Watch out Jesse James: Colorado Marine builds choppers in Al Asad

Marine Corps News ^ | Aug 11, 2005 | Sgt. Juan Vara

[SandRat]

AL ASAD, Iraq (Aug. 11, 2005) -- The high operational tempo of the second largest air base in Iraq requires many of the service members here to find ways to get from place to place faster than by just walking. Bicycles, a cheap and effective mode of transportation, have become the most popular way to overcome this challenge.

Sgt. Dustin W. Lambert, an airframes mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, didn’t want to be like everyone else riding a stock bike. Inspired by Jesse James, famous builder of motorcycles and host of the Discovery Channel’s Monster Garage, Lambert built his own bike.

For months, before building his chopper, Lambert worked on bikes that service members would bring to the welding and metal shops in MALS-26. “We would chop the original forks and put extensions there,” said Lambert, a native of Alamosa, Colo.

Lambert and other MALS-26 Marines worked on about 25 of these bikes when he decided he wanted a bike that was more than just a stock bike with extended forks.

“I wanted to build my own because I didn’t like the way the rest of the bikes were made,” said Lambert. “They don’t look like choppers. I wanted mine to look like a chopper.”

The project kicked off in June. In his scarce downtime he read magazines and watched DVDs loaded with tips, tricks and ideas on building choppers. After he found a style he liked, Lambert figured out what size wheels and tires he wanted on it.

Assisted by some of his buddies in the unit, he searched the Internet for parts he could use and ordered the wheels and tires along with pedals, a seat, the sprocket, the crank and pegs.

Taking time during lunchtime and staying late after work, Lambert began looking around the air base for aluminum he could use to make his project a reality. A spare bike was used as a donor of some hardware, nuts, bolts and bearing braces.

“We drew a life-size diagram on a piece of metal and started piecing the bike together,” he said.

Lambert, who had never built a chopper before, said his technique came from watching Jesse James build motorcycles on TV. “He’s been my idol for a long time,” he said.

The chopper rolls on 26-inch, 144-spoke wheels and has a 110-inch long chain made up by linking two mountain bike chains. “I love it,” he said. “I’m not going to build any more bikes here but I may try to start something up when I get back.”

Scheduled to leave the Corps later this year after five years of service, Lambert is to return to the States soon. He plans to open a shop and build custom handmade bicycles on a beach.

- For more information about the Marine reported on in this story, please contact Sgt. Juan Vara by e-mail at varaj@acemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil -

[SandRat]

photos at source

[SandRat]

Hmmm,... possible cometition for West Coast Choppers one day?

[SandRat]

competition not cometition

bad SR bad!

[PeteB570]

Great photos

Cornering could be a bit hard on the heels

[Ramius]

hey... that thing really came out nice.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[A.A. Cunningham]

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

AL ASAD, Iraq – Sergeant Dustin W. Lambert, an airframes mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, poses with the chopper he built to move around the air base in a timely and unique fashion. Lambert, from Alamosa, Colo., built his bike from scrap aluminum tubes he scavenged from around the air base.
Photo by: Sgt. Juan Vara

AL ASAD, Iraq – Sergeants Samuel W. Dial and Dustin W. Lambert, airframes mechanics with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, ride around on their choppers Aug. 10. Lambert and some of his buddies in the unit built the bicycles using mostly scrap aluminum and parts salvaged from other bikes. Dial's is an experimental bike with a springer front end and a rear end suspension.
Photo by: Sgt. Juan Vara

[MarkeyD]

[al baby]

You know we must be winning over there all this spare time

msm wont air this either

[devane617]

How could you not love a guy that would build a bike like that under those circumstances.

[andyk]

Sorry about the huge pic, but I thought it was pretty dang sweet!

[adaven]

Wow, that's pretty sweet!

[sit-rep]

cool...

wonder what the forks are made of. They do not seem to be yeilding very much for being so thin...

[martin_fierro]

Unnngh.

[dalereed]

All it's lacking is a big engine!

As for bicycles, mine went in the trash the day I turned 16, haven't touched one in over 50 years and never intend to!

The only substitute for horse power is more horse power!

[sit-rep]

lol...

[devane617]

I believe it is one inch "T6" aluminum. Commonly used in airframes, bicycle construction. I could be wrong though...

[SevenofNine]

COOL rack ittt

[MarineBrat]

That bike looks uncomfortable as all get up! You have to sit on your own ba||$ to pedal it!