Split Decison Shovelhead

JOSHUA DEBENEDETTO

A young spirit WITH AN OLD SCHOOL SOUL

Born To Ride is proud to showcase this custom bike out of South Carolina to our readers. We asked talented bike builder Joshua DeBenedetto, owner of JDChopperSC out of Greenville, South Carolina to fill us in on the details of the bike he calls, “Split Decisions.” Here’s what he had to say. --Editors

This is my first official motorcycle build and I named it “Split Decisions.” I pulled a 1967 Slabside Shovelhead out of the trenches and gave new life to a machine that had lost its way.

The goal in mind was “different.” I wanted to give everybody something unique to look at, and I wanted to push myself as a fabricator and bike builder. My desire was to build a bike that could win shows, as well as ride for long miles. It has been incredible seeing the transformation in the bike alongside my abilities.

I handmade one-off split coffin-style gas tanks, and split the oil bag into two separate units—one holding oil and the other holding all of the electrical components. I also split the seat so that you can look through it and see right through the motorcycle.

I introduced hand-forged blacksmith pieces into the tank center, hand shifter, and clutch connecting rod. The exhaust pipes were built from scratch. I turned down brass on the lathe for the exhaust tips and used the lathe to whittle up matching wheels spacers and handlebars.

The motor was in rough shape from sitting outside for so long. I rebuilt the top end and the bottom end was rebuilt at Pete Hill Motorcycles in Greenville. It all came together with an incredible paint job and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it came out.

Getting out on the open road on a motorcycle I created with my own two hands in my garage is so fulfilling. And I can’t wait to get started on my next build.