Vol. 1 • Tom Fugle
I often find, in my day-to-day life, that what feels natural and ordinary to me — knowing specific things probably tied to my lifestyle — is fairly unknown territory for most people. And I don't just mean in general, but curiously enough, even among Harley Davidson owners (one of my passions). The legendary Milwaukee brand is, has been, and will be an object of cult worship, synonymous with rebellion, roguish charm and freedom. Life keeps changing, the brand inevitably adapts to new times, but we should never forget those who, one way or another, live or have lived a life parallel to it, feeding off each other, as is the case here.
For many bikers who love the traditional choppers of the States, and a few more scattered around the world, this man — who many will recall resembles Punkinhead Martin from Looney Tunes — is a legend. Born in Sioux City (Iowa), Tom Fugle was a pioneer of transforming and customizing old rigid-frame H-Ds, a craftsman who built everything on the simplicity of his modifications, always with sinuous lines and far removed from modern tools and materials.
All that mattered was his know-how, forged over countless hours in the garage. He didn't even have a proper lift — his wooden crate and the bulb hanging over it were his office, a nostalgic way of returning to where it all began. "Riding a motorcycle really doesn't matter to me, anyone can go out and buy one. But with a chopper, you build it, you're the one riding it, you're the one showing your work and personality wherever you go." That's how he put it in an interview years ago.
Tom Fugle founded El Forastero MC in his native Iowa, alongside "Tiny" Brower. It was 1962, the years of peace, free love, and Fugle's most famous motto were beginning: "Ride choppers or fuck off," a phrase that has become popular over the years. One of the first people to join the club was a young artist named David Mann, today omnipresent in biker culture for his drawings with surreal backgrounds, distorted horizons and colorful imagery, a regular feature on the covers of Easyriders Magazine. Mann was a member of El Forastero MC's Kansas City chapter, his hometown, and was more than just a friend to Fugle.
He passed away on December 18, 2016 at the age of 75, in his beloved Sioux City, surrounded by friends and Jennie DeCora, his wife. One thing is certain: as long as there are choppers built from Harley Davidson bases anywhere in the world, Tom Fugle will be present — he's already part of our history.
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Picture by Tim O'Keefe ©
