Tech Tip-Metalsport Wheels

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!

SEATTLE ENGRAVING’S GOLD-PLATED GUNS

Two brothers from Seattle have created an incredible company that makes beautiful artwork out of deadly weapons. We’re talking about our new Born To Ride sponsor, Seattle Engraving Center. Mike and Haysam Gamil moved to Florida and opened Seattle Engraving Center in Brandon. You’ll find them at 1073 E Brandon Blvd, in the Town Center at Forest Park.

Imagine owning a super rare Colt Talo exclusive Aztec Empire 38 Super with amazing gold accents, incredible engraving and devilishly detailed mural work on the stock. You’ll find that piece of lethal jewelry on their website along with hundreds of other mindblowing guns. Like what, you ask? How about a custom 1911 Government Colt 45 that’s been 24-k gold-plated and black chrome engraved with a Day of the Dead theme. And that’s just one of so many truly stunning fire-able wonders. When you go to their website, you’ll see what we mean.

Seattle Engraving Center has really mastered the art of gun customization, gun engraving, and 24K gold plating. Some of their guns even have diamonds and gem stones such as emeralds, rubies, and more. Let them make your piece personal or shop from their custom gun gallery of ready-to-own masterpieces.

Seattle Engraving is committed to 100% satisfaction with their work. Check out the ad in this issue and visit the website at seattleengravingcenter.com or call 206-535-8978. Tell them Born To Ride sent you.

“Think of the Money you could raise for your Charity with this type of Firepower.“

Ron Galletti Publisher

Bitchin’ Big Wheels for Baggers at Metalsport Wheels

WE CHECK OUT METALSPORT INC.

There are some companies whose products can really add an outstanding custom look to a bagger, yet most riders don’t know much about them. Metalsport is just such a company; they make super sharp looking large diameter billet wheels. Granted there are other people that make large diameter wheels, but only few do it like Metalsport; their billet wheels are true one-piece creations.

Having seen their wheels on many custom bikes, we decided to give you a close-up view of just how they make them. Located in a rather non-descript building out east of Los Angeles, which houses more large CNC metal working machines than we had seen in quite a while. Ron Loynds, Metalsport’s President, filled us in on their history and gave us a cook’s tour. They have been in the custom motorcycle parts manufacturing business for twenty plus years, albeit quietly though. They popped up on everybody’s radar with their introduction of several large diameter billet aluminum wheels.

Now most tires have a lot in common, but not big aluminum wheels. Metalsport’s 3-D wheels have machined spokes that flair out to almost the same width as the rim, whereas your average custom wheel features spokes that are barely a fourth the width of the rim. Making one-piece wheels requires three things: a big aluminum billet, a CNC machine that is capable of milling it and a lot of time. Metalsport bought a large machine to do big wheel in, then bought several more so that they could make more than one wheel a day. They start with a solid chunk of aluminum, they put it into the giant CNC machine that is programmed to whittle away all of the excess metal. When they are done, they have two products: a custom 3-D motorcycle wheel and a bucket of machining chips that weighs more than the finished wheel. So subtly stunning are their wheels that our pictures can’t project their actual depth and texture.

Along the way, Ron hooked up with several custom builders; among them is Chip Foose. Chip has designed a lot of custom wheels, which Metalsport makes and markets for him. To say that their styling is handsome is a gross understatement; we especially liked the Nitrous II in black.

For a complete look at Metalsport’s wheels, hit their website and be sure to watch the wheel video.

WHEELS AND MACHINES, METALSPORT HAS LOTS OF BOTH. THESE SEMI-FINISHED WHEELS ARE WAITING THEIR TURN IN ONE OF THE CNC MACHINES.

THIS 3-D WHEEL HAS HAD ITS SPOKES ROUGHED-IN; NOTICE HOW THEY GO OUT ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE RIM.

SOURCE: Metalsport Custom Wheels 10112 Miller Way, South Gate, CA 90280 502-776-9594