Nash Motorcycle Co. — The “1157” Shovelhead Chopper
To understand the “1157,” Taber Nash’s 88ci Shovelhead chopper, you have to understand the builder — a mix of punk rock, BMX, and skateboard grit that’s been welded into every bike he’s ever touched. That attitude is the frame this bike sits in.
Attitude First: Punk Rock in a Chopper Frame
When Taber rolled into Daytona in 2006, he didn’t just set up a booth — he set up skateboard ramps on Main Street and turned the volume up. Cycle Source editor Chris Callen looked over, saw a guy launching a board with heavy music blasting, and rode straight over. That was Taber. They met on the spot, and the spark helped kick off a new wave in the custom scene.
The LimpNickie Lot: A Rally Inside the Rallies
Right before Bike Week the following year, a like-minded crew formed — Callen, builders Bill Dodge, Paul Wideman, and Pat Patterson among them. They needed a space where the next generation could build, ride, and throw down ideas their way. Taber called his contacts and locked in Stone Edge Skate Park, south of Daytona. Bowls for skating, loud music, all-day party. They billed it as the place where “the next generation of bike builders will unite to give you a true motorcycle experience.”
One-Off Metal: Built the Way He Rides
Taber shaped a lot of this bike from scratch. The gas tank began as a Sportster shell, stretched and made taller. He bent and built the sissy bar, the cylindrical oil tank, and widened and stretched the rear fender using old stock. The short exhausts? Hand-made too, then wrapped so his leg wouldn’t roast when reaching down to the forward controls.
Nash DNA Throughout
Plenty of the kit came from Nash Motorcycle Co.’s own catalog. The bars are Nash “Golden Gimps,” brass-plated to match other accents. You’ll find Nash Slugger pegs and a Swift Kick kicker, and the forward controls were once a Nash offering too. The right-side leather saddlebag has its own origin story: an older neighbor cut and hand-stitched it to Taber’s specs, and people immediately wanted one. Taber, drawing on Boy Scouts leatherwork from way back, set up shop and started making bags himself. That line has grown to more than 30 products today.
Hand-Picked Components
Outside the Nash stable, the build runs a 3-GUYZ springer up front, BDL primary, and spoked Ride Wright wheels — 21″ front and 18″ × 180 rear. One standout detail is the Goodson air cleaner — the lone cast accessory on the whole machine.
Why “1157”?
The name traces back to 2008, when Taber and his wife were remodeling their first house in Vancouver, Washington. Tearing into the walls exposed a nearly 100-year-old chimney. In the rust-colored brick was a carving: “1157.” Nobody knew what it meant, but it felt right. Rust color, carved numbers, and a bike that wears both proudly. The “1157” was born.
About Nash Motorcycle Co.
Nash Motorcycle Co. builds garage-born, rider-driven machines with old-school craftsmanship and a punk-rock edge. From one-off fabrication to parts built to be used hard, the work speaks for itself — on Main Street or a back-alley ride home.