Indian Larry: The Fall of a
Legend
As most of you know, Indian Larry passed away recently.
On Monday, August 30, 2004 Larry died of head injuries he incurred during
a stunt on the previous Saturday. Larry was performing at the Liquid
Steel Classic and Custom Bike Series at the Cabarrus Arena and Events
Center. Although common for most old school bikers, Indian Larry was
not wearing a helmet. Who knows? Maybe his life would have been spared
if he had been wearing one. In any case, he wasn’t and he sustained
major head trauma after a fall off his bike while standing on the seat
in front of 8,000 people. The biker community has been hit hard with
this loss.
Indian Larry or his given name Larry Desmedt was known
for his stunt work, but mostly for custom building bikes in the 50’s
and 60’s. They had and old-school feel to them. This long-haired
tattooed slim biker did not actually begin to receive recognition for
his work until the bike building craze took off. With the introduction
of bike building from Jesse James and West Coast Choppers and the even
more recent American Chopper which features Paul Teutul and sons, Indian
Larry was finally noticed and showcased in the media. He won numerous
custom bike building shows.
His appeal to both men and women is truly astounding.
I wonder how many of them know that he had been around for so long and
accomplished so much. Larry designed his bikes with the ability to create
from the ground up. He did the machine work, custom paint, all in addition
to simply being a phenomenal motorcycle mechanic. In looking at his
bikes you can see why he endeared by so many. From the handlebars that
are lifted high above the shoulders to the gracefulness of the gas tank
down to the ever so special seat, it is obvious that this man took great
pride in what he did.
Desmedt didn’t stop with bikes. He appeared in
movies, magazines, TV, etc. Indian Larry has been seen in a number of
commercials like Burger King and held roles in Quiz Show, 200 Cigarettes,
Blood Sport and among others, Motorcycle
Mania with Jesse James of West Coast Choppers on The Discovery Channel.
Indian Larry is featured along with Jesse James, Billy Lane, Chica of
Huntington Beach, and Arlen Ness. A tribute to Indian Larry will air
Winter 2005.
Indian Larry will surely be missed among all of his
fans and fellow custom bike builders alike. His skills and talent will
live on through his bikes and all those who strive to be just like him.
Larry was an eccentric and likeable man that was loved by all this in
the biker community. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is now one great
man short of their annual dip.
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