An interview with Colin "Spida" Dixon | Johnny Reb Herald #003

Tell us a bit about yourself. Well I am 60 and live in a place called Bungawalbin. For me, riding is a lifestyle not just a form of transport, I don’t need an excuse to ride, I just ride. Riding my bike has enabled me to get rolls in the Australian film industry.

Spida wears the:
Sturt Vest, Rascal Boots & 35th Anniversary Long-Sleeve Tee.

For those who don’t know about the film, tell us a bit about the movie ‘Patched’. The movie 'Patched' is a story about brotherhood and what happens when the government tears apart this brotherhood with insane laws. The choices the men have to make in order to keep their vision alive.

How is production for ‘Patched’ going? What made you want to make this movie? The production is going well with a few well-known Australian actors in place now. I thought at first it would be easy to do but raising the funds is not easy, though the delays have allowed us to cast a wider net to find the right actors and crew. Why I want to make it is because people need to realize what can happen if we give to much power to a government without asking questions.

When did you start riding motorcycles and what made you start riding? I started riding at the age of 17 legally (lol), Why? Basically because a 1% club had their clubhouse over my back fence and I liked what I saw. Though saying that I have never been a member of a bike club, but I believe I am a member of a brotherhood and sisterhood.

What bike do you ride now? I ride a 1993 Harley Davidson 1340cc (FXSTC) Softail custom. It has had a lot of custom work done to it and it has a serious paint job done by custom digital Adelaide. It lights up, it doesn’t glow in the dark, you switch it on.

What was your first bike? A Honda CB 250

Where is your favorite place to ride? I don’t think I have a favorite place, though I do enjoy riding out west and visiting small country towns.

Tell us your favorite riding story or fondest riding memory? I believe my favorite riding story is quite new it was the day I took the risk to ride my bike to a blind date, fell in love with this wonderful lady who just happened to own three bikes and now every time we go for a ride together it becomes my favorite time. 

Who do you enjoy riding with? My fiancé, Sharon, she is also into bikes and there is many a Saturday that we get our bikes out a hit the road in search of a good coffee and breakfast.

Name one dream place you’d love to ride that you haven’t been? I would love to do a ride across the Australian top end. I think we have an amazing country and I want to see it all. 

Why do you ride motorcycles? This is probably the hardest question you have asked. I think it is the sense that I belong to a different group of people. If I breakdown on the side of the road another rider will stop to help, when I am riding and a bike comes from the opposite way, they will lift a hand to wave or just simply nod their head to say G’day, I pull up in a town and other bike riders will walk over to say hello and chat about rides and bikes. That’s why I ride. 

What do you wear when riding? When did you first hear of Johnny Reb? Honestly, I love my Johnny Reb gear, I wear their boots and vest and when its cold usually throw on my Reb jacket, I heard about their gear about 15 years ago.

If you could go on a road trip with any 3 people in the world, who would they be and why? Yes, here we go I could sit here and try to think of who you would think is cool and drop their names but I have had a couple of road trips before. Had an amazing one with Uncle Jack Charles the indigenous actor. Learnt so much about first peoples’ culture. I don’t think I would like to go with famous people they might be horrible. (lol) So I would go with my mates Mick Brilliant, Eric Cartwright and Mark Wahlberg and that’s only if Mark promises to behave himself. And why, because any excuse for a ride.