Farewell Adam Hooligan Copeland "karfer67" - Shirts, Hats, and Patches

[kingfish254]

Today is a very very sad day. We lost a positive light in the bike world, and I lost a good friend. Adam Hooligan Copeland has passed away. He was Karfer67 to me in the early days when I discovered the RatRodBikes forum. His builds were iconic, his bike knowledge was abundant, his creative talent was gifted, but his biggest impact was his spirit and love for everyone. His immense heart was so much bigger than his small frame. In the middle of his cancer battle we jokingly came up with the mantra that had really always been his spirit. #SPREADGOODF***ERY (***please allow this) . He felt that this was part of his legacy. It's hard to do on a day like today, but if Adam could do it right up to the end, so can alll of us.
Rest in Peace my friend. I am sure that St. Peter approves of your branding of the Golden Rule.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Sad indeed. Such iconic style

“Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.”

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

ugh. So sad. RIP.

 

[Skipton]

When I first got on this site watching Adam build some of the coolest bikes ever. Always really enjoyed what Adam built. Adam had the best eye for a build and built bikes with $1.72 worth of parts that would stand out next to BIG DOLLAR $ builds all day long
Just a couple of my favorites
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/the-galt-town-hooligan.18544/
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/pay-it-back-new-pics-8-09-its-done.7503/
Build and ride in peace

 

[deven_science]

He was always so positive whenever I talked or messaged with him, that I assumed he would recover from this thing. This sucks.

 

[kingfish254]

He was always so positive whenever I talked or messaged with him, that I assumed he would recover from this thing. This sucks.

I know, that was just his personality. He was chatting with a group of us that he pulled together to make some SGF patches and hats for OBC. They were a big success and he was upbeat with his comments as late as Friday night. This was a big shocker for me too.

 

[kingfish254]

When I first got on this site watching Adam build some of the coolest bikes ever. Always really enjoyed what Adam built. Adam had the best eye for a build and built bikes with $1.72 worth of parts that would stand out next to BIG DOLLAR $ builds all day long
Just a couple of my favorites
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/the-galt-town-hooligan.18544/
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/pay-it-back-new-pics-8-09-its-done.7503/
Build and ride in peace

He was such an iconic builder. Especially in the early days of RRB.

Don't forget his Ratty Truck winner as well.

HERE is the FINISHED BO2 Thread!!
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1940-schwinn-ratty-truck-kustom.4368/

I just found this video of the Ratty Truck in action that I had never seen before!

 

[kingfish254]

Here are a few more pics of Adam that have been floating around Facebook today as the larger bike life community mourns our friend.

His early build days as one of the OG RRB dudes was pure rat. As he discovered his skills in bending and welding later on, he became prominent in the stretch bike world. Culminating in his iconic Stardust from OBC 18 or 19 (I forget which) in Vegas. This entire bike is lower than the top of the wheels. And he loved it when I named the crazy integral handle bars and forks, Handleborks!!! I believe that he even won Shiny Side Up with it that year.

He also loved to clown around on bikes. Here he is with what I believe was a miniature build from @deven_science .

 

[Sue12]

He fought like nobody I have ever known and did it with the same style he brought too his builds. We made lots of memories in the clubs and the rat bike rodeos n many rides and shoes. He is a friend a brother and he won’t be forgotten. This is white wall saying get them angels on wheels mister!

 

[Jake Sensi]

HE HAD A STYLE ALL HIS OWN. HE WILL BE MISSED. I ADMIRED HIS WORK SINCE MY FIRST BUILD OFF. RIDE AND RAT ON SIR. SALUTE

 

[M.Martian]

I met him after the rodeo in 2010 after I had just gotten into the custom and vintage bike scene. It did scare him a little that I was going to do the barrel races on a set of slicks with a raked out fork. Thinking back, I scared him again by doing the barrel race on my hiwheel Sliding that little wheel out through the turn.

later I met him again with the rest of the Pedal Grinders at the turkey day ride a month later. I think I spent the better part of the day with them. Many second Saturday rides before I eventually joined the club That eventually changed names back to the Hooligans.

even after life got too busy for me to make trips out to Sac causing me to leave the club, I was still always welcome by Adam.

I had hoped that he would finally be able to kick cancer’s @$$ only to hear this morning. Crying every time I try to open Facebook.

please take care Deb and Dylan and let us know if you need anything.

 

[CRASH]

In 2012 I hadn't touched a bicycle since I was a mountain bike mechanic ending in late '91 before I joined the Navy. When I got off my cruise in 2012 I knew my boys would need bikes for Christmas. A friend of mine who belonged to RRB convinced me to join RRB. He also convinced me I could build my son a bike. I told my wife I would need about $300. $1,200 later, it was done. Anyway, that friend introduced me to Adam to do the pinstripe work. Adam worked cheap as a favor for my son. I can't even imagine how much I should have spent on his artistry. Regardless, his artwork made that bike, and really made it an heirloom. My son didn't get to ride it much because he shot past the size, but he'll always have it. "Hang it on your office wall someday". Adam's work really lit a fire in me. While he and I worked in different genre's, with me focusing on muscle bike restoration, we did get a chance to work together once more on a project he was putting a muscle bike spin on. Unfortunately that's when the cancer hit and he never completed it. While I didn't know Adam well, and only met him once in person, he still made a big impact.

Rest In Peace Adam.

https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/blackjack-finished.66708/

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Simple tenets, be nice, ride bikes, have fun.

Proof that it's really that easy.

R.I.P.

 

[socal_jack]

Sad to hear, RIP Adam. Think I found RRB way back in 2006/2007 or so hunting down more info on his Higgins build, pretty much started that journey.

https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1950-something-jc-higgins-custom-the-higgins.359/

 

[kingfish254]

Sad to hear, RIP Adam. Think I found RRB way back in 2006/2007 or so hunting down more info on his Higgins build, pretty much started that journey.

https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/1950-something-jc-higgins-custom-the-higgins.359/

That is not an unusual story. I know of a few people that trace their RRB roots back to seeing THE HIGGINS. It's cool that it was Adam's first post on RRB too. He had already built that bike and discovered early RRB as a result of searching about early Higgins bikes. That was his very first custom build.

I had the honor of helping Adam get that bike back home back in 2016/17. Years earlier, when he was strapped for cash, he had sold it to @us1ss . He always regretted selling it and wanted to buy it back for the longest time. Once I discovered this, I reached out to Mike, since we had done some horse trading years before as well and he was only two hours South of me in Florida.

We worked out a deal and I picked it up the same trip that I was getting my Nanner Puddin adult Screamer frame from @pvwacko and a pristine single owner 1950s Huffy Customliner. It was easily the coolest load of bikes that I ever had in the back of my SUV!!!

Adam was like a kid on Christmas Morning when I told him it was going to be headed his way. He was riding it at OBC2017 just a month later and it is still in his garage today.

You can see the bike and story here:
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/karfer67s-first-build-the-higgins.102370/
I can't describe how cool it was to bomb around Savannah on this bike.

 

[socal_jack]

That is not an unusual story. I know of a few people that trace their RRB roots back to seeing THE HIGGINS. It's cool that it was Adam's first post on RRB too. He had already built that bike and discovered early RRB as a result of searching about early Higgins bikes. That was his very first custom build.

I had the honor of helping Adam get that bike back home back in 2016/17. Years earlier, when he was strapped for cash, he had sold it to @us1ss . He always regretted selling it and wanted to buy it back for the longest time. Once I discovered this, I reached out to Mike, since we had done some horse trading years before as well and he was only two hours South of me in Florida.

We worked out a deal and I picked it up the same trip that I was getting my Nanner Puddin adult Screamer frame from @pvwacko and a pristine single owner 1950s Huffy Customliner. It was easily the coolest load of bikes that I ever had in the back of my SUV!!!

Adam was like a kid on Christmas Morning when I told him it was going to be headed his way. He was riding it at OBC2017 just a month later and it is still in his garage today.

You can see the bike and story here:
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/karfer67s-first-build-the-higgins.102370/
I can't describe how cool it was to bomb around Savannah on this bike.

View attachment 173593

When I went back to look up that thread I went thru it again and noticed you had gotten back for him, very cool.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I remember this photo from Kickstand Magazine many years ago. I still have it saved away.

I only knew him through comments here on RRB but it was enough to know his spirit. Sad to hear that he passed.

 

[kingfish254]

I remember this photo from Kickstand Magazine many years ago. I still have it saved away.

I only knew him through comments here on RRB but it was enough to know his spirit. Sad to hear that he passed.

Jim, can you scan the magazine photo so we can get one that hasn't been ruined by photobucket?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I'll look for it and see what I can do. Magazine print is typically not very high resolution but at least it wouldn't have the watermark.

You might be able to reach out to Bret Mackinnon who's name is on the photo. I did a quick Google search and he has a FB page and a website among other outlets on the internet. There's a possibility that he might also have other photos from that session that didn't get used.

 

[kingfish254]

I found this one that Adam posted on FB before. Not the highest res, but no PB watermark