Pan/Shovel Has Longstanding Brooklyn Roots
Oddball chopper is emblematic of the builder's passion for custom bikes.
Right Cool
A Shovelhead topend bolted to a Panhead bottom was once considered a performance upgrade, but using both topends on the same motor is just plain weird. There is no gain to the odd combination apart from the fact that it looks cool. Making it right on this 1977 Pan/Shovel chopper is Keino Sasaki of Keino Cycles in Brooklyn, New York.
Photos courtesy of Northeast Sportscar.
Evaporated Future
Sasaki is a longstanding fixture in the custom motorcycle scene since his shop opened in 2008, but his Brooklyn roots go even deeper. Raised in Fukuoka, Japan, Sasaki planned on becoming a history teacher—following his parents' advice on securing a stable future. Those plans evaporated in 1990, when Japan's stock market crashed, leading to a national financial crisis.
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Career Institute
Like many from Japan's 'lost decade,' Sasaki began looking elsewhere for employment prospects. Introduced to motorcycles at an early age by his father, he took a chance and decided to turn his passion into a career. In 1998, at twenty-five, with money saved from working in a car manufacturing plant, he left Japan for Phoenix, Arizona to study at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute.
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Dream Expertise
After graduating, Sasaki landed a job at a motorcycle dealership in New York. Drawn to custom bikes, he then managed to get an entry level gig at American Dream Machine. Also employed at the shop was Lawrence DeSmedt, better known to the motorcycling world as 'Indian Larry.' They formed a lasting friendship, and Sasaki credits him for helping hone his expertise in fabrication.
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Custom Advice
After Indian Larry's untimely death in 2004, Sasaki became a partner in the custom motorcycle business Larry had left behind—later renamed as the Indian Larry Legacy. In 2008, he dissolved his partnership and realized his dream of opening his own custom shop. He also fulfilled Larry's prediction and advice of “you gonna go on your own someday, and you should.”
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Deep Passion
In 2009, Sasaki started the Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show. Slated to only run for ten years, it became a fixture for bike builders, artists and photographers, making it one of the top ranked events of its kind in America. Completed in 2014, Sasaki's 1977 Pan/Shovel chopper is emblematic of his deep passion for custom bikes and dedication to the culture of building.
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Oddball Parts
The fully-polished 82 cubic-inch Pan/Shovel motor is stuffed with S&S internals and sits in a modified, nickel plated, Paughco wishbone rigid frame. The oddball bike is fitted with a Tech Cycle electric starter as well as a kick starter. Even the Revtech four-speed has been tweaked to accept a five gear stack, and a BDL open belt drive connects all the rotating parts.
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
Deep Passion
The eye-catching gas tank also has a dual significance. It was painted by Vincent Szarek, an American artist who has translated his automotive trade skill into the upper levels of the visual arts world. Sasaki summed up his unorthodox approach in a 2020 Cruiser magazine interview. When asked about the divisive nature of his builds he answered, “If someone doesn’t hate it, you’re not pushing hard enough.”
>>Join the conversation on this Pan/Shovel chopper right here at HDForums!
For maintenance and repair guides for your Harley, browse our technical How-to articles right here on HDForums.
