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August ‘10 CYCLE SOURCE
CYCLE SOURCE March ‘19
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BIKES
Plum Crazy Pan
LSR Best Of Show 2 Years In A Row ............................................................... 22
Black Dog VL
Dennis Wise Stays True To His Roots ........................................................ 36
Winning Shovel
SpeedKings Big Money Winner ..................................................................... 50
Anti-Social Skooter
Johnnyboy's '79 Shovel ...................................................................................... 62
Black Beauty
28' Indian Scout Cannonballer ...................................................................... 76
FEATURES Lone Start Rally '18
Texas Has Hidden Gem .......................................................................................10
First Ride On The Street Bob
Ken Checks Out The Newest Big Twin From Harley ............................. 30
Pointers From Patrick
6 Things Every Motorcyclist Should Do in 2019 ................................... 41
Metzeler's Cruisetec
New Performance Tires Tor Heavyweight Twins ............ ..................... 42
InSlideLine
The Numbers Guy .................................................................................................. 68
Art Of Our Culture
Killer Talks With Cycle Art Australia .......................................................... 75
In Motion Show
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The First Show Where They All Have To Run ........................................... 82
TECH
Pay Attention It's Free
Shop Maintenance Tips With Daniel ........................................................... 16
Stainless Steel Sissy Bar
FFC Takes Us Through The Steps ................................................................... 26
Speedo & Tach Install
Fleeing & Eluding Gets An Upgrade ............................................................. 60
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EDITORIAL OFFICE
The Cycle Source Magazine 119 Dellenbaugh Road Tarentum, PA 15084
For Any Questions Or Comments Please Call 724-226-2867 or e-mail cyclesourcemain@comcast.net
EDITORIAL STAFF
Christopher Callen - Editor In Chief - cyclesource69@comcast.net Heather Callen - Managing Editor - cyclesourcemain@comcast.net Will Ramsey - Tech Editor - will@faithforgotten.com Milwaukee Mike - Mid-West Editor - neanderthalneon@hotmail.com Roadside Marty - South East Editor - roadsidemd@bellsouth.net Keith “Bandit” Ball - News Editor - bandit@bikernet.com J. Ken Conte - Test Ride Editor - kenconte@gmail.com
STAFF WRITERS
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Chris Callen, Milwaukee Mike, Jack Schit, Pat Jansen, Will Ramsey, Xavier Muriel, Charlie Weisel, Mitch Bodine, Mark Velazquez, Amelia Rose, Daniel Donley, Joshua Elzey, Jimmy Frizzell, Roadside Marty, Scotty Kerekes, Heather Callen, Rebecca Cunningham, Dan Venditto, George The Painter, Tyler Porter
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Mad Stork Ken, Mark Velazquez, Carsten Fritzen,Twila Knight, Rebecca Cunningham, Dan Venditto, Melissa Shoemaker, George The Painter
CONTRIBUTORS
Patrick Garvin, Matt Reel, Clinton Wallace
STAFF ARTISTS
Jimmy Frizzell, Chris Callen, George The Painter
ADVERTISING
Ken Conte- Sales Manager - ken@riseaboveconsulting.com
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CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Heather Callen - 724-226-2867
Product Spotlight
COPY EDITOR Judy Duggan
Word Of Mouth On Some Of The Good Stuff Out There ....................... 44
The World Report Powered by BikerNet.com ......................................... 86
LEGAL COUNSEL
36
DEPARTMENTS From The Editor’s Desk .................................................... 8 Photo Hunt ........................................................................... 34 Pin-Up Of The Month ....................................................... 46
James L. Paz Attorney at Law - Tarentum, PA - 724-226-9PAZ For Any Subscription Questions Call 724-226-2867 The Cycle Source Magazine® (ISSN 1935-0287) is published 12 times a year by The Cycle Source Magazine with Offices at 119 Dellenbaugh Road Tarentum, PA 15084, 724-226-2867, www.cyclesource.com. U.S. Subscription rate is $25.00 for 12 issues. Canadian Subscription rate is $40.00 for 12 issues. Back Issues, when available, are $6.00 each, payable in advance. Periodicals postage paid at Tarentum, PA ad additional mailing offices. The Cycle Source Magazine® reserves the right to reject any advertising or contributions that it deems unsuitable. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not of The Cycle Source Magazine®. Nothing printed in The Cycle Source Magazine® August be re-printed in whole or part without the express written consent of the publishers. Copyright ® 2019. The Cycle Source Magazine®, A Grass Roots Motorcycle PublicationSM, Scooter Tramp ™ Wild Man™ Low Down & Dirty Rotten™ Grease & Gears Garage™are registered trade marks.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle Source Magazine 119 Dellenbaugh RD. Tarentum, PA 15084
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On The Road With X ......................................................... 48 Chopper Charlie .............................................................. 56 Endless Highway .............................................................. 70 The Edge With Jimmy Frizzell .................................... 90 Gut Busters ........................................................................ 98
DISTRIBUTION
Coast to Coast Newsstand Services Partnership 5230 Finch Ave. E., Ste. 1, Toronto, ON, M1S 4Z9 Cycle Source - Dealership Direct Distribution 724-226-2867
SPARE PARTS In The News
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Amelia Rose
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ABOUT THE COVER
The second year of the In Motion show during the Lone Star Rally saw Jeff Cochran of SpeedKing Racing take home the top honors along with the big check. We're thrilled to have his winning bike on this month's cover with the full story in these pages. Jeff is a great friend to the magazine and a true mentor to the industry. March ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 7
Article By: Chris Callen
o
ver the years I have heard myself repeat the words of great men, quote the occasional philosopher or poet a time or two, but only in recent times have I started to realize that these phrases I keep at the ready are tied to values I hold dear and govern my own life. You see, early on I quit high school, and in an effort to defend those who might suggest that I did this because I was too stupid to get a diploma, I studied philosophy in my free time. I also started to hang around a motorcycle club, and between the two I found many parallels. Oh, you may not know it but trust me they exist. These are the people that society would paint as ruffians and social miscreants who were, in fact, loud and colorful, partied as hard as they worked and dealt with betrayal in a swift manner. They may have also been partially responsible for a modicum of bad behavior I picked up back then, but I digress. The point is, I found in them a place where the world made sense, my language was understood, and I felt, for the first time in my life, that I had something to offer. It didn’t stop there either. Because I loved this motorcycle thing so much, I began to learn everything I could about it, where it came from, the names of the men from history that carried it through economically challenging times, right down to the care and maintenance of the motorcycle itself. That led me to point out even more parallels in the literary world in offerings like Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. All of this was
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a compendium of a sort from people who made sense of the world because of the perspective the motorcycle gave them. As you know, this passion for two wheels would eventually lead a highschool dropout to pursue a lifelong career as a journalist. With no formal education, no training other than the free exchange of ideas from conversation with those around me, I would find myself with a worldwide audience and among my heroes who suddenly became my peers. One at a time I found that many of their stories were the same, their backgrounds differed here and there, but by and large, they found their voice through a world of motorcycles and motorcycle people. From there this group, that could easily be labeled a motley assortment discussed, authored, experienced and forged what is the motorcycle scene today. They were not, most of them anyway, simply observing the world around them, a culture and people that they would clinically describe in literary offerings. No, they were part of this world, and from the ground level they could easily report the who, what, where and why, as it sat right in plain view. That last feature is important as it pertains to journalism and the world today. You see, having a back story, knowing the people, their families, their stories and history can make a world of difference when you report on subjects that involve them. Without that, it’s just a social media rant with less substance: and try as you may it is added to the nameless, faceless rhetoric that has the shelf life of a fresh cut flower. I write this today because I just received
news about one of our long-standing competitors closing their doors. Much to the contrary of what people might think, I am not happy about this. Less motorcycle media leaves us to the whims of social media whiz kids who are as willing to influence our audience as they are any product who happens to have a few dollars to throw at them. No, I believe in the institution of media that take responsibility for the community it serves and have humbly added my name to that list over the years. While so many scream the “Print Is Dead” mantra in the face of this news I can only offer this; When you look around and see that those who are left are not the media owned by corporations but the few who have made their lives around this subject, it should not be a surprise to you. To that end then yes, easy media is dead, lazy media, bourgeois media, all dead. But if you believe that the media outlets who remain are there by accident, that they just happen to exist because the ax is yet to fall on them you are wrong. It is because those people are willing to work harder, usually for way less. They will spend more time, travel further, dig deeper, become more creative, take initiatives and exceed expectations in everything they do because it is their life, not their job. To everyone at that publication, we wish you well, but specifically, I write this editorial as a memorial to the storied history of that 40-year tenure of telling the stories that shaped the American Motorcycle Scene.
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A
long the Gulf of Mexico, on the southern coast of Texas is a town called Galveston. It’s a sister to the famous Louisiana city known for lavish Mardi Gras celebrations. You’ll find much the of the same landscape around Galveston, the streets put you in mind of New Orleans, but the biggest difference for all of us is that this town does it’s partying on two wheels. Once a year, some 600,000 motorcyclists descend on this otherwise sleepy little city, and for four solid days, it’s on. This is the Lone Star Rally, Galveston, T e x a s … . Republic Of…. For us at Cycle Source Magazine, the annual pilgrimage to Galveston Texas marks the finish line. This year that was, even more, the case since from The Lone Star Rally last year, around the entire calendar year until the 2018 event, we never really came off the road. None the less, this is where our friends and family get together and damned if we weren’t headed for a hell of a time again.
Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Jeff Klaum & Cycle Source Staff Like most of this year, for some reason, we were about a day behind, kind of a good thing if you can imagine. The entire town had just endured a series of storms, and as we were heading into town, one last event blew through taking many vendor tents with it. We had Steve Peffer with us from
Steel City Choppers who was competing in the In Motion Show, the bikes were with Mark in the Big Trailer, and we managed to miss that final disaster. Except
for the fact that we then needed to get everything ready in under a day, we were good. This was not just our story, as the folks that put on the Lone Star also had their work cut out for them. I can’t say enough about the incredible crew that is behind this rally. In record fashion, they set up an entire temporary city, and once the event is over, tear it down just even faster. Anyway, let’s take a look at the rally. With a few trips to the hardware store on Thursday morning, several of the builders of In Motion helping us out we managed to get Hendley Park on 21St and Strand set up and ready for the bikes to take their place. We had just enough time to make it over to Seawall on the other side of the island to see who would show up to make the shakedown ride. Will is writing an article on In Motion in this issue, so I will let it go at that. Suffice it to say that we made the shakedown ride, did the reception party and by the end of the night, we all collapsed in our beds. Some party animals we are, huh? What we seemed to have March ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 11
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missed on Thursday night was Vince Neil of Motley Crue fame. Old Vince was looking a little rough, but hey... to have lived through some of the stories I’ve heard about those guys in their younger years, let’s just say he’s earned a pass. The crowd dug the hell out of him, so all was good. The next day came early and fast. Friday is a big day for the Cycle Source on Seawall. For the 6th year in a row, we held our old-time bike rodeo and brother I have to tell you that people in Texas do not play games when it comes to the word rodeo, no matter what you ride to compete. Of course, we always have the favorites like the slow race, the barrel roll, and the weenie bite but each year we throw in a ball buster. This year it was the ring toss. Ring toss sounds like it would be stupid easy, but it really takes skill to work all those variables and toss the rings on cones as you pass by. All this happens with the beautiful Pleasure Pier amusement park right over our shoulder. Hours went by as we played games, taking a short break here and there so Chris Tice and his guys could tear it up with the stunt show. I can hardly believe it, although I shouldn’t be surprised by this point, but Scotty Tripp won the overall rodeo champ award again this year, making it an impressive four Lone Star Rally handmade rodeo championship belts he has taken home from these games. Thanks to everyone who played, especially the Pensebene boys who took to the weenie bite like true champions. That evening, we spent the night getting the lighting working over at park. The scene where the Lone Star promoters had us set up In Motion was beautiful, and we soon saw the fruit of our labor on several local news channels who were also impressed with the builders and their creations. The strand was a zoo, as it always is, and as the hysteria built, Brett Michaels took to the Progressive Stage at Beach Central. You have to give it to this cat, he still kills it and believe it or not is a hell of a nice guy to be around. You can see him there with Todd Matthews of Progressive getting a quick pic. Progressive signed on to Lone Star this year and really helped bring the event to a new level, thanks, guys. Saturday was the day, head to head and side by side the Cycle Source Custom Bike show at Seawall and right across the street the Perewitz Paint Show at the Hotel Galvez. Dave - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
and Jody Perewitz hold an incredible series of shows man, and the Galveston show is off the hook. With some of the most decorated baggers in this part of the country, it was no surprise to see the five-digit paint jobs rolling into that lot. Sponsored by PPG and Sata Spray Guns, the guys who paint the winner’s bikes get some killer prizes right along with the builders. Across the street, our show was no slouch with some of the greatest full out customs and choppers that Texas had to offer. Everything from old Indians to the Chopper jockeys and all their hardware, Performance custom bikes and the like. We gave out some 24 awards and prizes provided from Lucas Oil, Hot Leathers, Lone Star Rally, JP Cycles, and Progressive. Paughco was set up right next to us and decided to throw in a half dozen or so custom fuel tanks and handlebar sets. Only one would take home the big honor as best in show, and for a second year, that would be Eric Vaughan with his slick 1949 Panhead Chopper. It’s featured in this very issue so go check it out. He also got $500 in cash, well $400; I still owe him a sawbuck since the ATM was out of dough. He can probably just pick it up next year with his annual earnings unless one of you come out to take his streak away. Saturday night was time for The Original Mexican, oh yeah baby, only in Galveston and my favorite. With a killer show in the books, fantastic bike games and finally getting to ride my Shovelhead beside my brother Clinton, this was already a great event, but it wasn’t over by a damn site. Sunday morning, we had to get all the In Motion bikes over to the main stage for the awards. We were hard at figuring the winners, getting the big check signed and ready. Peffer threw a little freehand custom In Motion logo on it the night before like a champ, so it looked tight. One at a time all the builders got their bikes either fired up and ridden down, or in the case of those who hadn’t made it to stage call yet, some of us helped by pushing them across town. One way or another, we would get the entire thing set to go before the Count, and his band took the stage at 3 pm. As per Texas, it ain’t over til it’s over and the crowd was out in force to squeeze the last drops out of Lone Star ‘18. As we all mulled around, Jay Allen, master of ceremonies,
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took the stage and began to talk us up. The show, the builders, the effort behind it all. In this part of my article, I would like to take a little space, if you don’t mind, to thank this man, from all of us. You see, a lifetime ago I slept on couches behind and in buildings Jay owned called the Broken Spoke Saloons, many of us did. He was not just an event promoter, not just a bar owner or master of ceremony; he was a steward for the spirit of this industry and our culture, he still is today. I have sat and watched as Jay has been the caretaker for several generations of bike builders, PR guys, manufacturers, entertainers, and just plain old rally goers have come through his establishment. Somehow, he remains able to focus on the good, the promotion not of the individual or for that sake alone but for the thing as a whole. He is a great man without whom many of us would not be in this thing. I celebrate my 22nd year of publishing this magazine next month, and it happens largely on the advice of men like Jay Allen and John Green. Thank you, sir, from all your illegitimate orphans. So, as you have undoubtedly heard by now, Jeff Cochran of SpeedKing Racing took home the $10,000 prize, but that wasn’t our only prize this year. Steve and Paughco made sure that for his second-place finish Brian Buttera got a wishbone frame, and Clinton Wallace in third got a springer front end. Although, I can’t imagine Clinton building a bike small enough to use that thing, hell man, just send it on over to me! We can’t thank Melissa Penland enough for helping us get In Motion on the map through her Lone Star Rally, Paughco and Lucas for throwing in on it as well and each and every one of the builders who came from all over the country to prove that it still matters if what you build will be a source of enjoyment once the lights from the show fade. With another year of Lone Star Rally in the books, all I can tell you is that you better start making plans for next year. We have some announcements coming up that are going to blow your mind. Until then, keep an eye out for Cycle Source social media channels where we will be posting all the photos from this event. I think we have like 1500 more or so for you to check out.
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Article And Photos By: Daniel Donley
www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com
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ere we are at the beginning of a new year. There is one tool in a shop that you really don’t think about as being a critical tool. That if this tool were to break your shop would, in turn, come to a halt. What is that tool? Well, it just so happens to be your Air Compressor. You don’t really think about it as being that critical but when you really look at everything you use your air compressor for, and what it does for you, it quickly becomes one of the most important tools in your shop when it comes to not being able to use certain tools, to not being able to work properly. Air compressors are one of the most relied upon tools in our shops but yet sometimes the most neglected tool. If it works and makes air, then it’s good right? A bit of preventive maintenance goes a long way and is necessary to keep you and your air compressor happy. Because if it goes down, so will your shop. For this month’s tech, I am going to go over some preventative maintenance for your shops air compressor. Here are some tips to keep your air compressor in tip-top shape so this doesn’t happen to you.
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The most common used compressor is a piston type. We all know that anything that has pistons creates heat and when you create heat you create wear. It’s a good idea to change your compressor oil on a regular basis. A regular basis? Well, how often you need to is based this on the amount of use. As a general rule of thumb, I use my compressor daily for at least a few hours; I change the oil in my compressor quarterly throughout the year. So, it’s time to change your compressor oil. They typically have this little square drain plug; I typically change them out to a petcock, like on a motorcycle gas tank. This will make oil changes happen much faster. Also, its best to drain the oil while the compressor is warm, just like in
your motorcycle, it will flow out much easier. As far as which compressor oil to use, well that’s up for debate just as much as what you put in your motorcycle or car. The biggest thing to remember about compressor oil is, you either run a Nondetergent, typically a 30w or a synthetic oil. I have used both, and the compressor still runs just fine.
The compressor air filter assembly is
also a majorly neglected item. This recently bit my ass! I found out the hard way. My filter would be just a little dusty, so I would blow it out and reinstall, and all was well…. Or so I thought. All was not well, apparently, I did this too many times. The inside of the filter started deteriorating and
falling apart and went down into the compressor, I had little black specks coming out of my airlines. Don’t be like me, and change your filter on a regular basis, these are only a few bucks so, install a new one with every oil change.
Most piston type compressors rely on a separate electric motor to run them via a belt of some sorts. You want to make sure this belt is under proper tension, just like the chain or belt drive on your bike. I typically use a screwdriver to reach through the guard to lift up on the belt to see if there is excess play. If you have more than ¾” of play or movement in between the two pulleys. It’s probably a good idea to adjust the belt tension, by either moving the motor or compressor for adjustment. Also, make sure that then it is in proper alignment from motor to compressor. A straight edge such as a 2 or 4ft level works well to accomplish this.
A few years back, I had a weird
issue with my compressor, it was very intermittent it ended up being a loose electrical connection. It is good practice to check those connections to make sure they are tight. My issue at that time was a loose connection at my pressure switch. The little screw just gave up and lost all of its threads. A quick replacement of the screw and I was good to go.
Pressure switch? The pressure switch controls the high low pressures of the compressor, when it kicks on and off. These pressure switches are adjustable. Why would I need to mess with that? Every compressor has an operating range, from one PSI to another to operate at, to be it’s most efficient. To check this, turn the compressor on let, it build pressure till it shuts off, record this PSI, next drain down till it starts to run, then record this PSI. With these numbers typically on the back side of the pressure switch cover it will tell you where the turn-on PSI and the turn off PSI, you will want to make sure it is working within these parameters. If not, you will need to adjust. How do I do that? You will notice in the picture there is a Phillip’s head screw and a flat blade screw side by side. The Phillip’s head typically has a spring under it like an air-fuel mixture on a carburetor; the flat blade will raise and lower the start and stop PSI together. (Side note…the information on pressure switch adjustment I have provided here is just a mere suggestion and please don’t hold me to it; there are many different types. Please do your research on yours.)
There are many nuts and bolts,
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guards, and fittings on your air compressor. As I preach to new motorcycle owners, it’s a good idea to do a 100% bolt inspection once in a while. This will keep everything happy and at home.
So now that we have fresh fluid, air, proper connection, and everything is tight. It is a good idea to have regular practice of draining off the tank. The tank? Yes, your piston style air compressor makes heat and heat creates condensation. This ends up in the bottom of the tank. Which also ends up in your airlines, if you don’t empty this, it creates rust, and then your investment could be ruined. Often times the air compressors we purchase come with a drain cock like what’s on the bottom of the radiator
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of your car. Those work but don’t work real well. A ball valve with a hose on it to drain the water into a container works well. But even better than that they make these things called automatic tank drains. Well, they do what they say, and they are awesome. Either way just remember to drain the excess water from your compressor tank, daily or at the most every two days.
Just one last thing here that is high on the neglected list that I see in every shop I go to. Wherever the compressor is sitting in the shop is typically the dirtiest area or item in the shop. The majority of compressors have a belt driven flywheel. The flywheel is also a cooling fan which blows air onto the compressor to help keep it cool. So, with excess dirt and
debris, dust on the flywheel fan and compressor it is naturally going to run hotter. With this being said, I would suggest as a whole that it should be one of the cleanest items in your shop. We take care of our motorcycles, and they take care of us. Remember to take care of your shop equipment so it will take care of you. This year is my 8th year writing for Cycle Source and my 96th tech article so If there is something that you would like to see me do a Tech article on please call me or email me with your idea! If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at the shop anytime 419-576-6812 Daniel Donley Pandemonium Custom Choppers FacebookPandemonium Custom Choppers Instagram – pandemoniumc2 info@pandemoniumc2.com www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com
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Article By: Clinton Wallace Photos By: Missi Shoemaker
i
first met Eric Vaughan a few years back at the Southern Throwdown and at that time he was like many of us, where he just worked on bikes in a little spot in his garage for about 5 years with a dream of one day maybe to do it full time with his name on the front of the building. One of the first bikes that I saw of his was this sweet scoot. This project started one day when Eric saw a Craigslist ad for a Shovelhead for $1500.00 just a few miles from his house. He rushed over to check it out. The woman that was selling it said that
it was her brother’s bike and that he had been locked up and that he just got out and was staying with her. She was making him sell it to pay rent and help pay off some debts. Eric forked over the cash and got it back to his place, and first order of business was to get it running. Once it was a runner, he knew where there was a 49EL basket case that a guy was wanting to sell, so he went over a suggested an even swap. The guy told him that he must be plum crazy, which led to the name, but they shook hands, and a swap was made.
The frame was a stock 48 wishbone that was in good shape, and no mods were needed for his vision of a cool chop. The first item on Vaughan’s to-do list was to rebuild the motor and transmission, which he did himself. Once Eric started building the bike, he had a tank that he had planned on using but remembered a tank was given to him by a good friend, Paul Posso. As soon as he set that second tank on the backbone, he immediately knew that was the one that he had to run. Eric had already welded the bungs into the already painted the frame
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for the other tank. So, instead of undoing what was already done, he decided to make some nifty stainless-steel mounts to utilize the tank with the mounts that were already in the frame. That’s what’s so cool about building true choppers; there is no restriction on creativity. Once the tank was mounted, it was off to paint, where Rat Daddy Customs was to lay down the base coat, and Blue Rooster Customs took care of the graphics. When it came time to decide the color for the base coat, Eric went back to his childhood where he spent many days with his grandfather building model cars. He remembered his favorite car they built, a 1970 Challenger
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that was plum crazy purple, so the color was set. When it came to the back fender, he took a Lowbrow Customs Manta Ray 4 ¾” fender and widened it 1”. For the pipes, he started with some stainless-steel, and crab cut them to make rad set of pipes, though they fought him every step of the way. The final detail of the project was given to him by his wife Nicole Lipari; she gave him a War Bird pendant that he made into the gas cap. Now that’s a good ol’ lady. This bike wasn’t built for just show, no sir, Eric rides this sweet scoot everywhere. This past summer Eric and some friends took out to go to the Catalina Wine Mixer in Winfield,
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plum crazy tech SHEET Owner: Eric Vaughan City/State: Houston, Tx Builder: Eric Vaughan Year: 1949 Model: Panhead Value: ??? Time: 9 Months ENGINE Year: 1949 EL Model: Panhead Builder: Eric Vaughan Ignition: Timer Displacement: 74 ci Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: S&S Super E Cam: J Grind Air Cleaner: Speed Club Exhaust: Stainless Steel by Eric Vaughan Primary: 1.5” Open Belt TRANSMISSION Year: 1951 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: Jockey FRAME Year: 1948 Model: Harley-Davidson Wishbone Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks: Builder: Harley-Davidson Type: Servi Car Springer Triple Trees: 7/8” Extension: None WHEELS Front Wheel: Star Hub Size: 21” Tire: Firestone Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Star Hub Size: 16” Tire: Firestone 5.00 x 16 Rear Brake: Mechanical Drum PAINT Painter: Rat Daddy Customs Color: Plum Crazy Purple Type: PPG Graphics: Blue Rooster Customs Chroming: Atlas Plating ACCESSORIES Bars: Roland Sands Risers: Visionary Cycle Products Hand Controls: None Foot Controls: Foot Clutch Gas Tank(s): Lowbrow Customs Alien Oil Tank: Re-pop Panhead Front fender: None Rear Fender: Modified Lowbrow Customs Manta Ray Seat: CyFair Upholstery Headlight: P.M.CO Tail light: Prism Supply Speedo: None Photographer: Melissa Shoemaker
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Alabama. Eric and his sweet chop made the 1400-mile trip with no problems. As of April 2018, Eric’s dream became a reality when he opened Destroyer Garage in Houston, Tx. At Destroyer Garage, Vaughan does a little bit of everything from full oneoff builds to changing tires. He’s a rad dude with a great
family that’s living his dream running his own shop. So, if you’re in the Houston area and are looking to get some work done on your project or a complete build, or hey maybe you just need a tire mounted, make the trip to Destroyer Garage, Eric will fix you up.
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Article By: Will Ramsey Photos By: Craig Harriman (Corey Took One) Faith Forgotten Choppers - www.faitforgotten.com
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t has been a while since I did an “off the cuff” fabrication tech. This month I happen to be fabricating a very simple traditional sissy bar for a cool little Sportster chopper I’m building for a customer. This job offers a great opportunity to illustrate the need to develop and use your eyes when designing and building a bike. I often talk about precision, and I live half my life in front of CNC machines measuring parts and holding tolerances less than .0005”; but one of my favorite things about building bikes and parts professionally is the need to step away from the measurements and use a discerning eye to fabricate organic shapes such as gas tanks and sissy bars. Now please don’t misunderstand, this is not an excuse to be sloppy. Precision
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is still paramount, but the nature of the fabricated part simply calls for a different form of measurement… The Eye. And just like any precision measuring tool, it takes time and experience to master.
I like to rough out the design using welding rod as a template. This is not necessarily a template that I will always stick to as I will allow my eye to make the final call as I begin fitting
the final product. Nevertheless, a wire template is a good place to start and gives me a rough idea of shape and length.
I’m using 304 stainless steel for this project as the sissy bar will be polished before final assembly of the bike. I’ll turn four stainless steel bungs and two threaded mild steel bungs on the lathe to use as the mounts for this sissy bar.
To make the center bend in the sissy bar, the torch is employed in a concentrated fashion to allow for a tight radius bend. I generally use either 5/8” round or ½” round for struts and sissy bars. This decision is based on function as well as design aesthetics. If the bike is set up for a passenger, then 5/8” is always a “go to” choice for me. If passengers are not a consideration, then the deciding factor is simply the overall design and feel for the build. This particular bike is drawing a lot of design cues from a very early Harley Davidson era. The ½” round lends itself better to the nostalgia of this chopper design.
The initial bend is established quickly on a flat table to ensure alignment and symmetry
Some old-fashioned horsepower allows me to smoothly finish the bend and avoid kinking the metal
Now it’s time to just look at the bend and make sure that it is smooth, consistent, and symmetrical. Don’t just glance at it. Take your time and really look at it from every possible angle.
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Starting on the right side, I will tack the mild steel threaded bung to the fender. I take great care at this point to ensure that the bung sits parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the long axis of the bike. There’s really nothing more frustrating than seeing a well-built bike with mounting bungs positioned crooked.
The lower bends of the sissy bar can be done with the torch as well, but I find cold bending them to be faster and much easier to control. I use a tight-fitting cheater bar to aid in muscling over the round rod.
I like to use my modular Bluco table to lay out the sissy bar. This allows me to maintain symmetry from the right to left side as well as ensuring flatness in maintain a single plane between 3 bends.
After trimming the ends to length ill simply use a drum sander to cope the bottom of the sissy bar in preparation of welding to the lower bungs.
A tight fit will allow for a clean weld and minimize weld draw that can disrupt the fit of the sissy bar. After fit up is complete, it is time to Now back to the bike for a quick check. Hand bending a fitting up parts can take time, it’s important to be patient and critical of your work here, in order to display a great finished product.
With all the components cleaned and prepped the sissy bar can be tacked in place to all 4 of the mounting bungs.
When welding stainless steel, it is imperative that you clip the end of the rod every time you stop. An inclusion in a stainless steel weld is simply a fracture waiting to happen.
With everything tacked in place, the final welds can be made to all the mounting points. It is the patient and experienced eye that will often make the difference between an average build and something truly special. It’s the simple parts and the minimalist designs that truly demand the greatest attention to visual aesthetics. Even if you are not there yet, continue to push yourself to do better and remain critical of your own work.
prep for welding. The sissy bar is mechanically cleaned with scotchbrite, and any remaining dirt or oils are removed using acetone.
Sometimes I don’t know my own strength and end up over bending the rod. A simple squeeze in the vice, equipped with copper soft jaws, can tweak the sissy bar right into shape.
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As always, All welding rod is cleaned with acetone regardless of how “new” it is.
In the end, it’s the lines of the bike that tell the story of the fabricator. As you grow and evolve so will the story you tell. – Will
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i
am fortunate in that I get to ride a lot of different motorcycles and when I’m traveling, especially to LA, I always try to get on a new bike. I was going to make a visit to Arch Motorcycle and go to Chopperfest, and there is no better way to get around LA then on two wheels, so I contacted Harley. I knew that after all the bikes that we have ridden over the last 12 months it made sense to review the least expensive big twin Harley has to offer, the 2019 Street Bob. I arrived in LA early on a Friday morning and took an Uber to the Harley fleet center. Alan, who runs the fleet center, has always been great at making sure bikes are ready to go. After only 5 minutes of paperwork, I was standing in front of the Red Denim 2019 Street Bob admiring its styling and aesthetic. As I straddled the big twin, I was struck by the comparative comfort of the solo seat. The foot controls were set slightly forward and mini-ape hangers complimented the natural
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riding position. I always look at comfort first, because if it isn’t comfortable, really nothing else matters. It can be the coolest looking two-wheeled rocket, and if it isn’t comfortable, well it’s going to be hard to convince me to look at it objectively. The caveat is that there are purpose-built bikes that are just meant to go fast, and comfort is a secondary concern, we don’t ride too many of those at Cycle Source, but we get the reasoning behind them. The Street Bob is one of the Milwaukee Eight Softails that used to be on the Dyna platform. Chris and I have debated, on our weekly news show, Shop Talk (Live on Facebook every Thursday at 9 PM EST and also on iTunes, etc. under 4Ever2Wheels) if it made sense to go with the Softail moniker over the Dyna, considering the resurgence and passion for Dynas these days. The Softail naming system has been around since 1990 and has a lot more history than Dyna, so, from a historical standpoint, merging them under the Softail name made sense. If you look at the 2016 Street Bob you will notice exterior
Article By: J. Ken Conte
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shocks with basically the same aesthetic, stripped down and ready to rip, but the 2019 Street Bob offers much more. Although the blacked-out finish of the Street Bob is nice, the question is: Does it perform? In a one-word answer Yes. The bike features a 107-inch Milwaukee Eight with over 110-foot lbs. of torque in a 630 lb. package, making this the lightest Softail available. This is partly because of its meager 3.5-gallon tank but also because of it’s no frills set up. The front end is an upgrade for the M8, to a racing style cartridge fork enveloped in old school fork boots with a single fourpiston caliper up front for stopping power. The miniapes have a small but visible LED screen that shows all the pertinent information and is equipped with keyless entry, which proved useful. Also, as with all Softail models, it comes with a USB port at the neck, which is set up to charge devices. As I headed out onto the congested freeways of Los Angeles, I realized that I had only been on stock baggers while trying to split lanes, and not being a California native; it intimidated me. Visions of people merging too quickly in front of me, opening doors
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and other riders plowing through me were all going through my head. I focused on the nimble handling and treated it like a live video game. The Street Bob, with its neutral riding
position, narrow stance and plenty of stop and go power gave me the confidence to split lanes with ease all the way to Chopperfest. Los Angeles is not known for its amazing road surfaces, and as I rode some of the rougher sections, I thought it would be a good idea to soften up the suspension, which I suspected was set at the middle setting. The Street Bob does share the single shock under the seat that the Softails have been
known for, but at the lower MSRP, it is not hand adjustable as it is with the other models. The shock needs a spanner wrench, and it is located under the seat, which makes it easy to get to but not hand adjustable like the other Softails. That trade-off is well worth the cost savings. What I found out about the 2019 Street Bob, after I put several hundred miles on varied terrain, was that it was a fully capable Big Twin, with performance built in. The budget Big Twin is packaged in a minimalistic, sleek design that will appeal to younger riders who want to get into a big twin as well as budgetminded riders who want a base that they can customize to their hearts content. At an MSRP of $14,949 (non ABS), you can see why this is a popular model for seasoned riders as well as riders wanting to jump up to the big twin world. More info www. harley-davidson.com
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1. Missing Stripe On Tank. 2. Different Rocker Bolts On Rear Head. 3. Missing Fins On Front Cylinder Head. 4. Upside Down Pushrod Tube Collar. 5. Extra Long Brake Pedal Arm. 6. S&S On Points Cover. 7. Extra Seam On Oil Pump. 8. Extra Allenhead Bolt On Cam Cover. 9. Larger Allenhead Bolt On Brake Pedal Arm. 10. Oversized Oil Pressure Switch.
FIND TEN DIFFERENT THINGS ON ANTI-SOCIAL SHOVEL NO THERE ISN’T ANY REAL PRIZE, JUST SOMETHING TO DO WHILE YOU’RE IN THE CAN.
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i
t’s the fear of the unexpected that gets you when you hear your phone ringin’ a little too late and a little too close to deadline. You know it’s the call from the higherups as their airborne fortress circles the globe. A calamity of some sort has befallen a previous plan, and you need to get 6-800 words done “…like yesterday man.” That’s when the fear crawls in. There is an email waiting for you containing the bike that you need to focus on to create a spread that will both dazzle and impress. Your brain goes straight to full panic as your finger hangs over your mouse poised to open as you pray, each time, that whatever lies on the other side isn’t as bad as your fear has led you to believe it is.
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Article By: George The Painter Photos By: Melissa Shoemaker In nanoseconds, you will look at a bike and speak to its maker at length whether you like what it and he represents or not. Oh, and it must read like it’s the greatest thing to hit the road since Johnny Chops “True Blue.” With a simple click, your life for the next couple of hours is going to be an exercise in literary restraint or something and someone you can honestly gush over. “…3…2…1… click… Hallelujah and pass the potatoes! My life hit an uptick as my eyes gathered all the coolness they sent me this month. Thanks, you giants of the publishing industry, I am once again your obedient minion. I bow my head in humility. Looking at the bike, I knew I liked the man. The tech sheet says it’s
a 1931 VL, but in actuality, it’s a culmination of some really cool parts surrounding the very cool VL motor. I got on the phone lookin’ forward to flappin’ gums with the owner/builder Dennis Wise. Dennis hails from Galveston Texas and has probably forgotten more about bikes than most of us will ever know about old iron and the parts that make them up. He’s been buyin’ and sellin’ parts forever, and the bike you see here is just a good old swap meet special. It was pieced together from parts Dennis collected when wandering around the Pasadena Swap Meet not too long ago. The frame started as a chopperized Knucklehead frame - 1940 vintage. Dennis and his friend Kushde Farina (please excuse the spelling, I’m a
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writer, not a speller) straightened, reattached the tabs and finally removed the pie-wedge rake job bringing the frame back to something resembling stock. The same went for the offset 45” springer. It was bought at a swap meet and repaired as needed. The rolling stock are off an ’07 and incorporates that year disc brake set up adapted to the Knucklehead frame. No front brake is used, keepin’ it simple. The motor is also a swap meet score. Dennis bought it completely rebuilt from Big Greg of MC Creations. Dennis says that the motor has performed flawlessly, the only trouble he had has been a blown head gasket he got racing a TwinCam, which he won after running the intersection! Set in behind that VL motor rests a 1956
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Panhead four-speed ratchet top tranny, another swap meet score. Dennis runs a sprocket ratio that operates the trans as it did originally, first through third leaving the fourth gear as an overdrive numerically allowing the bike to carry him at freeway speeds. A set of ’66 fat bob tanks were used. He converted the left tank to an oil tank to feed the constant loss motor. The pressure plunger was removed from an original oil-side tank and silver soldered into the new tank. Just three pumps will get you started, and additional pumps are added when you hear an engine noise “you’re not familiar with.” How cool is that?! Dennis retired in 2010 and is always collecting parts. He is now the caretaker for “The Horde.” The Horde is a parts stash that has been assembled over the years to help fellas keep their old iron running. To put it as Dennis did, “…to keep a brother on the road.” If your bike is down and you need parts from the stash and are worthy, you can use the parts stash through Dennis. If for some reason motorcycles fall out of favor in your life you better to be ready to return
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BLACK DOG TECH SHEET Owner: Dennis Wise City/State: Galveston, Tx Builder: Dennis Wise Year: 1931 Model: Harley Davidson VL Value: “How Much You Got”? Time: 10 Months Engine Year: 1931 Model: Harley-Davidson VL Builder: MC Creations/Big Greg Ignition: Points Displacement: 74ci Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: Mikuni Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: Swap Meet Exhaust: Swap Meet Primary: Belt Drive Transmission Year: 1956 Make: Panhead Shifting: Heel Toe Clutch With A Butt Scratcher Frame Year: 1940 Model: Knucklehead Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks Builder: Harley-Davidson Type: 45” Springer Triple Trees: Extension: Wheels Front Wheel: Size: 21” Tire: Front Brake: No Front Brake Rear Wheel: Size: 16” Tire: Rear Brake: Disc Paint Painter: Rattle Can Color: Black Type: Graphics: Chroming: Accessories Bars: Ape Hangers Risers: 4” Hand Controls: Foot Controls: Heel Toe Clutch Gas Tank(S): 2 1966 Fat Bob Tanks Oil Tank: Left Tank W/ Hand Oil Primer Pump Front Fender: None Rear Fender: Swap Meet Seat: Swap Meet Headlight: Swap Meet Tail Light: Swap Meet Speedo: None Photographer: Melissa Shoemaker
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‘em along with the parts you bought for them. Dennis is the kind of guy that still lives up to what a grey beard should be. He’s one of the tough-as-nails bikers that looks to keep his brothers on the road while swimming neck deep in his passion for bikes and building them. It’s not often that you meet someone with old fashion biker values in both the bikes he builds and the way he helps others he respects. He seems to be a holdout from some mystical time of old, where money is never as important as brotherhood and brotherhood doesn’t come right away. It was a pleasure!
6 must do activities for ‘19
consider them to have a great riding season of your bike, you’re probably not going to break anything that hasn’t been broken (and fixed) before. Start with something small, install some grips, mirrors or mufflers. They are straight forward installs and use common hand tools. Get a few jobs under your belt, and you’ll be doing a big bore kit in no time if you run into a snag, we have a ton of installation videos on our YouTube channel to help you. You’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction for turning wrenches on your own machine and be much more confident if you have to do a roadside repair.
Article And Photos By: Patrick Garvin www.jpcycles.com
s
o there’s a new year and to that end Patrick along with the guys at J&P Cycles have a checklist to get you inspired for a season full of long lasting memories.
Ride More - I know, this sounds cliche,’ but it’s true. Spend more time on your motorcycle. You’ll become a better rider and undoubtedly enjoy yourself more than being in your cage. Don’t cop out on running errands or trips to the store because you have to haul stuff if you don’t have saddlebags throw on a backpack or get a small bag for your bag. More time on a motorcycle will always put a smile on your face. Visit a Motorcycle Museum - There are great motorcycle museums all over the country. All of them are jam-packed with motorcycle radness. That’s the great thing about motorcycle museums; they aren’t your typical stuff museum with crusty things you may or may not be interested in. If you like motorcycles everything in them is something you’d probably love to have sitting in your garage. They are not only a great place to get educated about old bikes, but they are just a great place to go check out rad shit.
Go Motorcycle Camping - Take a 3-5 day trip and camp off your motorcycle, no hotels and bring friends. It can sound a bit daunting, sleeping outside in a tent, worrying you won’t have enough clothes or be able to get a charge on your cell phone. Trust me; you won’t need half the shit you think you need. You’ll be surprised how far you can get with two sets of clothes, and
you’ll probably be spending far less time on your phone than usual, and you can always charge it with your bike. Pick a route that has some campsites and hit the road; I promise you’ll have a blast. Pro Tip: take half of what you think and twice the money. Work On Your Own Bike - Don’t be afraid
Introduce Someone To Motorcycles - I always hate it when people look down their noses at someone who doesn’t ride. Meeting someone who doesn’t ride motorcycles is always an opportunity to introduce them to the wonderful world of motorbikes. To a lot of folks riding a motorcycle is something they are scared to do or don’t see themselves as “that type of person.” My money says 99% of people will like it if they have the right introduction. If you have a chance, give them a ride, but don’t be a dick and scare them to death, make it enjoyable. Or if you can get them on a small dirtbike teach them how to ride, they’ll be hooked (don’t try and teach them on your 900lb bagger). Most people love motorcycles; they just don’t know it yet. Go To A Flat Track Race - Or better yet race in one. Flat track racing is one of the most exciting and fun forms of racing you will ever experience. And the flat track racing community is more like a family than competitors; I guarantee you if you are interested in racing there are guys and gals at your local track that will welcome you with open arms and show you the ropes. It’s fairly inexpensive as far as racing goes to get involved. And you could always throw some 19” wheels on a Sportster and go hooligan racing if you’re not up for ripping around the track, you will 100% enjoy a day at the race track watching the festivities. If you can make an AFT race to watch the pro’s, by all means, do it, but you’ll have just as much fun at your local track sucking down cold ones bench racing with your local dirt track hero. Whatever the year has in store for you, we wish you good luck!
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W
hile there are many differences in the US and European markets when it comes to motorcycles and the products for them, tires create a completely different environment. European’s take their tires very seriously, no man... Very Seriously! I’m not sure if this is due to their feverish pursuit of making everything go fast as hell or their scientific approach to their work, but even in their testing, they are different than us. Many times, when a company
launches a new product, they will invite journalists out to compare their product to that of their competitors in a heads up environment. Very competitive and very informative. Even when it came to my recent trip to Milan where I was treated to a real testing procedure on the Metzeler track in Vizzola, it was a real track, with several variables to give me great depth in my comparison. For the US, mostly as it applies to the V-Twin segment, having a tire that will last the lifetime of a bike has been the status quo over the years, or that has been the popular opinion at least.
In all of the articles and reviews ever written about tires, the number one thing people in the states want to know is... How Many Miles, Bro? Well, like I said, that was a has been attitude and times have been changing for a good decade. Now that consumers of the cruiser and heavyweight twins are concerned with now are the perfect blend of performance and longevity. As more younger riders take to Harley and Indian brands, they find that the suspension and handling must be upgraded to meet their riding
Article By: Chris Callen
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Photos Courtesy Of Metzeler
abilities. Metzeler noticed this with tires as well and just this month has released their answer to that demand; The Cruisetec. So, how much performance can you really get out of a tire for a big twin or a cruiser? Well, you will probably be as surprised as I was when you realize the things that go into considering what that looks like. The real challenge would not be how to get performance from them, in that case, you would just make a great soft compound that would stick to a corner with a tread that dealt with water and good to go. Unfortunately, that tire would probably only last a few hundred miles and suffer immediate negative reports from the market. Metzeler began by looking at the average tire profile for V-Twin bikes. Typically, they have less curvature than sport bike tires do, providing a broader footprint, or flat spot, in the center of the tire. This is ideal for straight line travel but is less reactive to quick cornering maneuvers. With the Cruisetec this curvature is much higher in the center and allows for a smoother transition from side to side while cornering. While the profile is crucial, the compound for this tire
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has also been completely reformulated as well. As Metzeler has a tire for almost every two-wheeled vehicle on the planet, and a specific tire for every environment they find those vehicles in, they were able to draw on innovative Plasticizer technology they have achieved in sport touring areas of their product line. The application of this new compound was as important as the formula itself. Rather than the traditional single or dual compound approach the Cruistec has a specific layered compound construction that, while being harder in the center, graduates across the curvature providing, what they claim to be, consistent performance through 80 percent of the tire’s life. Anyone who knows what happens when good tires start to cup half way through their life cycle can appreciate that. To test some of these theories out, we were brought to the Ozark Mountains and let loose with various motorcycles from both Harley-Davidson and Indian. There were dozens of journalists and at times I would call it breakneck speeds we were traveling with. This is a perk of riding with Italian record holders, they love to race, we love to race, the countryside was perfect for racing, and the tires were excellent. Pushing the big motorcycles harder than anyone in the general public would ever take them we found that the question of performance while braking was answered, perfectly. Metzeler attributes this to the diverging side grooves that extend to the edge of the tire and cross the center section. The side to side was amazing, no hesitation spot throughout the entire range of the tire and the curvature also added to the lean angle. In damp conditions during the early mornings, they handled brilliantly, and the report back from the road was emboldening. Meaning that even as you rode over tar snakes or cracks in the road, the compound combination of the Cruisetec tires seemed to absorb them and you remained focused on the cornering. In closing, with the 888 as their leading high mileage tire that has the widest application range and the Perfect 77’s that are killer for a vintage look with performance attributes, the Cruisetec rounds out Metzeler’s catalogue for the American Rider quite nicely. Thanks again to Salvo Pennisi, Tyler Porter and everyone at Metzeler for a great ride through the Ozarks!.
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h
appy New Year my friends. Well, we made it through another holiday season. It seems every year it comes and goes so fast that by the time I realize it, I can smell the fireworks in the air and just like that it’s gone. When it’s all said and done, I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to see another year in front of me. I’m looking forward to all the possibilities that lay ahead, to the excitement as well as the touch of fear that surrounds the unknown. This New Year gives me another chance to shake up the etch-a-sketch and start drawing another picture... I really didn’t know what to write about this time till I saw a post from someone in this industry that I highly respect. He said, in not so many words, that “In a world of over design and hyper detail a classic look is satisfying”. Now, before you go getting your feathers all ruffled, let’s get a lil deeper... everything, we see today is based on one thing and one thing only… Ready… An Opinion. If we can see it, then, one way or another, we automatically have an opinion about it. My Dad used to say, “Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one, and no
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two are alike.” Even as you read this, you’re formulating an opinion about this column. The beautiful thing about an opinion is that it’s just that, it’s just the way you see it and maybe not a fact at all. I like to think about it this way; you can have a 100 people in a room, and you talk about your favorite band, there might be 99 who totally agree with you,
but there will always be that one person who thinks your favorite band sucks... or better yet your bike sucks...and that’s OK. That’s the best part about being a creative person, you think like no one else. Therefore, you don’t create like them...BE YOURSELF EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN. I believe that if you create from the heart through whatever capacity you have and you’re true to
yourself, you can’t go wrong... After all, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Speaking of beauty, I recently picked up a Softail project that some would look at and say ‘’What a P.O.S”. And once again, I will say, you see that now, and I see something that, in the end, will be totally different and beautiful. Yes, it will take a hell of a lot of time and patience but it’s there…I can see it. Tthat’s what I love about the creative part of this; it has the possibilities to go in a hundred different directions. My producer used to say to me all the time “You gotta trust in the process”. And when it comes to bikes, I try to remind myself of that as much as possible. I’m so excited about the coming year. There’s a lot happening with Sons of Speed: there will be two more races added in Tallahassee and Virginia and Velocity will be airing its first two episodes that are now available on Motortrendondemand. com. So, keep, your eyes peeled for that. And who know what I might come up with during 2019… Well my friends until next time, be kind to one another. God Bless. X.
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T
he world of custom motorcycles has seen many a builders come and go. Through the TV years of choppers, shops were popping up everywhere. When that fad passed, the true chopper enthusiasts were still holding fast. These were the guys that lived and breathed this stuff. They were the guys that were up at the butt crack of dawn and working through the weekends because they loved what they were doing. These guys were and are the real deal.
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One of those “real deal” builders is Jeff Cochran. I’ve been a fan of Jeff’s style from the early Sucker Punch Sally days right up to now. The more I’ve been around the industry I’ve realized that not only are Jeff’s builds visually pleasing, they are rock solid, dependable motorcycles. Take the bike featured here for example. At first sight, it’s a beautiful bike. Then you start to notice the little touches that make it special, and then you realize these photos aren’t of a fresh build. This bike had well over
1,000 miles on it at the time it was photographed and still looks this good. Jeff started this build with a 1984 Shovelhead FLH. The stock frame was secured in his jig and one of his own “SpeedKing” branded hardtail kits was installed. A narrow glide front end was set up in a set of custom trees that Bill Dodge of Bling’s Cycles had given him a while back. On the rear end, an 18X5.5 tire was mounted along with a SpeedKing dual caliper set up. With this set up, one caliper is
Article By: Matt Reel Photos By: Jeff Cochran
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actuated by the foot and the other by the hand control. With the foundation set up, Jeff moved to motivation. S&S built him a solid, dependable 80-inch mill. Next, a Rev Tech 5 in a 4 transmission was mounted up. These two pieces were then tied together by a BDL primary. Now, while these may seem like off the shelf parts, nothing goes untouched when it comes into Jeff’s shop. A custom ignition cover was built using a BDL belt drive front pulley, and custom touches were added to the belt drive itself. With the driveline taken care of, attention was turned to sheet metal. An axed gas tank was chosen to hold the fuel, but it couldn’t be just bolted on. No, Jeff cut it up, narrowed it, raised the tunnel and notched it to
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clear the rocker boxes on the Shovel. A SpeedKing oil tank was used along with a SpeedKing rear fender that was held in place with SpeedKing stainless struts. Now it was time to get some control of this custom motorcycle. A set of Z bars were narrowed and attached to the front end. A set of BDL forward controls were acquired, taken apart and machined before being installed. Finally, Rich Phillips provided a seat, making everything perfect for the rider. With everything put together, it was time to take it apart. The bike was stripped down for some color. Killer Coatings took care of all the powder coating. With that done Reincarnation matched paint to the powder coat and
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WINNING SHOVEL TECH SHEET Owner: Linh Nguyen City/State: Carthage, In Builder: Jeff Cochran Year: 1984 Model: FLH Value: 30K Time: 90 Days Engine Year: 2018 Model: S&S Shovelhead Builder: S&S Ignition: Single Fire Displacement: 80ci Pistons: S&S Heads: S&S Carb: S&S Cam: S&S Air Cleaner: S&S Exhaust: Jeff Cochran Primary: BDL Transmission Year: 2018 Make: Rev-Tech 5 In A 4 Shifting: 5 Speed Frame Year: 1984 Model: FLH W/ SpeedKing Hardtail Rake: 30° Stretch: None Forks Builder: Jeff Cochran Type: 39mm Narrow Glide Triple Trees: Bling’s Cycles Extension: 3 5/8” Under Wheels Front Wheel: Spool Size: 21” Tire: Ralleycross Front Brake: Rear Wheel: Softail Size: 18” Tire: Podium Rear Brake: SpeedKing Rush Hour Paint Painter: Reincarnation/Killer Coatings Color: Puritan Blue Type: PPG Graphics: Flames Chroming: None Accessories Bars: Jeff Cochran Narrow Z’s Risers: Biltwell Hand Controls: BDL Foot Controls: BDL Gas Tank(S): Narrowed & Notched Oil Tank: SpeedKing Front Fender: N/A Rear Fender: RWD Seat: Rich Phillips Headlight: 5 ¾” Tail Light: Aftermarket Speedo: None PHOTOGRAPHER: Jeff Cochran Photography
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covered everything else. Now that almost everything was taken care of Jeff only had one last thing to do. Go out, ride, and enjoy his new bike. You see, this bike wasn’t built for a customer; this was to be Jeff’s personal ride. About the time it was completed Jeff was invited to the In Motion Show in Texas to compete for the $10,000 grand prize. Jeff loaded up his new bike and headed to Texas. The judges of In Motion must have appreciated the work that went into this bike as much as I did, he came home with the Grand Prize. Now back home, Jeff ran into a problem with his new personal bike. A good customer of Jeff’s wanted it. Two things seem to happen over and over to Jeff. He never seems to keep a bike for himself very long, and customers keep coming back. So, while many so-called builders may come and go the truly great ones will always be there, putting in long hours doing what they love.
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Article And Photos By: Charlie Weisel
t
he almighty dollar… I’ve been chasing the living hell out of it lately. In some ways this is good: it’s smart to plan for your future and set yourself up for a life that isn’t financially stressful. However, it can also be detrimental if you take it to the extreme. Balance must be found. I woke up this morning and had one of those clarifying moments when you realize that your life’s goals were being clouded by things of relative unimportance. Maybe I should explain how this all began. About six months ago I started a new venture and began investing in real estate. Everything was going great until a 3.3-acre property was dangled in front of my face. I wanted it! And suddenly I was willing to put my real estate goals, and therefore
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my long-term travel goals, on hold in order to drop a small fortune on a property for Kayla and me. We were both dazzled by the multiple shop spaces it provided, mountain view’s and the quiet street. The yard was perfectly landscaped, and everything was clean. There appeared to be almost no downside and the price reflected it. We actually went so far as to put an offer in; and were told that it was accepted and that the owners would be signing off on the deal. And then…. in literally the last hour, a more seductive offer fell into their lap. Just like that, it was over. Rage consumed me. It had been a week-long, stress-filled roller coaster ride that ultimately had resulted in nothing. I tossed and turned all night, debating on whether to submit a new offer,
at a higher price to try to beat my competition. How bad did we want the place? How far were we willing to go? There were so many questions going through my mind. It wasn’t until morning, as I woke up groggy and a bit grumpy, that the light bulb turned on in my head. What was I thinking? Did we really need all of that? The real answer was No! We absolutely did not. My goal has been to create enough income that would allow us to travel whenever we wanted, responsibly, and with no expectation that we could mooch off friends or rely on a Go Fund Me page to let other hard-working people pay for a permanent vacation. With that goal in mind I had to take a hard look at what was really important. This came with a slap in the face reminder to
stay on track and to not get sucked into the All-American dream trap. I’ve preached it a million times, and just this morning, I had to preach it to myself. Material things don’t define you or empower you. Life experiences, education and an open mind are what set unique individuals apart from the herd. Not to minimize it, but anyone can wake up every day, punch the time clock and collect a check. And in fact, to a certain degree, this is absolutely necessary unless you were fortunate enough to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth and to have a trust fund waiting for you. Of course, this is not the case for most of us. I wonder if a time clock punching life like that is really fulfilling anyone? Of course, for some I suppose it does, but I’m not always convinced that they are the majority. This all comes back around to the age-old question of whether success is measured in dollars. I’m guessing if you are a reader of this magazine then you might not think it is. I definitely don’t. I know a person must maintain some sort of financial responsibility,
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so they don’t become a drain on society. So how do we go about supporting our dreams while paying the bills? Ah, yes, that’s the question everyone wants the answer to. I certainly don’t claim to have the magic pill, but I can pass on what has worked for me. People ask me on a regular basis how Kayla and I are able to travel so much. Primarily, we have made traveling a priority. If this is what you want, my advice is to live a minimalist life and start taking a real look at what and how you actually spend your money. Granted, we don’t have kids so that certainly makes it easier, but more than anything we actively try to only spend money on things that are travel related. In addition to that, we are both self-employed. This provides a little more freedom to schedule our time off but also poses the risk of doing damage to our businesses when gone, there’s no way around that, but I think the risk is worth it. The long and short of it is that if motorcycle travel is your passion, and you want to do as much of it as possible, then start making the moves: start making it your priority. Instead of buying a fancy new car or motorcycle every year, spend that money on a trip to South America. Buy the middle of the road TV and spend the money you saved on a long weekend road trip. Do you really need ten pairs of shoes? Probably not. The money you spent
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on five of those pairs could have covered the fuel cost of a 5,000mile ride. That $200 you spent at the bar last night could have paid
for a four-day motocamping trip with your pals. You get my point??? We almost always spend money more carelessly than we realize. But if you pay attention and realize it, then you can change it. And after you make that change, it will be you telling people about how to make multiple longdistance moto trips a year possible. In addition, and to help things along, keep in mind that motorcycle travel is relatively inexpensive, especially if you are willing to camp. The fuel economy on most of our bikes is fantastic; campgrounds are cheap and sometimes even free. Food on the road shouldn’t cost you anymore than it would at home, but the experiences you will have are priceless. I think it is time to start realizing our own American Dream and to stop buying into the traditional expectations society places on us. If you ride motorcycles, then I assume you already agree with this, at least to some degree, because we are not a lifestyle that tends to adhere to social norms. My wife made a comment tonight that I believe sums up everything I’m trying to say into a nice little package, it should probably be on a mug or a T-shirt, or at the very least a bumper sticker. She said, based on what I told her I was writing about, “live small and do big things.” She’s a smart woman, and that’s a quote to live by.
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Article And Photos By: Matt Reel
a
s some of you may recall, my Fleeing & Eluding Sportster was a theft recovery that was involved in a police pursuit in my town (hence the name). When I saved it from a dark corner of an impound yard, it was in rough shape. In an attempt to hide its true identity, it was covered entirely with black spray paint and was hacked up. One of those hacks meant that the speedometer was missing and the mount was broken off the riser clamp. During my changes, I added tall T-bars and a small fairing. Then I picked up a dual gauge setup from eBay for it. While it fit in the fairing nicely it positioned each of the gauges directly behind the bar risers. I went on the search for an alternative. Although I found several setups nothing really jumped out at me. I really liked how some of the sport bikes were set up with
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an analog tachometer and a small digital speedometer. Narrowing my internet search, I discovered that Harley Davidson offered just what I was looking for. Another internet search of the Harley Davidson part number located a dealership offering a reduced online price. Press enter and my part was on its way. MTW
without having to make a trip to your local dealership.
Included in the package is the gauge, programming harness, and instructions. The gauge comes completely unprogrammed, and the harness lets you do it at home
For my application, I also needed a new fuel gauge sender. A note popped up when I ordered my gauge with a list of bikes that would require this.
By plugging the programming harness into the back of the gauge and into the diagnostic port all information is transferred in a matter of seconds. You just need to follow the instructions.
Using a service manual and the supplied instructions remove the fuel pump from the tank and the sender from the pump.
After pulling the main fuse, remove the gas tank to access the gauge harness and disconnect.
The new fuel level sender can now be installed carefully following the supplied instructions. The original sender was simply an on/off switch that turned on the low fuel light. With the new setup you will have an actual fuel gauge and a miles till empty setting.
Now you can replace the pump seal with the new one, and reinstall the pump and gas tank.
With all your connections reestablished and the main fuse in place, you can set up the new gauge. Following the instructions, you can choose things such as fuel tank size, so the gauge can calculate the miles to empty and choose from a broad spectrum of display colors. Now you’re all set, go try it out.
Remove the existing gauge bracket from the bike and disassemble it by removing the two Allen screws. The gauge bucket, seals, and screws will be reused.
Disconnect the harness from the back of the original speedometer and reinstall the new one. The gauge can now be reinstalled in the bucket and mounted back in place. March ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 61
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Article And Photos By: Mark Velazquez
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alance is a very hard thing to achieve. It can be a lifelong process you sometimes never even realize you are doing till one day you look back, and the end result smacks you right in the face. A case in point; is the story of JohnnyBoy from Beachwood, New Jersey. Like most of us, Johnny, in his “younger years”, hung out with his buddies. He lived in northern Jersey and learned to ride his first bike, a YZ-80. That’s where it all began. Eventually his true love for riding would pull him away from just hanging out, to doing what he still
loves best today, putting miles on the road. As time progressed so did Johnny. With his partner in crime at his side, his lovely and beautiful wife Gloria, he felt it was time to take his riding to the next level. Johnny wanted more power and speed to do the longs hauls that he knew in his heart would be part of their future life. He knew he had to build a bike that would stand the test of time and be a true reflection of who he was and what riding meant to him. After serving time in the Marine Corps (thank you for your service) from ’84 to ’88 riding was still in his blood, so in 1990 Johnny said
goodbye to his Sportster and traded it in for a 1979 FLH. Although the shocks looked like peeled bananas, Johnny rode that puppy home but swore, he would never ride her like that ever again! Counting on the influences from the likes of Paul Cox and English Don, as well as the Indian Larry scene that was happening down on the lower east side of NYC, the lifelong basket case project, was about to begin. With a vision in mind, the strip down to the frame began in the transmission shop of his long-time buddy Danny in Englewood, New Jersey. As good fortune would have
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it, Johnny would find out that changes to the bike would not be the only changes to occur in his near future. Going out on a limb, Johnny left his teamster job to go into business for himself as a master tile contractor. He invested a boatload of money in the project to be and found out during the build that his first child was on the way. After the smoke cleared both bike and son are still in one piece, under the same roof and doing great! When I asked Johnny what he did to his Shovel, his response was “EVERYTHING.” So, in a nutshell, here is some of that everything. The cases were cut for an S&S Sidewinder Fly Wheel kit. The engine was done by Bob over at Blockheads in Toms River, the front end came out of the garage of Richie Pan, and the rest was just a lot of long nights
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and some blood sweat and tears which to most of us is the best part of any build… once its done. Let’s not forget the paint, because eye candy is eye candy, and this black and white scallop design was done by Ray Shred. Performance was, of course, the main goal in putting together this great road warrior bike, but Johnny wanted the visual to also reflect himself. Johnny believes a book needs to be read as well as admired to understand the story behind the cover. I have to say I love this bike. Maybe it’s because I know the sacrifices behind the man both as a father and a rider. Life is a road you’re forced to ride, and when you get to the forks it’s only you that chooses the direction you will go. Somehow Johnny was able to ride both sides of the forks with no compromise. He has three bikes in his stable, was able to work his ass off and build a successful business, raise two great kids, Kevin who at the age of 25 is currently building a bike with his dad while attending the Police Academy and Cole 19, a current Jersey State wrestling champ
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ANTI SOCIAL SKOOTER TECH SHEET Owner: Johnnyboy City/State: Tom’s River, NJ builder: Johnnyboy Year: 1979 Model: Flh Value: ? Time: 25 Years Engine Year: 1979 Model: H-D Builder: Bob@Blockheads Ignition: Dyna Displacement: 93” Pistons: S&S Heads: S&S Carb: S&S Super E Cam: Air Cleaner: Exhaust: Primary: 1 1/2 Belt Transmission Year: 1979 Make: H-D Shifting: 1 Down Frame Year: 1979 Make: H-D Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks Type: HD Springer Builder: Mike@47 Industries Extension: Triple Trees: Wheels, Tires, Brake Size: 16” Front Tire: Firestone Front Brake: Nah Rear Wheel: Stock Size: 16” Rear Tire: Firestone Rear Brake: PM Painting Painter: Ray Shred Color: Black And White Type: Scallops Graphics: Molding: Chroming: Accessories Bars: Baby Apes Risers: Indian Larrys Hand Controls” Fuel Tanks: Front Fender: Rear Fender: Seat: Foot Controls: Mirror: 1 Oil Tank: Stock Headlight: Taillight: Limpy Speedo: None PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark Velazquez
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and Ivy Leaguer at Colombia University. And to top it all off he’s kept an amazing and loving friendship with his riding partner and wife Gloria! Let it be said the grass can be greener on both sides of the fence and these days Johnny and Gloria try get as many miles on the road as they can. To this day Johnny remains a true rider. So, if you know Johnny or happen to see him somewhere, it might be Laconia, the Indian Larry Block party, Sturgis or Cheap Thrills chances are he got there on two wheels! I will always be the first to say never judge a book by its cover. Sometimes what you see on the surface is not what the story is all about. Don’t let all the dust, tattoos, and badass bikes fool ya. In the end, there may be a deeper story behind the person pushing those two wheels.
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Article By: Tyler Porter
o
ne of the most obvious ways to distinguish a flat track racer from any other discipline is the steel shoe strapped to our left foot. We trudge through pit areas with a noisy clank and a noticeable limp. The numbers on our race machines are sometimes as iconic as the hardware on our feet. Numbers are part of a longstanding tradition. Many people have said the first motorcycle race was held immediately following the completion of the second motorcycle. While this has roots in the truth, once races were formally organized, they had to have a way to be scored. Enter the number plate. “They are just numbers.” You may say. However, in the flat track world, numbers are much more symbolic. Numbers are special; numbers tell a racer’s story. And behind all those numbers, of course, there’s a “number guy.”
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Ever since Dennis Mahan painted some wild looking number tens on Neil Keen’s race bike back in 1960, flat trackers have been obsessed with having their own style of numbers. Some are vintage throwbacks to the glory days of the sport in the 70’s and 80’s while most of the current top racers have numbers derived from the motocross world. While the AFT attempts to kill this tradition with each passing season, they certainly haven’t sent any racers home for not complying with their irrational number rule. One man stands behind roughly 80% of the custom number plates in the AFT series. That man-Tim Handrich. Pro Plates was started by Paul Crumbling in Mount Wolf Pennsylvania in 1985. Paul was a flat track racer himself, rocking the number 2A in the pro ranks in the 80’s and 90’s. After Paul’s untimely passing in 1999, his widow put the
business up for sale. At that time, Tim Handrich was working at a trucking company. Tim’s formal education was in design and in addition to his day job, he worked after hours lettering commercial trucks and race cars. Through mutual friends, Tim found out that Pro Plates was for sale. He knew he wanted to step away from having a “9 to 5” job and work for himself, however in reality Tim just wanted the equipment. He already had enough business in both the trucking and car racing worlds. But as fate would have it, after a few phone calls and a Uhaul trailer later Tim was the new owner of Pro Plates. Now based in Baraboo Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers Circus, Tim works every day in his basement creating iconic designs for the world’s fastest racers. In those first few years, Tim was lettering about 50 race
cars a year as well as painting for some carryover business from Paul’s clients in the flat track realm. Today, flat track is nearly all of Tim’s business. Because the flat track universe can’t seem to get enough of his creativity, he hasn’t stickered a race car in several years. For nearly 20 years Tim has not only manufactured the number plates for the AFT’s top racers, but he also designs autograph stock, motocross graphics, team and business logos, end of season awards, canvas printed racer photos and if that doesn’t make him busy enough, Tim also hits several national events per year as a photographer. Some of his photos have been featured in previous InSlide Lines right here in Cycle Source magazine. With his current client list including the likes of Harley Davidson, Indian, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith, Kenny Coolbeth and nearly all of the AFT racers on the grid, it’s safe to say that Pro Plates will be around for many years to come. You can find Pro Plates on Facebook, on twitter @proplates1 and Instagram @ proplates1985. Tim’s favorite challenge is still creating a “font” for a rider. It’s everything from the big “marker scribble” look of retired racer JR Schnabel’s 33’s to the stylized number 1’s on defending champion Jared Mees’ Indian FTR750 or the custom design number 4’s adorning the Kawasaki piloted by Bryan Smith in 2019. In Tim’s world, everything is custom. When designing, he takes the personality of each racer that he works with into consideration. It certainly helps that
he has a long-standing relationship with most of today’s current racers. He may send four different options to a racer, and typically the number style that they choose follows them through their career and maybe beyond. When their time comes along, a member of the next generation of racer’s may say “I want Bryan Smith’s number 4’s!”.
It’s truly a tradition rooted in the foundation of our sport. One of the coolest things about Tim is that he’s not just in business for himself. Sure, a man has to make a decent living, but Tim’s door has been open to countless racers over the years, both during the racing season and away from it. The “underground” flat track world is basically a series of couches and
garages across the country where racers can stay for free, have a meal, steal some WiFi, work on motorcycles and become part of the ever-growing racing family. The Handrich home is no different. As we sit at The Downtowner wolfing down their famous cheeseburgers, Tim tells story after story about Shawn Baer hanging out, and his most recent guest, The Wizard himself, Jeffery Carver. When Tim isn’t packaging an order or designing custom products you can find him doing typical Wisconsin things. He’s a fan of jam bands and hiking trails; paddleboards and kayaks. This weekend Tim decided to throw me into a curling competition, or as I learned this week, a “bonspiel.” Basically it’s a pay for play scheme on his part. I get an interesting story about a man behind the scenes in a sport we all love, and he gets to watch me slip and slide on a sheet of ice. After all, your best stories never come from sitting at home on your couch. When you check out an AFT race or maybe even a local race, pay some close attention to those numbers on the bikes as they make their way around the track. There’s a lot more to it than just a number on a piece of plastic. It could be the heritage that runs deep in a racer’s family, maybe a tribute to a childhood hero or a memorial to a racer that was lost to the beautifully cruel sport that we all know and love. Behind those memories, behind the dust, the mechanics, the fans and the lights, there will always be the number guy.
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Article By: Scooter Tramp Scotty
s
ometime in the 1990s… Although the promoters had been trying to get Arizona Bike Week off the ground with only moderate success for some years, this season’s rally had actually been pretty good. Even Panhead Billy was in attendance. This guy had been living full time from his 1960 rigid for longer than I’d been on the old Electra Glide, and it was good to see him again. When the rally ended, and with nowhere in particular either of us had to be, Billy and I decided to migrate east together for a while. As the miles rolled slowly past, the endless desert scenery of cactus, rock and tumbleweed that spread in all directions to infinity had a way of soothing my spirit with an almost overwhelming sense of freedom that belongs only to the desert. By the end of the second day’s travel, the highway had brought us to the small city of Tucson Arizona. We found a well-hidden
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camp spot located under some huge trees in a back lot behind what looked like a rather hippietype espresso shop. It turned out to be a nice little late-night caffeine den with a front porch that offered a few tables and chairs where, for the lack of internet yet to be invented, a small crowd of vibrating espresso freaks milled around gabbing with one another. With Billy off doing something or other, I decided to sit for a while. Before long, a cute little brunet plopped into the chair across from mine. She seemed half-crazy and was quick to point out she was single. I told her a buddy and I were camped out back, then invited her to my place. Kim said her ride was leaving and she had to go. My last shot was to hand her my pager number and say, “Call if you change your mind, I’ll come pick you up.” So… she left me, I thought. Sometime later, back at camp, that trusty pager went to buzzing. It was her. This was an El Nino year. For
the past few months rain had been a frequent companion, and it was for this reason that I had a large tarp strung over the tent. After pulling on my boots and climbing from the tent, I uncovered the bike… and rode out to pick up my new friend. Upon our return, Kim seemed delighted with the primitive camp and immediately shed her clothes, then slid between my double sleeping bags. Sometimes Kim, Billy and I took long rides through Saguaro National Park and other worthwhile local landscapes. Then there were the nights Kim, and I would go dancing to live bands at the local honky-tonk. We always returned to the same camp, sometimes arriving long after midnight. A fulltime drifter like myself, Billy had long ago developed a personal routine he employed when visiting any new town. This meant that Billy was mostly off doing his own thing and I
seldom saw him during the day. Meanwhile, I’d had located a gym that agreed to give Kim and I free trial memberships. After hot showers one day, we emerged from the gym to sit against the building and soak up some of the late February Tucson sunshine. The winter had been long for a man who travels by motorcycle and lives outside, and I could almost smell the coming of spring. The Daytona Motorcycle Rally was scheduled to start in two weeks, and Kim knew I’d soon be leaving. As I recall our conversation went something like this…She turned to me and said, “I want to go with you” “You what?!” “I want to go to Daytona with you” she repeated. Kim was somewhat of a bad girl, I guess, and had recently gotten herself into some trouble with the law. “What about your court date next month? I’m not coming back west till probably sometime in the fall you know.” “Maybe I can take a bus back Scotty” “Maybe,” I replied, “But don’t you think you’d better make sure before you sit your ass on my back seat for the duration?” “Let me make a few phone calls. Will you wait?” “Well, since I got no press-conferences to attend this afternoon anyway…I guess so.” As she turned to go, a thought struck me: A woman to cross the country with you Scotty, you gotta be out of your f#@king mind man.” Then, as my eyes lifted to watch her walk toward that pay phone, I caught sight of her ass. And a good ass it was. What the hell, I thought, It will be an experience. Twenty minutes later Kim returned with the news. “Greyhound from Daytona back to Tucson costs a hundred and fifty bucks.” “How much you got now Kim?” “A hundred.” “How you gonna get the rest?” “I don’t know Scotty, but I just gotta go anyway.” Having never been a sucker for a broke chick, I was not about to pay her way. “Tell you what girlfriend, I know a leather vendor at the rally who’ll give you a job if you’ll work. You’ll probably only have to put in a couple of days or so to earn that bus ticket.” “Done deal,” she beamed. “How about clothes? It is February you know. It’ll probably get pretty cold on this ride, and I’m not going to freeze while you’re wearing all my nasty weather gear.” “If you
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will take me to Target, I think I can work that out.” To Target we went; me to wait in the parking lot, while Kim returned some junk she’d purchased the week before. Once she’d emerged from the store, I asked, “How’d you make out?” “Well, after switching a few price tags around…” “Shut up! I don’t want to know. Just tell me what you’re worth.” “Sixty dollars in store credit. If I need warmer clothes down the road, Targets the place to get them.” “Okay,” I said, “Now, about this rear tire…” I had spent just shy of a month at a friend’s crazy bachelor pad in Agora Hills California just two weeks before meeting Kim. It was at the Agora house that Thad had turned me on to a nice Dunlop rear tire he no longer needed. Knowing I’d not make it across the country on the thin tread back there now, I had thanked him kindly before throwing the tire atop the bike and bungee-cording it down tight. Since arriving in Tucson, it had been an easy move to simply leave the new/ used rubber at camp. But with the addition of Kim’s fine ass to the gear already aboard my bike,
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there was no longer room to carry Thad’s tire. I had to find a place to mount it right away. Having wintered in Tucson three years prior, I decided to look up an old friend. He was a young, money-minded guy whose business was a Jap-bike junkyard. With the new tire in her lap, Kim and I arrived at the Junk King’s dominion to find the place bustling with people. Mechanics spun wrenches while customers bargained for parts. Neal and I had been pretty tight three years earlier and when he met us at the gate, I was reminded of how much I liked this guy. After 45-minutes, Neal had pushed his reacquaintance time to its limit. “Help yourself to anything you need Scotty,” he said before a couple of customers dragged him away to the office. In Neal’s dirt yard amid the sea of dead Jap bikes, I lifted the Electra Glide’s ass end into the air using one two-by-four and a floor jack. Once the rear wheel was removed, I headed to the yard’s far corner where an ancient, rusty and very manual tire changing machine waited to torture me.
After some cussing and a few broken knuckles, Thad’s new/ used tire sat nicely on the rim. Now, I had to balance the wheel and grease the bearings, but Neal had no balancing machine or new bearing seals. In time I’d learn that wheel balancing is generally overrated and would no longer bother with this when inconvenient—and I’d also learn to simply file the wheel bearing seal’s edges, so they could be easily removed then reused, however, that knowledge was still some years off and at this time I still needed balancing and seals. So, with the wheel stuffed neatly into a shopping cart, Kim and I pushed five blocks to a Harley shop that had all that stuff. I’m sure our little shopping cart/motorcycle wheel parade entertained at least a few passersby as well as some of the bike shop’s customers, but I just figured pushing that stupid cart was a small price to pay in light of our determination to experience the adventures this cross-country ride would undoubtedly bring. In other words, we were going no matter what it took. With Thad’s tire firmly mounted, I also gave the bike a quick oil change, and we were ready. Billy had decided to skip Daytona this year, saying something about wanting to see the springtime desert in bloom; and bloom it would after the long, El-Nino winter. Kim gathered her $100 and what warm clothes she had. The bike was reloaded for two, and we climbed aboard. Crossing the country with me might be considered torture by some women’s standards. More stable men probably wait until they’re financially secure before attempting such things. I just couldn’t wait. Life’s too short. Therefore, it would be a simple trade of some creature comforts for greater adventure. And adventure is exactly what we were about to ride into….
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Article By: Amelia “Killer” Rose
f
rom the time he was a small lad, Kevin Browne has loved creating art. He was encouraged from the very beginning by his father, Sid, to see where art might take him. Kevin was born in the UK and emigrated to Australia with his parents and brother Nick around 1966. As a kid, he used to (and actually still does) collect motorbike magazines so he could look at the different paint jobs, imagining that one day he could create something just as cool. When he was eight, he saw his first custom bike made by Denver Mullins in one of his magazines. After that there was no turning back, bikes were all he wanted to be around. Those magazines are what started him off with spray painting and body work, which
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both soon lead to custom paint and airbrushing.
He started off with a couple of old
BSA Bantams and then as he got older moved on to Japanese bikes. By the time he was 18, he owned his very first Harley-Davidson, a WLD. After that, he had a few other brands but always ended up back on a Harley. He currently rides a 1970 FLH and is working on building his own Shovel. He got his start in the moto-art world by painting second-hand bikes for a local shop, then he moved on to painting cars. After that, he had a job with a place called M Signs and where he learned how to do sign painting from “Moose” McGowan. Around ‘88’ after he left,”Moose” he opened his own sign and custom graphics business and has been working primarily for himself ever since. As a kid, Kevin drew a lot of his
inspiration from the magazines he collected, most of which displayed artists like David Mann and Hal Robinson. He also took from record covers, mainly Grateful Dead, and a few others who inspired a majority of his works. Today those artists still inspire him and drive his amazing art. Kevin prides himself on his knowledge of technical details as well as his general knowledge of vintage and custom motorcycles. This is something that he feels sets him apart from other artists in our industry. Being a jack of all trades and depending on the project he is working on Kevin will use a variety of mediums. For instance, with airbrushing he uses simple base and clear coats, and when lettering or striping, he prefers to use either 1shot or Vaipons. With watercolor, which happens to be his main medium for creating his amazing work, he uses Windsor Newton’s lamp black. Although he is looking to start experimenting with full-color pieces. With this, there is a certain amount of control that comes with watercolors in terms of the pigmentation of the color and the ability you have to cover large areas in a short amount of time and add details. Through his art, Kevin has had the opportunity to travel across the globe to the US, UK, and various parts of Europe, as well as connect with other like-minded individuals, some of whom have become lifelong friends. As for future plans, Kevin intends to keep up with the watercolors in the hopes of producing enough pieces that would allow him to make prints of his work to retail them to the public. Recently, Browne started tattooing at a shop nearby called D-Art Works and is looking forward to where that takes him. His friend Darin has been kind enough to help train him and often jokes that Kevin is the oldest tattoo apprentice in Australia. If you want to see more of Kevin’s amazing watercolors and other pieces of work, you can check out his Instagram @cycleartaustralia, or find him on Facebook Cycle Art Australia. If you are an artist and would like to see your work featured on these pages please feel free to email me at cyclesourcekiller@comcast.net.
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j
ames Maloney purchased a restored 1928 Indian “Short” Scout with a 37 cu in (610CC) motor from an Indian Facebook group. A fair deal was reached, it helped that James’ father and the seller had a mutual friend James had been planning on running in the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball. Maloney was excited about the challenges the race would present along with the ability to feel ‘alive’ while accomplishing the goals required. Initially
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he planned on riding a 1927 Triumph but had concerns with the having suitable parts available for the 500cc single. That’s when he switched up the plan and decided to ride the old Indian on the bi-annual race. Unfortunately, when most ninety-year-old bikes are restored they are not done so with the intention of riding 3000 miles, so despite the bike being beautiful, James did have to go thru her again to make it functional. This involved upgrading and replacing many of the parts. To take the bike
from Museum ready to long stretches of asphalt James had to change out the incorrect front engine mount, replace missing bearings, replace the worn-out carburetor along with many other small details. The Scout still looks amazing, but now starts and runs, and with some maintenance along the way, was ready for the trip! In hind sight, it would have been just as easy to start with a basket cast and rebuild; it involved the same amount of work. The expectations of this bike were very different from one
Article And Photos By: Josh Elzey
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that might typically end up pampered in a private collection. To fund his Cannonball journey, James started by raffling off a bike and used the proceeds to cover the cost of the trip. Maloney also donated half of the earnings to the Wounded Vet Ride. James served in the Army for twenty-five years and currently, was with the National Guard. He knew the reason for this latest challenge was to keep the demons away that cause some veterans to commit suicide. Challenges like this keep James in a good place. In an effort to help raise awareness for this issue, James numbered the bike 122, as reminder that every day we lose twenty-two Veterans to suicide. The Motorcycle Cannonball only happens every two years. It is a rally style ride for 90 year or older motorcycles. The 2018 Cannonball went from Portland Maine to Portland Oregon and travelled through the northern states. This was going to be another exciting endeavor
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for James to add to his list of crazy neat bucket items accomplished. It would be his first long ride and on a 1928 Indian Scout! James knew that there would be a lot of unknowns during the race, including possible mechanical problems that he would need help with. He is good friends with Jay Medieros from Vintage Triumph Supply who has extensive mechanical knowledge of motorcycles, so James reached out and invited Medieros on the trip. Jay accepted and started to help with preparation for the unique journey and provided great support beyond the finish line. The team arrived in Maine and were in awe of all the bikes. There were Hendersons, Thor’s, and tons of Harley’s, and Indians. There were so many that after a while it seemed quite normal to see them along the ride as if it were an ordinary day to day occurrence. Most of the roads they traveled were two-lane “backroads of America”. There were
many long enjoyable legs of the rally with lunch stops at various Harley Dealers or other classic motorcycle related places. They also saw Hemmings Motor News, the National Motorcycle Museum and the “new” Indian Motorcycle factory. “There is something amazing about passing an Amish Buggy while whizzing by on a 1928 Indian.” – James. James said some highlights of the journey included riding thru the badlands of South Dakota, riding to the Sun in Glacier National Park was well worth the detour even though he had problems with the brakes. Trouble with the brakes led to getting hit by a mini-van which left a few bruises and dents. From that point on James and Jay switched riding for different legs of the trip, all the while they had to pull some late nights to deal with transmission and oil problems. Drastic changes in elevations during some legs were of concern for the aged Indian. Some notable challenges during their trek were when they
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BLACK BEAUTY TECH SHEET Owner: James Maloney City/State: Hopkinton MA Builder: Indian MC Year: 1928 Model: Scout Value: 35,000 Time: 1 Year ENGINE Year: 1928 Model: 37 CI Scout Builder: Rebuilt by Kent Thompson Ignition: Mag Displacement: 37 Pistons: Stock Heads: Flat Carb: Linkert 741 Scout Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: None Exhaust: Stock Primary: Stock TRANSMISSION Year: 1928 Make: Indian Shifting: Suicide FRAME Year: 1928 Model: Indian Rake: NA Stretch: NA Forks Builder: Hendee Type: Girder Triple Trees: Extension: None WHEELS Front Wheel: Size: Tire: Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Size: Tire: Rear Brake: Drum PAINT Painter: Color: Black Type: Graphics: Pinstriping By Brian Chainay, That I Scratched Up On The Cannonball ACCESSORIES Bars: Stock Risers: None Hand Controls: Stock Foot Controls: Gas Tank(s): Stock Tank & Custom Tank by Jay Medeiros For Additional Range Oil Tank: In Gas Tank Front fender: Stock, Scratched By Minivan Rear Fender: Stock Seat: custom sheepskin Headlight: Minimal Tail light: Speedo: Garmin GPS Photographer: Joshua Elzey
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lost spark, dropped an exhaust pipe, and had a blown head gasket. Having gone so far, they made every attempt to keep going using every trick Jay had in his playbook. Wishing they hadn’t relied on a new motor built by someone else they thankfully had brought an extra motor. Because the bolts were too long the head gasket went. They ended up using a pushrod and magneto, and then the head gaskets were the wrong size. Just to get by they made a cardboard one and then realized a supplier was enroute the following day where they could pick up the correct gasket. Overall, James was thrilled to have completed the expensive budgetminded trip using original parts. Many of the experienced Cannonballers will tell newbies that the event is life-changing. Along they 3000 miles James took
every opportunity he could to chat with any person he saw that had military pins or decals. He would ask them if they knew why his bike is 122? It was a good conversation starter and led him to speak to hundreds of veterans. He would tell them about his past and got some to share their own stories. Maloney even got a few to call programs to seek help. “That part was amazing!”James. Somewhere along the 3300 miles that were traveled James left a lot of his “stuff” in the wind and behind him on the side of the road. “I still don’t have all the answers in my life, but I think I have at least figured out most of the questions.” – James. He hopes to participate again in 2020 with a team other veterans.
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Article By: Will Ramsey Photos By: Melissa Shoemaker & Heather Callen
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his was the second year that I had the honor of being an invited builder to the In Motion Show at The Lone Star Rally in Galveston Texas. As a professional builder, I have often been frustrated by “the big” motorcycle shows across the country. All too often these shows end up showcasing and awarding prizes to builders that have constructed an abstraction of a motorcycle, rather than a true street pounding bike intended and designed to endure countless miles in the wind. Now, this is not a bitter rant from someone who feels they deserve to win more shows; rather, this is a wake-up call to all the so-called builders that have lost or never had a true understanding of the heart of the custom culture. In a life that arose from a subculture,
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powerful words like freedom, love, pride, and integrity held more weight than money and fame. The custom culture arose from a love of freedom
and expression, and as the culture grew and evolved so did the bikes. My love for motorcycles began the first time I felt the wind in my face
and that death-defying vulnerability of riding flat out down a road with my own fate hanging in the balance. In my experience, this story rings true for many others that also live this life. Looking back, you can equate different styles of building to each generation, but in general, the common thread has always been the desire to ride. The last two decades has seen an increase in this trend of un-ridable show bikes that sacrifice the sacred rideability of two wheels on the road in favor of the “wow” factor that simply wins the awards. It’s inevitable that a show like In Motion would eventually rise to challenge this trend and reintroduce integrity to the industry. The In Motion Show is an invitation show of both professional and amateur builders. The primary purpose of this show is to put emphasis on the complete craftmanship of building a custom motorcycle through a judging system that emphasizes integrity and does not give way to form or flash, in lieu of function. The show begins with a 20+ mile ride along the ocean and back through some legitimately rough streets in Galveston. If something is not properly torqued or poorly designed, it could very well be exploited on this ride. A successful completion of the ride, demonstrating the functionality of the builder’s bike, is necessary to even qualify for the show. The bikes are then displayed in the center of The Strand for the duration of the Lone Star Rally. The display and layout of the show is fantastic thanks to the sponsorship of Lucas Oil. The judging is three tier and designed to judge the design, craftmanship, and functionality of the builds in a manner that eliminates favoritism. The first panel is industry judges picked for their long-standing tenure and understanding of the culture and industry. The second panel is comprised of craftsmen found outside the motorcycle industry engineers, machinists, welders, etc. all overly qualified to asses the workmanship of each builder. Finally, the builders themselves must score all the individual bikes assessing judgment from a builder’s perspective. In the end, there is only one winner, and that winner receives a $10,000 check courtesy of the Lone Star Rally. Now clearly every builder wants to win the money, but at this level, winning is really not the point. Participation in this show sends a message to the community that these
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builders stand behind the concept of truly building a custom motorcycle. The craftmanship and artistry seen at this show is second to no other show in the nation. Yet the integrity of every bike, proving its functionality, is nearly unheard of today. My experience this year was quite different than last year. In 2017, I showed up with my FFC family and made a hell of a showing, completing the ride with a group of fantastic and talented builders and enjoyed the sense of contributing to something I believe the industry desperately needs. This year, however, I found myself up against the clock as the build ran into multiple issues during final assembly. I certainly could have slapped things together at the end and made the qualifying ride in hopes of winning the prize money. But I chose to make the easy decision and maintain my integrity as a builder. The bike we finished was a commission build for a customer in Idaho. He was traveling to the In Motion show to see his bike for the first time. Rather than cut any corners on the build to try to chase the prize I chose to finish the bike 100% and arrived at the show a day late. Disqualified from the competition, I was still able to contribute to the true meaning of the In Motion Show by maintaining the integrity that will continue to allow this industry to thrive. The builders this year were some of the very best I know, and the competition was extremely stiff with Jeff Cochran emerging victorious and clearly demonstrating what nearly three decades of professional experience can bring to the table. In the end, I still got a really cool belt buckle from Bluegrass Engraving, as did all the builders at the show. The In Motion Show, in my opinion, is a breath of fresh air for an industry that continues to redefine itself. As this show grows, each year so will its impact on the industry. As many current trends are turning toward performance and rideability of motorcycles I look forward to the custom scene re-establishing itself with integrity, as builders continue to find ways to innovate and express themselves artistically within the confines and physics of dependable engineering.
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Hey, This year is already damn exciting. We are scrambling on our Salt Torpedo, Bonneville effort. “We have the will to be in Bonneville,” said Denis Manning, a man who have been involved with about a dozen motorcycle streamliners and has been over 460 mph. It’s fascinating the obstacles the control freaks try to throw at us, yet our goals don’t slow down. “Circumstances don’t matter, only your state of conscience matters,” from the film Outer World, Inner World. Let’s hit the news: The One Moto Show Announces Indian Motorcycle As 2019 Title Sponsor--Show Founder Thor Drake to Unveil Custom FTR 1200 at 10th Annual Event & Race at The One Pro Super Hooligan Race ndian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its title sponsorship of the 10th annual One Moto Show in Portland, OR. In celebration of the new partnership, The One Moto Show founder Thor Drake will unveil an Indian FTR 1200 that he designed and customized for this year’s show. The bike will be on display at the show and put through the paces as it will be raced at The One Pro Super Hooligan Race. The One Moto Show was conceived by Drake, owner of See See Motor Coffee Co. Drake wanted to create an event for friends who shared a passion for motorcycles and hosted the first show ten years ago in an old abandoned foundry in Portland. The event has grown from
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its humble beginnings to a one-of-a-kind motorcycle show known for showcasing
a variety of unique, unconventional bikes and serving as a gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the world. As title sponsor for its 10th anniversary, Indian Motorcycle will feature a display at The One Moto Show and highlight the highly-anticipated FTR 1200 and
the stripped-down, blacked-out Scout Bobber along with a variety of customs by builders like Roland Sands, Carey Hart, and more. “Thor Drake is a pioneer in the motorcycle industry, continuously challenging the status quo and inspiring ingenuity within our community,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director for Indian Motorcycle. “As a brand that has always strived to push motorcycling forward, partnering with Thor and The One Moto Show is a natural fit for us.” Inspired by Indian Motorcycle’s storied history and success in flat track racing, the FTR 1200 takes design and styling cues from the championshipwinning FTR750 race bike that has dominated American Flat Track since it was introduced in 2016. Along with Drake’s custom FTR 1200, RSD’s Super Hooligan race team will compete at The One Pro Race aboard the all-new FTR 1200. The One Moto Show Presented by Indian Motorcycle will take place February 8-10, 2019. For more information and ticketing for The One Show and The One Pro Race, visit The1Moto.com. To learn more about Indian Motorcycle visit IndianMotorcycle.com U.S. Senate Takes A Stand Against Police Profiling Of Motorcyclists - The United States Senate has approved the Motorcycle Profiling Resolution (Senate Resolution 154) without amendment by unanimous consent on Dec 11, addressing concerns of motorcyclists across the country regarding law enforcement discriminating against bikers in traffic stops, citations and arrests. This bipartisan and bicameral resolution (H.Res. 318 companion in the House) could provide a national solution to the discriminatory profiling of motorcyclists over mode of transportation or style of dress in enforcing the law. Several states have considered bills to prohibit police from profiling motorcyclists, and Washington became the first state to pass such an anti-profiling law in 2011, followed by Maryland in 2016. The two companion measures in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, which are nonbinding and do not have the force of law, seek to curb profiling of motorcycle riders at the federal level by “Promoting awareness
of motorcycle profiling and encouraging collaboration and communication with the motorcycle community and law enforcement officials to prevent instances of profiling.” S.Res. 154 and H.Res. 318 also “urges State law enforcement officials to include statements condemning motorcycle profiling in written policies and training materials.” Sounds a tad weak to me, even so, it probably won’t pass. There’s a group in our government who will never help bikers, but they will help illegal immigrants and the homeless. Incredible. --Bill Bish, NCOM News Bytes NCOM Convention To Address Bikers’ Rights Issues - Topics such as Motorcycle Profiling and “Save the Patch” will be among the many issues of concern to our nation’s motorcycle community that will be addressed during the upcoming 34th annual NCOM Convention, to be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-12, 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Orlando, Florida. Hundreds of bikers’ rights activists from the ranks of motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) and Confederations of Clubs (COCs), as well as independents and other allied riders, will gather to discuss the concerns of all riders. Agenda items will cover various legal and legislative issues, with Special Meetings for Veterans Affairs, Women in Motorcycling, Clean & Sober Roundtable and World of Sport Bikes, as well as the Christian Unity Conference and Confederation of Clubs Patch Holders Meeting. Additional seminars will be conducted regarding Restoration of Rights, Leadership 101 and “Share the Road” Motorcycle Safety. All motorcyclists are welcome, and to pre-register for the 2019 NCOM Convention contact the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) ON-ABIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com. This Just In From Spectro Oil--Some info on Brake Fluids. Always flush the system as good as possible. Always use the recommended fluid by manufacturer. Our Silicone DOT 5 is designed to keep up with vehicle innovation and reliability.
It is a High-Performance product tested to meet and exceed the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116 DOT 5. It has a long history in automotive braking applications and has been widely tested for years. The Silicone base is capable of performing over wide tempextremes and is hydroscopic with low water absorption over its lifetime. This keeps the fluid resistant to corrosion due to low water content, and it also included anti-corrosion additives to further resist moisture. It is highly compatible with all braking components as well as polymers elastomers and paints. Silicone Braking fluid excels inconsistent brake performance and reduced brake fade. They should not be mixed with other brake fluid chemistries like polyglycol. Joe Russo, www.spectro-oils.com STATE NEWS – Welcoming the 116th Congress – Rolling Thunder Coming To An End - The dust had finally settled from the 2018 elections, and we are hard
at work beginning to learn about the newly elected members of the 116th Congress who are set to be sworn in on January 3, 2019. We will have a new party in control of the House of Representatives, newly appointed committee leadership and we will bid a farewell to some of our motorcycle friendly elected officials. So what does that mean for us bikers? We all need to start becoming acclimated with our newly elected members and start educating them about the issues that are important to motorcyclists across the country. During this process, we need to start identifying motorcycle friendly Representatives and Senators and diligently work with them to ensure our interests are protected on Capitol
Hill. Do you have a newly elected motorcycle friendly member of Congress back in your state? Please pass their information on to the MRF office, and we can start meeting with their offices when the new Congress is in session. It’s no secret that the key to being effective on Capitol Hill is by having Champions of Motorcycling in DC. News began swirling this week on social media after a statement was made that 2019 will be the last Run to the Wall for Rolling Thunder. It was confirmed that due to ever increasing costs to host a couple hundred thousand bikers during Memorial Day weekend as one of the reasons that the event will end. Rolling Thunder, Inc. will continue its work on behalf of POW/MIAs, veterans, and active duty military. If you have ever planned to participate in the Run to the Wall, you may want to make your plans to be in D.C. this year for the 32nd Annual Rolling Thunder Run to the Wall. I would also like to note that this year’s Bikers Inside the Beltway is the week leading up to Memorial Day. You could come to town to lobby and stay through the final rumble on the mall. If we hear any updates about Rolling Thunder, we will be sure to pass it along. RIDE FREETiffany Cipoletti - The Motorcycle Riders Foundation News Alert From The Antique Motorcycle Club Of America - Seven AMCA Members Lose Homes to California Fires. We are writing to let you know about a serious loss suffered by a group of your fellow AMCA members. On November 8, seven Club members, all from the Ishi Chapter in Northern California, had their homes destroyed in what is now known as the massive Camp Fire in the state. Never before in the AMCA’s history have we had so many members involved in a single tragedy. Jim Dent, Rick Haner, Craig Horner, Tom Kelly, Al Kmiecik, Mike McKinley and Brad Watkins experienced the loss of their homes and a combined total of nearly 100 antique motorcycles. Those of us in the AMCA family are looking for ways to help in this difficult time. Although each of these members is covered by insurance, we know that the process of settling claims and rebuilding their lives will take time and resources.
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Therefore, we have setup a GoFundMe account to facilitate any donations to which our membership can contribute. In addition to or in lieu of monetary support, any help with tools, parts, vehicle loan, etc., would be greatly appreciated. For more information, please contact AMCA Ishi Chapter President, Budd Schwab at campusbicycles@gmail.com To make a financial donation via GoFundMe, please click on the button below. Photo by: AP -Antique Motorcycle Club of America EBR Motorcycles Are Back In Limited Production - EBR Motorcycles, the American-made superbike designed by the legendary Erik Buell, are back in limited production. “We are going to keep the iconic brand in production with specialized and performance builds,” says Bill Melvin, an avid motorcyclist who is leading the company he acquired in 2016. When high volume production at EBR’s Wisconsin assembly plant ended in 2017, Melvin moved a smaller operation to his e-commerce warehouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. EBR, which maintains its original offices in East Troy, Wis., has been fulfilling parts orders from the inventory for dealers and existing EBR owners ever since. Now, EBR plans to keep the iconic brand alive on the street and track with production in Grand Rapids. EBR
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brought two of its top assemblers to Grand Rapids, where they are handbuilding three of the exotic EBR 1190 superbikes, capable of hitting over 185mph in race trim. “The approach is to keep it boutique and high performance driven, ala Bugatti, Koenigsegg, or Lotus,” Melvin says. More updates and motorcycles are planned for 2019, he adds. Engine builder Eric Weber “Eroc” and chassis builder Elliot Malzahn recently put the finishing touches on their first three editions, whose fairings will get custom paint treatments to celebrate their return. Weber began building motorcycles at the Buell factory in 1996. Malzahn began in 2000. “It’s great to see the iconic legacy in experienced hands like Eroc and Elliot,” says Melvin. “We are fortunate the team of legacy employees stay involved to keep the only American Superbike in production. We recently received our 2019 EPA certification.” The Erik Buell-designed motorcycle is unique with its fuel tank incorporated into the aluminum frame to keep its center of gravity in an ideal position. The front brake rotor is located on the perimeter of the wheel with an 8-piston inside-out caliper to maximize stopping power. The hand-built fuel-injected 1190cc V-Twin engine produces a peak of 185
hp at 10600 rpm. The final pricing will be determined by the custom finishing touches. The company is part of the 35-year legacy of Erik Buell, a motorcycle racer and world-renowned engineer for HarleyDavidson and the Buell Motorcycle Company in the 1980s. Mr. Buell started EBR in 2010, and Mr. Melvin acquired the assets of the company in 2016. Melvin and his father, Bill Melvin Sr., are motorcycle enthusiasts & industry experts with involvement in the sale process of the Indian Motorcycle factory in 2004, the American Ironhorse Motorcycle factory in 2009, the Buell factory in 2010, and have assisted in the sale of major distributors, dealers, and suppliers. For more information about EBR Motorcycles, call 262-642-1627 or email info@EBR.com Amazing, if you need a weekly news fix check out the new Bikernet.com for constant and never-ending news reports. And don’t forget to join your local or national motorcycle rights group like the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. And Ride Free Forever, Bandit
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S FOR IP T D O R T O H AMISH AD E D Y L L A IC IN THE CL
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lay in waste dreaming of more ignorant times when there was a chance to savor the bliss of a sheltered beginning. When I began to bring my first bike to life, I knew absolutely nothing except what was spoon fed to me through word of mouth. It was only a 750cc pile of metal from the shores of Japan perched upon two dry rotted tires filled with twenty-year-old air. The hand grips were dry rotted, and any fluid that remained inside of its belly was a separated mess in a varnish suit. It was a shell, but after sitting in my old man’s garage for so long, I felt that I knew every square inch of it. The dust was thick and matted except for the seat where I would perch myself and pretend to lean into the turns. After I climbed the pile of golf clubs and bicycles my family had eventually leaned against it, I was in my own little world atop a dormant motorcycle with a mildew rotted helmet cradled on my small head. The only reason that the carb and throttle cable remained free through all those years was because of the exercise I gave it as I pretended, I was living another life. When I slept, I would dream about riding, what little knowledge or experience I had on three-wheeled murder wagons translated into midnight imagination. There was a vast world ahead of me, I just knew it, and as my brother and his friends would ride off, I would stand there until I could no longer hear the echo of their exhaust. Just waiting for it to be my turn. A few years after I got my driver’s license, I conned my old man out of that bike. I’m sure in the
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back of his head he didn’t see my short attention span following through on getting that piece of shit going, but I was happy to prove him wrong. The local Kawasaki dealership made it quite obvious that they didn’t want to deal with some ignorant kid asking asinine questions trying to get a piece of shit back to life. I got passed around the parts department until they pretended, they didn’t have the answers that I needed. I drained all the fluids and ran what cleaners I could through whatever hole I could find, and slowly I scratched away at it. Charlie, the old guy that owned an ancient parts store just off the main drag, became my encyclopedia of knowledge, and through him, the bike would come back to life. Center Auto was the place to go when your wife didn’t want you home, but you still had to pretend that you were being productive. At any time, three guys were just standing there talking about nothing, just long enough for the ringing in their ears to subside. There was a lot of knowledge to be found there, and I needed all the help I could get. It was because of that Mom and Pop store that life was reintroduced to that bike, and even if they had no idea what the f#@K I was doing, they are the root cause of it all. My first bike was my world, and I didn’t give a shit about anything past that world. I was only concerned about that stupid Kawasaki and anything within the twenty-five feet surrounding it. There’s something to be said about having your head in the sand. I didn’t have any knowledge of just about anything past my small world, and I found enjoyment in that. There was no one to impress, nobody to chime in with bullshit commentary, it was simple. I had never even ridden a bike on my own up until I
hopped on that KZ750. I would spend hours riding up and down a loose dirt driveway, setting up cones and getting the feel for how a bike moves, I knew nothing, I was happy. I, like many people, lost sight of that simple frame of mind as it pertains to motorcycles. That first taste of pavement opened a floodgate of possibilities; it was magical. I would ride everywhere for no reason, other than to just go. If I had five dollars, I would always have enough gas to get home; life was simple. It seems in that adventure, all those years ago, my roots were dug in tight and like a drug I’ve forever chased that high. In some way, I feel I owe my younger self the respect of chasing that feeling for as long as possible. As access to the world fell to the grace of fingertip infinity, I think I began to limit my expectations
of myself. Concerning ourselves with exterior perception of a fictitious existence is an excepted religion. We perform strictly to document, missing out on experience altogether and it’s the one thing that I can’t wrap my head around. Rarely do I make myself promises to achieve a hollow unobtainable goal but here I am trying to turn down the noise to reinvent experience. I just want to hit the road and disappear, just like an eighteen-yearold kid once promised himself he would. I think we spend so much time preparing for it and making sure everyone knows we are doing it that it never truly happens anymore. Ride for the thrill of it, not to stay relevant.
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OFFICIAL POWDERCOATER OF FLAT BROKE CHOPS & RODS
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ADVERTISERS INDEX 5 Ball Racing Leather................... 92 Bare Bones Leather......................95 Battery Outlet..............................97 BikerNet.com..................................97 Bikers Choice................................35 Billet Proof Designs........................87 Chop Cult......................................95 Choppertime..................................73 Daytona Bike Week......................27 Dennis Kirk...................................15 DK Custom Products....................94 Dlubak Powder Coating.................95 Drag Specialties...............................9 Dutchman.....................................94 Faith Forgotten Choppers.............89 Feuling..........................................94 Fox Creek Leather..........................57 GEICO............................................25 Harbor Freight...............................49 Hardtail Choppers.........................95 Harley-Davidson..............................2 Hijinx Apparel................................57 Hot Leathers...................................91 I Draw Flies...................................92 Inferno Art.....................................93 Kiwi Indian....................................29 LePera Seats....................................4 Lucas Oil........................................47 J&P Cycles.....................................49 Kiwi Indian....................................43 Led Sled Customs...........................55 Lutz Leather..................................97 MC Creations.................................97 Metzeler..........................................81 National Motorcycle Museum........97 No School Choppers.......................93 Pandemonium...............................93 Pathfinder LED..............................91 Paughco......................................17,45 Progressive Insurance...................19 Realities Ride.................................71 Russ Brown...................................33 S&S Cycle.....................................100 SoCal Moto Gear...........................91 SpeedKing.....................................34 Sporty Parts.................................97 Steel City H-D..............................99 Tech Cycles....................................43 Three Two Choppers.....................88 Twisted Choppers............................5 Vintage Fandango..........................59 Zipper’s Performance.....................67
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One Sunday, in the pulpit, he said, “If I hear one more person confess to adultery, I’ll leave the priesthood!” Well, everyone liked him, so they came up with a code word. Someone who had committed adultery would say they had “fallen.” This seemed to satisfy the old priest, and things went well until the priest died at a ripe old age. About a week after the new priest arrived, he visited the Mayor of the town and seemed very concerned. The priest said, “you have to do something about the sidewalks in town. When people come into the confessional, they keep talking about having fallen.” The Mayor started to laugh, realizing that no-one had told the new priest about the code word. Before the mayor could explain, the priest shook an accusing finger at the mayor and said, “I don’t know what you’re laughing about, Your wife fell two times this week.”
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n hearing that her elderly grandfather had just passed away, Katie went straight to her grandparent’s house to visit her 95-year-old grandmother and comfort her. When she asked how her grandfather had died, her grandmother replied, “He had a heart attack while we were making love on Sunday morning.” Horrified, Katie told her grandmother that two people nearly 100 years old having sex would surely be asking for trouble. “Oh no, my dear, “ replied granny. “Many years ago, realizing our advanced age, we figured out the best time to do it was when the church bells would start to ring. It was just the right rhythm. Nice and slow and even. Nothing too strenuous, simply in on the Ding and out on the Dong.” She paused, wiped away a tear and then continued, “And if that damned ice cream truck hadn’t come along, he’d still be alive today!”
T
Dave
wo guys driving and their car breaks So they got to a fruit farmer and say “Fruit farmer do you have a place for us to stay tonight” The fruit farmer replies “Sure you can stay upstairs with my daughter just no sleeping with her” Unfortunately his daughter was a knock out, so the two guys screwed the hell out of her The next day the fruit farmer says since you disobeyed me I want each of you to go out in my fields and pick a hundred pieces of your favorite fruit.
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- CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
Relieved, the two guys said I thought he would be pissed, So the two guys set out to pick their fruit The first guy comes back with a hundred cherries. To his surprise he finds himself staring at a double-barrelled shotgun And the fruit farmer says “Now shove them all up your ass” Well the guy gets to 25 and he starts giggling, He gets to 50, and he starts laughing, Finally gets to a hundred and he is laughing so hard pees a small stream down the inside of his trousers Not amused the fruit farmer yells “What the hell so goddamn funny?” The guy replies “I’m just laughing at my buddy because he is picking watermelons.” A man enters the confessional in a Hollywood Church: “Father, I have sinned. I have been unfaithful to my wife. I’m a film producer, and about two weeks ago I slept with Jennifer Lopez.” “Anything more than confess son?” replies the priest “Yes father. Last week I was weak, and I also slept with Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts.” The very calm priest asks: “Any other sin, son?” “Yes father, this week I could not contain myself and participated in a threesome with Gal Gadot and Brie Larson.” “Sorry, son, but I can not absolve you,” the priest replies. “Why not Father, if the mercy of God is infinite?” “Yes, but God will not believe you’re sorry.
A
RJ
n old priest who became sick of all the people in his parish who kept confessing to adultery.
Jim
A
woman is on one of those funeral cruises where the ashes of loved ones may be dumped into the sea. She had been married to a real cheapskate, who after 30 years of marriage finally died. The lady had her husband cremated, at his wishes, because he felt a plot would cost too much. After the memorial services, she went to the railing and poured his ashes out into her hands and started talking to him. “Henry,” she said, “you know that mink cape I wanted all my life? Well, your company sold for so much that now I have bought myself a beautiful full-length mink coat.” “And Henry,” she said, “you know that trip to the Caribbean I always wanted to take? Well, I took a world cruise for 90 days, and it was wonderful!” “And Henry,” she continued, “you know that big blue Cadillac I had been hoping for the last five years? Well, I bought a Rolls Royce instead, and it drives like a dream.” “Oh, and Henry,” she said, “you know that blow job you always wanted?” and she blew the ashes out of her hands into the sea. Lee
March ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 99
