ALBOB

Blog of Death
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September 04, 2004
Indian Larry
Larry Desmedt, a legendary custom motorcycle builder and stunt rider who went by the name Indian Larry, died on Aug. 30 of severe head injuries he sustained in an accident. He was 55.

Indian Larry was performing one of his signature stunts last Saturday during the Liquid Steel Classic and Custom Bike Series in Concord, N.C. He was standing on the seat when suddenly the motorcycle began to wobble. Unable to maintain his balance, Indian Larry fell off the bike before it crashed. He was not wearing a helmet.

Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., Indian Larry was a teenager when he bought his first motorbike, a 1939 Harley Knucklehead, for $200. He took it apart and spent the next nine months learning how to put it back together again. He later moved to California and apprenticed under hot rod builder Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.

The tattoo-covered metal-sculptor and motorcycle mechanic launched the Brooklyn-based Gasoline Alley motorcycle workshop in 1991 and devoted the rest of his life to creating and riding "old school bikes." Several of his custom-built motorcycles won awards, including the "Grease Monkey," which was named Easy Rider magazine's Chopper of the Year.

Indian Larry also performed stunts in movies ("Quiz Show," "200 Cigarettes") and on television. He was a featured artist on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" series, and once rode a motorcycle through a wall of fire on "The Late Show With David Letterman."

A memorial will be held at Gasoline Alley on Sept. 19. His autobiography, "Grease Monkey, The Life and Times of Motorcycle Artist Indian Larry," is scheduled for publication in 2006. Indian Larry is survived by his wife Bambi, the Mermaid of Coney Island.

Rules? You mean we have RULES for that???

dg806

This happened right close to me. I go by the Cabarrus arena everyday to and from work. I watched alot of his stuff on TV. He built some nice cycles.
It seems he didn't get the motorcycle to the speed he normally gets it to and it was not stable for him to stand on.

www.sbmuscle.com

BoneCrusher

He was a good role model for up and coming bike builders. He will be missed.

Spitfire

HOLY SHIT Indian Larry died... I am so pissed, that guy was awesome and made some revolutionary bikes. Just about the only old skool-new skool builder I liked... Man Im pissed
Thanks Albob for the post

Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. Abraham Lincoln

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me.
Hunter S. Thompson RIP

crisg555

It's been a couple of weeks since this happen... sad... but at least he lived his live doing what he loves best...

http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/220/flex3tx.gif Flex it BABY!!!

Indian Larry

Wow! I cant bevlieve i found a post from so long ago.And i cant still believe he's still gone.I met him several here at local bike shows.I have a picture here.these guy need no intro they did this at the bike show here not to long ago and its with Indial Larry's bike..

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