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Harold Pontarelli's Praying Mantis by Jim Gianatsis This latest custom from Harold Pontarelli is aptly named "Praying Mantis". The under tank frame tubes which seemingly extend in twin flowing curves from the swingarm to the front down tubes, do look like the doubled up forelegs of a Praying Mantis insect.The look is reinforced by the bright lime green paint job which mimics's the bugs color, albeit without the gold leaf scrowling. The Softail's air shock has a hidden pump switch which drops the bike on to the rear tire when parked so as to not startle passing prey. It's only when the Mantis raises up and its high performance 120ci STD retro Panhead Engine sucking on a Mikuni HSR48 roars to life though straight slash pipes that you know this bug's really got a bite. Repellant anyone? Each bike that Harold fabricates optimizes the contemporary quintessential American V-twin custom: stretched, low, polished, chromed, flamed, gold leafed and candied. Where many of his fellow top name builders have grown into mass prodeuction facilities with 6-10 employess amid the recent custom bike craze, Harold has always been a one man shop, trusting no one else to do it his way as he works long into the night to finish his latest rolling metal sculpture for yet another show. The customer list at HD Performances reads like a Who's Who of foreign royal monarchs and macho silver screen stars, If money is of little consequence to you as well, and you have the patience to wait 9 months, you too can own a Pontarelli origional. And his bikes are winners, having captured Best of Show at our own LA Calendar Motorcycle Show among many others. His green machine featured here is "Prayng Mantis" which was completed just in time to win the 2005 Easyriders Show in Sacramento, CA. The following week Harold brought Mantis to our Los Angeles studio to photograph for the 2007 edition of Iron & Lace, then it was rushed over to the nearby Piasano Publishing studio to be photographed for the cover of Easyriders. The beautiful Calendar Angel photographed with Harodl's bike is also the quintessential Southern California swimsuit pinup model, Tiffany Lang. While it was our pleasure to shoot with Tiff for the first time, it certainly won't be the last, with this San Diego native probably having graced the covers of more car magazine than any other model we know.
Jim Gianatsis photographed the Harold Pontarelli's "Praying Mantis " for the FastDates.com Iron & Lace Calendar and Website in Janauary 2005 with model Tiffany Lang Return to Iron & Lace Garage Index
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