Preview of American-V 41 by American-V

06 9 771746 851003

AmV41.COV.indd 1

9/6/10 03:02:13

100% NEW 100% ZODIAC! 270498 CROSSBACK MIRRORS are sold in pairs in chrome and black. E-approved! £ 40.00

731434 ZODIAC RUMBLER BILLET ALUMINUM ADJUSTABLE END CAP for SuperTrapp exhausts £ 58.00

743500 BSL’S ADJUSTABLE FIVE WINDOWS SOUNDSYSTEM SLIP-ON MUFFLERS ﬁt touring models, manufactured from Stainless Steel and available in polished, black and chrome. Euro-3 approved! Starts at £ 1,239.00

121023 THE INDIAN HEAD AIR CLEANER COVER ﬁts S&S Super E and Super G air cleaners. Chrome or chrome with gold, starts at £ 124.00 743523 BSL’S TOP-CHOPP PIPES are manufactured from Stainless Steel and available in polished, black or chrome. Euro-3 approved! Starts at £ 1,239.00 Race-only version starts at £ 1,062.00

160343 LIGHTED INDIAN HEAD FENDER ORNAMENT is available in chrome or gold-and-chrome. Starts at £ 63.00

162123 THE CLASSIC SPARTO TAILLIGHT is now also available with license plate illumination. Starts at £ 42.00

743400 THIS REVERSE GEAR KIT kit is great for Trikes and sidecars. Available for 5- and 6-speed Big Twin and Twin Cam models. Starts at £ 974.00 743541 BSL’S FIRESTARTER PIPES are manufactured from Stainless Steel and available in polished, black or chrome. Euro-3 approved! Starts at £ 1,239.00 Race-only version starts at £ 1,062.00 012056 STROKER STYLE GAS CAPS screw in like stock caps but add the sleek Aero-style looks. Available vented, non-vented or as a dummy-cap. Starts at £ 47.00 161204 DANCER CHROME BILLET HEADLIGHTS are available in 3 stunnin’ designs. Starts at £ 282.00

THE ZODIAC BIKERS BOOK ISSUE 37

Now available at your Zodiac dealer or order at sales@zodiac.nl Price £ 9.00 excl. postage. The latest Zodiac catalog is available in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. Over 1.400 full colour pages with thousands of new and exciting parts and accessories from all over the world.

PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON

YOUR GUARANTEE FOR:

Perfect Fitment • Wide Product Range • Fast Delivery Quality & Excellence • No Nonsense Warranty

ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL UK, P.O. BOX 21, STROUD GL5 4YD. PHONE 01453 758 451, FAX 01453 752 939. ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL B.V., INDUSTRIEWEG 44, 3641 RM MIJDRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS. PHONE +31 297 288 621, FAX +31 297 288 226. SALES OFFICES IN: THE NETHERLANDS, GERMANY, ENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, HUNGARY.

For all Harley’s and American V-Twins we recommend

Internet: www.zodiac.nl E-mail: zodiac-uk@zodiac.nl Original Zodiac parts and accessories are only available through a Zodiac retailer (not directly from Zodiac by mail-order). Check out http://www.zodiac.nl/en/locator/index.html for your nearest Zodiac dealer. Suggested retail prices include VAT. Prices can be subject to change without notice.

p02_avjun10.indd 1 ��

8/6/10 13:39:07 ��

American-V: Contents 41

www.american-v.co.uk

Issue Forty-One

4: NEWS & NEW PRODUCTS 16: 2010 8-BALL HAMMER TESTED The next best thing to the 8-Ball Vision that has been delayed, but the bike that we’ve been looking forward to since we heard it was coming. Was it worth the wait?

22: TALGARTH 2010

A return to the Black Mountain, and the Riders’ Club’s season opener.

26: QUICKSPIN: ADRENALIN CAFE

Looking very different to the last time we saw Matt Purdy’s development XR1200, and a very different bike to ride.

30: XR1200 TROPHY

And they’re off ... the first round of the XR1200 series at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

35: With LONG TERM FAT BOB three thousand miles clocked up and the first of its scheduled upgrades, how is the Fat Bob settling down?

41: DEALER CUSTOMS

We’re seeing a new kind of builder in the official dealer network, and thought we’d best take a look.

46: ARROW MILL

The Victory’s longest established open day is a good chance to see how the world in general is reacting to The New American Motorcycle, so ...

48: REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE

An excellent example of what can be achieved with a clear vision, good parts, and much attention to detail.

Editor: andy.hornsby@american-v.co.uk

Subscriptions: 01778 392484

Features Editor: rich.king@american-v.co.uk

Annual Subscriptions UK: £24.75 - last chance with this deal EU: £36.75 RoW Zone 1: £38.55 RoW Zone 2: £42.75 (all include postage)

Staff Writer (promotion!) Amanda Wright Contributors this issue: Duncan Moore, Hazel Jackson, Graham Gabriel. Proofing: Back to Amanda ... poor Amanda. Design: Mini Ha-Ha and Erika McAston All editorial enquiries to: editorial@american-v.co.uk Advertising Sales: Andy Fraser 01778 392054 Advertising Production: Sue Ward: 01778 392405 natalier@warnersgroup.co.uk Trade Sales: Natalie Cole: 01778 392404 nataliec@warnersgroup.co.uk

58: ROUNDHEAD’S REVENGE

A bit of R&R, but something of a busman’s holiday: chillingout in Leicestershire.

59: ROADTEST: XL883N IRON

Getting to grips with the austerity Sportster: hard times never felt so good.

67: CUSTOM CHROME SHOW

Mainz is a long way to go for a party in a former Panzer factory, but there’s no better way to see the new crop of customs from across Europe.

72: QUICKSPIN: FXDB STREET BOB Amanda fancied a Ride Without Prejudice, to get an introduction to the Dyna she’s always missed out on.

77: S&S KIT UPGRADE 1: 1966-99

Following on from the Screamin’ Eagle round up, the easier options open to owners of Shovels and Evos.

84: THUNDERSPRINT 2010

Self-indulgence in a Cheshire car park, in which the editor throws his Buell Cyclone round an impromptu Grand Prix circuit that makes Monaco look like a motorway.

86: QUICKSPIN: KR1200 STORTSTER

Steve Storz might have sold the XR1200 brand to Harley, but he’s still making the bits and Krazy Horse have bolted together a second Krazy Racer.

89: STREET BOB OF THE ISSUE

After an issue off, we return with the oldest example to date, and certainly the fastest: Steve Creaser’s 95-inch.

98: RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS (WITH ADDED NOB) Settling into their new surrondings, the Bros show the neighbours how to have a good time.

Published by American-V, PO Box 336, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 7WY. Tel: 0207 993 8002 Printed in the UK by Warners (Midlands) PLC, Bourne. Distribution by: Warners Group Publications Plc West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH Tel: 01778 391135 Copyright 2010 American-V.

The Fat Bob’s off to spend the summer with Rich, but then I do get the Wide Glide for a few days soften the blow.

AMV.41.CONTENTS.R.indd 3

10/6/10 11:00:40

p04_avjun10.indd 1

8/6/10 13:33:55

News Editorial:

Here’s a nice cautionary tale for you, and quite timely in view of our new political masters’ request that we proffer suggestions as to how the country can save money. It relates to a car but could easily have been a motorcycle, and it revolves around the abject stupidity of something that should – and could – be very much more straightforward: I am referring to the DVLA and specifically their administration of the road tax system. The law is straightforward enough: any vehicle used or parked on a public road should be taxed. That has come to mean that if it isn’t taxed it is considered to be unroadworthy, and therefore uninsured. Simple enough. It’s not particularly well-documented as such, and most people are still working under the strange misapprehension that there is a month’s grace period, to get over the problems of transfering ownership of vehicles, the vagaries of the postal service and the work involved in maintaining a paper records-based system, with the inevitable delays in sorting through hundreds of thousands of records. Of course the DVLA was digitised years ago: so long ago for any teething troubles to have been sorted out a long time ago, and the proof of that is the ability to tax a vehicle from the comfort of your own home. You type in the registration number of the vehicle, and the system will reconcile that against the recorded keeper’s name – which must be yours. It also checks it against the centralised MoT record to confirm it’s valid, against the central insurance database to confirm that it has a valid policy in place, and then it charges you a premium price for saving the DVLA time and money and your tax disc arrives in the post a few days later. And to be fair, I don’t mind the slight premium because it works out cheaper than me schlepping down to the post office with all my records and standing in a queue for half an hour. But, and this is where the stupidity comes in, if you have just purchased the vehicle and therefore are not the recorded keeper, you cannot use the on-line system. Moreover, unless you have a trade policy or are prepared to take out the insurance far enough in advance to be in reciept of an original cover note, you can’t use the post office either, because they can’t take anything other than an original document: the DVLA won’t let them. You can’t even go to a LVLO either, because they have exactly the same requirement. And neither the Post Office or LVLO have access to the centralised insurance or MoT

databases, to be able to qualify that the vehicle is legit. Still, that must be why there’s still the opportunity to tax a vehicle for the previous month right up to the last minute of the last day: the mythical “month’s grace”. Err, no. And so, with a vehicle that I’d had for no more than a week, with a proven audit trail of reciepts but no original covernote in my possession, I found myself the temporary owner of a bright yellow clamp, a sticker on the windscreen and an invitation to pay a £100 fine within 24 hours or watch the vehicle be hauled away and the fine doubled. The day’s post arrived but no covernote. The Jobsworth at the post office refused to make an exception; the on-line system mockingly informed me that I would be able to tax the vehicle at a post office without any kind of V5C to prove I owned the vehicle, but still insisted that I must be the recorded keeper to tax it online. Thankfully the clampers could see the situation for what it was and promised not to escalate it for a couple of days to allow the covernote to turn up. I arranged for a second one to be sent, and they both arrived together the following day. I taxed the vehicle at the post office, which also covered the two weeks before I took possession of the vehicle, paid the fine – including a £160 surety to be refunded on proof of the valid tax disc that had just been issued to me on the DVLA’s behalf, and which showed on the DVLA system as in place – and the nice men removed the clamp the following day ... but weren’t authorised to look at the tax disc in the windscreen. That would be far too simple. No, I had to take the tax disc to the DVLA office or the clampers’ base to prove I’d got it: a choice between a sixty or an eighty mile round trip. Adding insult to injury, it took a minute to process the original fine, but four days to refund the surety. And all because the electronic systems that we have collectively spent millions of pounds installing are not accessible to the people who need them. The Post Office and LVLO have to send people home for forgotten documents all the time, when the information should be at their fingertips. The on-line system has it, as do the police and the DVLA detector vans. All told it cost me three days of chasing round, a couple of gallons of fuel and a hundred quid, for falling foul of a system set up to catch uninsured, unlicensed people who we all want to see off the roads. Be wary out there. / Andy

RIP Dennis Hopper Dennis Hopper finally succumbed to terminal prostrate cancer on 29th May 2010, leaving behind him a legacy and legend that will live on though his works and his reputation as a hell raiser for many years to come. As an eighteen year old, he was James Dean’s understudy in Rebel without a Cause, but he made his name through his off-screen exploits and for his contribution to the most iconic road movie of a generation: Easy Rider. He did more than just play the role of Billy, the cowboy-styled sidekick of Peter Fonda’s Wyatt, having initially raised the capital for the project from Supermarket heir, Huntington Harper – ably assisted by a young Jack Nicholson – as well as directing it. For a man who revelled in the limelight, it is ironic that it’s Fonda’s character that most people associate with the film, but it’s Hopper’s Billy who lives on in the modern American biker, and Billy’s stylish but less radical Panhead more than Fonda’s Captain America that can still be seen in massive numbers of bikes today. While he returned to form in the mid eighties and went on to recieve greater critical acclaim than the box office smash that was Easy Rider ever did, it is the 1969 film that he’ll always be best remembered for around here. Well, that and his portrayal of Frank Booth in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. Rest in peace.

Barred

These simple but elegant V-bars come from Highway Hawk, and offer a good alternative to regular drag bars at a reasonable price. The “Torpedo” risers come from the same source, are 6-inches tall, are available in polished billet or chrome plated, with either a 12mm or 14mm fixing through the yoke. 55-2581 55-2581 55-2581 55-2581

V-bar €30.87 V-bar with Harley ‘dimple’ €30.87 Torpedo Risers, polished €144.12 Torpedo Risers, chrome €151.63

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.News.indd 5

10/6/10 10:54:54

Oil Drain Container

A small piece of genius that will ease the life of anyone with straight 50 running through their veins: an 8 litre plastic oil container shaped to serve as a sump drain, directing the waste oil into a sealed container. I’ve not worked out what the second smaller plug is for, and nobody is volunteering the information: it’d be great if it lined up perfectly for the geabox drain, but that would be expecting a lot. The instructions are on the side, where I expect it will also tell you that it’s resistant to oil, diesel, fuel and dilute acids. W&W 05-150

New RevTech Brakes

Fresh from the drawing board at Revtech are these super-clean, sleek CNC-machined 4-pot billet aluminium calipers which are said to rival any on the market in terms of performance. Available in a chrome or black anodized finish, they will work with any 11½˝ or 300mm application, which accounts for most Harley models, and are made in the USA. Available from all Custom Chrome dealers now. www.customchrome-europe.com

Oil drain container

€15.20

www.wwag.com

K-Tech Throttle

If you going to build a killer custom bike, the last thing you’re going to want to do is compromise the overall effect by keeping the oem swithgear. But then if you remove it, that’s your throttle gone. You could always put a generic Wassell one on, but they’re not the prettiest. Or you could run an internal throttle, which always look cool but can be a pain in the arse. Or now, thanks to K-Tech, there’s this range of good looking, traditionally styled throttle housings – including one distressed one that looks like it’s been pulled from a long-forgotten parts bin. Machined from forged brass or aluminium, they’re designed for a single cable and an inch bar, and they’re a perfect match for K-Tech’s Deluxe handlebar controls for a retro feel. W&W W&W W&W W&W

29-488 29-489 29-490 29-491

Brass, polished Aluminium, forged. Polished Aluminium, forged. Satin Aluminium, forged. Raw

€89.00 €87.00 €87.00 €81.00

www.wwag.com

REUSABLE BILLET FILTERS PAUGHCO OFFSET FOR EVO AND TWIN CAM TRANNY PLATES More than just a pretty face, this re-usable oil filter cleans the oil better while providing less restriction to the passage of oil round the motor, which – it says – can lead to up to a 5% increase in horsepower. There are three high powered magnets as well; as the 25-micron filter screen to catch anything untoward, and with a by-pass system to prevent high pressure build up, it’s a lot more sophisticated than a regular reusable filter. Zod 120243 Zod 120243 Zod 120243

Chrome Black anodized Polished

€146.00 €146.00 €146.00

www.zodiac.nl

Thundermax for ’08-up Tourers Zippers Performance have just introduced a fly-by-fire version of their Thundermax ECM for late model FLs. A self-training Autotune system, the Thundermax completely replaces the factory ECM and narrow band O2 sensors using the more accurate wide-band sensors. And the result is real-time feedback and monitoring of the Air Fuel Ratio (AFR) as

well as auto correction of the AFR under all ambient conditions. And you’ve got the ability to adjust idle speed, rev limit, ignition timing, speedo calibration and more. It will also read and log diagnostic codes, allow live tuning and monitoring, and is compatible with Nitrous, turbo or a Supercharger! ZippersPerformance.com thunder-max.com

Paughco manufacturers a wide variety of stock and offset style plates which allow builders to run the oem 5-speed and custom 6speed boxes in frames originally set up for 4-speed use. Useful when fitting wide rubber, they were originally designed for Paughco frames, but adapt easily to a variety of custom chassis and stock frames. All steel transmission plates feature show quality chrome, are precision fit and of rugged construction, and are available as stock replacement or with 7/16˝ and 1½˝ offsets. They can be ordered with or without OEM style adjusters and start at just $82.95. www.paughco.coms

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.News.indd 6

10/6/10 10:55:15

American-V

GROUND EFFECTS

Hippy Killer Rubba

Did you ever imagine that you’d miss transluscent rubber grips with sparkly bits in it? I know I didn’t. It was the sort of thing that was standard on your sister’s bike, and if you’d turned up at school with such things on your push-rod in those unenlightened times you would have been even less cool than the kid whose mum didn’t realise that Adidas bags were better than tartan duffle bags, because they didn’t have the Bay City Roller connotations. But miss ’em we did and now some very serious hardcore Old School customs wouldn’t be complete without the bin fodder of a previous generation. Colour-matched to add that extra finishing touch, they are available as fooptrests and gearshift pegs from your local W&W dealer. Coming next: white kicker pedals with reflectors ... okay, maybe not.

www.wwag.com

Got a Street Glide? Wondered what that rear mudguard extension’s all about? Not surprised, because apart from being called Ground Effects, the detail is scarce, and it’s not fitted in the UK. Not that it matters now, because Zodiac have just added this to their range, a replacement panel containing the strips of LEDs that you are missing. Oh, and a chrome extension to allow you to fit it to any 1999-2008 FL. Whatever they are on the original, these LEDs are effectively serving as a running light and brake light. All wiring is included and fit the original harness, and lenses come in clear or smoked. Zod 160880 Zod 160881 Zod 160805

Tri-bar light with smoked lens lens Tri-bar light with clear lens Chrome fender extension for 1999-2008 FLH models

€97.00 €97.00 €165.00

www.zodiac.nl

Nurse! The screens!

What we’re looking at here is the lastest screen from National Cycle: the Gladiator. A nifty little number that stands closer inspection for two reasons: it’s a hardcoated polycarbonate screen, which means it won’t just deflect the odd stone, but I’ve laid about one of these with a hammer and barely marked it, and it’s got a really clever bracket which gives endless possibilities for height and rake, so you can be assured of protection at all speeds. Clever bracket? Yes, a double knuckle that attaches to a Harley handlebar clamp, and allows you to rotate the bracket round that, and on a second one at the screen blade itself. It’s nice enough for being a clean and uncluttered bracket, but the flexibility it offers from low deflector to a tall screen, looks incredible. And it’s not a bad looking screen either. Models are available for a wide range of HarleyDavidsons, determined by clamp type, and come in clear or smoked with chrome or black fixings

www.customcruisers.com

KEEPING THE PEACE Loud pipes save lives but thick walls also make good neighbours. That’s a round-about way of suggesting that it’s nice to let your motor breathe in the right place, but there are also times when you might want to be a little quieter ... like leaving home for the early ferry, or returning late from a day out. Or maybe exercising discretion when passing a police car in a layby? That’s what these National Cycle Peacemakers are designed to do: flick a handlebar switch (1) and the exhaust gases are rerouted from a straight pipe running through the centre of the muffler, to the Peacemakers’ pat pending baffle that fills the remaining space around the central pipe, quietening it down. They’re not new, but any means, but any lingering doubts about how well the butterfly valve would stand up to the hot exhaust gases have been well and truly buried by Harley’s use of a similar system for their active exhaust. Unlike the Harley system the Peacemakers’ electrics are kept separate from the heat, with a separate servo (2) on the frame’s downtubes, pulling on a pair of cables that control the butterfly valves in the mufflers themselves (please don’t tell me you need me to put “3” here?). Simple but very effective. Now available to fit all models.

www.custom-chrome-europe.com

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.News.indd 7

10/6/10 10:55:24

American-V # ONE

DROP SEAT BAGGERS

There’s a massive benefit to the new Tourer frame – quite apart from the straight tube and forged junction assembly – which is that the rear seat frame is bolted on. It was therefore only a matter of time before someone made an alternative, and that someone is Bagger Werx. Their Bay Area drop seat kits are a full system including a custom designed Corbin solo or dualseat and reshaped side panels, and lower the rider’s seat by a full three inches.

www.baggerwerx.com

OVERDRIVE 5TH

Do you crave the lower engine speeds provided by a sixspeed box, but lack the budget to do anything about it? That could be about to chance, because Illusion are shipping this 27-tooth motor sprocket for a range of models, which will raise your overall gearing to bring cruising speed revs down: 8% faster for the same revs. The cost? Under $125! Obviously it’s not going to be the same as a 6-speed, but if you’ve got the bottom end stomp to pull away easily, it’s not a bad trade-off. It comes as a full chain and sprocket kit to fit a variety of popular HD 5-speed machines, and is simple to install requiring a primary gasket, quart of primary oil and about an hour of wrench time – and a breaker bar to get the crank nut off. The conversion fits easily inside the stock chaincase and replacement chains are available from Illusion. 10-2547: Softails 1990-2006 and Dynas 1994-2005. 10-2567: FXR/FLT models 1990-2006.

www.illusionmotorcycles.com

Oi! Put a lid on it!

Welcome to the wonderful world of DMD, an Italian helmet manufacturer who boasts the smallest helmets in the EU that are still legal: now available through Storehouse. A huge step up from a ‘novelty’ helmet, or a DOT one, and people do like close-fitting lids, and these come in matt black as well as bright graphic styles, with or without a visor.

GMA BILLET FORWARDS

These billet forward controls, with their streamlined styling and superior functionality, offer benefits in both performance and appearance. Precision machined from 6061 T6 billet aluminum, the unique controls are fitted with “oil-lite” bushings for smooth precise rotation while eliminating any chance for “rattle”. In addition both the foot pegs and shifter/brake pegs are supplied with rubber rings for slip-free operation and great looks. GMA Forward Controls are now offered finished in BDL’s own special black anodize and retail starting at $450.00 and styles are available to fit 1986 through 1999 Softail models.

www.mcseurope.nl / www.beltdrives.co.uk .

Afghan Heroes Thunder Rally Following on from the huge success of the Wootton Bassett tribute, and by way of a thank you to all who supported them, the Afghan Heroes Charity will be holding their inaugural Thunder Rally on the 25-27 June. It’s incredibly short notice, I know,

and already the busiest weekend of the year, which is unfortunate because we’re already overcommitted: I’m already struggling to work out how to get from the excellent Chop and Rod Show at Cobham, to Mallory Park in Leicestershire for the second round of the XR1200 Trophy, via Bournemouth for Battistini’s open day. Something’s gotta give. If you’re not booked in for any of the above, for whatever reason, head to Chepstow Racecourse on Friday for what promises to be a packed weekend.

www.afghanheroes.org.uk

www.mcseurope.nl

HI TECH, LOW TECH

Engines are getting more complicated, with engine management and fuel injection, but underneath that veneer of technology is an air pump, and one that can still be fed by a carburettor and a spark, and with Altmann’s AM-P3 Ignition unit that’s not as difficut to achieve as it might sound. With just six wires and the Altmann you can get the engine up and running on an ’04-on Sportster, still running stock coils, plugs and the crank sensor. On Twin Cams you can run it alongside the stock ECU, leaving that to handle the complexities of the stock speedo and the alarm system. And you can control the ignition timing from the three dials on the side – you can control everything from the side: maximum advance, the advance curve and the rev limiter: with no computers required. It measures just 6x7x3cm – smaller than a pack of cigarettes – and is available as a custom version (no mounts) as 902861 or with a universal coil mount for Softail (902862) or Dyna (902863) use. For more information, call your Motorcycle Storehouse dealer. www.mcseurope.nl

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.News.indd 8

10/6/10 10:55:30

Warr's Ad_American V_June/July10_Warr's Ad_American V_June/July10 14/05/2010 09:02 Page 1

Battersea Power Station by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott Bonneville Springer & Hot Rod Hydra by Warr’s

EUROPE’S OLDEST HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP Bikes featured: Harley-Davidson Bonneville Springer & Hot Rod Hydra Bobber King’s Road, London +44 (0)20 7736 2934 www.warrs.com

p09_avjun10.indd 1

8/6/10 13:38:51

Reviews

FXRG Rainwear

98240-10VM FXRG Rain Jacket £304.05 98241-10VM FXRG Rain Pant £262.82 http://www.harley-davidson.com It’s all well and good investing in decent textile riding kit, to keep you dry and comfortable, but the reality is that when the sun comes out you’re going to want to wear a pair of armoured denim trousers and a BLJ at most, because it’s cool. You don’t want to look as though you’re waiting for a call from Ewan and Charlie, any more than you want to look like James Toseland on the starting grid. You want to look like Steve McQueen, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Marlon Brando or Lee Marvin, which is all well and good in California, where a badass bandana is a prerequisite to keep the dust out, but it’s a very different proposition in Croydon, Cumbernauld or Crewe. That doesn’t mean we can’t dress light, though, or that we can’t head off into a cloudless sky heading for the other side of the country in jeans and a T-shirt as long as we don’t mind a soaking, or we account for the UK’s temperate climate with something as simple and light as packable waterproofs. Simple and light means different things to different people – as does packable – depending on budget, space, material and technology, and typically, the smaller something is, the more technology is involved in the design and materials if it’s going to work properly. Materials like Gore-Tex aren’t especially new but being both breathable and waterproof, have revolutionised wetweather gear, but have also put it into a

different price bracket, especially in its super-lightweight ‘Paclite’ form. And then when you use your imagination to sew it together intelligently, and to a very high standard, you come up with some exceptional clothes but at a price. If you have always been happy enough with generic waterproofs, with rubberised nylon and welded seams and throwing them away once you’ve wrecked the right leg, melting them on your exhausts – and making a mess of the exhaust into the bargain – it’s unlikely that you will have got past the RRP of Harley’s FXRG Rainwear. But then you probably won’t have priced up a Gore-Tex hiking or cycling jacket either. I confess that I hadn’t, and it was only Amanda’s reaction to the Gore-Tex ticket that made me realise what it was: she knows about this sort of thing. So what makes these so special? The materials and the design. They’re not the only Gore-Tex waterproofs designed for use on a motorcycle – although it’s more usually just one component of a textile suit – and you could argue that there’s nothing particularly special about the jacket which looks like a perfectly servicable Anorak, but you’d be wrong to write it off as just a set of waterproofs. It’s far more robust than rubberised nylon, and more resilient to being stuffed into a bag, repeatedly. The jacket is pretty simple: just a well proportioned jacket that

has obviously been designed to fit over the top of a substantial jacket, rather than a relabelled outsize jacket for the fuller figure. There’s a removable hood that tucks into the collar, a Velcro-fastened storm flap over the main zipper, and Velcro at each cuff. There’s an elasticated drawstring at the hem, to keep the bottom from flapping around, and a couple of ‘hand warmer’ pockets at the bottom and a third on the right-hand breast, each protected by a showerproof zip. The pockets aren’t for keeping things like documents dry – you’ll have enough dry pockets in your proper jacket underneath for that – but will be fine for stowing keys and credit cards. All very sensible stuff, but only earth-shattering in its performance: it just works. Guaranteed! The ‘Pants’, however: now they’re a bit special and the FXRG engineers have excelled themselves again. Two things make waterproof trousers a pain: putting them on under a motorway bridge or over slightly damp trousers, and taking them off again at home without wetting everything you’ve been protecting with them. Three things: a leaky crotch. Four, if you include melting them on your exhaust. With a full length two-way zip down the outside of each leg, protected by a Velcrosealed storm seal, they can be easily put on or removed without taking your boots off, and even without sliding them over the trousers your protecting. Unzip them all the way, put one leg either side of the crotch, hanging from your shoulders by their inbuilt braces, and do the zips up. Doddle. No struggle, no chance of ripping them with something sharp on your boot, and reverse the procedure when back in the dry and just step out of them. Genius. And because the side zips are two way, you don’t need a normal fly – always a difficult thing to seal – and, of course, the inside of each leg at the bottom is protected by a heat-resistant material and so won’t melt on your exhausts. The fact that each stuffs into a supplied sack measuring 30cm long and 13cm in diameter is just a bonus, providing you’ve got a small rack to strap them to: you really wouldn’t want to risk them falling off. / Andy

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Reviews.indd 10

10/6/10 11:06:39

CURVIER THAN A TEXAN HOOKER. AND TWICE AS LOUD.

The Vegas Jackpot is a premium cruiser that packs a punch. Billet aluminium, curvy chrome and custom-inspired paint work houses a throaty 1731cc Freedom V-Twin, planted to the ground with a 21” front wheel and a super-fat rear tyre. This is one ride you’ll never forget.

VICTORY

www.victorymotorcycles.co.uk | 0800 915 6720

MOTORCYCLES

Model shown is ﬁtted with stage-one performance exhaust system.

p11_avjun10.indd 1 4615_Victory_CampaignA4_JACKPOT_AW.indd 1

8/6/10 9/2/10 13:41:16 08:40:45

American-V # ONE

Reviews

Women’s Hi-Vis Functional Jacket

98240-10VM FXRG Rain Jacket £242.21 http://www.harley-davidson.com

“A jumble sale in a helmet” is how Andy described me in my old bike kit, which lead to a sharp intake of breath from those within earshot! He lived to quip another day because it was true: I had outgrown my old bike leathers and was reduced to wearing whatever I could get my hands on, which is seldom a good look, until I got kitted out in Weise’s brilliant four-season unisex kit. There was another issue, which is that I’ve always struggled to get girlie bike stuff that can cope with my unusually long arms and broad back. In fact I’d long since stopped looking for anything vaguely feminine. Allan Brownridge – Harley-Davidson’s Brand Manager in the UK – is not a man to be defeated, however, and when he heard this he set out to demonstrate that Harley’s Motorclothes range would have girlie stuff that would fit, and on one of our recent visits to Chester Harley-Davidson I sat down with Sian and Aggie to sort out sizes, and we came up with the women’s Hi-Vis

HEAVY DUTY PEOPLE

Iain Parke / Martin Robertson ISBN: 978-0-9561615-1-2 £8.99 Taking as its backdrop the life of a normal bloke in a fictitious back patch club based in the North East of England, Heavy Duty People is a natural successor to those New English Library books that provided the inspiration to many a British biker and possibly the perfect book for those who – like myself – can only speculate as to what goes on behind closed doors at clubhouses across the country. I considered passing it to one who’d know but Amanda has started reading it now, so it won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Functional Jacket in the ‘Tall’ fitting, which offers the extra length in the arms and width across the shoulders. And you know what? It fits perfectly! I’ve always had a bit of a thing for hi-viz stuff – I do like to be seen when I’m on a bike – and this takes conspicuity to a whole new level, and don’t recall having ever seen such a bright hi-vis as this before. Nobody in their right mind could say ‘Sorry mate, I didn’t see you!’ without being clinically blind. As if to emphasise that, the hi-viz photographer’s bib that I needed to wear at The Thundersprint glowed brighter for having this beneath it, leading to a suggestion that I looked like a Health and Safety Officer at Chernobyl. As with other Harley gear we’ve tested, the design of this has been very well thought-out, and while it is pitched as a hivis jacket, it’s very much more than that: it is a very stylish jacket. The embroidered Harley-Davidson script across the chest, and the reflective Harley bar and shield with flames on the back, give it a sense of heritage but it’s the cut of the panels that give it – and me – a feminine, waisted shape from the rear, according to Andy, who has followed me while I’ve been wearing it. Incidentally, a men’s version is available, on which the hi-vis section emphasises the shoulders, to create a more masculine shape: simple but clever, and very effective. And from a safety aspect, having worn it for rush hour commuting a few times, I’ve felt very visible, which has been borne out by the number of cars that just get out of my way ... its great! The jacket itself is made from a waterproof weave of polyester and nylon with a poly-mesh lining, and features two shoulder vents at the front and two at the back to create good airflow for keep you cool in hot weather, as well

as lightweight, removable body armour at the elbows and shoulder for additional protection. There is a pair of small hand-warmer pockets and two zipped inner pockets for personal effects, and there’s lots of extra room at the shoulders with bellowed sleeves to allow greater ease of movement, making it easy to stretching forward to reach the ’bars – yes, of course that’s obvious but don’t tell me, tell the people who design bike jackets that feel like corsets. The main zip closure is backed up by a separately-zipped waterproof storm flap, and once fastened-up, a snug fit is ensured by a pair of Velcro belts to pull the side ion to your waist. I must make mention of the massively reflective Scotchlite panels and seams, which offer enhanced visibility at night: we did a test in the dark using a flashgun and it really does zing out at you: the reflective properties on this jacket are astounding. The only thing I’ve been unable to qualify first hand are its waterproof claims, because it hasn’t rained while I’ve been out in it, beyond a light shower. I would, however, suggest that this is more of a summer jacket than something like the impenetrable FXRG, being thin and light; although with the right thermal layer, it has the potential for use as a three seasons jacket. So ladies, you can look shapely and beautiful with the right gear on – and not like a sack of tatties – and having been forced to reassess the benefits of ladies-cut clothing, bringing out the best in my frame, I can’t do anything else but wholeheartedly recommend it. It comes in a wide range of sizes to accommodate most shapes and sizes – you really need to visit a dealer to talk through them all – including Tall, Petite and Plus sizes. / Amanda

Nicely written, I desperately tried to pick holes in the research, which is so often the downfall of books written outside an author’s personal experience, but Parke describes himself as a biker and that comes across in the way he deals with the riding elements. I took it as read that the shared writing credit given to Martin Robertson reflected the assistance of an insider to keep the club business real, which proved to be the case after a fashion, and the blurring of the lines between fact and fiction works very well, but there’s a part of you that wonders how the first person perspective works out ... but all becomes clear in the end. I couldn’t help but wonder how a member of a real patch club would see it, but then

I thought back to the episodes of ‘The Sons of Anarchy’ that I forced myself to sit through, just so’s I’d know why I didn’t want to sit through it again, and the responses of club members – varying from enthusiasm to apathy, but no outright hostility – and that reduced this tale to a good story, well told, bringing out a real empathy for the central character, the oft-quoted Damage, and the dilemmas he faces. A real page turner as it reaches its climax, with an unexpected twist that’s worth the wait. / Andy

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Reviews.indd 12

10/6/10 11:06:45

Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman

Dave Nichols with Andrea “Bambi” Cambridge Photography by Michael Lichter ISBN: 978-0-7603-3827-8 Motorbooks International. £14.99 This is the story of a troubled youth who grew up on the wrong side of the law, but used that and the other adversities of a life lived on the edge to discover who he was. For those who don’t know Indian Larry, it is a chance to catch up with the legend that has been weaved round this enigmatic character. For those who do, this will stand as the most comprehensive record of his life as told by a man who was instrumental in bringing him to the attention of the world’s media through the pages of Easyriders magazine, it’s Editor-in-Chief, Dave Nichols. Unfortunately it’s heavy going as Nichols appears to struggle to find the words to pay tribute to a man who he obviously regards as a close personal friend and the most tragic loss, and it lapses too easily into sycophancy and the author’s obsession with heroes and gods, myths and spirituality. That’s not to take anything away from the man born Lawrence DeSmedt in upstate

New York, or the significance of his life, his ongoing battles with his personal demons and the eventual discovery of his soulmate in “Bambi the Mermaid” – a performer at a Coney Island sideshow. It’s worth mentioning that Larry wasn’t a Native American either, but got his name from the chopped Indian he rode round Manhatten in the 1980s. The more objective accolades come from his fellow builders, including those he met through the Bike Build Off series that did so much to establish the legend, and their praise is no less lavish. Not for being a hero or mystic, but for being who he was: a warm, generous, genuine and approachable human being, who was comfortable in the spotlight and a natural performer, but who didn’t let his fame get the better of him. His premature death in 2004, a result of a frequently practiced bike stunt that went wrong at the shooting of his third Biker Build-off, will only feed the legend. He died as the reigning Bike Build-off champion with everything to live for after a life of struggle, but left behind a life-affirming story that’s well worth reading. / Andy

Maximum Control:

Mastering your heavyweight bike Pat Hahn, Steve Guderian and Mark Brown

Motorbooks International ISBN 978-0-7603-3674-8 £14.99 While a motorbike is a motorbike in terms of its generic controls, there is a knack to riding a heavyweight motorcycle properly as there is in getting the most from a sports bike, and this is the first book I’ve come across that deals with that to any depth. Written by professional riders – a motorcycle safety expert and two timeserved police officers – it will challenge a number of things that you will hold sacred and loses something in the language sometimes, but is loaded with excellent realworld tips, and gives you a series of drills

– one per chapter – covering things that will make a significant difference to your riding. It’s almost the opposite of where the current IAM “How to be a better Rider” book is going, but then the IAM are targeting sportbike riders, as being among the most vulnerable these days and the least responsive to the training message. The message in Maximum Control is clear enough: to be good, you need develop the core skills and then to ride a lot, and to continue practicing. It’s a behavioural thing, and the easiest way to increase you likelihood of making the right snap decision in an emergency is to establish it as your default reaction, with a series of secondary contingencies in reserve. It won’t make you immortal, but it will increase your odds of staying upright when it matters. / Andy

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Reviews.indd 13

9/6/10 15:40:22

Reviews

Strong Arm Lift

RRP £75 http://www.on-bike.com Some things are just so simple that you can’t imagine how they took so long to arrive, and how you survived without them, and one such little device is the Strong Arm Lift by Quasar Products, which has already demonstrated its worth lifting the long term Fat Bob, our Vegas and the 8Ball Hammer, for three completely different reasons. Okay, so the Vegas was to see how it coped with the central ridge running lengthways down the underneath of the motor, and it rocked a little from side-toside; but both it and the Fat Bob were filthy after Talgarth, and I’d really wanted to see how much easier it would be to clean the Fat Bob’s wheels. The Hammer was raised to spin the rear wheel round to see if we could spot a puncture: yes, we picked something up in the middle of the tread, which is why we only got the roadtest from one vantage point. It couldn’t be simpler to use: you pick a stable point under the frame, place the top roller – protected by a polythene sleeve – against that point and just lift the front or back off the deck with its shaped lever. The Dyna was a one man affair, and that was even with a chunk of wood under the primary side, to compensate for the steel rib on the timing side of the frame that protects the sump.

The steel of the handle is a couple of inches in diameter, making it comfortable when applying the required force, and the downturn at the end of the handle makes sure you’ve got a good stable, locked position but can still get your hand under the lever to bring it back down. Obviously ideal for removing wheels, you don’t need to be a mechanic to be able to get plenty of use out of it, because it ideal for holding a bike while you wash it, and no chance of damaging it with water, because there aren’t any moving parts to wash grease out of. It also holds your bike upright, which means you’ve got a much better chance of cleaning the fins on the primary side of the motor, where they’re so often forgotten. There are four height options for setting the roller, which can be interesting if you’ve got multiple bikes: I set it for the Fat Bob which was fine until I needed to lift the Hammer, which is quite a lot lower at least it was at the point chosen for lifting it. It still went up, but it was noticeably harder. It would only have taken two minutes to reset, but the Hammer was a one off, so I saved myself some time. The only improvement I can see would be sliding bobbins that could slide into position when required run up and down the upper roller to allow for asymmetrical frames, and allow for engines or sumps that hang beneath the frame rails, and we’ll be testing some of them as soon as a pair of prototypes are produced. / Andy

The Devil Can Ride:

The World’s Best Motorcycle Writing Edited by Lee Klancher

Motorbooks International ISBN 978-0-7603-3677-5 £16.99 Almost a companion to the excellent Harley-Davidson Reader, this snapshot of works from a very broad cross-section of writers is a book for the rest of the world, or maybe just those with an interest in motorcycling in a broader sense. There are some gems in among the short stories, and there are a few other books that I will seek out to read all the way through, but a lot more that I will cross off my “books to read before I die”, and I’m scratching around for the copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance that I bought as a teenager and cast aside, bored beyond measure, less than a quarter of the way in. Don’t let the cover or title fool you: it is a good book, but it’s not a natural match for your average American or custom motorcycle enthusiast. / Andy

Bike Trac

RRP £299.99 + £7.99 subscription http://www.roadangelgroup.com Now here’s a thing. It fits in the same category as Bluetooth helmets interfacing with your phone so that you can always be in touch with your office. You can see the benefits, but it’s not short of pitfalls too: it’s all down to how you pitch it. As a means of keeping tabs on where your bike is, it’s an excellent way of tracking it should it be stolen – and it will do so anywhere in the world covered by the quad band network – but it’s so much more than just that. As a means of keeping tabs on you, it’s on a par with an ID card: fine if you’ve got nothing to hide, but you can’t help thinking it’s an infringement of your freedom. But think about it in another way: it does mean that having told someone you’re going to be somewhere at a certain time, you can give them the ability to keep track of your progress and make sure you’ve got a cold drink or hot bath ready for your arrival, and if you don’t arrive as scheduled, rather than worry they can log on and see that you’re stuck in traffic a hundred miles way or just around the corner. You can also review your journey when you get home with approximate speeds shown on demand, or indicated by the distance between ‘breadcrumbs’, which are the signals sent from the device on the bike every minute. You can find out if the short-cut you nearly took would come out where you thought it would, and you can work out where that nice looking pub was that you passed – if in a major conurbation, using aerial photography rather than a map for added certainty. The system has been fitted to our long term Fat Bob, and I find it fascinating to be able to retrace my steps. If there was a way to show compound journeys rather than single segments from ignition-on to ignition-off, I’d use it more, but that would only be a matter of a software upgrade, and as that’s an on-line application it’s an opportunity for the future, as would full integration into current generation phone technology. And if I could convince Amanda that it was worth checking my progress, I’d possibly have more hot drinks and fewer cold meals at journey’s end, and I’d certainly be in less trouble for not ringing in when arriving at a distant destination, or setting off for home. Yes, it is a double-edge sword, but used intelligently, very useful on a number of / Andy levels.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Reviews.indd 14

10/6/10 11:07:04

CHD_OHD May '10 American V Ad

13/5/10

17:21

Page 1

Cheltenham Harley-Davidson Princess Elizabeth Way Cheltenham GL51 7PA Tel: 01242 240570 www.bladegroup.co.uk

Oxford Harley-Davidson Corner House, Wootton Oxford OX13 6BS Tel: 01865 735121

ÂŠ H-D 2010, Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar and Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC.

Make every day count

Installed in over 60,000 Heritage Softail Classic Saddlebags around the world.

p15_avjun10.indd 15

8/6/10 15:42:36

MJÖLLNIR HAMMER OF THE GODS

16 American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Hammer.indd 16

7/6/10 17:42:26

Roadtest: Victory Hammer 8-Ball

R DS

When Victory introduced the 8-Ball Vegas in 1997 as an economy entrylevel model, they did something special. They didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t strip away the high-status finishes to leave a blank canvas, but blacked everything and made a statement. And what a statement.

Âť

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Hammer.indd 17

7/6/10 17:42:31

TALGARTH 2010

Every year we say that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just going to go and party at what has become the Ridersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Club rally season opener, rather than risk repeating ourselves from previous years reviews ...

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Talgarth.indd 22

8/6/10 12:45:15

��

With state-of-the-art LED technology they offer new, amazing possibilities. DF versions include stoplight/taillight function which allows to omit conventional rear lamps. PL versions combine turn signal and ultra bright running lights in one housing. The clear lenses create a distinctive white light of the daytime running light bulbs for a safer ride.

W&W# 23-011

W&W# 23-015

Very likely the last tool bag you will buy. Made from 3.5 mm cowhide, with wrap-around straps and sturdy chrome buckles. Brown or black.

W&W# 95-345 95-346

W&W# 23-007 W&W# 95-495

Touring Gloves W&W# 22-002

��

Great motorcycle gloves with classic style and appearance. Made from finest leather with a soft grip palm and a comfortable fit.

W&W# 95-408

PM City Gloves

91-77

W&W# 22-007

Until it starts flashing the BL 1000 Dark stays almost invisible on your handlebars. This is made possible with its black housing and dark lenses.

The ever popular Bandit helmet with an orange-black Racing design.

1 66-81

��

Aluminum adapter for custom air cleaners and throttle body bracket for for 2008-up Touring models.

# 66-8

W&W

Black longsleeve T-shirts for men and women. Made from 95% cotton / 5% Lycra fabric. With golden imprints in the left sleeve and on the back.

��

W&W# 67-596

��

�� W&W# 11-238

��

W&W

W&W# 94-926 + 94-920

W&W #

W&W# 22-009

��

Adjust your S&S carb in seconds! With flexible shaft and knurled head.

��

Ingenious technology with classic appearance. This little instrument (Ø=49 mm) digitally measures and analogically displays speed. With 4 indicator lights. Perfect for the minimalist. Made in Germany.

1.384 pages with 24.466 parts for Choppers, Bobbers, Ratsters, Dragsters and Dressers. Available in German, English, French, Spanish or Italian. For € 10,- + PP.

��

�� D-97076 Wuerzburg, Ohmstrasse 2 ☎ 0049 931 / 250 61 16 GERMANY

p25_avjun10.indd 1

CT19 6DD Folkestone, Kent, Grizzlys Custom Bike Shack, ☎ 013 03 / 24 04 40 IP33 1HE Bury St.Edmunds, Suffolk, Krazy Horse Customs, ☎ 012 84 / 74 96 45 CH62 3QL Bromborough, John Wynne Automotive, ☎ 077 84 / 95 44 23 OL3 5JS Oldham, Dobcross, Harley Trading Post, ☎ 014 57 / 87 36 56

BS5 6PR Bristol, Matt‘s, ☎ 011 79 / 51 76 09 SW6 2EL London, F.H. Warr & sons, ☎ 020 / 77 36 29 34 NE32 3HG Jarrow, Twin City Motorcycles, ☎ 01 91 / 430 00 60 SO50 6AA Eastleigh, Hampshire, Steve Piper Motorcycles, ☎ 023 80 / 64 12 80

8/6/10 13:43:41

A E R T S P I L S ADRENALIN-FUELLED

CAFE RACER

26 American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Adrenalin.indd 26

7/6/10 18:29:27

QuickSpin: Adrnalin Moto XR1200 Cafe Racer

We like to get about a bit, here at American-V, so it doesn’t take much more than a bike that needs running in and an open day to have us chasing across the country, and with the last issue on the press, a need to get the Fat Bob up to its thousand mile service and an open day at Adrenalin Moto in Darlington, I made the most of the unseasonably warm weather and hurtled North.

There were a couple of good reasons: I’d not seen Matt since he lent me Adrenalin’s development XR1200 for the 2009 Thundersprint and wanted to support him in his new premises, because I’m personally still very committed to running my own Buell, and because I was keen to see what he’d done to the bike that I’d last ridden round a Northwich car park five times, and the town centre twice. Oh, and there were cakes laid-on. With the majority of Adrenalin’s business being on-line, the number of visitors weren’t massive but there were representatives of all generations of East Troy’s favourite son, and Dash were there doing dealer support for their own exhausts and Oberon’s range of hardware, and it was a relaxed rather than a bustling atmosphere: perfect R&R after deadline for me, and a good chance to catch up, and to see where Matt was going to be positioning himself, postBuell. I knew the answer already, of course, because Matt has been an advocate of the XR since Harley-Davidson announced it, and sees it as an excellent and relatively mainstream opportunity compared to the passionate but modest numbers of people who really grasped what Buell was trying to do. And while he’s a little disappointed that he’s not had a sniff at the XR1200 Trophy, we quietly speculated about how – with different financial situations – it might have been a hoot to run an Adrenalin Moto / American-V race team as a means to get both names centre stage in front of a massive TV audience ... even if it might have caused folk to question our objectivity in the face of headlines like “American-V storms into a creditable fourteenth place!” Nice idea, but I’ve no idea how I’d break the news to BSB-mad Hazel or aspirational Race Team Manager, Graham. I don’t know. Maybe when the Henderson Trophy has run its course and the bikes are laid-up, the dealer teams are kicking their heels wishing they could go back and do it all again, with their new knowledge about how they’d do it differently this time. Maybe then there will be an opportunity for a clubman series: take the gloves off, let teams develop their engines outside the current strict rules ... sorry, I’m getting carried away.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Adrenalin.indd 27

7/6/10 18:29:34

OULTON PARK 1-3 MAY 2010

The XR1200 Trophy race series was designed to provide a level playing field, in terms of the actual bikes and their components, but that’s where the politically-correct stuff ends. The ability to overcome huge obstacles through sheer force of will, to tackle bad luck with courage and to fight the opposition is essential – and that’s just to get to the grid, before the racing even starts! That’s when the pressure really kicks in. Let’s take an example: Jeremy McWilliams was a man with a heavy weight on his shoulders come race day. The preparation and effort that Warr’s Racing had put in to his bike, the money spent on testing throughout the winter months and his racing pedigree meant expectations were running sky high. He

Warr’s: Jeremy McWilliams’ and Darren James’ bikes waiting.

needed to secure pole position in the first ever XR1200 qualifying session in the morning and then he had to win the race in the afternoon. No problem then – unless you consider the huge pressure he was under, and the fact that 19 other determined racers were lined up ready to prove they could beat him! “There was only one position to come away with” he told us “a pole and a win: there’s always pressure.” In the event he did gain pole position; and his aggressive stance on the starting grid just before the lights went out made his intentions clear, but just behind him the other riders took up that challenge and prepared to do battle.

With a thunderous roar they took off down the short straight at Oulton Park and headed into the first turn. The sight of this cavalry charge was awesome, and the sound was phenomenal: first the noise of the engines and then the release of breath from the spectators as all the bikes made it through the first corner. We were all fascinated to see what would happen next, and especially to see how the bikes would stand up to the trial. These are road bikes first and foremost, and while they boast the finest components Harris could chuck at them, they are by no means race bikes, and as this was the first time they were all

Warr’s: Last minute preparations to McWilliams’ bike.

Riders: Replacing Mike Edwards’ Clutch.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.XRBlog.indd 30

7/6/10 22:02:34

� � � � � � � � ��

Dyna

Softail/XL

Custom

902863

902862

902861

Immognitio

ing Kit Programm 75

9028

stem Ignition sy

. AMM/ Single fire ION 2 IMMOGNIT

tes

Sensor pla

902864

Curve keys

Single fire

902866

kits

9-piece Complete 1 to 9 set. Nr.

902873

dom nited King Agency U 66 88 44 2 9 8 1 +44 (0) e: 2 n ce o n h a P Fr 2 9 66 77 2 Agency 677 633 +44 (0) 18 pe.nl Fax: 33 (0) 490 ro + eu e: cs n E 1 o m 1 h IC @ 2 P F 0 679 ail: simon MAIN OF use B.V. +33 (0) 49 e.nl E-m le Storeho Fax: mcseurop @ Motorcyc o n ru b eg 22 E-mail: aly Industriew Agency It 9 04 37 edum B C 39) 04 45 3 5 39 A (+ 1 y 8 n e: 7 a n 9 o rm h e P G 3 s cy 8 5 95 53 land Agen (+39) 04 4 21 12 89 0 e.nl The Nether Fax: e: +49 (0) 2 mcseurop 3 n @ o 5 h 0 llo P 9 ail: marce pe.nl (0) 21 12 8 m ro 9 E4 eu + cs m l les@ Fax: pe.n E-mail: sa 39 775 si@mcseuro 1 (0)50 - 30 E-mail: ra 7 7 7 9 Phone: +3 3 0 -3 +31 (0)50 Fax:

��

p34_avjun10.indd 1

not sell lands does The Nether roducts through . .V B se u o Storeh g and p site. Motorcycle purchase our catalo k our web bility chec n la ca ai u av Yo & il. g reta pricin dealer. For your local

��

8/6/10 13:44:40

Long Term: 2010 Harley-Davidson FXDF Fat Bob

WORK IN PROGRESS LONG TERM FAT BOB Showing 3,000 miles on the clock and with the first upgrade under its belt, the Fat Bob has been well and truly put through its paces ready to be handed over to Rich for the summer.

AmV41.LongTermFXDF.indd 35

American-V.co.uk

9/6/10 01:41:08

p39_avjun10.indd 1

8/6/10 13:46:25

Quasar Products +44 0 1827 61754 Specialists in motorcycle lifts and stands LIFETIME GUARANTEES FOR ALL PRODUCTS

Strong Arm lift

Eazy Rizer

Remove the front or rear wheel quickly and safely! Only £75

Big Blue Professional es The worlds safest cruiser lift giv 360 o access to your bike! £395

izer Eazy R d Bike Lift

Original Re £325

rab s Bike G ck that take

ho The wheel c r wheel! front or rea Only £89.95

ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UK TO THE HIGHEST SPECIFICATIONS

Lift any make and model in complete safety! America: www.lifts-and-stands.com Tel: 404 550 5123 Australia: www.oneup.com.au Tel: 417 320 742

www.on-bike.com p40_avjun10.indd 1

8/6/10 13:48:47

Custom: Authorised Dealer Builders

DEALER CUSTOMS

There was a time when the most ambitious new custom bike you would find at an authorised dealer was their P&A clothes horse, dressed to show off Harley’s own accessories, or a CVO model when they were still rare. But times change.

Some dealers strike up relationships with external builders and we’ve seen a couple of results of such collaborations in previous issues, but there is an increased tendency to take on that role internally, and the Ace Café Ally Pally show did a massive amount to show just what sort of impact they’re now making. At Alexander Palace, a couple of things happened. Firstly, Harley-Davidson UK sponsored the modified HarleyDavidson Class of the AMD Custom Show, in line with Milwaukee’s support of the international final in Sturgis; and secondly, the quality of the bikes presented by two dealers in particular catapulted them to national prominence. What isn’t immediately clear, however, is that the builder at one of those dealers has been working towards this position for the last ten years and has over a hundred bikes to his name, each individually designed with signature touches, extensive use of Harley’s P&A and Screamin’ Eagle ranges married to one-off fabrication work and the odd piece of aftermarket hardware when it’s perfect for the bike The other has a strategic partnership with a high-profile American supplier, and is focusing on creating unique motorcycles with the right combination of parts, pulled together into an integrated whole that is more than the sum of its parts.

And they’re not alone: running hard to catch up, and absent from the Ally Pally show, is a newcomer who is living the dream: determined to make an impression on the custom world, his youth and enthusiasm representing hope for the future, and his persistence in letting us know who, where and what he’s doing paying off here. But we’ve got to start at the beginning.

Kings Road Customs: Charlie Stockwell. Warr’s Harley-Davidson. London.

Warr’s are used to being first. They are the oldest established dealer in Europe and will predate the majority of American shops too, Captain FJ Warr first opening the doors in Kings Road in 1924 and becoming an official H-D dealer the same year. The new company sold Harley’s range of 61 and 74-inch inlet-over-exhaust V-twins, with fundamental differences being between aluminium alloy or cast iron pistons, standard or sidecar engines, and the F’s magneto ignition or the J’s full electrical rig with lighting. It also marked the start of a massive archive of authentic material which chronicles some eighty-six years of Harley-Davidson iconography, including parts, images, point of sale material,

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Builders.indd 41

8/6/10 11:14:38

ADD THAT FINAL TOUCH TO YOUR BIKE WITH OUR BEAUTIFULLY MACHINED PUSHROD TUBES

01794 390888

Available in aluminium & brass in a range of ﬁnishes and Chrome (Please ring for details) Prices start at £190 Direct replacements for & XL & XR Sportsters ‘91 to present and all Buells

Including XB’s! All credit card payments processed with Paypal.

gasolinejacks@aol.com Vogue Precision Engineering, White House Farm, Pound Hill, Lyndhurst Road, Landford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 2AA

THM the only North of England’s Probolt distributor and retailer

p45_avjun10.indd 45

8/6/10 13:56:28

Event: Thunder Road Open Day at Arrow Mill

THUNDER ROAD @ARROW MILL

Always a sucker for a good day out – and probably still feeling guilty for missing the first two – April typically finds us on the outskirts of Alcester observing the progress of the New American Motorcycle ... nice girl, April. We’ve seen a lot of changes over the years at Thunder Road’s open weekends at Arrow Mill, including being almost the de-facto Victory weekend of the year and a focal point for the Victory Riders Association, and it’s good to see that the corporate migration to Americana hasn’t lead to any kind of decline in figures: indeed the 2010 event saw the biggest number of demo rides to date, and that wasn’t purely because I finally succumbed to partaking when I should’ve been working. It was work: I’d just ridden down on the Fat Bob, and was itching to see how a Hammer felt by comparison. Not before catching up with the social circle that is developing round the Victory banner, as well as keeping an eye on what bikes are parked up, their owners curious enough to have dropped in to get a taste of big inch torque, Spirit Lake style. There’s something else too: to get a sense of what people are starting to do with their Vics now that a range of aftermarket accessories is starting to emerge. The big ticket items are the raked out yokes and extended forks that are transforming primarily Jackpots, forged wheels and pipes, but we’re a long way yet from a full scale makeover. The trademark scalloped tank seems to be a sacred cow,

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.ArrowMill.indd 46

8/6/10 10:59:59

SPYDER 48 American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Spyder.indd 48

7/6/10 23:12:54

Custom: Shaw Speed and Custom “Little Bastard”

MAN

“Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse,” is perhaps the most memorable thing about the 1949 Humphrey Bogart film noir “Knock on any Door”. Yet it wasn’t even Bogey who uttered the memorable line, rather Nick Romano.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Spyder.indd 49

7/6/10 23:12:58

XR1200 and Buell XB specialists Leaders in aftermarket parts for the XR1200 and complete Buell range

For full details of XR1200 parts visit www.adrenalinmoto.co.uk And for Buell parts visit www.trojan-horse.co.uk Or call free on 0800 4580677 Adrenalin-Moto Ltd, Unit 2, Banks House, Banks Road, Darlington DL1 1YB

BS0020 American V ad 145x210:Layout 1 14/05/2010 16:30 Page 1

BIKE INSURANCE FROM THE ENTHUSIASTS

OWNERS CLUB UP TO

15% DISCOUNT

(CALL US FOR A GREAT DEAL).

Bikesure Insurance Services has been built around the enthusiast markets. Because we share your passion for bikes we offer fantastic tailor-made insurance deals based on your own personal requirements and riding history. Call us today and get a competitive quote for your American V-Twin.

FREEPHONE 0800 089 2000 Quoteline hours: Mon to Fri 9am-7pm | Sat 9am-4pm

bikesure.co.uk

Part of Adrian Flux Insurance Services Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

Pete. Bikesure Sales Team.

Helmets and Leathers Cover

Multi Bike Policies

Free Legal Cover

Agreed Value

Ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Club Discounts

p53_avjun10.indd 53

8/6/10 14:01:59

ROUNDHEADS’ REVENGE After charging around the country for a week, it might surprise some to discover that just sometimes the last thing on my mind is packing the bike up again and heading for a weekend in a field.

It’s an occupational hazard, and could be considered to be just too much of a good thing – it could even explain why some serious hard-core people take up things like golf, just to get away from 24/7 bikes or music or women ... or men – but then when the promise of good weather seems genuine and there’s a testbike that need riding – and especially when there’s a shadow hanging over us for turning up in a car the previous year – there’s only one possible course of action. Especially when there’s a test bike to ride. Of course we missed the Friday night because I’d been in the South East all day and didn’t get back to base until 8:30, and while I had briefly considered dropping in on my way North – to prepare the ground – I didn’t for fear of not getting away again, so we

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Naseby.indd 54

8/6/10 10:10:30

PARTS REPAIRS

SERVICING BUILDS

ONCE MORE UNTO THE BEACH

p57_avjun10.indd 57

8/6/10 14:03:55

�� NEW- Sportster INJECTION Hypercharger kits only £295

Tel 01773835666 www.customcruisers.com ��

�� TelSportster : 01773835666 NEW! MSD Injection NEWINJECTION NEW- Sportster INJECTION

Tel 01773835666 www.customcruisers.com Tel 01773835666 Tel 01773835666 www.customcruisers.com www.customcruisers.com

FANTASTIC CNC PRODUCTS BY Sp ecial £145 s NEWINJECTION Hypercharger kits only £295 �� NEW!Sportster Sportster INJECTION Hypercharger kits only £295 OBERON PERFORMANCE V£295 T£295 X 18 0 0 , H a rl e Hypercharger only Hyperchargerkits kits only BAR END AND MINI UNIVERSAL FIT DUAL FRONT AND REAR VISIABLE MULTI L.E.D. INDICATORS (e marked)

��

National Cycle bullet proof LEXAN windshields !! 4 U NEW! MSD Injection Modules-40% �� 5 s ave £ 10 0 ��1 4 S p e c i a l �� £ LOOK FANTASTIC ON BOTH �� 4 tuneable maps ! HARLEY’S AND VICTORY’S NEW! MSD Injection Modules-40% offa rl �, H V T X 18 0 0 e ymasters D av iofdpe s National Cycle bullet proof MINI LED’S FROM from National Cycle bullet proof �� S p e c i a l £ 1 4 5 s ave £ 10 0 ! ! NationalCycle Cycle bullet proof �� adjust your mixt National bullet proof � , H a rl e y D av i d s o n , windshields !! 4 U £59.95 PER PAIRV T X 18 0 0LEXAN LEXAN windshields !! 4 U LEXAN windshields !! 4 U �� MAIL ORDER SP �� LEXAN windshields !! 4 U AVAILABLE IN ANODISED, (Black, silver) (other colours available on request) POLISHED BILLET & TRIPLE PLATE CHROME.

��

�� For �� £99.95 PER PAIR � �� XL � �� FLH �� NEW! MSD Modules-40% off � Street - Performance – Injection Custom �� T �� S p e c i a l £ 1 4 5 s ave £ 10 0 ! ! �� DYN �� 65 MM Parts and Accessories V T X 18 0 0 , �� H a rl e y D av i d�� son, 165BHP � inverted A �� 140 forks ETC �� £899 ! Web: www.dashcustom.com 4 tuneable maps !!plug and playCube �� up to +12 �� Fenders �� from masters of6 Speed performance USA �� BAR END LED’S FROM

��

Billet Wheels £499

��

over ! �� 65 MM 65 MM �� 165BHP inverted ULTIMA 165BHP �� Sportster 65 inverted MM 140 forks �� MSD Injection Modules-40% 140 165BHP NEW! off ! forks inverted Cube MID£899 3.4 gal 79 �� Cube 140 S p e c i a l £ 1 4 5 s ave £ 10 0 up ! ! toSpringers £899 ! forks +12 Fenders �� 6 Speed Cube up ! V T X 18 0 0 ,WEST H a rl e y D av i d s o£899 n to , +12

Billet adjust your mixture yourself!! Billet 4 tuneable maps !!plug Wheels Wheels Billet MAIL ORDER SPECIALISTS. XV1600 & XL £499 ��

and p £499 Wheels Std +5 from masters of performance £499 degree kits adjust your mixture yoursel £399 �� Fenders 6 Speed upMAIL £299 over ! ORDER SPECIALIST 4 tuneable maps !!plug and play over up to!+12 Fenders 6 Speed ��

�� PARTS over ! from masters of performance �� ULTIMAUSA �� ULTIMA �� Sportster adjust your mixture yourself!! ULTIMA MIDspecial -PROGRESSIVE Sportster �� MAIL ORDER SPECIALISTS. ULTIMA MID�� Sportster 3.4 gal 79 WEST

XV1600 & XL

XV1600 Std +5 & XL AIRTAIL Std +5 kits XV1600 & XL degree degree kits Std +5 MID- � Springers �� £399 3.4 gal 79 Springers SOFTAIL COMPRESSOR KITS OFF £399 50% degree kits �� PARTS MIDWEST 3.4£299 gal 79 Springers up �� WEST � £399 up £299 �� WEST PARTS upspecial £299or -PROGRESSIVE Call Mike Tina Now -AIRTAIL new WEBSITE. �� PARTS 4 tuneablePARTS maps !!plug and COMPRESSOR play SOFTAIL KITS 50% OFF special -PROGRESSIVE AIRTAIL from mastersspecial of performance USA -PROGRESSIVE AIRTAIL adjust yourspecial mixture Callyourself!! Mike or Tina Now - new WEBSITE. OFF -PROGRESSIVE AIRTAIL SOFTAIL COMPRESSOR MAIL ORDER SPECIALISTS. SOFTAIL COMPRESSOR KITS KITS 50% 50% OFF SOFTAIL COMPRESSOR KITS 50% OFF Call Mike or Tina Now new WEBSITE. Call Mike or Tina Now - new WEBSITE. Call Mike or Tina Now - new WEBSITE.

electric baffles

�� Unit 5B Monk Road, Alfreton,

Derbyshire DE55 7RL �� electric baffles-legal or not! WWW.CUSTOMCRUISERS.COM

��

p58_avjun10.indd 58

�� WWW.CUSTOMCRUISERS.CO.UK �� electric baffles-legal or not! ��

��

�� electric baffles-legal or not! �� 8/6/10 14:11:21

��

Roadtest: 2010 Harley-Davidson XL883N Iron

IRONIC 883 SPORTSTER It took a few prompts in the recent readership survey to make us realise that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d all but ignored the Sportster range since the XR1200 came out ... but then, in fairness, until the Forty-Eight was announced, Harley havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been terribly busy there either. Or have they?

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.XL883N.indd 59

8/6/10 09:01:16

p65_avjun10.indd 65

9/6/10 09:24:12

11 12

Langage Business Park, Eagle Road, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon PL7 5JY Tel: 01752 332775 www.plymouthharleydavidson.co.uk

Plymouth Harley-Davidson

Corner House Garage, Whitecross, Wootton, Oxfordshire OX13 6BS Tel: 01865 735121 www.bladegroup.co.uk

Oxford Harley-Davidson

Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3ES Tel: 0845 224 0419 www.norwichharleydavidson.co.uk

Norwich Harley-Davidson

3 Dinsdale Place, Warwick Street, Sandyford, Newcastle NE2 1BD Tel: 0191 2327174 www.newcastleharley-davidson.com

Newcastle Harley-Davidson

8 Tritton Road, Lincoln LN6 7QY Tel: 01522 850098 Fax: 01522 850088 www.lincolnharleydavidson.co.uk

Lincoln Harley-Davidson

Portsmouth Road, Peasmarsh, Guildford, GU3 1NA Tel: 0845 388 9643 www.guildfordharleydavidson.co.uk

Guildford Harley-Davidson

599 Princess Way, Cheltenham GL51 7PA Tel: 01242 240570 www.bladegroup.co.uk

Cheltenham Harley-Davidson

Ozier Park, Waterford City, Ireland Tel: +353 51 844200 Fax: +353 51 857206 www.waterfordhd.com

Waterford Harley-Davidson

16 – 20 Mottingham Road, London SE9 4QW Tel: 0208 8579198 www.warrs.com

Warr’s Harley-Davidson

611 Kings Road, London, SW6 2EL Tel: 0207 736934 www.warrs.com

Warr’s Harley-Davidson

170 Watling Street East, Towcester,Northamptonshire NN12 6DB Tel: 01327 353444 www.silverstoneharley-davidson.co.uk

Silverstone Harley-Davidson

216 Queens Road Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2 DB Tel: 0115 811 4215 www.robinhoodharley-davidson.co.uk

Robin Hood Harley-Davidson

West Strand Park, Strand Road, Preston, Lancashire PR1 8UY. Tel: 01772 551800 www.harleydavidson-preston.com

Preston Harley-Davidson

A-V 2010 advert:A-V 2010 advert

29/3/10

11:23

Page 1

� AS FEATURED IN AMERICAN-V � �

£20.00

�

PER PER

SON INC

��

�

��

FREEAG B GOODY

�

OOKING

T 200 B

FOR FIRS

LUSIVE

� LIVE MUSIC ALL WEEKEND

Rainy City HDC are an independent Harley club based in Manchester. Last year we held our sixth RAINY DAZE Rally. It was such a good laugh that we’ve decided to do it again! So if you enjoy partying and riding, get yourself and your bike down to Bowdon Rugby Club, Clay Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 7AF for the weekend of 16th - 18th July 2010. Rain or shine, we guarantee you’ll have FUN!!!

Please make cheques payable to ‘RAINY CITY’ and post with an SAE to: Mal Hyslop, 13 Abbotsleigh Drive, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 3PW

PLEASE SEND ME

� PRIZE BIKE SHOW � POKER RUN & PRIZE RAFFLE � FREE MONSTER GOODY BAG � LOW PRICED BEER & FOOD � TRADE AND DEALER STALLS � SILLY GAMES CHALLENGE � GREAT ENTERTAINMENT � FREE CAMPING & SHOWERS

TICKETS @ £20.00 each

NAME

NEW VENU E EV EN BI

ADDRESS

GG ER &

BE TT ER

CLUB (if any) POSTCODE

TEL

E-MAIL

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD BOOKING FORMS AND A LOCATION MAP FROM OUR WEBSITE BELOW

� 0161

RAINY

CITY

HOTLINE

301 4943

www.rainycityhdc.com

�

p66_avjun10.indd 66

8/6/10 15:23:44

Event: Custom Chrome Show, 2010

TH ANNIVERSARY BASH CCI 40 PHÖNIX-HALLE, MAINZ. GERMANY. 27-28TH MARCH 2010 A former Panzer factory isn’t an obvious Mecca for custom bike builders, but you’d be wrong to assume it wasn’t, because every March, Custom Chrome Europe rocks up en masse and presents its Dealer Show at what is now the Phönix Halle in Mainz.

It is quite an experience to walk into the cavernous hall to be confronted by orange fur and mirror balls surrounding some of the wildest custom bikes ever built, but then Custom Chrome is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, so the show was given a ’70s vibe. Unlike many other trade shows, Custom Chrome’s annual bash also incorporates a custom bike show with access to the public on the last day, and not just any old custom bike show because it is also the AMD European Championship of Custom Bike Building – undoubtedly the main attraction with builders from nineteen countries entering 119 bikes in the show – which offers three top prizes of travel expenses to Sturgis to compete in the truly international World Championship. And if that wasn’t enough of a draw there’s also a host of other prizes including the Jammer Old School awards, the RevTech prize and – a benefit of letting the public in – the Public Vote.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Mainz.indd 67

7/6/10 21:00:08

��

�

� ��

SERVICE DIRECTORY ��

1 �

�

13 Taylors, Gravel Lane, Chigwell, Essex IG7 6DQ

020 8500 9025 www.hogbitz.com 2 �

Boothill Motorcycles 9b Johnsons Way �� West London �� NW10 7PF ��

�

FOR SALE. YLINDER HEAD SHOP THE ENTIRE BUSINESS

��

�� sales@boothill-mc.co.uk ��

3 4 � The � Hogfather Rebs Motorcycles

��

Unit 11, The Maltings, Millﬁeld, Cottenham, Cambridge CB24 8RA

��

�

��

South Eastﬁeld Industrial Estate

www.shd-stoke.co.uk

Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland KY7 4PE tel/fax: 01592 773950 www.custombikebuilder.co.uk

9 40F Lindisfarne Court, Bede Industrial Estate, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear NE32 3HG Call for more details on (0191) 430 0060. www.twincitymotorcycles.com

SDavJul10.indd 71

��

sales@boothill-mc.co.uk www.boothill-mc.co.uk

��

Run by Bikers for Bikers Harley Davidson and Beakys offer Run by Bikers an all round for Bikers Custom Bikes service for Beakys offer Harley and an all round Servicing and Repairs service forcustom Run by Bikers for Bikers Beakys offer an all round

enthusiast. Harley and service for Approved dealers of Custom Chrome, Zodiac, Cult custom Harley and & many moreenthusiast. after market suppliers. custom We also supply servicing, tyres and undertaken insurance enthusiast. ApprovedMOT’s, dealers of Custom Chrome, Zodiac, Cult dealers Custom Chrome, Zodiac, Cult repairs andofquotations. & many more afterApproved market suppliers. We also supply & many more after market suppliers. We also supply Motorcycle MOT’s, servicing,MOT’s, tyres and undertaken insurance servicing, tyres and undertaken insurance collection repairs and quotations. repairs and quotations. Motorcycle Run by Bikersand delivery Motorcycle Run by Bikers collection collectionservice for Bikers for Bikers available. and delivery and offer delivery Beakys service Beakys offer service Datatool an all round available. an all round approved available. service for engineer. Datatoolservice for Datatool approved Harley and Harley and approved engineer. �� custom custom engineer. �� enthusiast. �� enthusiast. �� Approved�� dealers of Custom Chrome, Zodiac, Cult Chrome, Zodiac, Cult Approved dealers of Custom �� & many more after market&suppliers. We alsomarket supply many �� more after suppliers. We also supply �� MOT’s, servicing,�� tyres and undertaken insurance MOT’s, servicing, tyres and undertaken insurance repairs and quotations. repairs and quotations. Motorcycle Motorcycle collection collection and delivery and delivery service service available. available. Datatool Datatool approved approved engineer. engineer.

Quality after Market enhancements

MOT’s - Tyres

Tel: 01306 712297

��

1 4122 10 ��

2/6/09 10:11:29

The Beeches

Austerdyke Rd, Weston Hills,

01623 632266 info@le-rock-ltd.co.uk

Regent Works, Lawley Street, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 1LZ

khmrc@blueyonder.co.uk

��

Unit 1, Tenter Lane, Mansﬁeld, Notts, NG18 5ST

01782 332430

p46_avjun09.indd 11 2 Woodgate Way,

+44 (20) 8838-2238

7 MOTORCYCLES

Kenny Harley Motorcycle Repair Centre

boothill motorcycles 9b johnsons way west london nw10 7pf

46 Danebury Drive Acomb, York YO26 5EG Tel: 01904 791557 Mob: 07710 303559

sales@buckskinleathercraft.co.uk www.buckskinleathercraft.co.uk

��

0845 644 8360 www.rebsmotorcycles.co.uk info@TheHogfather.co.uk jim@rebsmotorcycles.co.uk www.TheHogfather.co.uk

��

Workshop•Projects•Services

• Engine and gearbox rebuilds • Upgrades and bespoke custom work • Custom bikes and trikes built to order • MOTs (loudish pipe friendly) • Authorised dealer, for the best in after market products and accessories

��

�� CALL LEN PATERSON. T: 01428 685883. len@cylinderheadshop.co.uk ��

www.boothill-mc.co.uk ��

� 11

�

• over £130k worth of serdi machines & tooling. Plus aquablaster-head facer-pressure tester etc, etc. �� • nucleus tradename • www.cylinderheadshop.com & .co.uk �� domain names • comprehensive website �� • relocatable anywhere in the world. �� • hands on consultancy - short or long term. • best�� offer over £120k secures this well known successful business.

�� +44 (20) 8838-2238

� ��

Nr. Spalding, Lincs PE12 6BX Mob: 07960 490119

Thundercity Motorcycles Unit 2/3 Haines, Park Grant Avenue, Leeds LS7 1QQ Tel: 01132 406332 www.thundercity.co.uk thundercity@tiscali.co.uk

9/6/10 17:29:03

I’M JUST

BOBBIN’ OUT FOR A BIT I’d seen the Harley advert in so many different places that invited everyone to ‘Ride Without Prejudice’ and in return would be given the opportunity to win a bike: and while I wanted to, I was perhaps overly cautious about how it would look if an American-V staffer were to win the bike. Then I remembered that I never win anything, so put my name down.

72 American-V.co.uk

AmV41.StreetBobQS.indd 72

8/6/10 01:51:13

QuickSpin: 2010 FXDB Street Bob

I’ve not seen the Fat Boy Special prize tucked away in the shed yet, perhaps they haven’t drawn the prize, but then to many people, the chance to throw a leg over a new Harley-Davidson is reward enough, and even a seasoned Harley enthusiast doesn’t need much of an excuse to take out a new model that they’ve not previously experienced. I wanted to try either the 48 or the Street Bob that has managed to elude me so far, and as there are no 48s available as demonstrators in the country, it was to be Chester HarleyDavidson’s Red Hot Sunglo FXDB that carried me to Birkenhead Park – designed by the same bloke who went on to design New York’s Central Park – keeping Andy company on Chester’s 103inch FXDB demo/service loan. Not too long ago I used to feel a bit phased about getting onto different Harleys, but now I do it as a matter of course and don’t really think about it, which I believe is a result of having done a considerable amount of post-test training, as well as riding on an almost daily basis. And while the stance of the Street Bob was very different to the last three – an XR1200X, VR Muscle and the Fat Bob – everything dropped into place really easily, despite being very different to ride. That was lucky, really, as I only had it a short time and I didn’t want to waste any of that getting used to any possible compromises resulting from the hard-core stance created by the mini-Apes. I really appreciated and respected its easy and eager handling, confident braking and the sexy-cum-macho styling: it does have aggressive undertones but is very sleek and curvaceous at the same time. I can see it appealing to both male and female riders for very different reasons – and beyond the difference between the rich hue of the deep luxurious red and the more sinister denim black that’s more readily associated with the model. Its styling cues and aesthetics can be interpreted in many different ways to suit an individual rider, and as is the case with all Harley’s, the original bike on the dealer’s floor is only the beginning: all the more so with the Street Bob, as while its price has climbed with a less favourable exchange rate and a major makeover last year, at £10,530 it still represents the most accessible route to a Big Twin Harley-Davidson. Being a Big Twin, it has the six-speed gearbox that I really like: always have done since an old GS550 which didn’t just tell you

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.StreetBobQS.indd 73

8/6/10 01:51:19

exhaust-coatings.co.uk P E R liquid F O ceramic R M Acoatings NC E 



Tel: 07545490783 Email: exhaust-coatings@hotmail.co.uk Cerakote high temperature coatings  Improved performance  Excellent corrosion protection  Extremely durable  Thermal barrier protection  Maximum chemical resistance  Visually appealing Available Colours - Matt Black / Cobalt Grey / Satin Silver

Stewart Black Tel: 07545490783 Email: exhaust-coatings@hotmail.co.uk

To advertise Contact

Andy Fraser 01778 392054 or Email: andyf@warnersgroup.co.uk 75

p75_avjun10.indd 75

8/6/10 17:31:21

SUBSCRIPTIONS y r y r e v e i v l i l e e D D s s s s e r e r E Exxpp r ddoooorr!! r u u o y o y ttoo

: E U S S I T X E N R E -line) F n o F e e s O ( NEW with 6 issues h c t a p free

01778 392484 Still SIX for the price of FIVE!

AmV41

subs.indd 76

10/6/10 12:01:49

Tech: S&S Kit Upgrades: 1966-99

We showcased The Motor Company’s Screamin’ Eagle Upgrades in AmV39, but there’s no shortage of other options in the market, and the main independent player in the upgrade market is the company whose tagline, Proven Performance, is more than just a registered trademark.

TECH:

KIT UPGRADES

S&S have been building tuning parts for HarleyDavidsons longer than anyone outside the official factory race department – 1958 to be precise, when George Smith expanded the range of go-faster parts that he’d developed to make his own bike faster into a company, and the range of parts is dizzying. We’re not going to get bogged down in the minutiae though but get into the big kits that represent a more holistic view of engine modification: if you want to mix and match components, and have the experience to do so successfully, you won’t need this, but for the rest of us, what S&S call their Hot Set Up Kits, their big bore Sidewinder Kits and their Stock Bore Stroker Kits is often an easier way through the minefield. Our expert witness through this is Matt of Matt’s Machine Shop, S&S main UK service dealer and the guy the experts turn to when they get stuck.

SB-Series: Evo Sportsters / XL / Buell

S&S produce a range of their Sidewinder kits for the classic Evolution Sportster motor, being very complimentary about the improvements over the preceding ironhead models. They’ve steered clear so far of the new EFI, rubber-mounted motors, but then they are more lightly built than the solid motors that rolled off the line between 1986 and 2003. With meaty cases capable of taking a big bore, with a raised crankcase cylinder deck height that matched that of the big twin, it lent itself to a big bore motor, and could be stroked too if your frame could accommodate the extra height required by longer barrels. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 4 or 5-speed motor as far as the top end modifications are concerned, although there’s plenty of talk among fans of the XL motor as to which are the strongest cases: if in doubt, you can always get S&S crankcases as well.

Expert witness on ... Sportster Stage 1:

S&S used to offer an XL Stage 1 as a ‘quick setup kit’, and while they’ve dropped it as a collection of parts, the components are still available. These are: • Taper mufflers: 55-6038 (’87-’03) or 55-6039 (’04-up) OR • Slashcut mufflers (out on pre-’03, down on ’04-on): 55-6008 (’87-’03) or 55-6031 (’04-up) • S&S teardrop airfilter 17-0448 One size fits all for all CV carbs and EFI models and has been modified to incorporate breather fitting that direct the breather vapour directly into the throat of the carb/throttle body to help avoid those unsightly oil drips out of the bottom of the airfilter. • Jet kits (carburetted models) 11-5200 (’91-’03) or11-5201 (’04-up) For fuel injection model we retune using directlink or Dynojet PowerCommander V. The directlink system allows us to remap the stock ECU and switch off the active air valve etc without using ‘trick boxes’. S&S have worked with Dynojet to produce downloadable maps for the PowerCommander. The obvious starting point is the ubiquitous 1200cc conversion, and S&S take a slightly different view to Harley-Davidson. Their 74XLSS Hot Set Up Kit comprises everything you need to make your 883 or 1100cc Sportster into a potent 74-inch street bike. In fact you could do worse than upgrade your 1200cc Sportster with it because it’s a full heads, cams, carb and filter kit: everything, in fact, except barrels and pistons, which are obviously available separately.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Tech.indd 77

9/6/10 02:00:45

Matt’s Machine Shop

B & H Motorcycles Ltd Harley Davidson & Custom Specialists

Specialist Motorcycle Machine Shop mattsmachineshop@btopenworld.com

Wide range of Harleys for sale Servicing & Repairs Mail Order specialists - wide range of parts in stock Custom Bikes Built Tel: 01726 824256 We have moved back to the Roots at Springﬁeld, North Road, Whitemoor, St Austell, Cornwall, PL26 7XN www.bnh-motorcycles.com e-mail: bnhmotorcycles@btconnect.com

Cornwall’s mail order specialist for:

PRO TUNING CENTRE

SIDEWINDER CENTRE

VFI TUNING CENTRE

U.K’s Oldest Established S&S Dealer • U.K’s First Pro Tune Centre We supply the whole s&s range from carb kits, through spo slipon mufﬂers for touring models to the entire range of engines. We deal direct with S&S so no lengthy order times, trade enquiries welcome. We have a fully equipped machine shop and the experience to build and repair all S&S and HD motors and transmissions from vintage to modern. We run a dynojet 250i dyno to set up fuel injected and carbureted bikes • 883-1200 conversions • Twincam 1550 Conversions • Twincam 96 to 103”Conversions • Serdi Head Overhauls • Crank Rebuilds & Balancing • Vapour Blasting • Case Boring • Thread Repairs

Tel/Fax +44(0)1443 742791 18a William St.Abercynon, Mid Glamorgan South Wales, U.K. CF45 4RW VAT Reg. GB791 0597 0-8

Main Dealer

: PARTS : SALES : SERVICE : BESPOKE CUSTOMS

Tel: 01384 895225 Mobile: 07850 750095 / 07540 688089 Email: outpostmotorcycles@uk.com www.outpostmotorcycles.uk.com 1 & 2 Pollybrookes Yard, Pedmore Road, Lye, Stourbridge DY9 8DG

p83_avjun10.indd 83

8/6/10 15:36:17

Event: Thundersprint 2010

THUNDERSPRINT 2010 NORTHWICH TOWN CENTRE, CHESHIRE: MAY 8/9 2010

Massive self indulgence time again, I’m hooked on putting an American bike through its paces – and myself, if it comes to it – at the Northwich Grand Prix, and this time it was the turn of my Buell Cyclone to bellow its way round the 440 yards of high grip surface applied to the perimeter track of a public car park. The sole representative of Americana on the track, now that Frank Jones has moved both to the Masterclass and to a 1969 Triumph Bonneville, we gave a good account of ourselves, which wasn’t bad going bearing in mind that the Avon Azaros are now well past their best, but more particularly because the rear tappets had punished me for running 10/40w oil in an emergency. Big thanks to Steve at SHD for sorting those out for me, and to Radders, whose Lightning Strike featured a couple of issues ago, who just happened to have a spare pair for a Thunderstorm motor. It prevented us getting down for the bike show on the Saturday, but Sunday was saved. A good account? Well, on the first outing on my Shovelhead I got into the 28-second bracket, on Adrenalin Moto’s Carbon Fibre XR I got that down into the 27-seconds and on the Buell whittled that down by another second to sit comfortably and consistently in the 26second bracket. A long way off the pace, but also a long way off the bottom too, which is nice: it’s reckoned that a sub-30 second lap is respectable while a sub 25-second is seriously quick, and that’s including former GP racers on ex-race bikes of all ages, so I’m feeling quite smug. I’m all the more smug knowing that I could have been quicker: on fresh tyres, and

Top: Team AmV out for a gentle ride on a Sunday afternoon. Mid left: The legendary Sammy Miller still lapping, and quickly, on the rasping 500cc Honda RC181 Replica. Mid Centre: The howling CBX1000 of Philippe Hanus. Mid Right: Iggy Grainger (’66 Vespa 9TSS) goading Peter Tantrum (Suzuki RG500) through a haze of 2-stroke smoke. Left: Frank Melling – Mr Thundersprint – on his 500cc Seeley Suzuki after qualifying.

American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Thundersprint.indd 84

8/6/10 12:26:10

KRAZY RACER II

Just a couple of years old, we now readily associate the XR1200 designation with Harleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new sporty Sportster, but to those in the know that tag has long since been used on quick XL-derived sporting twins put together by Steve Storz. 86 American-V.co.uk

AmV41.Storz.indd 86

8/6/10 01:25:22

Project1:Layout 1 04/06/2010 14:19 Page 1

A quick word from MAGʼs President Ian Mutch Since I knew I would spending the winter riding my Harley around New Zealand I racked my brains for an idea of how I could promote MAG in my absence. Will I at last, after 37 years of trying, come up with ʻthe alchemist stoneʼ of arguments that will make people realise that MAG is an organisation worth supporting at long last? I asked myself. So we made a film. Itʼs only five minutes. Please give it a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOt7ot-I2nE www.mag-uk.org membership £25 pa Tel 01926 844 064

Street: Steve Creaser’s 88-inch Hot Bob

HOT BOB WITH EXTRA RELISH

Before the launch of the production stroker crank and the TC96 motor in 2007, Harley’s Twin Cam used to be a relatively short stroke 88-incher: a mere blip on the radar, but one that will probably be remembered as fondly as the tight-handling FXR is to a previous generation.

» American-V.co.uk

AmV41.HotBob.indd 91

8/6/10 13:04:10

p94_avjun10.indd 94

8/6/10 15:38:28

Harley Dealers

WE’RE GIVING YOU

No.1 for Harley-Davidson in the North West

UPTO AN EXTRA

Sales • Service • MOT • Parts • Genuine Accessories MotorClothes® • Gifts & Merchandise • American Diner

£900

ON YOUR TRADE-IN!

A Bowker Group Company ®

Preston Harley-Davidson

West Strand Park, Strand Road, Preston PR1 8UY Telephone 01772 551830 www.preston-harleydavidson.com ©H-D 2010. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC.

NORWICH HARLEY-DAVIDSON 120 BER STREET, NORWICH, NR1 3ES 01603 620222

www.norwichharleydavidson.co.uk

Motorcycle Engineers

Dealer

Free Dyno Runs on a Tuesday evening from 5-30pm for Harley and Metric Cruisers. Harley Davidson Stock ECU re-mapping for stage one, two or three set up, with no piggy-back add ons. AMI Harley Certiﬁed. Servicing, maintenance, repair. Suppliers of custom parts for Harley and Metric Cruisers Suppliers of many major brands check website for details.

Email: info@bigboar.co.uk www.bigboar.co.uk

Motorcycle Artists

To advertise on the American V classiﬁed page Contact Andy Fraser 01778 392054 or Email: andyf@warnersgroup.co.uk

p95-97_avapr10.indd 95

8/6/10 16:36:56

Motorcycle Parts and Accessories

MATT’S MOTORCYCLES

169-171 FISHPONDS RD. EASTVILLE, BRISTOL BS5 6PR TEL/FAX 0117 951 7609 EVERYTHING FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON & MERIDEN TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES, S&S PERFORMANCE PARTS FOR HARLEYS, CUSTOM PARTS FOR JAPANESE CRUISERS, ONE OFF CONTROL CABLES M.O.T.TESTING WE UNDERSTAND CLASSICS & CUSTOMS ZODIAC, CUSTOM CHROME, LUCAS, AMAL CARBURETTORS , BOYER IGNITIONS, MOTORCYCLE STOREHOUSE, CHAMPION PLUGS, MORRIS OILS, SILKOLENE OILS, ARLEN NESS, KURYAKIN, W&W PLUS LOTS MORE. STAINLESS BRAKE HOSES, ONE OFF CABLES 2008 CATALOGUES IN STOCK NOW FULL OR PART RESTORATIONS, 883-1200 CONVERSIONS, TWIN CAM 1550 CONVERSIONS, TYRES & FITTING WHEEL BUILDING 0117 951 7609

Rizoma billet aluminium parts for V-Rod and Sportster models

@ Triple Tree Kits, headlight protection, control kits, chain guards, pulley covers, indicators, grips etc...

Freephone 0800 4580677

For full details of all our exclusive XR1200 parts and Rizoma products please contact us or check out the website: www.adrenalinmoto.co.uk Adrenalin-Moto Ltd, Unit 2, Banks House, Banks Road, Darlington DL1 1YB

Street - Performance – Custom Parts and Accessories Visit

www.dashcustom.com

To advertise on the American V classiﬁed page Contact Andy Fraser 01778 392054 or Email: andyf@warnersgroup.co.uk

p95-97_avapr10.indd 96

9/6/10 17:26:07

Clothing Vintage Style Clothing Made Stubborn Japan’s Most Famous Biker Denim Traditional Jeans and Jackets Painstakingly Crafted out of the World’s Heaviest Black and Indigo Denim Iron Heart Denim - Heavy-Duty Indulgence www.ironheart.co.uk - 07740 706464

Classic & Custom Specialists ? red jeans work Q. Do armou A. Yes, Hood jeans do. About a week ago I cam intimate contact with the e into tarm if I wasn’t wearing the jean ac and have been even more bad s I would ly thankfully just my hand damaged and damaged my hip was sore ribs was damaged. I know if I was but not n’t the jeans and hip armour wearing my hip would have been badly broken. So a huge thank you for you r jeans.

From £82.99

Highly Recommended After ten years of success with Hood Jeans, its still comments like above that mean the most to us.

Custom Bikes HARLEY DAVIDSON® SALES, SERVICE & REPAIR

• Full maintenance

CUSTOM CYCLES

& servicing facilities • Fixed price servicing

TEL/FAX: 01797 223547 MBL: 07866 078625 Email: sales@vtwinuk.com Web: www.vtwinuk.com

• Harley diagnostics • Custom bike building • Large showroom

22a WINCHELSEA RD, RYE, EAST SUSSEX, TN31 7EL

Main A259

Tools

Restoration

Roadside toolkits Designed for Harley Davidson Motorcycles Black and Tan Coloured Tool Rolls & Saddle Bags from £19.99 .99 £39 NOW

.99 £19 NOW

Contains just about everything you • Genuine Real Leather could ever want or need in a take • Nickel Brass Concho & Buckles along Roadside Tool-kit. • 100% Guarantee.

Buy a tool-kit and leather bag together and save £5.00, see website for more details.

Also available pressure guard valve caps & roadside puncture repair kits.

Tel: 07841 100533

all major cards accepted

www.roadside-toolkits.co.uk To advertise on the American V classiﬁed page Contact Andy Fraser 01778 392054 or Email: andyf@warnersgroup.co.uk

p95-97_avapr10.indd 97

8/6/10 16:38:55

Complete Workshop Facilities inc: • New and Pre owned Bikes for Sale • Full Custom Bike Design and Builds • Customisation • Custom Paint and Repaint • Crash Repairs & Insurance Quotes • Servicing & Parts Fitting

• • • • • •

On site Tyre Fitting Diagnostics Polishing Shop Full w/shop Facility @ £35.00 p/h + VAT In House Fabrication Parts & Accessories Sold

Come and visit Nick Gale’s Motorcycle World at our Wembley Showroom open Monday – Friday (Saturday by appointment). Tel: +44 (0)20 8998 6775 or +44 (0)79 51 74 13 52 E mail; Nick@nickgalecustoms.co.uk Unit 5 Montague Works, 250 Water Road, Wembley, Middx HA0 1HX

p99_avjun10.indd 1

8/6/10 13:52:41

S E K A R B D N A S L E E H W H C REVTE ADE IN THE USA PROUDLY M

SPEEDSTAR COLLECTION

FOR THE COMPLETE LINE OF REVTECH WHEELS AND BRAKES GO TO...

WWW.CUSTOM-CHROME-EUROPE.COM/WHEELS.HTML

Order your copy now or download at www.custom-chrome-europe.com. Call +49 (0) 671 - 8 88 88 0 for the dealer nearest you.

p100_avjun10.indd 1

Global Motorsport Group GmbH Custom Chrome Europe Planiger Strasse 154 D-55543 Bad Kreuznach Phone: +49 (0) 671 - 8 88 88 - 0 Fax: +49 (0) 671 - 8 88 88 - 100 e-mail: info@customchrome.de www.custom-chrome-europe.com

8/6/10 13:51:24