Irish Jon
Pulling up to Irish Jon’s place is a far cry from what goes on inside, with his jeep sitting stationary out front for the last 2 years you don’t realise that less than 5 metres away is a collection of Harleys, customs and café racers that are the building of this blokes obsession. His collection of 12 bikes and a fiat bambino tucked behind the walls of this modest West Auckland home are a classy and awesome little site to behold.
Born just outside Belfast, Ireland, Irish Jon is a bike nut, starting out on his ts125 suzuki way back when, he then graduated to 250s then on to a rd350 yamaha before hitting the japanese ‘big 4s’ and making enduro racers. Originally a café racer and obsessed with all types of going fast in 1978 the chopper bug bit and suzuki’s gs1000 was the starting point of his makeover picking up one brand new in 1978 he proceeded to customize it, but having a fast paced history meant he needed to go fast even if it wasn’t the norm and proceeded to build a race motor for it.
Running his own paint booth out of a friend’s shop he spent his early adult hood air brushing and custom painting friend’s bikes. After getting a bit talented Irish moved to England, worked for a few shops before deciding on university. After finishing uni he had trouble finding a job, so he moved back in with his mum for 2 years and decided overseas was better for him and saved to travel.
Staying a short stint in Texas where he stacked his bike, while deciding it was a good time to nap whilst riding and then dying twice on the operating table, he swore himself off bikes. This was partially due to a ‘mate’ going and selling half his stuff out from under him, but during his rehab and learning to walk again managed to acquire 4 bikes and thus the craving continues.
After a short stay in Singapore he found his way to NZ. When he first hit NZ shores he went to a few hotrod shows unable to find much of a bike scene, and the hotrods he says were some of the best in the world but the bikes he did come across were shocking and in his words some were just downright nasty. Noticing the abundance of sportys in NZ, he has since picked up a few and in the last 15 years brought them up to standard.
In recent years a lot of his bikes styling’s have gone towards that of a ‘café racer’ again thanks to a friend who was ’too fat’ to ride a chopper and wanting something fast that wasn’t new. And now means he has 4 café racer bikes in the shed all in some process of fulfillment to an addiction that will always be unfulfilled, but that’s the nature of the beast and we love it. Still painting his own bikes Irish has moved onto other things now including starting up a blog (greasemonkeys-nz.blogspot.com) for like minded individuals where he reminiscences and jots down items he comes across so we don’t miss out even if we don’t get to try it ourselves. This blog in recent time has become a forum (http://greasemonkeys-nz.forumotion.net) where he and his mates share information and talk copious amounts ‘shoptalk’ to each other online.
To close off here is a little Q&A with Irish Jon
EBMF!
-Name Age and Occupation?
Irish Jon. 53. Computer Systems
-Bike specs:
Which one? 62 Panhead in a 71 Shovel frame. Sportster front end. Frisco mounted Sporty tank. Bare bones seat. Chopped Honda rear guard. 45 speed kick only.
-Unique points on bike?
Suicide clutch and jockey shift and homemade high rise mid mount pegs – Japanese street style.
-Any brand allegiances?
Mostly Harleys but I pretty much like anything that is interesting or fast.
-Build cost?
Pan has been just under 10 grand. Some of the others cost me a lot more but I try not to count. Its only money.
-Build time?
Pan has taken about a year. Shovel has been nearer to 5 years. I’m away a lot and don’t have much spare time plus I’m a slow finisher.
-What influenced you to start working on bikes?
Hanging out with the local bike club in Ireland. We all raced back in the 70′s. You were nothing unless you were fast so we all built our own engines and the bikes to go round them.
-Your 1st bike?
TS125 Suzuki
-Why do you keep doing it?
I get a kick out of having something different and I love mechanical things. I also get to meet loads of interesting people who are into the same things. Its all about people being creative I suppose.
-Ultimate bike for your shed?
Plans for a 36 Knuckle replica and building a Salt Racer for Bonneville out of my Thruxton.
- What other interests do you have?
Playing guitar; Hot Rods;
-Shout out/plugs?
-Does chrome get you home?
Chrome keeps you at home (polishing) but it impresses the chicks.
It’s actually 12 bikes but who’s counting. Thanks guy. Love the pics Byron.
Cheers Jon.