2022 sturgis motorcycle rally dennis kirk garage build bike show winners

every once in a while, I am blessed to have the opportunity to write a feature for Cycle Source Magazine on a bike that I haven’t actually seen in person. When this happens, I am reminded of two things: The first thing is the vital role that motorcycle magazines play in our community, and number two is that even though I haven’t seen a particular motorcycle in person, there’s a lot more happening in the motorcycle community that doesn’t show up on my Instagram feed. When this happens, it honestly reminds me of just how important

Article By: Jason Hallman Photos By: Carfi Media

quality photography is and just how much you can miss if you only look at the echo chamber that is your own Instagram feed.

While it is entirely impossible to be at every single motorcycle event across the country and globally, somehow, Chris and Heather Callen and the team at Source Media always find amazing motorcycles like the one you see here. It was built by builder Josh Allison from American Metal Customs in Danbury, Connecticut.

Josh is originally from Wyoming, and his work has been featured in the pages of

Cycle Source before. He has a pedigree that includes Cry Baby Cycles and Orange County Choppers. Josh is world-renowned for his metal-shaping skills. His craftsmanship is at a level few ever reach. He credits a lot of his skill to constantly challenging himself. He pushes himself to work with new tools and raw materials to build his skill set. In short, just when you think you’ve seen it all or think that everything’s been done, a builder like Josh shows up with a machine like this and ties it all together. He reminds us that with every different builder comes a different set of skills, with every different artist comes a different set of muses and that we still have a long way to go.

Josh’s bike, all by itself, has a nice warm organic feel. He used several different metals and finishes. The various metals and the raw and polished finishes around the bike give it a classic old-world panache with a modern skill set to simplify the motorcycle’s overall look.

The engine and driveline were specifically selected by Josh to ensure that this bike can be ridden often and be ridden at speed. Tremendous attention was placed in the selection of parts such as the Baker Drivetrain 6 into 4 transmission and the final drive gearing that allows the 1941, World War Two-era Knucklehead (yes, you read that correctly: This is not a re-numbered set of post-war bellies) the ability to cruise comfortably at modern highway speeds. Josh has an affinity for authenticity, and he is quick to point out that while there are other times that he specifically chooses a more modern version of an old classic, it was important that this engine be from an actual motorcycle that carried (and likely leaked) oil over eighty years ago.

Josh started with the fuel tank and worked painstakingly to meld the different metals and finishes. It takes an un-numerable amount of engineering and planning hours to select the parts that will work together in unison and complement a project such as this. One space that draws your attention is the dual rear braking calipers. Josh has a mechanical brake on his personal Knucklehead chopper but felt that for this project, a more modern braking system was in order, and it coincides brilliantly with the existing period-correct feel of the bike.

Josh draws inspiration from many different things. Whether it is one of his contemporaries or even a skyline off in the distance, Josh finds his muse when it appears to him as some sort of cosmic offering rather than from a forced object that has no place on a motorcycle.

Rather than spray the tins with paint and cover his work, Josh’s metal finishing skills are apparent and out in the open for all to see. Anything mechanical in nature on this bike is polished or finished to perfection

The Disciple Tech Sheet

Owner: American Metal Customs

City/State: Danbury CT

Builder: Josh Allison

Year: Custom 2021

Model: Custom

Value: 100k

Time: 7 months

ENGINE

Year: 1941

Model: Harley Davison Knucklehead EL

Builder: Steven McPhillips

Ignition: Points

Displacement: 61 cubic inch

Pistons: Harley OEM

Heads: Knucklehead OEM

Carb: Linkert M35

Cam: Stock OEM

Air Cleaner: Custom Josh Allison

Exhaust: Custom Josh Allison

Primary: Open 530 Chain Primary Tech Cycles

TRANSMISSION

Year: 2021

Make: Baker 6into4

Shifting: Foot Shift

FRAME

Year: 47

Model: Knucklehead

Rake: stock

Stretch: none

Forks:

Builder: After Market/Custom Josh Allison

Type: Leaf Spring

Triple Trees: Custom Josh Allison

Extension: none

WHEELS

Front Lowbrow Customs

Size: 21”

Tire: Avon Speed Master

Front Brake: none

Rear Wheel: Lowbrow Customs

Size: 16”

Tire: Coker

Rear Brake: Dual Caliper

PAINT

Painter: Ralph Baldwin/ American Metal Customs

Color: Black/Gold

Type: PPG

Graphics: none

Chroming: Bar Plating

ACCESSORIES

Bars: Josh Allison

Risers: none

Hand Controls: Kustom Tech

Foot Controls: Josh Allison/ Lowbrow Customs

Gas Tank(s): Josh Allison

Oil Tank: Josh Allison

Front fender: none

Rear Fender: Josh Allison

Seat: Josh Allison

Headlight: After Market

Taillight: Josh Allison/The light Asylum

Speedo: none photographer: carfi media rather than hidden or tucked away. The engine and the gearbox are connected via a Tech Cycles chain driven primary using a 530 chain.

Josh is someone that finds himself constantly pushing himself to build as many parts from scratch as he can. He also wanted to capture the period of bikes that were built following the last world war but just didn’t feel that a standard telescopic front end would do the bike justice, so he built the leaf spring front end from scratch.

Josh would like to thank the following craftsmen that helped make this project the stunning, rolling piece of art that it is: To Jason Pohl for the engraving and Ralph Baldwin for the paint, and to Steven McPhillips, who built the vintage Knucklehead engine. American Metal Customs is located in Danbury, Connecticut, and can be found online at: www. americanmetalcustoms.com rarely does a motorcycle intrigue my sense of change, but I can honestly say that the HarleyDavidson Low Rider ST (FXLRST) did just that. I really wasn’t sure how I would like this ride as I am a fan of low and lean choppedup motorcycles that start with a Harley foundation. As a custom builder/mechanic and shop owner, I get to ride just about every model there is. However, when the opportunity to do a review was unveiled for Sturgis, I chose to go way outside of my wheelhouse. Something about the Low Rider ST was calling my adventurous inner child.

With that said, I have never really been a fan of fixed fairings, rubbermounted drivetrains, or saddlebags. I don’t normally feel like I want to drag my knees in jughandle onramps or have the desire to live out a life dream as a TT road racer. The FXLRST is touted as “Sport Touring, with style rooted in the California “tall bike” movement.” Ok, sporting the streamlined high and tight saddlebags, jacked up rear suspension, high handlebars, and the FXRT looking frame mounted fairing, Harley stepped up to answer the immediate call of an emerging demographic. and determined the saddlebags were two different sizes, and he gave specific instructions on what handling points he was interested in. So, of course, being the great mom I am, I took his list and headed to Sturgis.

Now doing some research among FXR riders and their thoughts on the FXLRST, my son Axel, who loves FXRs was excited for me, probably more than I was. We looked at pictures

I started out at the Demo tent on Lazelle, awaiting my new wheels, unsure if I was even going to be able to look at it, let alone ride it. Dan & Lauren met me in the big tent and brought me out to the service trailer, where the bike waited with a shiny, very sturdy, yet classy stance. Immediately I had to confirm the saddlebag size, and yep, they are two different sizes to accommodate the exhaust pipe. Really, it’s not terrible or even noticeable, and the bags are spacious with a very user-friendly lever-style locking system; hell, they even felt good in my hand. The 2-into2 offset shotgun exhaust, shiny Gunship Gray color with the Deep Bronze wheels, and shiny black accents became aesthetically pleasing. My inner child was ready to go riding.

Geared up, I placed my stuff in the saddlebag and threw my leg over, high, so I didn’t hit the bag as this bike has 5.9 inches of ground clearance and is quite tall. Then shockingly, I found myself seated 28 inches off the ground, feet flat, in a very aggressive riding position atop the FXLRST. Ok, now what? Pick it up off the kickstand and ride it, right? I thought it would be top-heavy, weighing in at 721 pounds. Well, not as much as I anticipated, and I almost threw it over onto its side. I assured everyone watching I was capable, and I rode away without causing them any more stress. The fairing mounted to the frame was an extremely odd feature that took some getting used to, but it didn’t take long for it to add to the feel of the aggressive seating position. As I rode through town, I checked out the ABS, a standard feature. I did not care for the rear braking engagement with the two-piston floating caliper. It wasn’t as responsive as I expected for a performance-oriented motorcycle. The front fixed four-piston caliper made up the difference, and midcontrols zipping through town added to the mix, building my anticipation as I got to the interstate. A blank slate inside the fairing had my builder brain engineering the stereo placement and analog gauges in that canvas as I continued through town. I found the 2.14-inch LCD display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, range, and tachometer indication a bit challenging to see. It is dark, small, and devoid of color, which I didn’t care for.

I memorized my son’s list and was ready to test his criteria. I hit the on-ramp and leaned in a bit more than I would on my own bike, and “Wow!” the Michelin Scorchers stuck to the pavement with a feel of sound maneuvering. Ok, let’s get to some speed and shift through the 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission. First and second have a nice range, and the gear ratios provide uplifting pull with the 117 cubic inch M8 motor as I shifted through the power bands to fifth. The bike is smooth and comfortable at 3500 RPM with 125 ft pounds of torque to the rear wheel the highway and go for more. South Dakota is the perfect backdrop for any ride, and the FXLRST fits perfectly. In 6th gear, it quickly reached speeds more than the limits seemingly effortlessly, which is not recommended, especially in Sturgis. Last on my son’s list was its all-terrain capabilities, and NO, I don’t mean dirt bike offroad style. Gravel roads, rock-filled parking lots, and dirt/sand surface riding at The Spoke, The Chip, and a few other stops provided just what I needed, and the FXLRST outhandled and outperformed every expectation I had before the ride. whenever you want it, the FXLRST delivers.

I proceeded to take the Deadwood exit and get some twisty action going. I was again shocked at the handling of this motorcycle. Nimble even in hairpins at speed, the single cartridge 43 mm inverted front end allowed exceptional maneuvering. I got close to the ground with my knees in turns and curves confidently while accelerating. I enjoyed the canyon riding and decided to get back on curtis Hofmann is the kind of cat that loves custom everything. At the same time, he is naturally ahead of the curve because when everyone starts doing the same thing, he gets bored and drops it to go in a completely different direction. That’s what drew him into the FXR Friends Throwdown. It was a chance to break out of his lane and stretch his legs. Hofmann grew up around motorcycles. His old man rode and had his own bike shop. This was in the hay day of Minnesota, where everyone was trying to keep pace with Donnie Smith and the Hamsters USA®, so custom bikes were everywhere. When he was younger, he worked on cars and mini trucks, but bikes were always a hobby. That was until he turned 20 and moved to California to work in some shops. Curtis said he learned so much during that time, but in the end, California was a rat race and wasn’t where he wanted to do his own thing as far as business goes. After working in about four other spots and honing his skills, he loaded up the mini truck and headed back to his home state, where he launched Hofmann Designs in the fall of 2009. He and a couple of buddies went in on a 1,000-square-foot place, and that’s where it all started. After only a year, he moved to the 1,200-foot space next to them and went it alone.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with the FXLRST and now really do understand the meaning of “Sport Touring.” The saddlebags hold a decent amount and are mounted high enough to not impede deep cornering. I did not have the opportunity to remove them and go styling downtown, but they come off and go on quickly without a ton of effort from the looks of it. The 6-gallon fuel tank has a sleek look because of the fairing, and the weight distribution is on point. Aesthetically it’s not hard on the eyes and handles well at both slow and high speeds. It does get 40 plus miles to the gallon, and the travel range is over 220 miles per tank, which allows the distance a touring bike rider would want. The FXLRST also brings out that Sport Bike feeling and handles as you would expect. I can honestly say I liked it and would ride one regularly if I had it in the stable. Of course, I’d make a few slight modifications. It’s who I am, but this is one solid machine, and Harley-Davidson has given its riders what they were asking for in a “Sport Touring” Model. Great job, HarleyDavidson!

He always built bikes as his full-time gig, with a bit of service work here and there, but primarily he has always been a builder. Around 2012 he was getting a lot of attention from national magazines for the stuff he was doing with Big Wheel Baggers, so he started developing some parts for them. All the while, he built an FXR, a Cafe Racer, and different stuff for himself whenever he got the chance. Then one day, the market shifted, and performance baggers started to hit the scene. This was perfect for Curtis since these bikes were way more fun to ride. Curtis loves the ability to work with modern suspension and braking and still bring it to a design that might be a call back to another day, like this bike.

When you look at his machines, you can tell that color plays a big role in developing the bike’s personality. With this one, Curtis’s goal was to make it look like it came out of the pages of a ‘90s custom bike magazine. Since the ‘90s are retro now….. Yeah, that statement almost killed me when he said it. But seriously, this color combination would have been right at home back then and could have been laid out by Ness, Perewitz, or Donnie. The challenge would be keeping that personality but taking an FXRP and moderating what he could, keeping it stock as far as the frame geometry and even the cop bags, but still finding a way to put his own flare to it. That’s how parts like high bars, the Beringer brakes, and Legends Suspension end up on the build. Taking those and matching them to Brock’s billet swingers gives this bike a modern edge. In the end, if someone could take this bike and throw a black-andwhite paint job back on it and fool people into thinking it was just any FXRP, he achieved exactly what he was after.

I asked Curtis about the spark and what it was for him that lit the fire for custom bikes, and he told me about growing up around legends. Donnie Smith was a huge influence on him as a fouryear-old boy. He and a bunch of the cats who ran around with Smith used to stop by his dad’s shop, and Curtis was blown away by their bikes. Funny that all these years later, he plants the same seeds. This bike is the second he had built for his daughters, both younger than he was when he was first exposed to this culture. His oldest was just 7, and the youngest wasn’t even a year old when he was finishing this bike for her. Can you imagine her pulling up to school on this thing someday? But it also got his oldest daughter out in the shop with him. She was invested in this project, and that, my friends, is where it begins.

With the throwdown looming, Curtis was down to the wire. As a matter of fact, at the Donnie Smith Show, which was just two weeks before we all had to be in Winslow to start the ride, Hofmann was far from being finished. But there he was at the start, all dolled up, and made the ride like a champ. We both agreed the ride with these cats was the best part. Lifetime friendships were made on that trip, and it’s a good thing because only your buddies can bust your balls like these guys do. The next chapter for Curtis is a chopper. Everyone is set

EMERSYN’S RIDE TECH SHEET

Owner: curtis hofmann

City/State: Monticello, MN

Builder: hofmann designs

Year: 1992

Model: fxrp

Value:

Time: 4 months

ENGINE

Year: 1992

Model: evo

Builder: aaron forsythe

Ignition: dyna

Displacement: 80ci

Pistons: S&S

Heads: S&S

Carb: S&S

Cam: S&S

Air Cleaner: Paughco

Exhaust: trask performance

Primary: HD

TRANSMISSION

Year: 1992

Make: HD

Shifting: 5 speed

FRAME

Year: 1992

Model: fxrp

Rake: stock

Stretch: stock

FORKS

Builder: harley-davidson

Type: 39mm

Triple Trees: Bill Holland suspension: legends axeo

WHEELS

Front Wheel: hofmann designs

Size:21 inch

Tire: shinko

Front Brake: dual 6 piston beringer

Rear Wheel: hofmann designs

Size: 18 inch

Tire: shinkp

Rear Brake: 4 piston beringer

PAINT

Painter: lucky strike designs

Color: teals, pink, purple, blue

Type:

Graphics:

Chroming: jd plating

ACCESSORIES

Bars: biltwell

Risers: hofmann designs

Hand Controls: beringer

Foot Controls: joker machine/h-d

Gas Tank(s): h-d

Oil Tank: h-d

Front fender: klockwerks, modified

Rear Fender: h-d modified

Seat: Drag Specialties

Headlight: lectric lighting

Taillight: lectric lighting

Speedo: Unknown

Photographer: melissa debord to meet in Winslow again; the long bike is the challenge this year. I’m sure whatever he comes up with it’s gonna be different than what people might expect, but from one end to the other, it will be custom. Hey, which one of the girls gets the first chopper? most of you will know that fuel, spark, air, and compression is the recipe for combustion in gasoline engines. Of the three, ignition timing is often the least understood and underestimated variable in the tuning process. In this month’s article, I’ll tell you secrets on how to unlock more power, more economy, and reduce heat from your engine. I’ll also explain exactly how important proper ignition settings are during the tuning process and how ignition timing really works.

I receive hundreds of emails from people asking questions about proper ignition timing settings. To answer, we must first dive deeper into ignition timing basics. Ignition timing refers to the exact moment a spark plug fires relative to degrees of crankshaft rotation… typically this is top dead center of the piston on the compression stroke. There is often a misconception that spark is triggered when the piston is at top dead center, but the truth is that fuel doesn’t start burning the instant the spark plug is fired. It takes time for the fuel to burn. The point at which the air/fuel mixture begins to burn (or combust) is why ignition timing must be advanced, typically somewhere between 10 to 40 degrees before top dead center for virtually every internal combustion gasoline engine. is called combustion propagation. From this point forward, there is an expansion of the gases until maximum combustion pressure is reached. The goal is to achieve this maximum pressure just after top dead center of the piston. This

First, I’ll explain ignition advance versus ignition retard. Remember, we are referencing crank rotation before top dead center of the piston during the upstroke. When timing is advanced, we are telling the spark plug to fire earlier, resulting in a higher number of degrees before the top dead center of the piston. The opposite is true for retarding timing, where we are telling the spark plug to fire later, which would result in a lower number in degrees before top dead center.

The objective behind precisely setting ignition timing is to get the most out of every power stroke by allowing time for combustion pressure to build up and achieve its peak pressure at the precise moment the piston comes over top dead center and starts its way down on the power stroke. Typically, that occurs around four to six degrees after top dead center on average.

The point that ignition advance produces the highest torque value is called maximum brake torque or MBT. Just as determining the proper air-fuel ratio: this is a key element in the tuning process that requires talent and skill to uncover. If the ignition starts too late in the combustion cycle, the piston can literally outrun the expanding explosion. Too much ignition retard is especially inefficient for power and performance. Since the built-up combustion pressure is wasted, it also creates overheating and higher emissions as less combustion occurs inside the cylinder.

Now, on the other hand, if the ignition starts too soon or advanced, the pressure will be reached before the piston even gets to top dead center. The piston finds itself fighting against a very large force as it moves up on the compression stroke, and that creates the pinging noise you hear.

That noise you’re hearing is literally the piston and internal engine parts beating themselves to death. It can break piston rings and pistons, burn holes, and even destroy valves. A 4.625 stroke crankshaft assembly can produce piston speeds over

4,600 feet per minute at 6000 rpm. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how this condition, or detonation, can be catastrophic.

The point just before this pinging noise occurs is called point of detonation or knock point. You never want to adjust ignition timing precisely to the knock point because there’s no safety margin. Many variables will also affect the point of combustion. A margin must be built into the timing to accommodate variables so you don’t damage your engine. Some variables include fuel octane, the quality of the fuel itself, air fuel ratio, air density, temperature, engine speed, engine load, cam profiles, weight of the bike and rider as well as compression ratio, just to name a few.

A typical ignition timing map is comprised of engine rpm, manifold pressure or vacuum, and the actual degrees of ignition timing. In the image shown, you will notice right away that there is a wide range of values. Typically, an engine, regardless of make and model, will follow the same trend as load in rpm decreases and increases, so does ignition timing. There is a reason behind this.

Engine vacuum is a measure of engine load. As the load changes, so does the air-fuel ratio, so timing must change with it. Also, as RPM increases, the pistons move faster, and there’s more fuel, so timing must change again. There needs to be just enough ignition advance under all operating conditions to accommodate for change in piston speeds, engine load, and air fuel ratios. As the piston moves faster, more advance is required. On average flame expansion speed remains fairly constant inside the cylinder, so if the piston is moving faster, you have to fire the plug earlier.

Often I develop ignition tables from scratch using a method called design experimentation, where the relationship between the multiple variables are studied by collecting strategic sample points between the low and high limits in both engine load and rpm. That data is collected and converted into a mathematical model to display the results graphically and the surface becomes a map. This is a lengthy process that can be simplified.

When a base timing map is available, a tuner can advance timing until the knock point is found. You let your experience guide you to know how much safety margin you require to account for the variables and retard timing accordingly, on average 5 to 7 degrees, and you work in average areas of idle, steady-state cruise, roll-on, and wide open throttle.

Remember, we are also riding air-cooled engines. We don’t have a cooling system to control engine heat. We only have a combination of air-fuel ratio and ignition timing. If your ignition timing is set properly, your engine will run cooler. It’ll make more power. The engine should start without strain. It shouldn’t ping, and it should be efficient, therefore, make good, smooth power. There is often power hidden within your ignition tables.

I hope this helps you on your quest to find the perfect ignition timing for your ride. If you would like more information on this topic and many others, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel at www. youtube.com/kevinbaxter there’s always a bit of a recovery period after a large adventure of any sort. I’ve felt it before in varying degrees. Sometimes that reintegration period is short and easy, almost imperceptible. Other times, like now, it is large and dramatic. After nine months on the road and a little over six months of those in a foreign land, I found myself hurled back into everyday life by the power of a 747 jet plane. In fact, it’s incredible how you can spend so much time traveling in one direction only to cover 17 time zones back home in a matter of a few days. My excitement upon arriving back in an Englishspeaking country where I could order a coffee with ease was quickly overtaken by a sensory overload I had not anticipated. As I stepped off the airplane and into the madness of the Denver International Airport, my brain glitched for a moment. The amount of information I was taking in by merely existing in that space was incredible and forced me to stop and readjust my expectations for a moment. For months, I had been traveling through areas where I couldn’t understand any of the idle chatter around me, street signs were difficult to read, and advertisements were meaningless and not worth a second glance. Ordering lunch or a beverage was always a gamble as you were never quite sure what you were ordering or if the person receiving the order understood any better. Often this would lead to a rather interesting outcome. Ordering a “hamburger” in an attempt to have a little taste of home once led to receiving a pound of deep-fried ground beef stuffed with what appeared to be something resembling nacho my way to the nearest coffee shop inside the airport, ordered a coffee in English, paid in American dollars, and received exactly what I ordered. My point is that my first soiree back in the United States was considerably more overwhelming than I had anticipated cheese. As delicious as it was, and the fact that I wasn’t hungry for three days after, still didn’t make up for my disappointment. I really just wanted a classic American hamburger.. After taking a moment to regroup, I did eventually make

I’m sure my sense of being overwhelmed was also due, in part, to the fact that I had hardly slept in three days. I don’t sleep well in airports or on planes, and that’s where I had existed since leaving Far East Russia. My first flight departed from the Magadan airport and nearly nine hours later arrived in Moscow. After enduring a long layover, I flew to Istanbul, another layover, then Bulgaria, another layover, then Germany, another layover, and then finally my arrival in Denver: An odd direction to fly considering that Magadan to Los Angeles is about a 7-hour flight, right? Unfortunately, because of the current political climate and the sanctions imposed on Russia, flying direct to the United States isn’t an option. Hence, you end up flying almost entirely around the globe to end up not all that far from where you started. I had the same issue trying to get my motorcycle back.

As of this very moment, my motorcycle, along with all of my parts, tools, camping gear, and some clothes, are bobbing around the Pacific Ocean en route to Manzanillo, Mexico. Why Mexico? Because Mexico doesn’t have sanctions imposed on Russia. In light of that, after many lengthy discussions with the shipping agent in Vladivostok, we decided that Mexico was the most logical and only real destination to get my motorcycle shipped. Of course, this was also a bit of a logistical nightmare. The bike was first dropped off in Magadan, where it was crated for sea shipping before being sent to Vladivostok. In Vladivostok, it was unpacked and recrated to meet the packing standards for the next leg of the journey. This is also the part where I learned from the Mexican shipping agent set to receive the bike that absolutely nothing could arrive but the motorcycle… that’s a problem. As stated earlier, I had left all kinds of gear and equipment on the bike. In a side conversation with the Russian agent, who had never heard of this rule, we decided to ignore these strong words of warning and send the bike as is. From Vladivostok, the motorcycle would finally leave

Russian territory and make its way to South Korea, where it would change ships again before making its final leg of the journey to Manzanillo. As of this writing, it is scheduled to arrive on October 16th, considerably later than anticipated.

So, now that I am home and the bike is on its way to Mexico, what’s next? What’s next is that I will be boarding yet another airplane and flying myself down to Manzanillo to collect the motorcycle and ride home…sounds easy, right? Unfortunately, it may not be that simple. At this point, the bike might make it home exactly as it is, or it might not. There are starting issues that really need resolved, a wheel bearing about to fail, a front rim with multiple cracks, the rear tire is on its last leg, handlebar is bent, the luggage rack is broken, and the list goes on. Fortunately, not all these things require immediate fixing. Of course, a smart man would deal with at least a couple of those. This is all only part of the issue. The second part of all of this is the weather. I fully anticipated this last leg of the journey to have been over and done with already, not. This is all part of the adventure, and I love it. Battling through these challenges is where I thrive. In fact, finishing in the snow, the way I started this trip, would be the best way to finish it. but here we are, quickly coming back into winter. Will I make it back before the snow flies? Who knows, but I really don’t have much choice at this point. Am I complaining? Absolutely abrother, Dr. Hamster called Keith Ball one day just before the Pandemic hit. He said something like, “I bought a 1950 Panhead roller. Can I have it shipped to your shop? We just need to clean it up, tune it, maybe a new set of sparkplugs.”

It won’t be until the front wheel of my bike rolls into my driveway that I will officially call this trip complete, and the finish line is in sight. Just a few more obstacles to clear, and it will be time to give my motorcycle some proper love in the garage and start planning for the next adventure. Where or what that will be, I have no idea, but I do know that this particular trip will be hard to beat and one that I will never forget. Until next time my friends, keep those maps open, those tires dusty, and those engines warm. There’s a lot of world to seeso start your next journey today.

Keith went for it. This was his second eBay experience, and it would probably be his last. Heed his warning… be very careful with any eBay purchase.

When the Panhead arrived, it was a mess. Keith said it was obvious that someone grabbed all the junk in their garage, a rough Knucklehead frame, a junk Sportster front end, no brakes, a Panhead engine and a 4-speed, ratchet top trans and tossed it together… then listed “roller for sale.”

Bennett’s Performance rebuilt the engine and transmission. Keith threw the glide front end in the corner and took the frame to Dr. John for straightening. Ball sent the mag to Dave at Morris Magneto to get it freshened up. He had a 45-springer front end and Paughco helped with rockers and springs. Dr. John added a 1-inch stem with a Paughco crown, new Paughco brass 6-inch risers, track bars and a vintage front end brought it all together. Keith dug into all his parts bins and came up with the springer dampening slider, foot controls, a rear mechanical brake, an M-35 Linkert carb, Milwaukee Iron Air Cleaner, brake linkage, shifter pedal and linkage. Damn, It sounds like a rad parts stash if you ask me. Ball reached out to Lowbrow Customs for a set of their new split fatbob tanks. Despite going full steam ahead, the project had its issues. The frame was cool when Dr. John finished with it and added castings for the mechanical brakes. The seat tube was modified for a Panhead engine, but the main backbone of the frame was too close to the tins. It could have, would have worked, but the bros recommended against it. This turned into a breaking point for the good Doctor, and he considered selling the lot. Keith couldn’t let that happen. He was just too invested in parts and labor. Even though he wasn’t getting paid, he was doing a friend a solid.

Mike Stevenson, an old school chopper builder and Hamster hunted for a frame and suddenly Kelly Dube reminded them of a Swedish vintage frame builder, Edlund Frames. A very reasonable deal was made on a completely stock Panhead frame. The doctor sold the not-perfect Knucklehead frame for stupid money, and they were on track again.

The other issue we had was the mag, but we’ll get there. Deny 945 painted the tins with his supremely secret patina paint and they started final assembly. Keith hauled the bike from LA to Deadwood, SD. When they cranked it for the first time, they had starting issues. Jason Mook of Deadwood Custom Cycles looked at the mag and gave it his blessing, but the bike still wouldn’t start.

After breaking it in, kicking it, Keith shifted gears and ordered two automatic advance vintage circuit breakers. He checked over the used unit, installed it, timed the engine and it started first kick after priming. Bada Bing.

Now, here’s the final chapter of this story. Keith was in the middle of the massive process of moving to Sturgis. He was loading up every mutha-f#@king thing he ever owned for the move. To give a tiny little

Pandemic Tech Sheet

OWNER: BANDIT

CITY/STATE: STURGIS, SD

BUILDER: BANDIT/MIKE STEVENSON

YEAR: 1950

MODEL: FL

TIME: 1 YEAR

ENGINE

YEAR: 1950

MODEL: PANHEAD

BUILDER: BOB BENNETT, BENNETT’S PERFORMANCE

IGNITION: AUTO-ADVANCE CIRCUIT BREAKER

DISPLACEMENT: 74 CUBIC INCHES

PISTONS: V-TWIN

HEADS: BOB BENNETT’S PERFORMANCE

CAM: SIFTON

AIR CLEANER: MILWAUKEE IRON

EXHAUST: PAUGHCO

PRIMARY: RIVERA AND PAUGHCO

TRANSMISSION:

YEAR: NOT SURE

MAKE: H-D RACHET TOP

SHIFTING: FOOT, 4-SPEED

FRAME

YEAR: 1950 REPLICA EDLUND

MODEL: WISHBONE from Stockholm, Sweden

RAKE: 30 DEGREES

FORKS

BUILDER: 45 H-D AND BANDIT

TYPE; SPRINGER WITH PAUCHCO ROCKERS

TRIPLE TREES: H-D AND PAUGHCO

EXTENSION: STOCK

WHEELS

FRONT WHEEL: SPOKES AND BLACK RIMS

SIZE: 3.75X18

TIRE: SHINKO

FRONT BRAKE: DUAL CAM MECHANICAL

REAR WHEEL: 40 SPOKE BLACK RIM

SIZE: 400/18

TIRE: SHINKO

REAR BRAKE: MECHANICAL

PAINT

PAINTER: DENY

COLOR: RED AND ORANGE

TYPE: SUPREME PATINA

GRAPHICS: DENY 925

POWDER COAT: SATIN BLACK RATTLECAN

ACCESSORIES

BARS: PAUGHCO RACER

RISERS: PAUCHCO SOLID BRASS

HAND CONTROLS: BANDIT’S LOCKERS

FOOT CONTROLS: BANDIT AND PAUGHCO

GAS TANK: LOWBROW

OIL TANK: STOCK

FRONT FENDER: NONE

REAR FENDER: RIBBED STEEL

SEAT: J&P SOLO

HEADLIGHT: PAUGHCO

TAILLIGHT: LOWBROW

SPEEDO: NONE

SWINGARM: RIGID

SUSPENSION: PAUGHCO SPRINGS SAFETY PINS for SEAT

PHOTOGRAPHER: BUCK LOVELL insight into what this would entail, and for those that had never been to Bikernet World HQ in LA, he had a 1958 Triumph TR-6 and a 1946 stock Indian Chief in his office. And that’s not even a little dent in what he had accumulated over his decades in the motorcycle industry.

During the move Dr. Hamster indicated a desire to buy the ’46 Indian that had just made the journey to the Black Hills. They cut a deal. Six months later they shifted the deal to a trade for the Pandemic. At this point Keith was pretty much invested in the Pan, heart, soul, parts and labor. These days, you’ll see Keith riding the Pandemic through the Black Hills and it still starts on the first kick.

Welcome to one of our favorite annual offering from Cycle Source Magazine: The Year In Review. In case you are new to our magazine we take the January or February issue each year to take a look back over the past year in the life of the motorcycle culture. Additionally, we also have a two month process where we develop a list of nominees for you to vote on for a series of what we call the Source Awards. This is a small way for us to give a little credit to the people who make their livings from this industry, make art from it’s images, or have a hand in taking it to the next place. From the best builders, craftsmen, products and more, we leave it up to you, our ravenous readers, to decide who gets the much covetted “Source Awards” each year. It all starts with invited participants from the industry and this publication who we ask to make nominations, then the vote is up to you! So, using these pages, go to www.cyclesource.com and cast your vote today for the Best of Awards, Best Pin-Up and Top Ten Bikes will be featured next month. Voting will close late November so vote today! The results of your votes will appear in the February-March issue of Cycle Source where we will announce your “Best of 2022” Awards and do our annual Year in Review. Thanks for taking a minute to help us give some love to those who deserve it. Good luck to all the nominees and thank you to all the readers who help make our year in review issue the greatest issue of each season.

2022 Sportsman Of The Year –

• MeatballHell On Wheels Racing

• Tom Banks

• David Currier

• Kyle Wyman

• Ebay Jake

• Joe Orisini

• Jared Mees

• Scott Lerg

• Bill Page

• Patricia Fernandez

2022 Shop Product Of The Year –

• Go/No-Go Gauge Sets Fast Eddy

• 9 Finger Fab Chain Drive Sprocket Locking Tool

• 9 Finger Fab. Lifter Bleeder Tool

• CT Newman Frame Jig

• Chapman Manufacturing Percision Screwdriver Set

• Jims Tools for M8 motors

• JIMS Piston Jet Test Stand

• Head Hoggers Piston Installation Tool

• Fna Daytona Dental Mirror

• Klock Werks FXRP Fairing

• Johnny 99 Oil Tank

• GasBox Sportster Frame

• Beringer Brakes

• Bare Knuckle Narrow Glide Trees

• NAMZ/Lectric Lighting Company’s DB7 Sunbeams LED headlamps

2022 Apparel Product Of The Year –

• Dixxon Flannel

• Aerostitch Electric Bib

• Doug Wothke

• Donnie Smith

2022 Woman Of The Year –

• Loretta Lynn

• Karan Andrea, Chix On 66

• Marjorie”Shadow” Kleiman Ashmore Ellis

• Staci Wilt

• Jody Perewitz

• Megan Margeson

2022 Builder Of The Year –

• Jason Ochoa

• Josh Allison

• Cole Diester

• Ray Llanes

• Rick Dozer

• Brock Bridges

• Daniel Heman

• Matt Olsen - Carl’s Cycle Supply

• Christian Newman

• Kyle Ray Rice

• James “Fish” Alcorn

• Steve Broyles

• Dan Toce

2022 Craftsman Of The Year –

• David Rock Stone

• Sean Jackson

• Barbie The Welder

• Ryan Gore

• Jordan Dickinso

• My Machinist Paul Cox

• Dan Toce

2022 Artist Of The Year –

• Lyndell Dean Wolff

• Fish Alcorn

• Mikey Revolt

• Squindo

• Scott Takes

• Mckeag Art

• Mad Stork

• Michael Lichter

2022 Manufactured Bike Of The Year –

• HD El Diablo

• Harley Sportster S

• Indian Challenger Pursuit

• H-D Lowrider ST

• Coolhand SpeedCO

2022 Accessory Product Of The Year –

• A Custom Duane Ballard Wallet

• Biltwell’s EXFIL Saddlebags

• Lexin Smart Tire Pump

• Ice Series colored Flare Windshields

• Klock Werks Rainbow Windshield

• Lexin G16 Carbon Visionary Carbon Handguards

• Hogworks Sissy Bar Luggage Rack

2022 Performance Product Of The Year –

• Twin Power Shocker Gel Battery

• Stevenson / Toce Exhaust

• HPI Exhaust systems

• Revolution Performance Big Bore Kits

• S&S 129” &132” Big Bore Kits for M-8 Engines

• Trask Turbo Kit

• Ness Radial Caliper

• Fueling 538 Cam

2022 Custom Product Of The Year –

• Hofmann Designs Billet Floorboards

• Steel City Blacksmithing Foot Controls

• Ledsled/Rkb Mini Front Rotor/Caliper Kit

• PYO Real Steel Cafe Fender

• Providence Cycle Worx Fxr Swingarm

• First MFG JADA Thunder Denim Jacket

• 25th Anniv.Dixxon/KlockWerks Party shirt

• First MFG Spartan Motorcycle Shirt

• Alpine Stars Heated Gloves

• Shoei RF14

2022 Media Release Of The Year –

• Choppergent

• Chopcult.Com

• Professional Monkey

• Athena After Dark

• The Fastest Woman on Earth

2022 Best Event Of The Year –

• Texas Fandango

• SmokeOut

• Cycle Showcase STL

• Sons Of Speed Tenn Jam

• TMMR

• Born Free

• The Chase Route 66

• Chicks On 66

• Daytona Bike Week

Article And Photos By:

Melissa DeBord

nik Sears describes himself as a creative guy with OCD tendencies. That made the perfect combination to be a Dennis Kirk Garage Build. Sears works as a fabricator at Charles Lewis Chandelier, where he gets to express his creative side daily. Nick has had many artsy projects of his own over the years, and with the encouragement of a few coworkers, this bike became that “next” project.

This was Nick’s first street bike. He knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge for him. He grew up riding dirt bikes and was influenced by his Dad, Uncles, and friends, who all rode on and off the street. Nick had an image in his mind of what he wanted to create and went to work to build it. His vision was a complex build that was more form than function. Basically, he wanted to ride it as a bar hopper. Nick had the perfect donor bike. He had purchased a 1971 Ironhead Sportster, which he admits he totally got screwed on. On the ride home, the rocker arms came through the top of the motor. Soooo, the actual first custom pieces on the bike were handmade rocker boxes.

Once he decided to completely customize the bike, he literally spent his lunch hour almost daily working fabricating custom parts. He handmade virtually everything. He milled, filed, lathed, and sanded every day for 3 1/2 years. He made the handlebars, kickstand, motor mounts, mirrors, air cleaner, exhaust, front suspension and much more, even the custom bike lock, which is a custommade hammer. He would take the parts he made during his lunch break home and would assemble everything at home in his garage.

When it came to the frame, he wanted to do something he hadn’t seen before. He used an I-Beam. He later realized why no one uses an I-beam for their frame. It is not designed for compound loads, and it doesn’t “give.”

Once the bike was completed, he rode it and realized he needed to upgrade the motor, so he found the 1985 Sportster motor you see here. In this state, he could only ride the bike for about an hour, and it would vibrate so bad it felt like it would come apart. He has since purchased a 2002 Fuel M2 Cyclone engine and is in the process of swapping those powerplants.

Like most garage builds, this build is forever evolving. Sears took home some tips and critiques from his first trip to Sturgis and has run with them. He admits the frame will not handle much more horsepower and is afraid he isn’t able to do much more. But that’s ok. That just means it’s time to build another one, right?

To commemorate the 3 1/2 years of lunches, he recently got a new tattoo… you guessed it, “LUNCH BREAK.”

Lunch Break Tech Sheet

Owner: nik sears

City/State: Lynnwood, wa

Builder: nik sears

Year: 2015-2019

Model: custom

Value: whatever someone is willing to pay

Time: 4 years

ENGINE

Year: 1985

Model: ironhead sportster 1000 xlh

Builder: val miller

Ignition: dyna single fire

Displacement: 1000 cc bored .060 over

Pistons:

Heads: stock/ custom rocker boxes

Carb: s&s super E

Cam: Andrews

Air Cleaner: custom

Exhaust: custom

Primary: stock

TRANSMISSION

Year: 85

Make: Harley ironhead 1000 xlh

Shifting: stack 4 speed

FRAME

Year: 2015 -2019

Model: custom I-beam

Rake: 42 degrees

Stretch:

Forks

Builder: me

Type: custom I-beam

Triple Trees: custom

Extension:

WHEELS

Front Wheel: stock

Size:21”

Tire: avon venom

Front Brake:

Rear Wheel: stock

Size: 18”

Tire: avon venom

Rear Brake:

PAINT

Painter: me and the guy down the road

Color: omni black and “gold mine”

Type: HOK

Graphics: none

Chroming:

ACCESSORIES

Bars: custom I-beam

Risers: custom

Hand Controls: exel components

Foot Controls: custom

Gas Tank(s): nik sears

Oil Tank: custom

Front fender: none

Rear Fender: custom

Seat: Harley

Headlight:

Tail light:

Speedo: None

Photography: melissa debord

Hey, I wrote something the other day and ended it with what could be a chopper code. Choppers will never die, because of the very nature of the breed. They are not built for efficiency, handling performance, or manufacturing precision. They are built behind a stringent survival nature and love for being a startling stand-out against the straights, conformity and regulations. We are outlaws until the end. Who knows if anyone will agree with me, but that’s the nature of the creative spirit. Let’s hit the news:

Mcallister To Restructure Tucker’s Sales And Marketing Function, Discusses Strategy

For Growth Based On “Powered Adventure” - On Friday, Tucker Powersports President and CEO Marc McAllister told company employees that he was planning to update the sales and marketing functions to create a “more focused organization” and laid out the company’s long-term strategy of becoming an “outfitter for powered, outdoor adventure.”

“Now is a natural time to review the structure of our sales and marketing functions. We need to start with strategy, and I believe that moves us to a focused sales and marketing organization operating under a strong leader,” said McAllister. He did not identify candidates for the role and he advised employees that the search was underway.

Tucker’s former VP of Sales Brad Turner left the company for a new electricity, and sometimes it’s human power. We have products that support the owners of motorcycles, UTV’s ATV’s, watercraft, and snowmobiles… it’s our products that make our customer’s adventures even better,” said McAllister. “But customer demands are evolving and we need to evolve to meet those changing customer needs.”

“To be successful, we are taking steps to ensure we have the right products and the right partners with us going forward. We will be parting ways with some brands that are familiar and taking on new brands that are focused on innovation and enhancing our customer’s experience.”

“We will work closely with our dealer partners and, with them, we’ll create a stronger online and brick-and-mortar presence, helping us meet customers where THEY are at.”

Tucker frequently conducts employee town hall meetings to share business updates and strategic activities.

David Mann Chopper Fest position earlier this month.

McAllister also used the meeting to expand on the company’s strategy of becoming an outfitter for powered, outdoor adventure.

“We ARE a company that is built on adventure. Powered adventure. Usually that power comes from internal combustion, sometimes it’s from

Announcement - We’re doing Chopper Fest this year! Here are some of the details. The 17th Annual David Mann Chopperfest will be held on Sunday, December 11, 2022 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA from 8am-4pm. The event features a very special Motorcycle Art Exhibit, an All Brand Antique and Custom Motorcycle Show; Custom Bike Builder Displays featuring World Class Bike Builders; Hundreds of Motorcycle/Culture Vendors; a New and Used Motorcycle Parts Swap Meet; Live Rock and Blues Bands, Food and Beer. General admission is $15, Military with ID $10, kids 12 & under are free. Note: No Colors, No Pets, No Outside Alcohol. For art show details go to https://www.chopperfestival.com/ artshow.html -Sean McKean, Event Coordinator

Harley-Davidson Custom Paint Program - Inspired by racing. Built for touring.

Apex Factory Custom Paint. From board track to flat track, enduros to hill climbs, drag racing to road racing and more, Harley-Davidson has a rich and storied racing heritage that began in the earliest days of the Motor Company and continues to this day. Inspired by paint and graphics from race bikes throughout our history, Apex factory custom paint celebrates Harley-Davidson’s legacy of winning with a paint and graphics option for select 2022 Grand American Touring models. Premium touring performance; Ultra Limited. This fully-loaded touring bike truly does have it all, now with the exclusive Apex factory custom paint option.

The Dominion Collection - Take your motorcycle to a new level of customization with the Dominion™ collection’s gloss black anodized or bronze powdercoated parts and accessories.

Indian Motorcycle Racing

And S&S Cycle Wins -Riding the Mission Foods, S&S Indian Challenger, O’Hara’s Consistency Through the SevenRound MotoAmerica Series

Carries Indian Motorcycle Over Rival Harley-Davidson to Reclaim Coveted Crown

Recently, at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Tyler O’Hara battled through rain-soaked conditions to finish second in the Main Event, earning the necessary points to capture the 2022 Mission King of the Baggers (KOTB) Championship for Indian Motorcycle Racing and S&S Cycle. This is the second KOTB Championship in three years for O’Hara and the Indian Motorcycle Racing-S&S team in the increasingly popular MotoAmerican bagger-racing class.

O’Hara’s 2022 Championship run was a picture of consistency throughout the seven-round series. The Petaluma, Calif. native captured five podium finishes over seven rounds; including a victory at the Daytona Speedway season opener, along with two fourth place finishes aboard his ever-reliable Mission Foods S&S Indian Challenger.

This year’s Championship came at the expense of Harley-Davidson

Screaming Eagle rider Travis Wyman, who entered the series’ final round with a three-point lead in the Championship point race, only to see his hopes literally slip away when he crashed midway through the second lap while frantically chasing O’Hara through the rain soaked circuit in New Jersey.

It was an afternoon rainstorm that spoiled the best-laid plans for points leader Wyman and served up a golden opportunity for O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams, who both thrive in wet conditions. Starting from the fourth and fifth positions respectively, O’Hara and McWilliams jumped out to a fast start, overtaking Wyman and Vance- position to the finish and capturing his second KOTB Championship.

“Even though it’s one rider that earns the Championship, this was a situation where the support from Jeremy and our ability to work together made all the difference, and I could not be more grateful for his support and the tireless work of my entire Indian MotorcycleS&S team,” said O’Hara. “Every member of this team sacrificed so much of themselves over this past year and to stand on that podium and celebrate this Championship with them is a testament to our commitment and nothing short of a dream come true. I’m so proud to reclaim the crown and the number-one plate for such an incredible and talented group of guys who put their hearts and souls into this season.”

Hines Harley Davidson rider James Rispoli and moving into second and third position respectively coming out of turn one.

This allowed McWilliams to slow the pace for the field behind him, including Wyman, and create breathing room for O’Hara who consistently maintained pace behind race leader Kyle Wyman. With an added level of urgency thanks to McWilliams’ stifling efforts, the younger Wyman made an aggressive outside pass on McWilliams and immediately began aggressively pushing to close the gap with O‘Hara, ultimately lowsiding and sliding into the infield late into the second lap.

Although he was able to get back on his bike and continue the race, Wyman fell to the back of the pack, while O’Hara stayed close behind the older Wyman brother, holding his second-place

McWilliams, a veteran road racer of Moto GP fame, joined the Indian Motorcycle-S&S factory team at the start of the 2022 season. Along with a virtually unmatched level of experience and skill that resulted in a Round Two victory at Daytona and fourthplace finish overall, McWilliams brought an invaluable wealth of knowledge to the team. His technical input and collaboration with Indian Motorcycle-S&S engineers and mechanics throughout the season allowed the team to continually evolve, refine and improve the Indian Challenger, optimizing set ups specific to track conditions at each and every round.

“This Championship is the result of the sacrifices and commitment made by each and every member of our team – so many days on the road away from their families and sleepless nights working to ensure our bikes were dialed-in for Tyler and Jeremy,” said Jeff Bailey, S&S Cycle Crew Chief. “Every member of our crew played a critical role, making unique sacrifices and sharing in the highs and lows we experienced together throughout the season, and that’s truly what makes this Championship so gratifying. I could not be prouder of this group of incredible