Sir Lancelot and Friend
When Sick Bastard Choppers founder and visionary, Dan Dausey sets his sights on doing something new and fresh, he doesn’t play. Dan is a dear friend of mine and a true Miami Beach icon. Not to mention he’s a pretty able golfer with a deadly short game. I just returned from a tour of his North Miami headquarters and fabrication facility and I am absolutely blown away by the most radical motorcycle design I have ever seen. Danny has always been a visionary and a builder. He has had his hands on some of the most notorious nightclubs in South Florida and has helped execute some of the most sophisticated nightclub design to date.
As I toured the administrative offices amongst the shelves of trophies and professional accolades and pictures of celebrity glitterati perched proudly on his rigs I found my way into the shop. As Danny and his co-collaborator Armindo “The Kid” Alves unlocked the vault, we entered the home of Sir Lancelot. A side bar and a brief description of this mad machine’s predecessor.
Sir Lancelot is known as both the greatest and the worst of the knights at the court of King Arhur. Lancelot is known as Lancelot of the Lake (or Lancelot du Lac) because he was raised by Vivien, the Lady of the Lake. He carries out various good deeds, including rescuing Queen Guinevere from Meleagant, an unsuccessful quest for the holy grail and the rescue of Guinevere after she is condemned to be burned to death for adultery with him.
If a machine can have royal lineage, this one does. The design is part HR Geiger, part NASA and a little bit of rock and roll. This custom chopper design has a personality, much like its creators. Fearless, brazen and full throttle.
As a nightclub designer I am faced with many challenges and many obstacles. Design is about problem solving and experimentation and about discovering new techniques and methods to create a distinct and memorable experience. It is how I design space and it is how Danny and company designs their bikes. If you ever make it down to Miami you are see Sir Lancelot in person. If not, keep your ears and eyes peeled to the press as the bike is now making the headlines in the national touring circuit. Try and get there, you will not be disappointed.
For me, on this day, this machine made me smile and is indeed a knight in shining armor.