RIDE TOGETHER,STAY TOGETHER

HUSBAND AND WIFE’S KNUCKLE AND SHOVEL KILLER CUSTOMS

Afriend called me and said this guy was interested in trading his motorcycle for my 2012 Polaris Razor I had up for sale. I just happen to be in the market for another bike. He sent me pictures and details of a 2009 special construction hardtail with an Accurate Engineering Knucklehead motor and Baker Franken- tranny. The style of that motor was exactly what I wanted to use for my next build, so it was a no-brainer. I loaded up the Razor and made the trade. Looking at the bike in my driveway, I had a vision of what I wanted it to look like. I could picture myself in the near future on a bike that would be my own spin on newschool design, with an old-school soul. With a smile from ear to ear I hit the internet looking for a pre-2000 HarleyDavidson Softail. I knew the motor would bolt right in with little to no modifications. After searching for a few days I found a 1996 Softail and nabbed it. I also found an original 1946 Springer front end that I thought would really connect to the old-school nostalgia of the Knucklehead motor. I spent a few months doing research and looking for parts and solutions to potential fitment problems I was anticipating. I was going to mount my springer front end with a 7/8-inch stem onto a frame with 1-inch cast neck cups. I really didn’t want to modify the original 1946 springer in any way. I wanted to use new-school tapered Timken-style bearings. Everyone I spoke with said there was no way it would work. Nothing alternative was available. Well, I hate being told that. I took the races out of my frame and headed down to a nearby tapered bearing distributor. It didn’t take me long to match up a set of bearings and races that would work beautifully with the 7/8-inch stem with no modifications.

One of my biggest disadvantages of being a “garage builder” is having limitations on tools and machines that a much bigger shop has the access to. But on the other side of that same coin, the friends and fabricators I have met over the years have all been able to fill those gaps. It gave me great pleasure to work alongside