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December‘10 CYCLE SOURCE
CYCLE SOURCE March March '20
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BIKES
Root Beer Float
1975 Shovelhead Chopper ............................................................................... 20
Nepharious Knuck
Mark Steven's 1947 Knucklehead ................................................................ 38
Old Book Bike
Cabana Dan's 1956 FLH ...................................................................................... 50
High Roller
Is It An Indian Or Harley?..Either Way, It's Badass! ............................. 60
El Ray
Red Neck Mafia's Twin Cam Bobber ............................................................76
FEATURES TMMR 2019
Motorcycles & Music In Tennesee ................................................................10
BC Moto Invitational
More Than Just A Bike Show ........................................................................... 30
Sons Of Speed
Vintage Racing With Soul ................................................................................ 34
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally
Motorcycles Invade Durango Once Again ............................................... 44
Art Of Our Culture
The Lowdown On Lyndell Wolff ....................................................................... 70
InSlide Line
Trickle Up Racing ................................................................................................. 84
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TECH
99 Problems
Fixes For The Little ThingsThat Make A Big Difference ....................... 16
Banks Lift
Grease & Gears In The Shop With The Banks Bros. ............................. 26
Limp Mode
Making A Limp Harley Hard Again ................................................................ 66
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EDITORIAL OFFICE
The Cycle Source Magazine 118 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
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, Melissa Shoemakerw, Tyler Porter
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Mad Stork Ken, Mark Velazquez, Twila Knight, Dan Venditto, Melissa Shoemaker, Deb Fitch
CONTRIBUTORS Majroie Kleiman, Savannah Rose
STAFF ARTISTS Jimmy Frizzell, Chris Callen
ADVERTISING
Heather Callen- Sales Manager - cyclesourcemain@comcast.net
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CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Heather Callen - 724-226-2867
In The News
COPY EDITOR Judy Duggan
The World Report Powered by BikerNet.com ......................................... 86
Hot Of The Rack ....................................................................................................... 92
LEGAL COUNSEL
James L. Paz Attorney at Law - Tarentum, PA - 724-226-9PAZ For Any Subscription Questions Call 724-226-2867
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DEPARTMENTS From The Editor’s Desk .................................................... 8 Chopper Charlie ....................................................... 56
ABOUT THE COVER 66
On The Road With X ......................................................... 82 Photo Hunt ........................................................................... 89 On The Edge ....................................................................... 90 Gut Busters ........................................................................ 98
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 $30.00 for 12 issues. Canadian Subscription rate is $45.00 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® Decemberbe re-printed in whole or part without the express written consent of the publishers. Copyright ® 2020. The Cycle Source Magazine®, A Grass Roots Motorcycle PublicationSM, Scooter Tramp ™ Wild Man™ Low Down & Dirty Rotten™ Grease & Gears Garage™ Grease & Gears TV™ Grease & Gears Garage Roadshow™ ShopTalk™ Do It Your Damn Self™ Inslide Line™ are registered trade marks.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle Source Magazine 119 Dellenbaugh RD. Tarentum, PA 15084
Pin-Up Of The Month ....................................................... 59 Endless Highway .............................................................. 72
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 New Products
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Amelia Rose, Missi Shoemaker
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We are always happy to have the honor of publishing the Drag "Old Book" cover bike but this year that is especially the case. Cabana Dan built this beauty and I'm happy to see that he went all out on it. Dan shows the world exactly what you can do with a source like Drag Specialties. Dan has long been one of our favorite builders and we hope you enjoy his Pan as well! March '20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 7
y
ou know, I must be getting older, cause the things that seem to just be good common sense somehow go unapplied in the world today, at least in the motorcycle world. I mean, values like respect, both for self and for others. Appreciation, both of what you have and what you do not, and the common sense to treat things like they matter. Now, I know that we live in a disposable society these days, and more and more nothing is of heirloom quality as far as how things are made. But what about what they stand for? Does this still have any real-world application, or since it is the status quo to just go for the gold, or do what you can to sell out forty or fifty years of a name’s sake? For me, and I’m sure the good folks that brought me up to know better, the answer is no, it’s not. As a matter of fact, for them and myself, the simple act of suggesting that I sell out is disrespectful enough for quite a few many colorful metaphors to be slung in your general direction. But you see it over and over today, people and businesses taking something and denying the history and tradition of something and casting it aside in the name of a brand-new high dollar future. And who cares? After all, once they succeed, they won’t have to be around the riff-raff anymore and if it fails, same deal. They just scurry off to whatever other great conquests might wait in whatever
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other industry still doesn’t know them. But what about Nietzsche’s “Huddle Masses,” the bungled and the botched? What will be left once they slide the grease rag across the table, smoking up the last bit of fatted cow grease once the feast is finally over? Well, dear reader, let me assure you... Plenty! You see, as they sat and fed their faces on the whims of trend, many of us could have cared less, and still more than we do now. For so many of us, this motorcycle thing has had ups and downs as far as the business and popularity goes, but by and large, inside our own garage or out on our own road trips, it’s always been alive and well. And of course, there will be the ever-present skeptics who cry, “But don’t you worry about the future?” and to that, I answer, yes, of course. From where I sit, I can see cheap donor bikes for me and all my chopper cohorts, learner bikes for all their kids at a good price as well and more idiots going off to the wonderful world of Yoga and granola every day. Oh, did that last line piss you off, well that’s what happens, just unfriend me. As far as the future “they” refer to, you know the one where a few million new riders are needed... Now, I consider that somewhat a paradox. The future, for the most part, will handle itself and from what I can remember, we are going about this in the complete opposite
direction from what it was that grew the motorcycle community to begin with. Here’s what I prescribe, do this twice a day... at least. Find a young person, maybe one that lives in your house, maybe the neighbor’s kid. Pull up fast on your bike, slide to a stop, throw some trash on the ground and scare the hell outta them. Then look them dead in the eye and forbid them from ever riding one of these dangerous machines. Should do the trick, it worked for all of us... Didn’t it? As far as the name Cycle Source, if you are new to this publication, it’s put out by regular, mostly blue color people who just love motorcycles. The trends we follow are those that lead us to more good times, and the fashions we report on are usually the type of flannel that keeps you warm when the shop is cold. Leathers that keep your hide attached when you go down and helmets that... Ok, what was I gonna say good about helmets here? No I’m kidding, a helmet that keeps us safe and doesn’t break the bank. If this all sounds reasonable to you for the mere price of a pack of cigarettes, then welcome to the family. If not, please put this magazine down so another loyal reader may find it intact. Until next time, this is Uncle Num Num signing off!
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Article And Photos By: Missi Shoemaker
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he Third Annual Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival and BC Moto Invitational started off with several early birds arriving on Wednesday, including me, the staff, many of the builders, and several attendees, who were all ready to get a head start on the weekend. The BC Moto Invitational is a big part of the weekend; several builders were on hand with their custom motorcycles on display. I set up camp next to the quaint little creek that runs through the campground of the beautiful 3500-acre property that is Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. I unloaded my bike, yes I had it in the trailer, but in my defense, this event was the first stop in my month and half long journey that eventually will
lead me across the country, and I needed to haul a lot of gear with me. The campgrounds are set up
for all types of camping… there are full hook-ups for those with RVs; there is even room for those big ole’ diesel pushers! There are places for tent camping, with and
without electric, there are cabins available to rent and there is even GLAMPING. that’s right, you can rent a big tent, and just ride your bike into the rally carrying nothing but your clothes for the weekend and have everything right there set up for you, ready to go! Wednesday night, we were pretty much on our own for entertainment, several campfires could be seen around the property, and everyone was socializing and catching up. Thursday brought the official start of the event and the campground started to fill up and the remainder of the BC Moto Invitational builders showed up and put their bikes to bed in the barn. Vendors opened, the Food Trucks were serving, and the bartenders were March '20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 11
hard at work slinging drinks and the sound of music filled the air. THE MUSIC! Music is in the title for a reason. The property is owned and operated by the legendary country music artist Loretta Lynn and her family. It is only natural that music is a huge part of this event. There are three separate stages, featuring 25 different bands performing throughout the weekend. The main stage is located in the 10,000 square foot pavilion, in the area known as Loretta’s Roadhouse. Thursday night kicked off with the Chopper Jam, hosted by Donnie Reis, and it was as cool as it sounds. Several artists performed together in an old-fashioned jam session, including Loretta’s Granddaughter, Tayla Lynn. This year’s main stage hosted several notable acts, including The Cadillac Three, Tim Montana, Stone Senate, BattleMe, Sweet Tea Trio, and more. After the party settled down in the pavilion each night, it moved over to the Waterin’ Hole, a quaint bar set up creekside where the Barnyard Stompers performed bluegrass music while everyone gathered around the large bonfire. The Speed Shack was another bar set up near the dirt flat track and hosted several artists throughout the day. Hillbilly Hooligan Racing was, as always, a big hit with everyone! Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is most famous for hosting the AMA Championship races, and it just wouldn’t be an event at the ranch if there wasn’t some type of racing involved. The dirt flat track was the perfect spot for everyone to test their racing skills on minibikes, choppers, street bikes, and dirt bikes. The track was open daily, and you could ride your own bike or borrow a minibike provided by Hawk Brothers Cycles. The entire event is family-friendly, and the kids especially enjoyed riding minibikes on the track. Danger Dan’s youngest son was spotted doing tricks on his dirt bike, riding side-saddle and standing on the pegs as he went around the track. Apparently, the little guy was inspired after watching Rhett Rotten perform his Wall of Death Show. I personally can’t wait to see what tricks Danger Jr is doing next year!! Speaking of Rhett Rhotten, his Wall
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of Death Show happened several times a day throughout the weekend, if you have never seen a Wall of Death Show, you need to! Rhett is one of about 5 that are still traveling the United States. Each year Sunday is known as Military Tribute Sunday and is dedicated to those who have served or are currently serving in our Nation’s Military. Again this year, Appleton Harley-Davidson presented a disabled veteran with a motorcycle they customized to fit that veteran’s needs. Riders ride in from several locations and were treated to lunch, and Navy Seal Veteran Pete Scobell performed with his band. The Lynn Family closed out the day on the stage with a wonderful performance as well. Of course, I can’t forget the riding! The area around the ranch is beautiful and makes for great day trips to neighboring towns for lunch, or if you want to take the time, it’s only an hour to Nashville! Be sure to follow The Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival, and Tayla Lynn Finger for updates on the 2020 Event and they are always throwing special pricing out there!
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ver the previous months I have been reaching out to readers and industry professionals seeking a problem or situation and its fix. So, here are some of the problems, from being broke down on the side of the road. To some situations in the shop like including fabrication, painting, electrical, troubleshooting etc… Here is a good mix of some of the “99” Problems!
Article And Photos By: Daniel Donley
www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com A few months back we brought our bikes and our toys in for winter storage. Spring will be coming sometime soon. Now would be a good time to do a mid-winter check on them. To make sure they are ready to go. Battery Tender - Fuel Stabil - Change Oil - Flat Tire
Sometime or another we all end up with used motor oil. Don’t dump it out behind the shop or in the stones. Save it in a container, dispose of it properly. Even better yet, find someone who has a waste oil heater that you can donate your used oil to
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Not all of us have the luxury of a climate-controlled shop. This affects more than you realize, from your motorcycles to your tools. Condensation is BAD! Cold shop / Warm Shop = condensation. Its best to keep the temperature in your shop at least 55 degrees and above this seems to be the best number to keep condensation away. If you are unable to do that, be sure to check your air tools. Be sure to oil them on a regular basis and this will help fight off any moisture that may be inside them.
A parts washer is great to have around when it comes to cleaning dirty greasy parts. It takes care of them in a snap. But all the dirt and grime that is in the parts washer solvent will always settle to the bottom. That is as good place for it. One thing I have found to keep the solvent a little cleaner is to place a magnet in the bottom of the unit. This will help collect any metal shavings that might be floating around.
Everyday happens one right after another. That means that we are not getting any younger. Your eyesight probably is not getting any better either. With that being said, it is good to have a pair of reading glasses just for in the shop. That fine print in the manual or that number on that carburetor jet. Trust me readers are the way to go and are only a couple bucks a pair!
I recently got schooled… by a company named “Full Bore”. They are a hand cleaner company from Texas. Did you know that waterless hand cleaners contain solvents? We all know that solvents will dry out your skin and are harmful. So now with my further education I have switched to detergent hand cleaners from Full Bore. They are made right here in the USA. Guess what… I no longer have dry cracked skin…. Just clean hands. Full Bore Hand Cleaners product review coming soon!
I work in my shop all day, every day which adds up to too many hours a week that I am on my feet. Fatigue mats are a life saver! Be nice to your feet, back and knees and buy some. They are very reasonably priced; you can get them at Harbor Freight $6.99 with a coupon You get (4) 2’ x 2’ in squares.
I see this all to often. While disassembling an engine or transmission (and I have no idea what people are thinking when they try to remove old gasket material.) I see big gouges and scrapes that were clearly made with a screwdriver or chisel. Either way, it makes for a horrible sealing surface to install a new gasket on. There is a much easier way to do this without doing damage to the sealing surface. Use a Razor Blade Scraper Knife. Just be super careful and don’t slip, we don’t need anyone cutting themselves. Remember to take your time it is not a race.
When fabricating around threaded holes or thread bungs be sure to use anti-seize this will keep the fastener from galling. We all know what galling is… It’s a bad thing! So be sure to use copper high heat Anti-seize to prevent any galling. Calling readers and industry professionals to submit problems with fixes and photos to the email below (Bikes, Shop Equipment, Paint, Tools, Etc.) If there is something that you would like to see a tech article on or have questions please call me or email at the shop anytime 419-5766812 Pandemonium Custom Choppers Facebook-Pandemonium Custom Choppers Instagram – pandemoniumc2 info@pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com
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here was a time not so long ago where if you wanted a chopper, you found a stock Harley-Davidson and used most of the parts to make your vision come true. Well, I’m glad to say this fine Shovelhead was built along those lines. Scott Peck had been kicking around the idea of having Rhett Holley (The Butcher Chop) build him a bike for a few years when finally, he sold his bike and made the call to Rhett. It was time. With that call, the search for a titled
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Shovelhead got put in motion. As luck would have it, a neighbor told them about a friend of his who had a ‘75 Super Glide sitting in a barn behind his house that he was willing to sell. I know it sounds like a dream come true! Scott drove up from Wilmington NC to Dry Fork VA in a snowstorm to take a look at it. When they got there, they saw the front tire sticking out of the barn where there was a missing plank and covered by a foot of snow. The owner, Bubba Reynolds, was pretty laid back so a deal was
Article By: Roadside Marty Photos By: Carsten Fritzen
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struck pretty quick and the Glide was loaded up and on its way to its new home! A week later, Scott had the entire bike stripped down and dropped off the parts to Rhett so they could start building his dream bike. Even though he was miles away, Scott played a major role in the bike’s design with a lot of good input. He spent several days just going through pictures and old magazines to make sure the style he chose was one that he would want for years to come. The project started when they placed the frame on the floor and rolled a front end with a 21” wheel up to it to get measurements. The frame was then put in the jig and the rear section was cut off so it could be hardtailed. Tubing was bent and axle plates were cut out and welded into place. Next up was the gas tank and oil bag. The gas tank was first and after getting the shape they were after, the tunnel was made with hidden mounts and mounted on the backbone. The oil tank is one of my favorite pieces on this bike; it was cut out of 16-gauge steel and bead rolled for looks as
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well as extra strength. Once the oil tank was mounted, the rear fender was shaped up and mounted using a custom one-off stainless Trident sissy bar. The foot controls were also fabbed out of stainless and fit the lines of the bike perfectly. The rear brake is fed by a Wagner style master cylinder that stops a Harley juice rear brake assembly. Some people don’t care for this
setup but when it’s set up properly, it works beautifully. The jockey lever is another custom piece that is a bit longer than an aftermarket arm and it definitely looks a lot better. The bars not only have an aggressive look but feel as well. The motor was placed in the frame to make that unbelievable over and under shotgun style exhaust, the hidden mount for the engine
to transmission plate, the top motor mount and the mount for the rear master cylinder. The last time-consuming piece was the seat pan, which once finished, was sent to Jordan Dickinson at Union Speed and Style for some excellent leatherwork. After all the fab work was done everything was broken down and all of the parts and pieces were sent to Atlantic Coast Plating in Tennessee for chrome. The stainless and aluminum pieces were sent to Darrel’s Polishing in Winston Salem NC. Jason Hancock at 33 Kustom Kolor was tapped to lay down some flake and candy treatment on the sheet metal. While everything was out the motor was pulled out and given a good once over to make sure it was good to go. While it
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root beer float Tech Sheet Owner: Scott Peck City/State: Wilmington NC Builder: The Butcher Chop Year: 1975 Model: Chopped Super Glide Value: 30k Time: 8 Months ENGINE Year: 1975 Model: Shovelhead (HD) Builder: Butcher Chop/Salter Speed Shop Ignition: Dyna S Displacement: 74” Pistons: Wiseco Heads: Harley-Davidson Carb: S&S Cam: Harley-Davidson Evo Air Cleaner: Lowbrow Exhaust: Butcher Chop Primary: BDL/Butcher Chop TRANSMISSION Year: 1975 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: 3 Up FRAME Year: 1975 Model: Modified Super Glide Rake: Looked Right Stretch: Up Forks Builder: Harley-Davidson Type: 39mm Shaved Triple Trees: Harley-Davidson Shaved Extension: +6 WHEELS Front Wheel: 40 Spoke Spool Size: 21” Tire: Speedmaster Front Brake: N/A Rear Wheel: 40 Spoke Star Size: 18” Tire: Speedmaster Rear Brake: Drum PAINT Painter: 33 Kustom Kolor Color: Root Beer Type: Tamco Graphics: 33 Kustom Kolor Chroming: Atlantic Coast Plating ACCESSORIES Bars: Stainless Butcher Chop Risers: Built In Hand Controls: N/A Foot Controls: Stainless Butcher Chop Gas Tank(s): Butcher Chop Oil Tank: Butcher Chop Front fender: N/A Rear Fender: Butcher Chop Seat: Union Speed (Pineapple Jay) Headlight: Lowbrow Tail light: After Hours Speedo: None Photographer: Carsten Fritzen
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was down Big Will was enlisted to help convert everything from the cam to the rocker arms over to Evo components. The external oil line holes in the rocker boxes were welded up and the boxes were split in the middle. After everything was bolted back together, it was bolted back into the frame. Thankfully, all the goodies that were out for treatment pretty much came back at the same time and it was game on for assembly. It took about a week to get everything assembled, wired and plumbed up but at last, it was complete. The bike was finished at 9 o’clock on a Friday night. Rhett’s good friend John Hyatt took it straight to Raleigh for the Ray Price Motorsports Expo Invited show, where it took 1st place in it ‘s class. It was an awesome moment to say the least but seeing the look on Scott’s face when he walked in at the show and saw it for the first time in its completed state was way better than any award. This bike was built with riding in mind, and even though a lot of work went into the appearance, even more went into making it dependable and functional. Rhett sends his thanks to Scott for the opportunity and a special thanks to his wife, daughters, friends and family that played such a huge role in making it happen!
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Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Missi Shoemaker www.flatbrokechopsnrods.com
A
nyone who has ever put a motor in a bike or taken one out can attest to the fact that no matter how bad ass you think you are, they are heavy and awkward. Now you might be Mr. Atlas and jerk them up off the floor but what if you are assembling a new bike build or fresh restoration and you are alone. Many times we have shown you the trick of having two buddies help you lay the frame over the sideways engine, but by yourself you’re stuck. Enter the likes of Tom and George Banks, the Banks Brothers and their award winning piece of shop equipment, “The
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Banks Lift.” The Banks boys are lifetime riders and during the natural progression of shop life it occurred to George that they might be getting a little old to just throw around motors while restoring bikes in their collection. When it comes to those of the caliber of a ‘36 Knucklehead, you surely do not want to damage anything as it goes together. George put his thinking cap on and went to work designing this piece of machinery. We’re just gonna jump right in and show you how it works and explain along the way. The fellas came up to HQ as we were getting ready to tear Missi’s Evo motor out
of her frame for a rebuild.
It’s all about the hands. The thing that makes this work, aside from gravity, is the system of hands that they developed for the different type of Harley cylinders. These
are the Evo style and the back you can see have a rubber type coating to keep from marking the cylinders.
squeeze the jugs in the arms. Now at the same time if the lift is to high or too low, a
The final step is to tighten the posi-bolts that keep the arms securely in position from side to side during extraction and installation. The operation starts by squaring up the lift arms to the motor. You can widen the crank to get the arms in the right position to slide in.
From there you slide the lift into the motor compartment, and tighten the crank to
simple push on the hydraulic jack changes the position.
Here you can see the hands correctly placed along side the cylinders and ready to lift the motor out.
A couple of pumps on the hydraulic jack and the motor lifts effortlessly up out of the engine cradle and is ready to come out. Now because the Banks Lift is so stable you can leave it stand and walk around to
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the other side of the bike to check clearance or move anything that might be in the way.
Once you’re at the table, simple spin the knob on the jack and let the engine come slowly down to rest. And then the whole lift rolls away to a storage spot, taking up a very small amount of square footage. At this point you can grab the top of the motor with one hand and apply light pressure to tilt it and begin to roll it out of the frame.
Now here’s an added cool part. Once you’re done with the lift it folds up like a cherry picker does.... but even smaller. One bolt removes the hand unit and lets it hang on the base.
Because the hands are attached with HeimJoints, the engine can swivel, making it much easier to maneuver.
Then you drop the jack to the lowest position.
And with light pressure again, out it goes with the rollers under the control of the single operator. Now you can roll it over to your bench or engine table and attach your stand as it hangs in the air with the security of knowing it isn’t going anywhere.
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Pull the two pins on the legs and fold them up, using retaining clips in the upright position.
Additionally, I should mention the extra mounting holes in the upright to mount the arms and hands of the lift give the user the ability to pick an engine up off the floor. Then, once it’s up on something a little higher the hand unit can be moved to the top again and the engine can be lifted the rest of the way to eye level. There is very little these cats didn’t think of and they have been refining their original design through several versions to get to what they feel is the absolute solution for removing and installing bike engines, we agree and so do the readers that voted this product the 2019 Best Shop Product. For those who would say “Yeah but how many motors are you gonna do?” I can tell you that the right tool to do a job the right way more than one time is plenty enough reason to buy that tool. Go check them out, the lift comes in around a grand but is American made, strong as hell and made by real bike guys doing real bike shit! Tell ‘em we sent ya! www.bankslift.com
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B
Article By; Missi Shoemaker Photos By: Missi Shoemaker, Camel & Jimmy Jouny
ill Dodge’s BC Moto Invitational is held during the Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival. This was the third year for the invitational and there is no better place to have it than the picturesque backdrop of Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. The horse stables at the ranch made a perfect location for the custom motorcycles to be put on display. This year the barn was home to around 40 iron horses, all built by some of the most talented builders in the industry. The BC Moto Invitational is much like a family reunion, the custom motorcycle builders are hand-picked by Bill Dodge himself, and each bring their own unique style to the show. One of the great things about this show, is that the builders are on hand and are very approachable. Most set up a small booth in the pavilion outside the barn. They sell swag and specialty parts, and all are eager to speak to the rallygoers and answer any questions they might have about their bikes or their products.
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Of course, this also means that they have a great opportunity to socialize with each other and build even stronger bonds. This is why the TMMR & BC
Moto Invitational are often referred to as a “Family Reunion!” As with any family, it sometimes gets pretty dysfunctional and crazy… nighttime brings on the party, and there is so much fun to be had. From riding minibikes around the campground (there might even be fire involved at times) to racing on the dirt
track or just hanging out and listening to the nightly bands. Fun is definitely part of this equation. The fun isn’t limited to the builders, as I said before, they are very much approachable, and many new friendships are made during this event. I had an opportunity to sit down with Bill Dodge, founder of the BC Moto Invitational and hear his inspiration for the show and some of his thoughts now that it is growing. Bill stated that he had wanted a place to showcase a diversified group of builders, where they could get noticed by the public, show off their talents to their peers and meet other likeminded individuals in the industry. Dodge wanted to provide place that they could get together in a fun atmosphere, make new friends and have their personalities shine farther than “Hey look at my bike”. It is a perfect cost-effective setting to show off their craftsmanship! When he first started out on his own as a builder, there were others in the industry who invited him, and he now wants to be that guy for others. He enjoys bringing together all levels
of builders, the older guys who have been doing this a while, those whose momentum may be slowing a little, those who are at their prime, knee deep in it and have a good momentum going right now and those unknowns just starting out, who have a lot to offer but haven’t been noticed yet. His hope was to get this group together so they could feed off of each other and for everyone to get fired up! His thought was for it to be an extension of his Daytona Shop Party, which if you don’t know about that, boy are you missing out! His party is a legendary industry party where everyone mingles over an amazing BBQ dinner, with no formalities. It has grown so big that anyone who is anyone in the industry attends. The idea of it was to get these industry greats together so they can make connections and share ideas to help keep the industry going. This idea has transitioned well, and Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is the perfect setting for this get together. “When you walk into that barn, knowing that it’s Loretta’s Barn, and you see all the bikes, these things that these guys made, it’s just an amazing vibe It’s something that you just can’t buy. The ranch is a place where you become family” He went on to say that seeing these guys in a fun atmosphere is just
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amazing. When asked about his favorite part of the BC Moto, his response was not what you might expect, or if you really know Bill, yeah, you’d expect this answer…. “My favorite thing is sitting at the top of the hill and just watching everyone having an amazing time.” They may not have been close friends when they arrived, but they are leaving as family, and THAT is something. Bill always takes a day during the event, this year it was Friday, and spends a couple of hours getting the builders together for a group photo and presents them each with a token of his appreciation and love. He calls them up one by one and says a few words to them and about them. This is probably the most emotional part of the weekend. Tears are falling from just about everyone by the time the presentation is over. It really is the best day for the group, their families and their friends. Motofamily - lifelong friendships, bonds made through one common ground, motorcycles. What more could one ask for? I, for one, was amazed by this giant family of motorcycle people!! Be sure to follow Bill Dodge @ blingscycles for upcoming information on next year’s BC Moto Invitational!
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f you have plans to be anywhere other than at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, March 7th, change them. The 10th Sons of Speed Vintage Motorcycle Race will be held at New Smyrna Speedway that night, preceded by two full days of track tuning and practice. Sons of Speed is true outlaw motorcycle racing. We race stripped down, modified American board track motorcycles from 1910-1929, and American 45 cubic inch twins from 1936-1955. We are un-sanctioned, and we make our own rules. The policies and politics of large corporations and institutions hold no influence over us. We are ruled by high octane fuel, oil, spark, and speed. Expect to see over fifty fast American racing motorcycles blaze the high-banked asphalt half-mile at New Smyrna Speedway. Indians,
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Excelsiors, and Flying Merkels battle Harley-Davidsons for the coveted checkered flags, like they did a century ago on America’s long-gone wooden motordrome board tracks. These motorcycles have no brakes, no clutch, and no gearbox. Their only purpose is to go fast. They are good for nothing else. The 90-100-year-old board track machines raced in four progressively faster classes; 500cc single cylinders, stock engine 1000cc twin cylinders, modified engine 1000cc twin cylinders, and unlimited displacement twincylinder bikes. Reigning stock 1000cc champion Roxie Hanna faces serious competition from all contenders, including Jody Perewitz. Roxie and Jody were in a dogfight in October’s races, and mechanical failure to Jody’s machine gave Roxie the edge she needed to stand in the winner’s circle. The stacked 45 cubic inch class provides the fastest, sketchiest 1/2 mile racing you can get. eBay Jake will defend his title from October on his lightning-quick Harley-Davidson WR 45, but previous 45 champions like Doug Young, Billy Applegate, and Moonshiner Josh Owens all want
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another taste of champagne spray at the finish line. The modified 1000cc board track bikes are becoming increasingly more thrilling, and their riders are nothing short of daredevils. This is anyone’s race. eBay Jake is the most recent titleholder, but speed demons like Josh Young and prior champion Carey Maynell seriously threaten Jake’s run at a repeat. These guys are serious mechanics and riders, expect edgeof-your-seat action. Sons of Speed number ten goes down Saturday, March 7th, 5pm at New Smyrna Speedway during Daytona Beach Bike Week. Information and admission tickets for several levels of access are available online at www.sonsofspeed.eventbrite.com. General admission tickets may also be purchased on location, day of race, at the New Smyrna Speedway ticket office. Don’t miss the opportunity to see these riders and their machines up close and in person. Experience something different from the usual. You will leave wanting more and knowing you got your money’s worth.
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m
ark Stevens’ beautiful 47 Knucklehead wasn’t so beautiful when he first bought it 8 years ago. He purchased the bike from a friend of a friend, and it had been sitting for a few years in the loft of the guy’s garage. When Mark’s buddy told him the 47 Knuck was for sale and showed him a Polaroid photo, Mark wasn’t really impressed. Stevens’ friend convinced him that he should take an actual look at it, so he arranged to meet the guy. The bike had
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been chopped, 70’s style. It had a molded rear fender that was sitting way up off the tire, however it did have a pretty cool paint job of a naked lady on the tank and was named “Touch of Gold.” The bike started up on the second kick and seemed to run pretty well, so Mark took it for a test ride. He really didn’t want the bike at the time, he already had several bikes, including another Knuckle. His wife had already told him that he couldn’t bring any more bikes home. After riding the bike, he
offered the seller about 1/3 less than he was asking. Obviously, the seller didn’t jump at the offer but a few weeks later, the owner called Mark and the deal was struck. He knew his wife would have a fit, so Stevens took the bike to a buddy’s house, where he kept it for about two months before he eased into telling his wife he was bringing home one more bike. After riding it again, he found a vibration and eventually found that the engine was damaged from having been bored and
Article And Photos By: Missi Shoemaker
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having too large of valves installed in the heads. He had the cases welded and then over the winter he completely tore the bike down. It was then that that he decided to remove the molded pieces and return it to a normal frame. About a year ago Mark installed a Webber Carb and it took him almost the whole year to get it dialed in and running right. He used a custom intake and then made some minor adjustments over the course of time but says it’s running great now. Mark’s love for motorcycles started back in 1969 when he was 16 years old and wanted a car. He had been working and had some money saved, but his parents wouldn’t let him buy a car because they didn’t want a junker sitting in front of their newly built house. So, he came up with the idea that he could buy a motorcycle instead. He knew it would easily fit into the garage and wouldn’t clutter up the front of the house. His dad apparently liked how resourceful he was and agreed to let him get a motorcycle. Mark went to the local dealership and purchased a brand new 180 Yamaha 2 Cycle for $610. He was all set. The seed
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had been planted. He enjoyed riding that bike so much that he would just smile and laugh while riding. After he graduated from high school, he stepped up to a ‘72 Yamaha 650 that he bought for $1200. He enjoyed riding that much better and eventually found his way to a 1974 Harley-Davidson Super Glide. Once on the Super Glide, Mark thought he had died and gone to heaven! He kept it for seventeen years before he sold it to buy a Corvette. Although it would be about twenty years before he got back into bikes, he knew that Harley’s were the way to go. You see, he had bought the Super Glide for $2500, rode it for more than a dozen years and sold it for $2500. These bikes seemed to hold their value, and this was a lesson he never forgot. Around 2005, Mark started buying bikes again, riding them, fixing them up a little and selling them. By the way, his wife now understands and no longer cares how many bikes he has at one time. Mark is most passionate about vintage bikes, Pans, Shovels & Knucks, however, the Knuckleheads are his favorite. He is currently working on a new build,
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NEPHARIOUS TECH SHEET Owner: Mark Stevens City/State: Daytona Beach, FL Builder: Mark Stevens Year: 1947 Model: FL Value: $25,000 Time: 5 Months ENGINE: Year: 1947 Model: FL Builder: Mark Stevens Ignition: HD Timer With Points Displacement: 74 cu in Pistons: Stock Heads: Harley-Davidson Carb: Weber DCOE 40 Cam: Harley-Davidson Air Cleaner: Velocity Stacks Exhaust: Custom 1 ¾” Drag Pipes Primary: 3” Belt, Open TRANSMISSION Year: 1955 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: 4 Speed FRAME Year: 1947 Model: Harley-Davidson Rake: 39° Forks Builder: Paughco Type: Springer Extension: +4 WHEELS Front Wheel: Size: 21” Tire: Avon Speedmaster Front Brake: Mini Drum Rear Wheel: Size: 16” Tire: Avon Rear Brake: H-D Mechanical PAINT Painter: Jim @ Killer Custom Airbrush Color: Metalflake blue and silver Type: Graphics: Chroming: Brown’s ACCESSORIES Bars: Z Bars Hand Controls: Custom Jockey Shift Foot Controls: Custom foot clutch Gas Tank(s): Wassel Oil Tank: Chrome Horseshoe Front fender: N/A Rear Fender: Polished Aluminum Lowbrow,Ribbed Seat: Bates Headlight: 5 ¾” Bates style Tail light: Custom Speedo: None Photographer: Missi Shoemaker
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a Knuckle Bobber, that he says should hopefully be ready to debut at Daytona Bike Week! Make sure you keep an eye out for Mark and his new build, if it is anything as nice as this 47 Knucklehead, you won’t want to miss it!
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Article And Photos By: Savannah Rose
Y
ears ago, there was a motorcycle rally that took over the Four Corners area of the US - and after a hiatus, its back with a vengeance. For obvious reasons it is named the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally. Hosted by the owners of Durango HarleyDavidson, in conjunction with Freeze Management, this rally is back and poised to be better than ever. This year was the second in a row for this new/ old rally, and it was incredible. The rally boasts stunt shows, hooligan racing, and a hill climb in addition to the standard rally fun. The weekend had something for everyone. Unlike most events, instead of taking place at just one location, this rally is set up to force you to get on your bike and ride! Locations are scattered
across the Durango area, and you will find ride suggestions in each of the four states. This is, for sure, a “riding rally” and not just a party-on-Main-St type of event. Durango H-D hosted bike shows,
including our own Cycle Source, show that went down on Sunday. This dealer is the only one in the country that has both a bar
and a dispensary in the parking lot! X-Rock Radio hosted a live music stage in the parking lot, along with food and aftermarket parts vendors like KlockWerks, Fab28, Rundlett Performance, and more! The Cycle Source show at Durango H-D brought out some of the best choppers and classics the area had to offer including a beautiful restored Panhead, a vintage Indian, a custom Buell chopper and even a CB750 chop. The party continued over at 10th & Main St, where Building Homes for Heroes hosted a live music stage, food, and a bike show, featuring 10 killer custom bikes up on platforms. Sam Riddle played country music while the kickoff party went off on Friday night, and the crowd enjoyed cold brews. All of the money raised went to building homes for
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veterans. Just up the road at Sky Ute Casino, there was not only gambling and table games, but a stunt show from Speed-Kings Cycle. The guys put their Harleys up on one wheel, did burnouts, and rode circles around each other - literally. Jersey Claudio of Ride Like a Pro did demonstrations with his police-issue bagger, showing how clutch control can allow you to take a beast of a bike carefully around a parking lot, and by carefully I mean dragging floorboards! Sky Ute also hosted demo rides from Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles. Each company let you hop on their latest models and go for a ride - whether you wanted to try the newest H-D CVO or the Lowrider S, or Indian’s ripper, the FTR1200S, you got to lay down some miles. The rally also hosted not one but TWO giveaways here - a Street Glide and a custom Fat Bob. If you headed up the Million Dollar Highway you would have been able to see that Purgatory Ski Resort let Wheelie Pig, Logan Lackey, and his friends rip up the ski hill on their motorcycles. The hill climb had chills and thrills as the guys took all sorts of bikes up the dirt hill, which sounds a lot easier than it actually is. With catwalk cross-paths interrupting the hill, the guys had to slow and then regain speed to make it to the top of the hill. Saturday night saw the Hooligan Dirt Dash madness, as racers banged bars, rubbed tires, and sometimes went flying, hoping to take the checkered flag. Checkers or Wreckers is a pretty accurate tagline here, and the racers were determined to finish first. Between bouts, the crew kept the crowd entertained with beer chug contests, a T-Rex Race, and more silliness. Trevor, the owner of Durango H-D, even hopped aboard a Sportster tracker and went racing! The local rides make for a beautiful break from the hubbub of the rally 550, aka the “Million Dollar Highway” makes for an incredibly scenic, twisty ride. I headed the back way to Ouray and headed back into Durango via 550, riding a rented Heritage from EagleRider at DHD. As you rip around the curves, you pass rocky rivers, scenic valleys, tunnels, and guardrail-less drops. The area boasts lots of things to do - from incredible lakes to chill at, to hot springs to warm you up, and of course, there’s downtown and the March ‘20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
casino too. You can hit all 4 states in a day, and the terrain changes at each state line as you cross. The Four Corners Motorcycle Rally is sure to continue growing - so if you don’t have plans for next Labor Day Weekend, be sure to plan your ride to Durango, Colorado and hit the Million Dollar Highway!
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h
ere at source HQ we get pretty fired up about winter because it means that we get back in the garage in a more serious capacity. First order of business is to get this year’s Twisted Tea Give-A-Way bike underway. With only two months until Daytona we have to work fast to get this thing transformed. It starts just like all of them with a donor bike that runs strong but other than that we could care less what it looks like. As you can see from the parts to the right that we are throwing out and the parts in the upper right corner that are all that we will be keeping, it really doesn’t matter. One interesting thing from the gate on this bike is that it is a stock 883 and will give us a chance to work with S&S Cycle using their 1200 conversion kit that requires no
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Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Missi Shoemaker www.flatbrokechopsnrods.com
machine shop. Other than the conversion we will swap out the ignition for a Daytona Twintec and that’s about it. The big story here will be the finishes we need from this old aluminum. It’s still under wraps as to what the design is, but I can tell you that the rough aluminum actually works in our favor this time. I should mention that in this same issue we featured the first use of the Banks Engine lift on an Evo Softail. Well, the second use was this Sporty and while it was a little more complicated than the Evo that just jumped out of the frame, it did make it monstrously more manageable. So after a trip to Cycle Warehouse to dump the take off parts so we have a little walking room in the shop, we throw the engine up on our Handy motor bench and start tear down. That’s about where it stands this issue, but we are going live with this stuff through the whole process so make sure to tune into the Cycle Source FaceBook page for regular updates from Grease & Gears Garage Live. You can go to twistedtea.com for your chance to win this bike with no purchase necessary. Until next time, same chopper time..... same chopper channel.
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m
ilwaukee is a hotbed of bike and car shows throughout the year. One of the mainstays that always has a new project to show is my friend Dan Rognsvoog. Better known as “Cabana Dan” to the rest of the motorcycle world. Dan is a shining example of what a true garage builder is. In fact, he was one of our ten finalists in the Cycle Source Garage Builder contest a few years back. I have personally been wowed by his creations over the last decade that I have known him, and even for a couple of years before I knew who Cabana Dan was. He always sets out to build something. His Cafe racer in full 70’s style heavy metal flake was beyond fantastic. And the multi-engined Sprint dragster was imaginative and unique to say the least. So, when the chance came to build this fantastic machine, he had some great
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ideas and definitely had the raw materials ready to go. Speaking of the opportunity to build this fantastic machine, it came by pure kismet. Dan happened to be down in the Janesville area of Wisconsin, the Midwest headquarters of Drag Specialties is also there, chasing some leads down on some parts. When a friend introduced him to a Drag employee who is integral in picking who builds the cover bikes for their catalogs and initiates a conversation about building a bike for the regular drag catalog. After the brainstorming ideas, they came up with a plan to build a bike for the Old Book instead. It made more sense to do that as Dan already had a good 56 Panhead power train in his possession. So, it was off to the pages to pick everything else to complete the build. With all the parts ordered, it wasn’t just a
Article By: Milwaukee Mike Photos Courtesy Of: Drag Specialties
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pull and put as you can see, it was customization time in the garage. I was invited down to the inner sanctum to see where it all goes down when I had the terrific opportunity for this story. What a shop it is! Projects in every bit of space and not one, not two, but three drag bikes in the process of being completed. On top of all that, there are a bunch of vintage machines from the JD era to Evos. And of course, an absolutely kicking FXR that is built in the definite Hamster style which looks as fast as it is. So, let’s get back to this Pan. It is built in the low stretched out style of the SoCal lowrider. The foundation is a stock rake and stretch Paughco frame sitting on a set of spoke wheels 21 upfront and 18 in the rear with Metzler skins on both. Dan went with a Paughco leaf style frontend for suspension. The power plant is a stock 1956 74inch Harley-Davidson engine with
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an S&S Super B carb and a stock points ignition. A matching ‘56 4-speed transmission moves the power to the rear wheel. Exhaust is carried away by a one of a kind Cabana Dan Special from a Biltwell kit. The sheet metal is a combination of Klock Werks modified fenders and Drag Specialties oil and gas tanks, massaged to fit the lines correctly. The tins were expertly covered in sparkling blue hues and lines by Blue Moon Kustoms. Drag Specialties Seats upholstered the custom seat pan. The controls are from GMA and mounted on modified Biltwell bars set in a forward style. Headlight and taillight are again Drag Specialties and set off the front and tail just right. The Brite work was handled by 7 metal west and the polishing by Terry at Bert’s. All in all, it makes a hell of a good-looking bike and I can’t wait to see it greasing up the streets in the 414 in the near future. I personally think that this bike
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OLD BOOK BIKE TECH SHEET Owner: Dan Rognsvoog City/State: Franksville, WI Builder: Cabana Dan Rognsvoog Year: 1956 Model: FLH Value: Priceless Time: 8 Months Engine Year: 1956 Model: Panhead Builder: Harley-Davidson Ignition: Points Displacement: 74 cu Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: S&S Super B Cam: Yep Air Cleaner: Drag Specialties Exhaust: Cabana Dan/Biltwell Primary: Stock Transmission Year: 1956 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: 4 Speed Frame Make: Paughco Model: Rigid Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks Builder: Paughco Type: Leaf Spring Triple Trees: Extension: Wheels Front Wheel: Spoke Size: 21” Tire: Metzeler Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Spoke Size: 18” Tire: Metzeler Rear Brake: GMA Paint Painter: Blue Moon Kustoms Color: Blue TYpe: chroming: 7 Metal West Accessories Bars: Modified Biltwell Risers: LA CHoppers Hand Controls: GMA Foot Controls: Gas Tank(S): Drag Specialties Oil Tank: Drag Specialties Front Fender: Modified Klock Werks Rear Fender: Modified Klock Werks Seat: Drag Specialties Seats Headlight: Drag Specialties Taillight: Drag Specialties Speedo: Drag Specialties Photographer: Drag Specialties
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is a perfect example of what can be done with the products in the Drag Specialties Old Book. And because their target customers are garage builders, it makes the most sense that it was built in a private garage rather than a bike shop. As I said earlier, I can’t wait to see what comes out of Cabana Dan’s bat cave in the near future and I’ll be happy to bring it to y’all!
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e
very inch of wire has been replaced, new ignition module, new starter, new crank, and MAP sensor, new charging system, speedometer repaired, GPS warrantied, and the list goes on. As some of you know, I managed to destroy nearly my entire electrical system on my last trip. If there had been a challenge to see who could destroy the greatest number of components in a single instant, I think I may have had a shot at the gold medal. There I would be, standing on the podium with thousands of dollars of broken parts hanging proudly around my neck. Impressive to say the least. Even my coveted odometer, the one that reads back at me all the insane miles my motorcycle has carried me on, smelled awful and worked no longer. “I let the smoke out,” as they say. Thankfully I found Powl’s Speedometer Repair Shop in Pennsylvania and they got it back in working order for me. Correct mileage restored. Systematically and piece by piece, I managed to replace nearly every mechanical and electronic component on my motorcycle over the course of the last two weeks. My poor wife has hardly seen me at all. Every time she opened
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the garage door to check my pulse all she found was a crazed, bloodshot and wide-eyed lunatic feverishly scouring wiring diagrams, torqueing an oil bag mount for the tenth time or staring at the wall in a comatose state of bike repair overload. Hands grimy, hair greasy and jeans blackened with years of filth picked up along the countless journeys this wellproven machine has guided me on. Though I’ve only managed one short ride to confirm that I actually wired the thing correctly, I have no doubt that the ol girl will live to ride another day. This was my first dip of the toe into the rewiring pond. Up until now, I had accomplished no more than some sloppy roadside repairs and basic wiring of accessories, lights and the such. This may surprise some of you but it’s true, I guess I’ve just never had a reason to rewire a bike from scratch. Luckily though, I was able to lean on Cycle Source’s supreme leader, Chris Callen, who guided me to a company by the name of Namz. Namz is all things wiring and they had just what I was looking for. A stripped-down Twin Cam wiring harness that would dramatically simplify the rat’s nest I was harboring. Just enough to keep the
Article By: Charlie Weisel
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motor running, no more and no less. I should add here that when this can of worms was originally opened, I wasn’t entirely sure which direction I wanted to go in terms of making this bike run again. There are actually three options to wiring a Twin Cam motor. I was debating converting to an Evo style ignition which would minimize wiring to the fullest extent but would also create a fair amount of other work. I considered using the Thunderheart standalone ignition system which would also result in a very clean set up but force me to use only their ignition if it were to fail, and it will fail at some point, everything does. I ultimately ended up deciding on using a single port 2004 ignition module instead of the dual-port 2003
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ignition module which my bike was currently using. I found this to be a fair compromise. I was still cutting down the number of wires used while maintaining the ability to more easily find a replacement module if and when it fails. I’m really not a fan of using specialty parts for that reason alone; if you break down and need that specialty part your chances of finding it quickly are slim to none. That being said, even with using a more modern system, it is still a hell of a lot more wiring then what a lot of you vintage bike guys are used to dealing with. Add on top of that wiring for lights, GPS, heated gear and onboard charging of phones, camera batteries, etc, and you end up with a ton of wires to hopefully route in a
way that is presentable. In addition, I was simultaneously converting back to a standard full-size battery; I stand by my statement in the last article that I am done with lithium ion batteries, which meant relocating everything under my seat to make space for it. Everything previously was designed to fit around a much smaller battery. Luckily though, Christian at SuperGlobal industries here in Boulder was ready to assist with the small amount of metalwork necessary to make that happen. This is the stage of the project where I turned into that bloodshot and wideeyed crazed lunatic I mentioned earlier. Routing and organization of wiring on a motorcycle is mindnumbing, especially when you start tweaking out over every last detail. But alas, after routing, shrink tubing, zip tying, pin crimping and plugging in every last wire, I said one final prayer to the chopper Gods, pressed the start button with a twinge of fear and I’ll be damned if she didn’t fire right up! A dance was danced, a yip was yipped and for just a brief moment, I may or may not have twirled. Now that everything is back in working order, I can get back to focusing on the fun stuff. Laying down miles, checking out a show here and there and generally enjoying life to the fullest. In just a little over two weeks from the writing of this article, I will be heading east to St. Louis, Missouri, for the Cycle Showcase show. Randy puts on a great event and I encourage you all to be there. If the weather holds out, I plan on riding, and if not, I will, GASP, trailer out. Let’s hope the latter doesn’t happen. But I promised Randy I would be there with my bike so one way or another I will make that happen. Anyone have a truck and trailer I can borrow? I want to say thank you again to Namz for indulging all of my questions, answering them honestly, and providing a quality product and thank you to Chris Callen for pointing me in the right direction. Now let’s get back to riding motorcycles! To see what I’m up to in realtime follow me on Instagram @ charlietravelingchoper
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his 1942 Indian Chief got its start when Alex Hammelbacher, Mike McElwee, and Steve Goushian from Philadelphia PA met Grant Peterson at the Born Free show. They actually became friends while racing their flatheads while participating in The Race of Gentlemen in Wildwood NJ. They told Peterson that they could build a really cool bike for Born Free, so he took them up on their word and put them to the test when he invited them to build a bike for Born Free 1. Alex has a background as an Indian guy, while Steve and Mike are Harley guys. This provided plenty of knowledge across both platforms for their project. They were all fans of Indian Larry and were inspired by a project involving a really cool Indian Chief chopper built in the early 90’s
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which used a Chief motor in a Harley frame. That’s where their inspiration for this build came from. This was a great start for a group of friends that since their teens had grown up with cars and bikes in their lives. The trio was excited to put their combined knowledge together to meld both platforms. The bike started out with a bunch of pieces from an Indian Chief motor and a Chief frame that belonged to Alex. The other piece was a rigid Panhead frame that belonged to Mike. They proceeded to cut the engine cradle out of the ’42 Chief frame and grafted it to the upper half of the ’48 Panhead frame. In the meantime, after grafting the frames, they tried to decide in what direction to take the bike. This process took a little over nine months. The group worked out of
Article And Photos By:Josh Elzey
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Steve’s small one-car garage which was packed with tools and motorcycle parts and was less than an ideal space to have three to four grown men working in. But, hey, at least they were well equipped. The team knew they wanted to build the best looking Indian Chief chopper that has ever been seen so they pulled influences from both the east and west coast, threw in a mix of Indian Larry and Ed Roth and still gave the project that traditional hot rod feel. Since they all had full time jobs and growing families Steve, Mike, and Alex worked on the bike on available weekends. It was tough but they used every spare minute they could to make progress on the chopper build. With their limited time frame, it was quite a challenge to finish the project for the declared deadline. It helped that they had a lot of support from their friends Johnny Damico and Vinnie Padula, both did a lot of running for them and were a very important part of the build.
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It turns out the hardest part of the build was trying to bring so many different ideas and styles together to create a great looking chopper that flowed seamlessly. In order to make it work, they had to stay focused and locked down a few of their stronger ideas. They modified every part of the bike starting with the frame, a highly modified rear fender with a taillight
housing and Pontiac Firebird side marker bezel, and a one-off seat pan. The three-piece gas tank turned out to be quite a challenge because of all the custom curves and need to bolt them together. The left side is the oil tank, the center is the gas tank, and the right side is their whiskey flask with a modified prism supply fuel shutoff valve. If you ask
me, it was well worth the effort. Everything else was also reworked ; including modifying the engine cases by taking the magneto boss and welding shut, reversing the transmission tower using an early Harley juice drum brake, custom forward controls, chaindriven generator, and modified oil pump housings to accept AN fittings. Andrew Johnson from Antique Speed and Machine modified the dual Linkert carbs and added Velocity Stacks to where the chokes used to be. Jeff Leighton of VARD MFG made a oneoff four-inch over narrow front end with modified upper covers. They were mindful to use parts from the early 40’s and 50’s and made it look like they were made to work together. There are so many stories that go along with this bike. The time one spends with friends is always full of memorable experiences. There was a lot of drinking and carrying on within that nine months, so they were
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HIGH ROLLER TECH SHEET Owner: Bad Luxury City/State: Philadelphia Pa Builder: Bad Luxury Year: 1942 /1948 Model: High Roller Value: Time: 9 MONTHS ENGINE Year: 1942 Model: Indian Chief Builder: East Coast Machine Ignition: Magneto Displacement: 74 Pistons: 2 Heads: Modified Carb: Dual Linkert Cam: Bonnieville Air Cleaner: Velocity Stacks Exhaust: Custom / Bad Luxury Primary: Chain TRANSMISSION Year: 1942 Make: Indian Chief Shifting: Reverse Shift Tower/ Hand FRAME Year: 42 Indian/48 Harley Model: Custom / Bad Luxury Rake: 32 Stretch: 2’’ Forks Builder: Vard Manufacturing Type: Hydraulic Triple Trees: Vard Extension: 4’’ WHEELS Front Wheel: Aluminum Size: 21’’ Tire: Firestone Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Aluminum Size: 18’’ Tire: Firestone Rear Brake: Juice Drum PAINT Painter: Travis “Tuki” Hess Color: White, Murano Pearl Type: HOK Graphics: Flames Chroming: Ron Monte Triple Chrome Plating / Charger Metals ACCESSORIES Bars: Custom Risers: Vard Hand Controls: Internal Throttle Foot Controls: Custom /Bad Luxury Gas Tank(S): Custom 3 Piece /Bad Luxury Oil Tank: Integrated Into Fuel Tank Front Fender: None Rear Fender: Custom / Bad Luxury Seat: Gary Maucher Custom Upholstery Headlight: Unity Spotlight Taillight: Custom / Pontiac Speedo: None Photographer: Josh Elzey
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surprised that anything actually got done! The best part for them was getting the bike finished, driving across country, and then showing the bike for the first time in California. Long story short…it was a huge challenge, mentally, physically and financially. They really pushed each other to build the best motorcycle that they could, and they never fought once.
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Article By: Corey Barnum Photos By: Craig (6PM) Harriman www.faithforgotten.com
T
his month’s tech article is about one fix on a Harley going into limp mode. Our customer was having an intermittent problem with his 2009 FLHRP going into limp mode. Limp Mode happens when there is a correlation error between the twist grip sensor, electronic control module, and throttle control actuator. It limits the RPMS and throttle response of the bike. Basically, it lets you limp the bike home or to a shop to get it repaired.
The first thing I do is pull all the
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diagnostic trouble codes. There are two ways of getting these. The first is called the wow test. It is done by holding the trip button down when you turn the ignition switch on. Make sure the run/stop switch is in the run position when doing this.
This is what your speedometer will look like when doing the wow test. Each one of these letters represents a different system. Press the trip button once to switch categories. When you have selected the correct one, press and hold the trip button to get dtc (diagnostic trouble code).
After holding down the trip button in the power category, you see the trouble codes will start showing up. To see if there is more than one code, simply press the trip switch. Make sure to record all codes as you cycle through them. When the part number for the component you are checking comes up, you have cycled through all the trouble codes for that category.
worry about the three pertaining to the bike going into limp mode. They are p1511, p2135, and p2176.
The second way to pull up trouble codes is with the data link connector, and some sort of software to read Harley’s electronic systems. There are many of these on the market. We use Techno Research.
Here are all the codes that Techno Research was able to pull off the bike. As you can see, these codes are all historic. I’m only going to
Here is what your induction module will look like after the air cleaner housing has been removed. As you can see in the picture, someone has already messed with these wires, so we will clean that up for them after the repair.
When I see code p2135 that tells me that I am having a problem with the throttle control actuator. Harleys made from 2008-2010 with the electronic throttle had their terminals made out of inferior metals and had a problem with fretting. I begin taking off the air cleaner housing to expose the induction module.
After disconnecting the harness from the induction module, I give each wire a slight tug to make sure none of the wires are broken. Don’t pull
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on them to hard, because you could cause the damage.
As you can see in this picture, one of the six wires is broken.
To remove the wires from the housing, the first thing is to take a little screwdriver and pop the secondary lock. You don’t have to remove this completely, just pull it up until it moves freely in the connector.
Once the first lock is released, you will then have to get something through the connector to get the primary lock released. A paperclip or a safety pin will work. As you can see, I was using a safety pin. Just push it in until you
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feel it press on the internal lock and gently pull the wire out from the back side.
With all the wires removed from the connector, I cut all the old terminals off and strip back the wires for the revised ones
From 2008-2010 Harley had a problem with these terminals fretting. In 2011 they change the metal, and this eliminated this problem. Here is a picture of the revised terminals.
Using the proper tool, I now install the revised terminals on all 6 wires. With all the wires repaired, I then put
the air cleaner back on. When that is complete, I clear all the diagnostic trouble codes and take the bike out for a road test. No more problems occurred on the test ride. This Harley has now gone from limp to hard.
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f
or Lyndell Wolff, art was never something he thought about, but something he just did. There was never an epiphany to create or something that lit the spark; it was just there. The desire to create and find a way to participate in the world around him. It was something he was able to do and learn about himself without needing any sort of group or team involved and he could indulge whenever and for as long as he felt necessary. It was perfect for him. Growing up just east of East Los Angeles, in a lower workingclass neighborhood, two things were very real. Car culture and Bikers, you were defined by what you drove or rode. So, it’s safe to say that he has been in the custom bike world from the start. The summer after graduating high school, he landed a gig working as a woodcarver at a craft village at the local amusement park. That fall he started college but after an overseas trip to France working as a woodcarver/
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Article By: Amelia “Killer” Rose craftsman, he dropped out at the end of the year once he realized it wasn’t really meant for him. Within a few years, he had finally purchased his first Harley (a ‘48 Pan, no less) and formed a business
partnership with a master craftsman building everything from custom furniture and prototypes to different kinds of artwork. After the sudden death of his business partner, he grew tired of the struggles working as a small
business owner and decided to become a member of the Local 44 IATSE as a Prop Maker on films in 1990. Working on films afforded him the luxury of being able to take as much time as he wanted in-between various film projects and be able to pursue more of his own artistic endeavors. After working in film for almost 30 years, with over 50+ motion picture credits, Lyndell decided to make his art a full-time career back in 2016 and has been working as a studio artist ever since. For his inspiration, he likes to use the history of the motorcycle. He has an overwhelming number of files and folders filled with various information and images on bikes that he keeps as fuel for his inspiration. Despite growing up in the world of custom motorcycles, what really drew Lyndell towards it was the feeling you get from being a part of it. The independent, care-free lifestyle that also came with a certain level of respect and integrity drew him in and he’s been hooked ever since
To create these amazing pieces you see, Lyndell prefers to use a classic acrylic due to its general workability and quick drying time. For some of the wood carving he does on the side, he likes to use a Black Walnut or Jelutong wood. It’s incredible to think that only 4 years ago was when Lyndell first began seriously producing his hyper-realistic motorcycle paintings. Within just a year, he had completed seven of them and was on the hunt for a venue that would display them. Creating art has been an incredible journey for him and he is still unable to truly fathom the impact his work has on others. His plans for the future are fairly straightforward; keep moving forward and creating art. He has been working recently on how to better segment his time so that he is able to work more comfortably and productively. He also is working on upping his social media presence and has noticed that WIP shots and progressive GIFs tend to grab the most attention. He has also been working on creating prints and monograph sets of his paintings and hopes that in the future he will be able to produce and sell both of those things, along with his original pieces. As for what sets him apart from the other artists in our industry, Lyndell believes it’s his incredible attention to detail. When you look at one of his paintings, they are 100% mechanically accurate, down to the scaled proportions. For instance, if you scaled a ⅜ inch bolt from one of his paintings, it would be proportionally correct to the rest of the image. He also strives for that same attention to detail in the colors of his paintings. It’s not enough for the viewer to be able to identify a part as being made of metal, he wants them to be able to tell whether or not the piece is aluminum or steel, or if the steel has been tempered or case hardened, all with the color he uses. His goal with this is not just to create paintings of motorcycles, but to tell the story of that specific bike, to be the visual representation of the joy and freedom that being on a motorcycle gives someone. If you’d like to check out more of Lyndell’s incredible artwork or purchase a piece for yourself, you can head on over to his website, www.ldwolff.com, or on his various social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, just search for Lyndell Wolff). Thanks for reading, till next time. Killer
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Article By: Scooter Tramp Scotty
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hadn’t been to my home state of California in three years and I probably wouldn’t be heading back there if it were not for a very special reason. My father’s heart was failing, and I was going home to spend time with him. His health had improved in recent months and the outlook was good. Our time together was well worth the trip. Eventually, the mild fall weather was replaced by some cold winter months. My fathers house was in the high desert and as it grew bitterly cold so I was forced to move into the lower desert area. I said my goodbyes. A month later, at age 82, my father would die in his sleep. Six miles from the low desert town of Holtville, a little hot spring sits beside Interstate-10. The place has two concrete tubs. One apparatus that shoots water into the air acts as an eternal hot shower. Best yet, there was no entrance fee. Because this vast desert provides either cheap or free camping, depending where
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one parks, many northern snowbirds visit and secure their RVs during the worst of the winter’s frigid months. This is where I decided to stop. On the day I arrived I was soaked from riding. It was late morning when I set up my camp in the deset. I decided to visit the spring along with the folks who arrive daily to socialize while basking in the volcanically heated water. Afterward, I’d be riding to Palm Springs for a doctor’s appointment and basic physical, which I’d not done in many years. While walking through the hot spring’s low chain-link gate, I noted the handful of retirees gathered in the pools. After hanging my towel on the fence, I turned to face the two pools. The larger pool had always been too hot for my taste. The smaller pool was occupied by three women. I guessed they were probably well into their 60s, two were the usual snowbird types, while the third was a younger model, thin of build with blue eyes and longish
dark hair heavily streaked with gray. All were friendly and introductions were made before they resumed their conversation. To my surprise, the youngest soon turned to address me. “I’m Alisa. Where you from? And what’s your game?” she asked brazenly. Now staring into the radiant eyes of an undeniably attractive woman, I told her and then asked the same. “I’m from Ontario, Canada,” She continued, “Down for the winter like everyone else.” No surprise there. But as conversation continued, I learned that Alisa had lived full time in her truck for the last three years. This was common ground and I eventually asked to see her place. “You wanna see my rig? Okay. I’ll show you,” and Alisa lifted her bikini-clad figure from the tub to grab a robe. I followed her through the gate. Once at the parking lot, she grinned and pointed to an older full-sized pickup with large silver camper attached. “I’ve got to
warn you that the inside is ‘chock-ablock.” “Chock-a-block?” I inquired, figuring it must be a Canadian term. “Yeah, chock-a-block,” she answered, “I hated the original setup and finally gutted the inside but haven’t put it back together yet. It’s a big mess.” Once at the truck, Alisa opened the back door, and I saw what she meant. Even the mattress had been leaned up sideways to accommodate all the crap stuffed in there. “How do she sleep at night?” I asked, and she told me… Somewhat of hermit and a bit antisocial, Alisa liked to stay alone in the desert for months at a time. When at home in a free camp on the nearby BLM land, Alisa simply moves her stuff outside to make room for the mattress on the floor. She’d only loaded a few things up to come in for the hot spring. We talked for a good while. Eventually, however, I gave her a hug and walked back to my motorcycle. After all, I had a date with a doc in Palm Springs the next day. The checkup went well and tests determined nothing physically wrong with me. By day’s end, I got a call from Alisa. She wanted me to come back and made promises. I appreciated her straightforwardness over the funky games that often accompany the dance of “romance”. It was a long ride back, but of course, I would go. The following afternoon I was again on the road to Holtville. Directly in my path, the large dead lake known as The Salton Sea offers two roads that traverse either of its shores. The western highway is larger with considerable traffic, so I chose the far more desolate eastern route. For many miles, there were no houses and I seldom saw a passing car. Nothing materialized that would interrupt my solitary ride. Only the vast desert sky and occasional glimpses of lake kept me company. Ahead lay the tiny town of Niland. Directly behind me, sat an isolated plot of land known as Slab City. Originally a military base, all that remains are the large slabs of concrete on which buildings once stood. Years ago, misfits began moving there and Slab City now holds a population of 3,000…so I’m told. As I rode I saw a small city of old RVs, some newer ones, camps, and great piles of trash. I guess there are many cool folks who live there. However, this community is completely lawless and a fair percentage of its residents are either on the run or people who can’t make it
in the normal world and would perhaps be locked up. I’d had my share of adventures in this unique place, but had years ago pledged never to stay another night there. There was simply too much violence and I’d long ago grown sick of it. I moved on. As I drew near the town of Niland, and strangely enough in this arid desert, the fog became so thick, it was necessary to look over the windshield. With the sun successfully blocked and water accumulating
across my face and fairing, visibility was reduced to 30-feet. With many miles still separating me from Alisa, I had to make a decision. I decided to make camp nearby then continue on in the morning, however, I knew that any camp set in this weather would be soaked within an hour, so I needed an alternate option. From previous visits, I knew ther was an abandoned concrete building that had, strangely enough, once served as a large semi-truck loading station.
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It sat just before the town’s north end. Turning around, I passed back through Niland in search of the place. Unable to see more than a few feet from the road and with my building set some distance in, visual contact was impossible. After parking at the roadside where I guessed the place might be, I walked through desert land completely encompassed by a palpable dome of thick fog. Eventually, and like some haunting specter, the vision of my huge building began to materialize. The bike was retrieved before I pulled up the ramp to erect a solitary camp inside the dry structure. Although a rather rough setting, the inside of my tent always remains the same cozy place I’d come to call home regardless of its surroundings. By morning, I gazed through the door of my concrete sanctuary to see that, although winter’s chill had left the air crisp, the fog was gone. Returning to the warmth of my bed, it seemed best to simply drink coffee for an hour until the sun had warmed the land to a more enjoyable riding temperature. By early afternoon I was again at the hot spring. From there, Alisa’s directions took me along a small dirt road leading into the open desert. Eventually, a sign read, free camping area, and I hung a left. Alisa’s truck sat almost immediately on the right. Surrounding its rear entrance was a makeshift counter with Colman stove, five-gallon water bottles, cooler, ladder, fire pit, miscellaneous stuff, and one lawn chair with a rather slim woman seated on it with a coffee mug in hand. She turned to smile at the motorcycle, and seemed genuinely happy to see me. After parking behind her truck, reintroductions were made before I grabbed my own camp chair and took a seat. Alisa offered coffee, which I accepted. After a sip, I looked into her bright blue eyes and asked, “What made you decide to coax me all the way back out here?” “Ah,” and she paused to light a smoke, “It was that last hug before you left. Kind of got me going, you know? Would you like some eggs?” As Alisa cooked, she talked of how wonderful it
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was to be so far from civilization. She said she could spend many wonderful weeks/months without ever seeing another soul and be completely
happy. This hermit thing seemed kind of strange to me. But one thing was certain: I was not cut out for that kind of isolation. Directly after breakfast, the romance
exploded as she sat upon the truck’s tailgate to face me. Our chemistry together was immediately off the chart. From there, the most wonderful of times began. For days we lay in bed talking and reading books; took long walks through the desert; went to the hot spring; frequented a Mexican restaurant in town; and spent time hanging with the other RV dwelling desert rats who were our neighbors. Cooking was of great importance to Alisa and we had many good meals at home. Two weeks passed. “You know,” I told her while lying in bed one morning, “I’m not staying out here, Alisa. I’ll be heading into Baja Mexico as the coldest months catch up to us. You wanna go?” After a long pause, she answered, “Yes.” “Well, this truck’s no good for that kind of travel because we have to move a ton of crap outside every night. That won’t work while in route. I have a carpenter friend in Redondo Beach who’s got a big place he never comes home too. If we go there, I can build the camper’s inside into something functional, comfortable, and extra special for you.” After contemplating a journey into the big city of Los Angles traffic, I knew that Alisa would balk. And she did. But Baja held appeal; there was the truck’s interior to consider, and of course, her overactive libido… It was a relatively warm southern California winter’s morning as one Canadian girl piloted her truck with all her worldly possessions behind the old Harley. Our first night’s camp was set on a concrete slab that rested beside a small abandoned house. This was a familiar spot because I’d used it previously while visiting the doctor. Again, it was a wonderful time for us, which seemed a good omen. But the real test would be how the hermit girl reacted to the afternoon’s ride into the insane Los Angeles traffic…
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i
t is not uncommon for a motorcycle project to be built around a single part. Whether it be a gas tank that’s been hanging on the wall forever or a seat an old friend gave you, these parts have been the start of many a great bike. That’s how this Softail, El Rey, got its start. When Lane Weir and Kirk Marshall, known as Red Neck Mafia, came across this rough and worn but well priced Twin Cam, they had a set of tires they wanted to build around. That’s right, a set of tires. Coker 6.00x16 bias ply tires to be exact. When the Red Neck Mafia took
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possession of this Softail, it was in rough cosmetic shape. The bike was stripped down and the frame was freshened up. While apart, the frame lost its rear fender struts and received a thorough smoothing. Speed holes were drilled above and below the swingarm pivot mount for a light race look. Moving on the drivetrain was bead blasted and coated to give it a cast look. Brass accents were added to offset the engine and a set of bolt heads were machined up for the rocker boxes to give a little throwback to the Shovelhead styling.
Article By: Matt Reel Photos By: B-Anthony Photography
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With the two major parts ready, it was time to join them and get this project looking like a motorcycle again. The frame was first coated with a shiny Mica Sunset paint and the cast look drivetrain was installed. A set of 2 inch under forks were mounted up front with aluminum trees and a set of shaved lowers flaunting the same Mica Sunset finish as the frame. With things taking shape, it was time to address some sheet metal. Up front, a Royal Enfield headlight with switches and amp meter was mounted. A Red Neck Mafia fender was mounted up tight to the rear fender and a suede-covered solo seat was mounted to hug the fender. The original Horseshoe oil tank was replaced with a round tank/battery box combo. A dresser gas tank was sectioned and sight glass and relocated petcock bung were added for fuel supply duties. All of these pieces were coated in that beautiful Mica Sunset and the accent panel is bare metal clear coated.
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Next up the Mafia fabbed up a set of stainless one-piece handlebars. To keep things clean, internal throttle and internal clutch set ups were used with cork and brass grips. The decision was made to not run a front brake thus keeping the handlebars and front wheel clean. With the bike taking shape, it was time for the finishing bits. An aluminum belly pan was fabbed up and mounted underneath to protect things. Motocross pegs were added to the forward controls to keep the race feel going. Then a brass crown gas cap was shipped from a supplier in Italy to truly give the crowning touch. Now it was time. Time to mount those tires that started the whole thing. The original spoke wheels were given a brushed finish and the 6.00x16 Cokers were mounted up. The look was exactly what they were aiming for, kind of Board Tracker meets Steam Roller. The look caught the eye of many, including Coker Tire. El
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EL RAY TECH SHEET Owner: Red Neck Mafia City/State: Alvin, TX Builder: Red Neck Mafia - Alvin, TX Year: 2004 Model: Softail Standard Value: 30K Time: 6 Months ENGINE Year: 2004 Model: H-D Twin Cam 88 Builder: Red Neck Mafia Ignition: Thunder Heart Displacement: Pistons: Harley-Davidson Heads: Harley-Davidson Carb: Harley-Davidson Cam: Harley-Davidson Air Cleaner: Stromberg Stack Exhaust: Red Neck Mafia Primary: Harley-Davidson TRANSMISSION Year: 2004 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: 5 Speed FRAME Year: 2004 Model: Harley-Davidson / Softail Rake: 38 Degree Stretch: Stock Forks: H-D,Shaved & Smoothed Builder: Red Neck Mafia Type: H-D Wide Glide Triple Trees: HHI 5 Degree Rake Extension: Burley Slammer 2” Lower Kit WHEELS Front Wheel: HD - Brushed Finish Size: 16” Tire: FireStone (Coker Tire) Front Brake: Harley-Davidson Rear Wheel: HD - Brushed Finish Size: Harley-Davidson Tire: FireStone (Coker Tire) Rear Brake: Harley-Davidson PAINT Painter: Leach Custom Paint Color: Sunset Bronze Mica Type: Base Coat / Clear Coat Graphics: Leach Custom Paint Chroming: Brushed Stainless Steel ACCESSORIES Bars: Red Neck Mafia 1” Flat Track Risers: Built In Hand Controls: Exile Internal Throttle Foot Controls: Bear Trap MX Gas Tank(s): Red Neck Mafia Oil Tank: Red Neck Mafia Front fender: None Rear Fender: Red Neck Mafia Seat: Saldana’s Custom Upholstery Headlight: Royal Enfield Tail light: Red Neck Mafia – Brass LED Speedo: None Photographer: B-Anthony Photography
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Rey’s debut ended up being in the Coker Tire booth at SEMA. So, remember, never count out those parts hanging on the wall collecting dust. One of the lonely pieces may just be the start of your next great project. So, get out and build something.
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h
ello, dearest friends of the wind. I hope this finds you well and that the beginning of 2020 is off to a fantastic start. My New Year was spent with my family and doing something I haven’t done in God knows how long, blowing up a bunch of Fireworks! Man, did I have a blast. Some of the stuff they have nowadays ain’t like the old bottle rockets I used to get as a kid. I mean, they have these things called Mortar rounds that come with their own launch tube and are so fu#king loud and big I thought for sure they would be mistaken for gunfire and that the cops would show up at my place and read me the riot act. But all was well, $200 dollars later, all that was left was some ringing in my ears, a ton of crap to clean up in the AM, and the best thing of all were the great
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Article By: Xavier Muriel memories. Again, the memories are what’s most important to me, just like the
ones I’m making right now. It’s Friday night; I’m at the home of Rick Bray of RKB Kustoms. If you don’t know who he is, well, then it’s time to crawl out from the rock you have
been hiding under. Rick’s creations have won countless awards and have graced the cover of many a chopper magazine, including this one. Now, I’ve known about him for some time but had never met him until the 2019 Golden Bolt in Los Angeles. Needless to say, we hit off immediately. We had been talking one day when I told him about a build that I’ve been commissioned to do for the charity “Debbie’s Diabetes Foundation.” The completed motorcycle will be raffled off aboard the High Seas Rally Cruise Dec 3-7 2020. While I was telling him that I wanted to do something different frame-wise than the last two builds, he quickly stopped me and said: Why don’t you come up to my shop, and we’ll make one together.” Well, needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity. So here I am building a frame
from scratch. Now let me be really clear when I say I’ve never even attempted to build my own frame. Knowing that, I figured that it was best for me to come up here, shut my mouth, open my ears and learn a lil something. Well, Mr. Bray had other plans for me right out of the gate. He made it crystal clear from the moment he picked me up at the airport that I was going to do as much hands-on as needed to get the job done in the 4 days that I was gonna be here. And like most Harley addicts, we spent no time lollygagging around. We went straight to the shop and got to work. As of the writing of this article and day two of the build, we are 80% done. Once again, I tell you that the experience is what I’m always after, not just to be able to learn from someone willing to teach me something new, but the opportunity to build a stronger friendship with another cat who shares the same passion for these machines as I do. Those things to me are priceless and should never be taken for granted! I can’t wait to see how this one turns out and you can bet your ass I’ll keep you all posted on its
progress. Well, it’s almost time for another riding season to be kicked off with Daytona Bike Week in March. So many great things will be happening that week, Billy Lane’s 10th Sons of Speed race will be held at the New Smyrna Speedway, March 7th, the always awesome Chopper Time, Cycle Source’s own bike shows, Grease, as well as a multitude of other bitchin events. One in particular that I’m super stoked about is The Black Smoke Sinners will be playing a few dates during the week. If you’re not familiar yet, The Black Smoke Sinners is a band featuring Mr. Chris Callan on Bass, yours truly on Drums and some amazing musicians from my neck of the woods, Austin. You can check out our website (www. blacksmokesinners.com) or other media pages for more info on the shows. Come on out; I promise you won’t be disappointed. Well, Brothers and Sister, as I always say, be kind to one another and yourselves, God Bless and we’ll see ya on the road. X.
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Article And Photos By: Tyler Porter
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he year is 1981, and inside the Oval Office Ronald Reagan addresses the nation about his new tax plan. It will reduce spending, reduce the federal income tax, and reduce government regulation. Nicknamed “Reaganomics,” it was built around a “trickle-down” system, where the wealthy and businesses got tax breaks in hopes they would reinvest those savings back into the economy, helping us working joes with stable employment and all that comes along with that. Did it work? This is a motorcycle magazine, not politics. However, this outlines what I feel is happening with AFT today. Will it work? That remains to be seen. There’s no denying that there are two factions in the sport of flat track right now. There’s AFT and there’s Hooligan. Most people enjoy both, which is only going to fuel the popularity of our sport. However, it does seem that AFT is promoting a more “Trickle
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Down” system of governance on our sport. With the new Super Twins class, it is thinning the herd so to speak, to increase the star power of the elite in our sport. In a bit of an unforeseen
backfire, though, some of the star power went elsewhere. At this time, Jake Johnson doesn’t have a Super Twins ride, Henry Wiles has moved to the Singles class, Brandon Robinson has gone to the production twins class and Jeffery Carver will be a wild
card entry at select events as part of a total privateer effort. Can Flattrack Survive “Trickle Down”? Is our sport more willing to adopt a “Trickle Up” philosophy? This idea hit me very hard over the holiday season while I made my yearly Pilgrimage to DuQuoin, Illinois between Christmas and New Year’s. 2019 represented the 12th annual Ethan Gillim Memorial race, celebrating the life of a young racer that I was very close to, that we lost far too early. I’m not the only one who makes this a part of our holiday tradition. Well over 100 racers and their families showed up to spend the weekend at the race track. With a practice night on Friday, and then both Short Track and T.T. races Saturday and Sunday, there was more than enough racing action. Heck, we even had an intermission Stryder bike race to cap off the family-friendly atmosphere. Under unseasonably warm
temperatures with a few dashes of rain, racers from as far away as South Dakota and New York State battled inside the Southern Illinois Center. It’s a phenomenal race track, one of the largest indoor short tracks in the country. As previously mentioned, attendance seemed to be up over year’s past and my favorite thing to see? Large youth classes. That’s the health of our sport! Amateur racing has taken the hardest hit in flat track. Even when I was chasing top amateur status in the early 2000’s, it was a big deal just to make a main event during the annual Amateur Nationals. These days? Budgets are slashed, and the Amateur National championships are a shell of their former selves. Several AFT pro riders have attempted to answer the call and boost the popularity of the Amateur Grands. Cory Texter has raised a lot of money to get kids to the races. Johnny Lewis has hosted races that awarded riders the chance to attend. Many local clubs host fundraisers as well, but, as of late, nothing seems to hit. I am hoping though, that I am starting to see a change here. Take a gander at Hooligan racing, though, and you see a sport that is literally successful based on the “Trickle Up” effect. Let’s look at facts: It was born about 10 years ago as a fun, “run what you brung” half time show at the local Costa Mesa speedway races. Crews from Roland Sands, Hot Bike Magazine, Burly along with other industry types, got in on the fun and it started to evolve. The bikes were modified, the riders became social media wizards. It was fun, dirty, and had all the makings of true hooliganism. Here we are in the New Year and we basically have different levels of Hooligan racing within itself. We have the “fun” guys who are racing “amateur” classes, we have regional series that are slightly more serious, and then what I consider to be the “Grand Daddy” of Hooligan racing is the Roland Sands National Championship series which has adopted strict enough rules to keep things fair without being uptight, and features a lot of former AFT pros doing battle. It literally started from a half-time show, not so unlike Freestyle Motocross. To bring all of this together to a central point, though, yes, we MUST have the AFT series. We have to have something for our amateurs to strive for. The steps AFT are making right now will hopefully propel our sport to new heights. Hopefully, by using their
trickle down mentality, their top stars can all make a very nice comfortable living, which will increase participation in the Production Twins and Singles classes. Racers are always going to chase the money! What I am urging, though, is for you to get out and find your local
track, whether you race or not. If you race, Great, dust off that bike and find a class. If you don’t, Load up your truck, SUV, car, even motorcycles with your best friends. Tailgate. Walk the pits. Ask questions. Buy food at the concession stand. That may, after all, go further in our sport than anything. A wise promoter once told me, “The most profitable person at a flat track race is the spectator!” So, keep those dollars flowing, and be entertained all at the same time. Sure doesn’t seem like a bad way to spend an evening to me.
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Hey, Magnificent Roaring ‘20s for a new generation ahead. I’m on a mission as usual, to kick off the new decade by changing up my life. I found a little place in Deadwood, South Dakota to hang a hat in and hide out for the rally. And we are headed back to Bonneville this year with the first Streamlined Trike. Hang on for more reports. Think about it. We read about the roaring ‘20s as kids. It’s our turn now. Make sure everyone votes this year and our motorcycles will roar with freedom for the forceable future. Let’s hit the news: 2019 Ama Motorcyclist Of The Year: Hayley Bell-Organizer Drew Worldwide Attention to Women Riders - Although she has been riding for only five years, Hayley Bell found a way in 2019 to leave her indelible imprint on the world of motorcycling. The 28-year-old from the United Kingdom is the founder and president of global business development for the Women Riders World Relay, a movement joined by thousands of motorcyclists from 84 countries to create a “global sisterhood of inspirational women” and to demonstrate to motorcycle manufacturers and makers of riding gear that female riders are a
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formidable and growing market that deserves their attention. The AMA Motorcyclist of the Year is the individual who has had the most profound impact on the world of motorcycling during the past 12 months. “I think Hayley was the first to say out loud what many women were thinking: ‘I am part of the fastest growing market in motorcycling. I have money and I want to buy gear that fits. Cater to me,’” said Liza Miller, founder of the Re-Cycle Garage, recipient of a 2019 Friend of the AMA Award and the vice president of public relations and media for the relay. “This is why so many women jumped on board so quickly. The time is now to change the world’s perception about women riders. And Hayley is the perfect role model.” Bell grew up around motorcycles. Family members were riders. But Hayley wasn’t allowed to have a motorcycle. “It wasn’t because I was a girl,” she said. “I was a bit reckless as a child.” But the idea of being a
motorcyclist “was always in the back of my mind.” After finishing her schooling, Bell set out traveling. One of her stops was the Isle of Man TT, which “reignited the spark,” prompting her to take the test and get a motorcycle rider’s license. “Soon after that, my ex-boyfriend took me for a ride on his bike, and I decided I wanted one of my own,” Bell said. “It was a quick turnaround.” In the five years since she took up motorcycling, Bell has expanded her interests within the lifestyle. The Relay - That desire to communicate the stories of others is the impetus behind the Women Riders World Relay. “The real reason the WRWR started was that I wanted to show people what it is to be a female biker, how many of us there are, the vastness of the market,” Bell said. “And I wanted those stories to inspire other women.” It worked. - “We had so many women who said, ‘I can’t do this,’ but then they did it,” Bell said. “The other riders were there to bond, build trust and give them a kick in the ass sometimes. “For some of these women, this is the biggest thing they have done in their lives,” she said. “It’s the longest, coldest or the wettest ride they’ve ever taken. It’s the first time they’ve ridden with a partner or in a group or alone. This relay has provided firsts for so many.” Participants have children, grandchildren or even great
grandchildren, “and they are still riding,” Bell said. Riders ranged in age from 16 to 80. “We have unleashed a collection of inspiring stories,” she said. The participants carried the relay baton for a leg of the journey through their countries, then passed it along to the next group of riders. Some rode through snow, at high altitudes—where altitude sickness can take a toll—and in temperatures below zero. Bell related the story of one woman who was in tears 150 miles into a 500-mile day. She was on her phone, calling her partner to pick her up. She was ready to pack it in. She saw Bell approach and said, “I’m done.” Bell did not try to talk the woman out of her decision. Instead she delivered a simple message. “You’ll regret it if you quit now,” Bell told the woman. -Jim Witters, AMA Honda Has Produced 400 Million Motorcycles Since 1949- Let’s take a minute to think about how insane that number is. A lot of people tend to think of Honda as a car company that also builds motorcycles (among other things), but the truth is that Honda’s motorcycle operations -- like BMW’s -- predate its cars by a pretty sizable chunk of time. In that time, Honda introduced a ton of iconic two-wheeled vehicles like the original Super Cub (aka the bestselling vehicle in all of human history), the Fireblade and the Goldwing. All of these massive successes around the globe have led Honda to where it is now: parading around in a bathrobe like Alfred Molina in Boogie Nights and celebrating the fact that it’s produced 400 million motorcycles since 1949. Just think about that number. That’s enough so that every American would have 1.22 Honda motorcycles. That’s like, a Super Cub and a spare motor for every single American. For another fun comparison, Volkswagen’s Beetle -- a car that was in production for 65 years, mind you -- only managed around 21.5 million units built. If you took 400 million
Honda Groms and lined them up end to end, you could circle the globe 17.56 times. Here’s a number that might even be crazier: 20 million. That (as of 2018) is the annual total of motorcycles produced globally for Honda. For comparison, in 2016, Ford produced 6.429 million vehicles globally. While cars are obviously more complicated to build than motorcycles, that’s still a pretty dramatic disparity. So, the next time you see a motorcyclist puttering around on a Monkey or even an Africa Twin in the pouring rain, remember that statistically speaking, you’re the weirdo for not being down with a two-wheeled lifestyle. -Kyle Hyatt, Road Show 19th
Anniversary
Of
Gettysburg
Bike - To Feature Live Performances by Jasmine Cain, The Atomic Punks, Vixen, Small Town Titans and Hinder This July, Gettysburg Bike Week will celebrate two decades of being one of the premiere motorcycle rallies in the country. This anniversary rally goes down at the Allstar Events Complex in Gettysburg, PA, and festivities kick off Thursday, July 9, 2020, and run through Sunday, July 12. To help GBW commemorate this auspicious occasion, event organizers have brought in some heavy-hitting musical acts. “We’re really excited about our musical guests for this milestone,” says GBW event coordinator Kelly Shue. “Hard to believe it’s been 20 years—this year’s rally will be the biggest and best one yet, and I feel like we’re just getting started.”
This year’s storied group of livemusic entertainers features Jasmine Cain, back by popular demand for her second year in a row. A Sturgis, South Dakota, native, Ms. Cain moved to Nashville in 2003 and began what can only be described as a stellar career in the music business. Some of her more than 30 awards won include JPF Female Artist of the Year and 4-time Female Rock Vocalist of the year. With seven studio albums under her belt, her shows are stadium quality and high energy, keeping audiences riveted from downbeat to encore. Thursday night’s headliner is The Atomic Punks, the premiere Van Halen tribute band in the country. Focusing on early David Lee Roth–era VH, TAP were voted Best Tribute Band three years in a row by LA’s Rock City News; David Lee Roth himself has lauded them and borrowed their guitar players for solo tours; and original VH bassist Michael Anthony has played live with the Punks on multiple occasions. This is the closest you’ll get to 1980s Van Halen in the new millennium. Joining Jasmine Cain as Friday night co-headliner, classic Los Angeles glam rockers Vixen will take to the stage, playing their unique brand of 80s hair metal. Perennial staples in the Billboard Hot 100 in the late 80s, Vixen has been described as “the female Bon Jovi.” And rounding out the headliners on Saturday, Oklahoma’s Hinder will bring their furious blend of hard rock, postgrunge and glam metal to the GBW faithful. Joining Hinder on Saturday will be York, PA locals The Small Town Titans. They are a rock n’ roll power trio who love to play live. In a world where music fans crave new content constantly, the Small Town Titans aim to deliver their brand of art all of the time, drawing inspiration from a newer wave of rock bands such as Highly Suspect and Royal Blood, and rock legends such as the Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Deep Purple. Legendary emcee Jack Schitt once again performs master of ceremonies March ‘20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 87
THE CYCLE SOURCE WORLD REPORT - POWERED BY BIKERNET.COM
duties throughout the week on the Budweiser Stage, Gin Gypsies will sling drinks and rally goers can expect performances by the International Bikini Team, plus heavy competition in the Cycle Source Ride-In Bike Show, MiniBike races, Bike Games and Rodeo; and the Parade of Chrome. One, two and four-day passes are available online, at Battlefield Harley Davidson (21 Calvary Field Road, Gettysburg) and at the gates during the event. And, of course, no rally would be complete without great riding, and Gettysburg has some of the best. Whether riders want to see historic battlegrounds or just hit the road for a great cruise, hundreds of miles of the best riding in the East surrounds Gettysburg. In addition to fantastic solo riding, GBW also features awesome group rides and the Pink Journey of Lights and Stars of Hope Charity Rides. New and returning riders can find updates, the schedule of events, lodging information and anything they ever needed to know about Gettysburg Bike Week by visiting http://www.gettysburgbikeweek. com.
Motorcycling Good For Mind And Body - In a fresh take on a previous UCLA study we reported on earlier this year, visordown.com reports that “A study conducted by the Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior (INHB) has concluded that motorcyclists are less stressed and more fulfilled than their four-wheeled counterparts,” adding that “The study originally set about trying to find out if bikers were constantly riding in fear of being involved in an accident, but inadvertently proved the opposite! The results center around a certain hormone called cortisol that is released in the brain when we become anxious. Scientists found that bikers would produce 28% less cortisol during testing than drivers on the same course.” The study was conducted by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, in a controlled manner, with 50 motorcyclists and 50 car drivers making their way around a closed course for 20-minutes. During this time, the team measured the user’s heart rate, cortisol, and adrenaline levels, as well as the user’s brain activity, and it’s here where the most interesting results came from: “The results found that when riding,
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the subjects experienced increased sensory focus and resilience to distraction. Riding also produced an increase in adrenaline levels and heart rate, and a decrease in cortisol levels -the kind of results you often get after a light exercise session, which also is a stress reducer.” Concluding that motorcycles are better for you physically, as well as mentally, visordown.com claims; “The news regarding the mental well-being of motorcyclists goes hand-in-hand with a study that found that riding a motorcycle can burn anywhere between 170-600 calories an hour. As much as some people can burn in an hour at the gym.” - -Bill Bish, NCOM
Damon Wants Better Motorcycle Safety Through Situational Awareness--Everyone knows that motorcycling can be dangerous, especially in cities. Elon Musk won’t
even consider building one, and not out of irrational fear. At a motorcycling event I’ve been to, everybody knew someone who died in the past year on a bike. The stats bear this out, with accidents killing riders 27 times more often than the occupants of cars. Avoiding accidents is also challenging, as many drivers say they “didn’t see” the motorcycle before an accident. While there have been companies selling electric motorcycles since before Tesla was selling cars, Damon Motorcycles is looking to set itself apart from the competition by offering real safety systems to help reduce collisions. “Exhaustive studies have shown that in almost half of motorcycle accidents, riders were found to have taken no evasive action before the impact occurred. So, we know that riders need more warning time,” said
Dom Kwong, Chief Technical Officer of Damon Motorcycles. Damon’s flagship motorcycle — the Hypersport Pro with CoPilot™ — expands the reach of your senses in 360º, giving you that one extra second you need to react to keep you safe on the road. In other words, the company is taking the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) we’re getting used to in late-model cars and trucks and applying them to the motorcycle world. And really, that’s a tall order, as it’s not feasible to do things like automatic emergency braking (AEB) without seriously risking the safety of the rider. Motorcycles require the rider to move with the bike, balance it, and lean through turns, so taking control of one aspect of the bike through something like AEB or forced steering could cause wrecks instead of preventing them. To keep riders in control, Damon has decided to have its “CoPilot” system focus on situational awareness instead. It all starts with a suite of sensors providing 360-degree coverage around the motorcycle. The data from these sensors then gets fed into a computer that can track up to 64 moving objects around the motorcycle, calculating the speed and direction of each one relative to the path the motorcycle is on. It then can predict collisions faster than a human would in some cases, or detects possible collisions that a human rider simply wouldn’t see coming in others (like from the rear). Motorcycle riders need to keep their attention forward, so Damon had to find ways to feed all of this into the rider’s brain without distracting them. To do this, the system gives vibrational feedback through the grips and by lighting up the edge of the windscreen in the direction of the threat. This then gives the rider those extra valuable moments of warning to take evasive action and avoid the collision. On top of that, the system is designed to learn from its use on the road, in a similar fashion to Tesla’s autopilot. The motorcycles equipped with the system will have 4G connections that allow data sharing so that all bikes learn from each other’s experiences to further improve the system. While we haven’t had a chance to see this system in action yet, Damon has some demo videos on its website and plans to reveal much more information about the system at CES in January. We’re in touch with the company and
THE CYCLE SOURCE WORLD REPORT - POWERED BY BIKERNET.COM hope to update our readers in the near future about how the system works to keep us safer on the road. - Damon Motorcycles 2020 Motorcycle Cannonball Route Jason Sims, director of the Motorcycle Cannonball announced on Sunday that the route for the 2020 Cannonball will begin in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and end in South Padre Island, Texas, with stops along the way at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Additional overnight venues include Traverse City, Michigan; Maggie Valley, North Carolina; Arkadelphia, Arkansas; and Luckenbach, Texas. The race will be open to pre-1930 motorcycles (produced in or before 1929) and, as in years past, there will be separate classifications for pre1920 motorcycles; single-speed, single-cylinder bikes; single-speed, multi-cylinder bikes; and multiple-speed, multiple-cylinder entries. There is also a 90-year or older division broken down into three classes for bikes over 600cc, bikes below 600cc, and bikes 101cc or smaller. Although the September 2020 event is more than 18 months away, registration opened on December 18,
2018, ensuring ample time for entrants to prepare for this epic ride. Bikes are to be presented in original state with only modern safety modifications. The original engine and transmission cases are required to pass initial inspection. Transmissions and carburetors must also be period-correct
reach the finish line. Registration forms are already up on the MotorcycleCannonball.com website, however, the race is limited to 120 bikes and past participants will be given preference first, before new entrants are allowed to fill the field. Stay tuned to the Motorcycle Cannonball Facebook page and Hemmings.com for further information as it becomes available. This race is not for the weak of heart or soft of buttocks either, so think about it long and hard before submitting an application. Many current entrants got started in the race by attending one of the previous race venues and talking to the staff, riders, and support crews. They can be a wealth of knowledge should you consider making the commitment.
for the entered bikes. Bikes must have working headlight and taillamp, and two functioning mirrors. And they must be able to maintain a speed of 45 mph to enter. Judging from the map accompanying the press release, the entrants will complete a minimum of 3,000 to 3,500 miles over 16 days by the time they
INCREDIBLE—I’m blown away by the amount of news flying at us every month. If you feel the need for more, quicker updates, feel free to scramble over to Bikernet for a weekly and daily fix in our blog. It’s never a dull moment. Ride fast and free, forever. -Bandit
FIND TEN DIFFERENT THINGS ON OLD BOOK BIKE 1. Missing In Center Of Fuel Tank. 2. Smooth Air Cleaner Cover. 3. Ribs On Front Rocker Box Cover. 4. Missing Oil Line On Oil Tank. 5. Extra Distributor. 6. Smooth Cam Chest Cover. 7. Missing Front Exhaust Pipe At Bottom. 8. Missing Exhaust Clamp Nut Front Pipe. 9. Air Cleaner Cover At End Of Foot Peg. 10. Extra Fat Seat Cushion.
NO THERE ISN’T ANY REAL PRIZE, JUST SOMETHING TO DO WHILE YOU’RE IN THE CAN.
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OF L L E M S T E E W S THE CHLOROFORM...
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It’s been a long time since I’ve caught myself spending any time trying to contemplate the positive effects methamphetamines would have had on Norman Rockwell’s career or if the real reason Mr. Rogers changed his shoes when he entered the house is because he didn’t want to track blood on the carpets…. Time forgotten is time wasted. The ever-turning grinder of life becomes a slowly growing parasite consuming my soul one day at a time until before too long, the light in front of my gaunt, disheveled face just blinks out, allowing my bloodshot eyes to grow hungry. Spoon-fed predictability and catered experiences are the product of social pandering served on a platter of politically correct guidelines pave the way to a society breaking free of its hardened shell, so offended by opinions that we don’t even feel the sting on our palms as we bitch slap the squares. There’s no n longer a challenge, no reason, no dignity, and no pride in the art of offending. I need my mind blown. Not all over the ceiling just spun up like a threeyear-old huffing whip cream at a Slayer concert. Nothing holds any interest, and stupid people don’t even amuse me anymore. We are trapped in a world where assholes take videos of themselves doing shit no one cares about and act like they aren’t the only mother#@ker in the room. Everyone wants to be a product and the consumers aren’t even buying anymore. I’m malnourished and the thought of food makes me ill. It’s a reflection at the peak of annoyance and years of getting slammed in the revolving door of monotony
March ‘20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
helps steer next year’s goals, and from that revelation, you only have the winter to prepare. The raw tissue filled with surging electrical pulses bathed in a mass of fluid rattling in my head have started to get the best of me and the separation of reality is the only medication that’ll cure me. I distanced myself from events this year and tried to discover a part of the culture that I felt was lost, in turn only causing myself to fall short of unreachable goals. Before I knew anything, I wanted to know everything, and the pursuit of that knowledge was the catalyst of the stories that made me who I am today. And the best times were the times I spent on the road; on brief trips and adventures to questionable roads and destinations. Getting lost was easy but I believe I had more of a handle on where I was the. And now technology has made me stupid. I remember my home phone number from when I was six but barely know the number for my home office where I’ve worked for years. I feel like I’m living the second half of Flowers for Algernon, slowly going dumb amongst an ocean full of paste eating dead mice. We have to warn people that the coffee is too hot and to wash their hands after they piss on them, and we have the audacity to wonder why the Kardashian’s are famous. I’m done, the prospect of hope is doomed. Luckily, I will be able to survive on my good looks and the ignorance toward my high opinion of myself. We’ve lost our way and some of us don’t want to be found. A mass of parts is stacked on the workbench left in a dust blanket of denial and promises I have yet to attend to. My neglect has inadvertently turned into disdain as I muster enough gumption to pick up
a wrench and finally finish what I started months ago. Life has a way of burying time and when you’re just about at the point you’re going to snap is the point you better do something
about it. It’s all about the journey the road never lets you down; it’s bound to wipe away the bullshit one way or the other. Whether it’s through wind therapy or catastrophic meltdown one
way or the other you forget, and if you don’t, you’re doing something wrong. That’s all I need, miles stacked on top of miles, dirt, rain, and failure…. The key to success. Forget
the destination; it’s time to forget myself.
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DRAG SPECIALTIES SEATS BACKREST PADS FOR 15-20 INDIAN SCOUT/SCOUT SIXTY
Add a Drag Specialties backrest pad to make the long rides much more comfortable and enjoyable. Features a faux brown leather cover for exceptional durability. Available with a smooth surface or Double Diamond stitch. Internal base plate is 14-gauge steel. Bolts directly to accessory backrest bar OEM #s 2880231-156, 2880871-156 and 2880985-156. Includes all mounting hardware. Made in the U.S.A. Sug. Retail starting at $67.95. For more information, go to http://seats.dragspecialties.com/ or contact your local Drag Specialties dealer.
LED SLED CHALLENGER INVADER
The Challenger is our newest Invader wheel. Currently offered as a 21” 2.15 spool with 3/4” bearings with square or round spokes in raw, powdercoat flat/gloss black, or chrome finishes. Other configurations are available by calling the shop. Our wheels are built in-house using wheel rings spun out of 12- gauge steel from right here in the USA. These sturdy wheels are CNC machined to ensure consistency and quality. Every wheel is hand trued and TIG welded for precision and strength. $550.00 $1,010.00 http://www.ledsledcustoms.com/product/led-sled-challenger-invader
Nash “Lights Out Hammer”
You can now own a hammer in the shape of a boxing glove! The Lights Out Hammer. Weighing in at 2 Lbs. these things are ready to be put to work. Made out of stainless steel or bronze ,polished to perfection and each stamped with their own number. Tennessee hickory handle. Made in the USA! $145 https://nashmotorcycle.com/collections/tools/products/lightsout-hammer
DRAG SPECIALTIES MATTE BLACK SWITCH HOUSING KITS
DRAG SPECIALTIES REAR LOWER BELT GUARDS FOR 14-20 XL MODELS
This rear lower belt guard, constructed from high-quality stamped-steel and finished in chrome, creates a contrasting look to stock black parts. A simple bolt-on installation adds a custom look in just minutes. Replacement OEM #60435-04B. Sug. Retail is $70.95. For more information, go to www.dragspecialties. com or contact your local Drag Specialties dealer.
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New from Drag Specialties, these die-cast aluminum switch housings have radiused edges, OEM-style clamps, smooth tops and a matte black finish. Kits available for 99-07 FLT/FLHT/FLHR models with or without cruise and radio. Accepts OEM style switches and wiring. Switches sold separately. Has clearance for 11/4” handlebars. Please note that models with dealer-installed cruise control may require different or additional lower switch housings. Sug. Retail starting at $57.95. For more information, go to www.dragspecialties.com or contact your local Drag Specialties dealer.
DRAG SPECIALTIES OEM-STYLE REPLACEMENT AIR FILTER FOR 1420 INDIAN® MODELS Drag Specialties keeps you in the saddle by offering high-quality replacement service parts at exceptional prices. These air filters feature a paper filter medium that meets or exceeds OEM specifications. For use with OEM stock air filter housings on 14-20 Indian Chief Classic/ Vintage/Chieftain/Roadmaster. Sug. Retail is $36.95 For more information, go to www.dragspecialties.com or contact your local Drag Specialties dealer.
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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......................94 Battery Outlet..............................97 BikerNet.com..................................18 Bikers Choice..................................2 Blue Grass Engraving...................31 Chop Cult......................................94 Choppertime..................................93 Cycle Source Gear...........................4 Dennis Kirk.....................................9 Denver’s Choppers........................47 Drag Specialties.............................19 Dutchman.....................................97 Faith Forgotten Choppers.............37 Fandango.......................................69 Feuling..........................................94 Flat Broke Chops & Rods..............81 GEICO..............................................3 Harbor Freight...............................29 Hijinx Apparel................................35 Hot Leathers..................................91 I Draw Flies....................................97 Inferno Art.....................................94 Kiwi Indian....................................67 Led Sled.........................................65 Lowbrow Customs..........................19 MC Creations.................................93 Metzeler.........................................55 Motion Pro.....................................85 No School Choppers.......................97 Pandemonium................................49 Paughco......................................13,75 Progressive Insurance...................33 Providence Cycle Worx...................81 Russ Brown...................................25 S&S Cycle.....................................100 SpeedKing.....................................27 Sporty Parts...................................97 Steel City H-D..............................99 Tech Cycles....................................67 Tropical Tattoo..............................35 Twisted Choppers............................5 Zipper’s Performance.....................43
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Steve
O Heard A Good One Lately ? Then Send It Along To Us At: 119 Dellenbaugh Rd. Tarentum, PA 15084 Or E-mail To cyclesourcemain@comcast.net
O
ne day a man decided to retire. He booked himself on a Caribbean cruise and proceeded to have the time of his life, that is, until the ship sank. He soon found himself on an island with no other people, no supplies, nothing, only bananas and coconuts. After about four months, he is lying on the beach when the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen rows up to the shore. In disbelief, he asks, “Where did you come from?” She replies, “I rowed over from the other side of the island where I landed when my fishing boat sank.” “Amazing,” he notes. “You were really lucky to have a rowboat wash up with you.” “Oh, this ole thing?” explains the woman. “ I made the boat out of some raw material I found on the island. The oars were whittled from gum tree branches. I wove the bottom from palm tree branches, and the sides and stern came from a Eucalyptus tree.” “But, where did you get the tools?” “Oh, that was no problem,” replied the woman. “ On the south side of the island, a very unusual stratum of alluvial rock is exposed. I found that if I fired it to a certain temperature in a volcanic vent I found just down island, it melted into ductile iron and I used that to make tools and used the tools to make the hardware.” The guy is stunned. “Let’s row over to my place,” she says “and I’ll give you a tour.” So, after a short time of rowing, she soon docks the boat at a small hand-built wharf. As the man looks to shore, he nearly falls off the
98 March ‘20
- CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
boat. Before him is a long stone walk leading to a cabin. As they walk into the house, she says casually, it’s not much, but I call it home. Would you like a drink?” “No! No thank you,” the man blurts out, still dazed. “I can’t take another drop of coconut juice.” “Oh, it’s not coconut juice,” winks the woman. “I have a still. How would you like a Jack Daniels neat?” Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepts. After they exchange their individual survival stories, the woman announces, “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave? There’s a razor in the bathroom cabinet upstairs.” No longer questioning anything, the man goes into the bathroom. There, in the cabinet is a razor made from a piece of tortoise bone. Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge are fastened on to its end inside a swivel mechanism. “This woman is amazing,” he muses. “What’s next?” When he returns, she greets him wearing nothing but a bandana around her blonde locks and some small flowers on tiny vines, each strategically positioned. She then beckons for him to sit down next to her. “Tell me,” she begins suggestively, “We’ve both been out here for many months. You must have been lonely. When was the last time you had a really good ride?” She stares into his eyes. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. “You mean...” he swallows excitedly as tears start to form in his eyes, “You’ve built a Motorcycle?”
ne Sunday morning George burst into the living room and said, “Dad! Mom! I have some great news for you! I am getting married to the most beautiful girl in town. She lives a block away and her name is Susan. After dinner, George’s dad took him aside, “Son, I have to talk with you. Look at your mother, George. She and I have been married 30 years, she’s a wonderful wife and mother, but, she has never offered much excitement in the bedroom, so I used to fool around with women a lot.” “Susan is actually your halfsister, and I’m afraid you can’t marry her.” George was brokenhearted. After eight months he eventually started dating girls again. A year later he came home and very proudly announced, “Diane said yes! We’re getting married in June.” Again, his father insisted on another private conversation and broke the sad news. “Diane is your half- sister too, George. “I’m awfully sorry about this.” George was livid! He finally decided to go to his mother with the news his father had shared. “Dad has done so much harm. I guess I’m never going to get married,” he complained. “Every time I fall in love, Dad tells me the girl is my half- sister.” “Hee, hee,” his mother chuckled, shaking her head, “Don’t pay any attention to what he says. He’s not really your father.” Martin
A
teenager takes a seat on a bench next to a middle-aged man reading a newspaper. After a few minutes the man looks over and stares intently on the youth’s multicolored mohawk. The teenager looks over at the man and says, “What’s the matter old man, never done anything interesting in your life?” The man responded with “I once got drunk and had sex with a parrot, I was just wondering if you were my son.” John
March ‘20 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 99