Zack at Machine-13 in Arizona isn't afraid to swim upstream in today's chopper gene pool. While other builders strive to replicate machines of the 1970's with parts, patina and metal flake, Zack mines inspiration and donor parts in the scratch-and-dent section of modern skate shops. Some manifestations of Zack's muse might be labeled kitch by non-believers, but his skate bikes have found an audience in the Arizona sun. One such believer is a guy named Ray, and his fat-tired fun machine looks ready to slap some curbs. Here's the short, sweet backstory on Ray's SK8 as told by its builder…

Ray wanted a bike he could bomb pavement and trails on in Prescott, Arizona. Ray is a huge fan of the work coming out of Crazy Orange in Japan, and we hadn’t seen anyone chopping TW200’s in the States. I decided to build something an old-school skater would like to ride. You can't ollie Ray's bike, but it does just about everything else. Thanks Ray for giving the chance to build your bike.

Builder: Zachary Taylor, Machine-13

Year, make and model: 2009 Yamaha TW200

Frame mods: Cut off rear section

Fork model: Yamaha

Engine size, model: 200cc Yamaha, custom exhaust and tweaked final gearing
Fabbed exhaust, and custom gearing

Front wheel size and tire model: 18" Bridgestone Trials

Rear wheel size and tire model: 14" Bridgestone Trials

Thanks: Thanks to Keith at Sucker Punch Sally’s, and of course Lowbrow Customs for always having the stuff I need

See more on Zack's blog