Tribute to Dave Mann

Dave and Jacquie Mann

This story is about an artist who was the best of the best in the biking and motorcycling world: Dave Mann.
He painted many many different types of paintings, from the biking world out on solo runs like the one that had a biker with his lady out in the boonies and a flat tire on the rear, and it's starting to rain to the huge run with bikes up the kazoo going up the road with no end to the bikes, to the local biker who's bike wouldn't start outside the bar and he's getting so pissed and about to kick it off it's wheels!!!

He did quite a few paintings with the veterans of the wars, especially the war in Nam, and featured them, especially if they rode. Dave had a strong love for the vets and those who laid down their lives for this country and painted special tributes to the fallen:

He was very patriotic and respectful of those who also loved this country and advocated the founding principles of this country by incorporating them into some of his paintings:

Dave also painted the centerfolds for Easyrider's Magazine for all of us bikers in the 70s and 80s, and then did some for Iron Horse Magazine later on when they came out. These Easyriders magazines became a staple for a lot of the motorcycling community for a lot of years, and became very sought after for collectors. I had a collection of probably 50 or 60 issues of Easyriders, and about 10 or 15 of Iron Horse, which featured other bikes besides Harleys. I would buy 2 issues if I wanted to hang the centerfold on the wall, which I did several times.

As far as I'm aware of, this picture was one of the most loved and well known pictures in Easyriders! It is also one of my favorite paintings that Dave did, and it always reminded me of Zig Zag, Miraculous Mutha, Cheech & Chong, and getting crazy in the 60s and 70s.

And last but not least, another one of my most favorite paintings by him, although there were so many that there are way too many to put down here:

Dave Mann

In closing, as long as there are motorcycles and the many different types of people that ride them, and as long as there are motorcycle clubs who live the true biker lifestyle, Dave Mann will be a solid monument and tribute to that lifestyle and will be remembered by all of us in our hearts and in our minds.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Jacquie Mann and the family for allowing me to do this tribute, as he needs to be out here since he was a staple for all of us; I also want to thank Paisano Publications for publishing his work and for the Easyriders Magazine, since we loved and grew up with both. We wish the best for Jacquie and the family.

As a side note, I (and I know I'm not alone) really miss Dave's paintings and Miraculous Mutha's awesome pictures in Easyriders.

For anyone who is interested, Jacquie Mann and the family have a page on Facebook, go here

Jacquie also maintains a website for the family here