simply, so I can get bitches. And as we all know, bitches love gold.


Brandon Z.




Third Runner Up:


The ride is all that

matters, some
may admire me for
slithering through traffic
or 
wonder if i
have a deathwish
for being so exposed 
to the elements...
i pay them no mind. 
the ride, and the PasiĆ³n 
for the lifestyle is all that
keeps me sane. knowing that
i can ride again the next day?
its the ICON in me that keeps 
a goon grounded. 


Ian H.





Thanks for all the great entries and keep an eye out for our next contest in January.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Hard Luck Racing

It's interesting how many requests we get for the 13/Hard Luck Racing graphic. Is it because motorcyclist are a fearless breed who spit in the face of fate? Or is it because they dig crudely drawn rabbits with bloody stumps where feet used to reside? Truly a riddle that may never be answered. Anyways, enjoy the following snaps of a Domain '13' aficionado getting up close with some California tarmac.


The Hard Luck Racing patch - Crude and insensitive? Yep. And don't ask us why his teeth are pink - just accept it and move on.

The monkey, dressed appropriately in the Domain 13, letting it all hang out at Willows.

An old school MV dustbin fairing for extra style points

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Flats

The Icon Bombshell GoGo gear running across the Bonneville Salt - as interpreted by artist Stenie Aziere-Sattler



 

Icon Womens Gear - Proving once again that safety can be sexy

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

09 Fall B-Camera

The creative staff at Icon spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to get just the right shot. Due to space constraints some of our favorites don't make it into print. Here's a few of the lost photos from the 09 Fall shoot to stare at while you should be working. 



So you think you can dance?



Jason gets his Dunlop's for free



Pre-dawn Husky run through a local skatepark - permitted of course;)


Monday, December 28, 2009

Icon New Years Party

The Icon new years party is just days away. As indicated it is both a semi-private and semi-formal party. If you're interested in coming just sign in where indicated. You'll find the sign taped to the outside wall of Slabtown.




Icon & Portland...BFF :)



From deep within the bowels of the derelict Linnton Plywood factory. It's a Northwest thing....
 
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