HOT BIKE ISSUE #3 2018

SAN DIEGO CUSTOMSÕ

SLEEK N EW S O FTA IL

ISSUE 3

2018

HOTBIKE.COM

The largest collection of parts and accessories for everything from Flatheads to M-Eights can be found in our 2018 FatBook and 2018-19 OldBook™. See them online or at your local Drag Specialties dealer.

YEARS 1968-2018

Celebrating 50 years of industry dedication, innovation and support.

LIFE’S FULL OF

COMPROMISES.

If you’re going to do something, do it right, or don’t do it at all. That’s our standard. And we make motorcycles for those who share it. By hand, here at home, since 1901.

©2018 Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear your helmet. Never drink and ride.

THIS ISN’T ONE OF THEM.

Get the Ghost Bandit, and you won’t just look tough. SimpsonMotorcycleHelmets.com

Professional riders on a closed course. © 2018 Simpson Performance Products. All rights reserved.

BREAK FROM THE PACK.

CONTENTS

70

ISSUE 3 - 2018 DEPARTMENTS Two Cents ........................................................10 Candy Shop ..................................................... 12 Shop Crawl ...................................................... 14 Closet ................................................................ 22 Geeked ............................................................. 24 Used and Abused......................................... 92 Hotness ............................................................ 98

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FEATURES EL GATO ROBERTO

The Skinny on San Diego Customs’ Softail FXFB.....................................................26

THE NEW THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER

Josh James’ Low Rider Softail .................36

SPORTSTER SCRAMBLING WITH HUGO MOTO

Tricked-Out Harley Enduros on America’s Best Roads and Trails ..............42

42

JUDGMENT DAY

DDCC Gene-Splices a Road King and an FXR ...................................................... 50

THE FRANKEN’BLAST LABORATORY Bringing a Buell Blast Back to Life in the Most Unlikely Place: a Kitchen................. 60

TRULY GOLDEN

Drag Specialties Celebrates 50 Years in the Motorcycle Industry ..............................70

TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD

60

Part 1: Fitting the Drivetrain into the Modified FXR Frame .................................. 80

HOLY GYROSCOPIC LEDs, BATMAN!

The Future of Headlamp Technology... 86

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

Outfitting Our Long-Term 2018 Indian Chieftain Classic ........................................... 88

ON THE COVER

San Diego Customs’ slimmed-down Fat Bob is one of the coolest new Softails out. And Kylie Marie Walton approves.

COVER PHOTO: MIKEY VAN

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80

TWO CENTS

2018 HOT BIKE TOUR I REMEMBER LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY. A GROUP OF US PACKED OUR GEAR FOR A WEEKLONG TWO-WHEELED TREK, AND HEADED TO LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, TO EMBARK ON WHAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE JOURNEYS OF MY LIFE. WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE INAUGURAL HOT BIKE POWER TOUR (WE DROPPED “POWER” THE FOLLOWING YEAR). IT’S ALWAYS THOSE UNKNOWN EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE THEM SO MEMORABLE, RIGHT?

When we arrived in Little Rock and picked up our loaner bikes, we headed straight to downtown to ground zero of the Tour and greeted our guests, the Longriders. I still remember that first encounter vividly. We didn’t know each other, but there was an immediate kinship after that first handshake. We were all in this together. It was comforting, like everything was going to be OK. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make sure our guests were entertained because, after all, they put their faith in us, and we gladly reciprocated. After spending the rest of the week with the Longriders, it was clear: The Hot Bike Tour was exactly what the people wanted, but something the Hot Bike staff needed too.

There’s something so beautiful about getting back to the fundamentals of riding motorcycles along a beautiful mountain vista, or along a lakefront with thousands of your biker friends. It’s indescribable. That sense of camaraderie is hard to put into words.

And I think we really tapped into an element that was missing from the traditional motorcycle rally circuit. We all like to ride, right? So why not do so together?! That’s the Hot Bike Tour.

After that first year of the Hot Bike Tour, we knew we were on to something. Did we get it perfect that first year? Absolutely not. Did we learn a lot from that event? Yes. We knew we’d done something special though. And we knew we had to bring it back for a second year, with some tweaks, and then a third, fourth, and fifth. And each year we learned what worked and what didn’t.

We developed some great relationships with the Longriders through the years. In fact, inaugural Hot Bike Tour Longriders still make the Tour a priority every summer. I met Mike and Leona Johnson in Little Rock on Year One, and I look forward to seeing them every year. They know my life story, and I theirs. And that’s

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what makes this event so special. The Hot Bike Tour is fun, but it’s really about sharing something larger: Forming those connections and lifelong friendships is pretty hard to beat.

So without further ado, ladies and gents, I’m pleased to share some pretty exciting news. The Hot Bike Tour is coming to the Four Corners area in 2018! Now in its sixth year as the motorcycle rally that rolls, the Hot Bike Tour mixes one part epic riding, two parts nightly shenanigans, and infinite amounts of lasting memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

We’ve been figuring out a few of the logistics to tailor the Hot Bike Tour for this West Coast edition, and it’s been an interesting thing, to say the least. But I can safely say that the Hot Bike Tour is back in its true touring form, running from October 1–7, kicking off in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a loop up to the Four Corners area (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado areas), and winding down again in Scottsdale. There will be a set starting point and city stops along the way each day, with a final rally stop to celebrate the motorcycle industry and its riders, Hot Bike style.

While we’re still locking things down as far as specific location stops, I at least wanted to get you excited to come ride the Four Corners edition of the 2018 Hot Bike Tour with us. Mark your calendars for that first week in October, set aside some dough, and get your bikes primed for some epic riding. We look forward to seeing you again, and to meeting some fresh new faces! Please check for up-to-the-minute updates about everything Hot Bike Tour related at hotbike.com/tour. See you in Arizona! HB JORDAN MASTAGNI

@JORDANMASTAGNI

CANDY SHOP

1

KRAUS MOTOR CO. KICKBACK ISOLATED RISERS

2

DRAG SPECIALTIES 5-3/4-INCH LED HEADLAMP

3

REKLUSE

RADIUSX AUTO CLUTCH

Increase comfort and control with these Kickback isolated risers from Kraus Motor Co. The Kickback moves the bars 1-1/2 inches toward the rider and features a solid one-piece center section for structural integrity. The Kickback riser also incorporates rubber bushings in the clamp body for vibration damping. The Kickbacks measure 1-1/8 inches or 1 inch to fit multiple OEM Harley models and custom applications.

Tired of running your stock halogen bulb? Upgrade your factory headlamp with Drag’s Premium 5-3/4-inch LED reflectorstyle headlamp. This headlamp offers increased visibility, safety, and durability compared to stock lamps, and features a 1,200-lumenoutput high beam and 500-lumen-output low beam. The headlamp, with its H4-style connector, is easy to install, and is DOT compliant.

The Rekluse RadiusX auto clutch combines a TorqDrive clutch pack with Rekluse’s innovative EXP (auto clutch) disk. TorqDrive provides more clutch disks in less space, delivering auto function within the framework of the stock clutch. The RadiusX features solid clutch engagement that allows you to launch or stop in gear without using the clutch lever. Rekluse claims the TorqDrive clutch pack delivers higher torque capacity and increased power transfer.

$469 krausmotorco.com

$209.95 dragspecialties.com

$799 rekluse.com

4

HARDDRIVE PARTS

FLO MOTORSPORTS BRAKE AND SHIFT ARMS

5

ARLEN NESS

FOUR-PISTON BRAKE CALIPERS

6

S&S CYCLE

SIDEWINDER 2-INTO-1 FOR M-8 TOURING MODELS

Moto pegs are all the rage these days. Flo Motorsports’ moto-style footpegs have raised the bar with these adjustable shift and brake arms for FXD, FXR, and XL models.

Machined from 7075 T6 aluminum, the durable and lightweight shift and brake arms give the rider a three-position adjustment for optimal reach of the peg. Arms come with a Flo Moto toe peg in a classic black finish.

These Arlen Ness CNCmachined billet aluminum brake calipers feature a 3D sculptured design to facilitate cooling incurred while braking. Cooling fins are machined into the inner caliper halves to help disperse heat. Compatible with ABS and non-ABS applications for multiple Harley models running 11.8-inch rotors, each caliper includes DP brake pads, a bleeder screw, a banjo bolt, sealing washers, mounting hardware, and a shim kit.

S&S Cycle’s Sidewinder 2-into-1 delivers the next level in highperformance bagger exhausts.

Merging a full-flow stainless header into a highly engineered collector culminating in a 4-1/2inch muffler, the new Sidewinder also includes its removable decibel-reducer baffle for tuning sound and backpressure, and the Sidewinder is available in 49-state EPA-compliant and race versions (CARB model coming soon) in both chrome and black ceramic for 2017–’18 H-D touring models.

$139.95–$189.95 hdtwin.com

$379.95 arlenness.com

$849 sscycle.com

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2 1

4

3

5

6

SHOP CRAWL

P OW E R P L A N T

M OTO R CYC L E S WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI

PHOTOS: TIM SUTTON

SHOP CRAWL t’s amazing that Yaniv Evan even has time to shake anyone’s hand when they walk through the doors of Powerplant Motorcycles in Hollywood, California. Seeing him ping-pong back and forth between the garage and the retail store on Melrose Avenue, it feels like a workout just watching him operate. Turns out he’s just a passionate dude, tending to his business. At warp speed.

Yaniv isn’t your typical yes man.

Maybe it’s because his reputation and impressive body of work have allowed him a certain carte blanche to say no to things that simply don’t apply to his tastes or schedule. That’s a place we humans strive to reach, right? A place where you can say no to things in order to focus on what really matters. Or maybe it’s because of Yaniv’s self-proclaimed ADD. We like to think his disorder stems from having so many proverbial irons in the fire: hand-building customer bikes (literally making certain parts from scratch), managing a global retail store with clientele sporting Powerplant merch pretty much everywhere, and managing a staff that comprises an eclectic mix of folks, all engaged and talented

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Yaniv has a special place in his heart for old things: old choppers, somewhat-old FXRs, and of course, old Ferrari Mondials, which serve a great way to get around town when he absolutely has to choose four wheels over two.

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SHOP CRAWL

in their own right. And Yaniv gladly pays it forward with his apprentices. He understands the talents of each one of his employees and nurtures those skills to ensure they’ll flourish. Yaniv also has his eye on creating a community spot at Powerplant where his friends and customers can ride down and hang out for a bit while sipping a latte and enjoying a panini from the coffee shop he plans to open one day. Basically, Yaniv’s pretty damn ambitious.

Yaniv is also a pack rat, hoarding motorcycle and hot-rod trinkets, takeoffs, blown apart Shovels, Knuckles, Pans, and the gas-tank graveyard hanging from the rafters where poorly executed

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concepts go to die. Yaniv’s a perfectionist.

If it’s not exactly what he envisioned, it’s either tweaked until it’s perfect or it’s thrown out—and by thrown out, we mean he puts it somewhere else. He usually can’t bring himself to part with anything because of the blood, sweat, tears, and beers he’s poured into every project.

Yaniv’s an interesting cat; very much a pleaser. Maybe it’s from his culinary background, in which his father instilled the importance of service when Yaniv was a wee lad. Maybe it’s his background in aeronautics school, where nothing he did was right (in their eyes). You can tell from the Powerplant hang-arounds, but more importantly his staff, that he’s not

interested in people with nothing to offer or who aren’t sucking the marrow out of their own lives. “If they’re not stoked, they’re not here,” Yaniv proclaims.

Powerplant Motorcycles opened its doors in 2002, but Yaniv’s skills were developed from an early age. He grew up in Tampa, Florida, where a few stock-carracing-junkie neighbors saw the stars in Yaniv’s eyes and proudly took him under their wings. Yaniv spent all his free time in his neighbors’ garages, soaking up every ounce of gearhead knowledge. The one thing his mentors instilled in Yaniv that stood out: The sky is the limit. “When you have something like that [psychology] in your head, that anything is possible and that you can make it happen if you’ve got the time and materials, you really can make it happen,” Yaniv says. “So from that age, I was already like, ‘I could build a f—king rocket if I want.’”

Talk about drive and passion. Yaniv applied this philosophy from an early age.

Fast-forward to 1984. Yaniv and his family moved to Los Angeles. Yaniv wasn’t a huge fan of school, and when he was 17, he thirsted for knowledge in the trades. This led Yaniv to the airframe and power plant (A&P) school where he’d hone certain skills applicable to building custom bikes.

“We learned how to work on the outside structure of an airplane, aluminum work, riveting, anything hydraulic,” Yaniv remembers. In a year, Yaniv learned how to patch panels of aluminum and became a pretty skilled riveter.

But he hated it.

He hated that it had no soul. He hated the assembly-line vibe. It lacked creativity. Yaniv was a right-brainer in a left-brain world. “It was just a bunch of old dudes and then me,” Yaniv says. “I got to learn a lot from those dudes, but at the same time, I had no interest in doing that for a living because you can’t really get your emotions or your ideas out, because it doesn’t matter. Everything’s inspected to code. I’d literally have two

FAA inspectors judging [my work], and everything would be wrong, no matter what I did.” But through those trials, Yaniv pushed on and encountered a solid work ethic along with the fabrication expertise he’d apply for a lifetime.

Taking those tools from A&P school, Yaniv became obsessed with Chevrolet Chevelles, then hot rods, then, ultimately, Panheads. Yaniv’s motorcycle career began with a simple trade

between him and a certain proprietor of a Long Beach custom-motorcycle shop known as West Coast Choppers. “I had a ’36 Ford at the time and I wanted a Panhead,” Yaniv recalls. “I was so into Panheads, and Jesse James had a Panhead called the Vanilla Gorilla. He liked my ’36 Ford and I liked his Panhead, so we traded.” When Yaniv got the bike, he blew it apart and realized he kind of liked tweaking two-wheeled machines.

That all happened when the custombike world was exploding. And there were a few men in the custom-bike world who were making memorable waves in Yaniv’s mind.

“It was Jesse James, Billy Lane, and Indian Larry,” Yaniv recalls. “I got to spend a lot of time with Indian Larry, but after he died, I realized how lucky I was to spend ‘garage time’ with him.”

Taking things for granted is something we all do, but Yaniv realized what an integral part Indian Larry played in stitching together his own artistic fabric.

“He would come by the shop and visit.”

JUNE 2013 / 19

SHOP CRAWL

“I’M NOT A CHOPPER GUY OR AN FXR GUY. I JUST LOVE TWO WHEELS, ALWAYS HAVE. I DON’T SUPPORT ANY CLUBS, I SUPPORT TWO WHEELS. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT.”

But Yaniv never got the chance to visit Indian Larry’s shop. Not until Indian Larry’s funeral. Yaniv took the news pretty hard. His mentor—his muse—was now gone. “We spent a lot of time on the phone. [Indian Larry] would give me lessons over the phone. We just clicked,” Yaniv explains. But Yaniv took the advice, poured a little liquor out for his homie who was now looking on from above, and went full steam ahead with customizing.

Yaniv opened Powerplant in 2002, and he hasn’t looked back. What was a very small space in the heart of Hollywood became a staple among those looking for passion-built machines. “Yeah, I’ve expanded, but it was really small and it is still small,” Yaniv says. “But we’ve expanded the whole area and then the front of the store, which was kind of a fluke.”

Yaniv’s referring to the retail storefront that at the time lay vacant on Melrose Avenue, once a Hollywood shopping landmark. His landlords said to put a chopper in the window for passers-by to ogle, and maybe they’d buy some shirts. “I had some T-shirts and s—t, but not enough to make a store out of.” But his landlord had

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faith, and gave Yaniv the space to park his bikes—and some well-placed merch—in the space until it was rented. It blew up.

Turns out Hollywood likes choppers.

Things were going well until the landlord came knocking with a permanent tenant. Yaniv’s retail days were over. Or so he thought. “I had to give it back to him while he rented it to this guy. But the guy couldn’t make his rent, and a year later [the building owner] said, ‘Look, he’s moving out. You want the place?’ I was like, I still can’t afford it, but let me make some calls.”

He started reaching out to others in the industry, and before he knew it, he found someone who knew the spot had potential and stepped in to invest in the retail side of Powerplant. The two are now business partners, which couldn’t have worked out better. Yaniv focuses on what he does best: motorcycles. And the retail store slings merch. “They’re actually making s—t,” Yaniv says. “And with that, it allows me to have more freedom in the garage.”

One thing led to another, and now Yaniv’s got a little bit of money that he

can reinvest into Powerplant’s parts line.

“I started manufacturing some parts. My parts are like pretty much just for what I need right now.” Yaniv grabbed a throttle full of the burgeoning FXR trend and saw potential to create his own line. “I probably bought over 30 sets of other people’s risers, to the point where I realized I’ll just make my own risers,” Yaniv says. And the parts line continues to grow.

But Yaniv also understands the current climate of owning an independent custom-motorcycle shop and has been fixated on building FXRs. He sees Powerplant’s future being very bright.

“I’ll always like [motorcycles],” Yaniv says.

“I love old choppers, knuckleheads and Shovelheads, you know? But I also love my business, and I want to keep it open.”

But Yaniv doesn’t hold allegiances to any one particular style of motorcycle or genre. He’s just a big fan of motorcycles in general. “I’m not a chopper guy or an FXR guy. I just love two wheels, always have. I don’t support any clubs, I support two wheels. That’s what it’s always been about,” Yaniv says. “And you can see it in the bikes.” HB

Stop

worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.

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CLOSET

WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTO: JEFF ALLEN

FRESH NEW RIDING GEAR

THE LATEST FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND SPEED AND STRENGTH harley-davidson.com - ssgear.com

Quality duds that keep your bits protected are paramount here at Hot Bike. We found some fresh new gear from Harley-Davidson and Speed and Strength that will keep you protected and, more importantly, keep your street cred intact.

Harley-Davidson’s Vintage Stripe B06 full-face helmet ($395) is a DOT lid made with a fiberglass shell, and features a double D-ring chin strap. The helmet has race-inspired stripes in traditional H-D colors, and features a magnetic UV-protected, antiscratch shield closure and contoured cheek pads with built-in speaker pockets for a comfortable fit (maybe a good fit for Cardo’s new Bold Bluetooth communicator, page 24). Five metal mesh intake vents and one rear vent are integrated for ventilation, giving the helmet a streamlined look and maximum airflow delivery to keep you cool this summer.

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The Speed and Strength Dark Horse jacket ($349.95) features simplistic styling, but it’s made with high-quality materials. The Dark Horse’s premium leather frame comes fully equipped with removable Vault CE-approved shoulder, elbow, and spine protectors should you go skidding down the road. For those who never leave home without it, the Dark Horse also includes an Armed Response concealed-carry pocket, and for breathability, perforated underarm panels ensure optimal airflow on warm-weather rides.

In keeping with uniformity, check out Speed and Strength’s Dark Horse leather motorcycle boots ($159.95). Built with a combined premium leather and synthetic upper, the Dark Horse boots feature molded internal toe, heel, and ankle reinforcements with anti-slip rubber outsole for a solid grip.

UV Re sis 64 tan -St tP ran VC PT dS Co FE tai ati nle Du ng po ss nt S tee Tef lO lon Cru ute ® sh rB Inn Wa He rai er av sh d Ho er yD se Re uty l i e Ne fC ck ha nn el

GEEKED

WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTO: JEFF ALLEN

CARDO PACKTALK BOLD (DUO) Technology has come a long way. Communication convenience has been readily available with the push of a button for years.

But with Cardo’s new Packtalk Bold, push-button technology is already becoming passé.

Cardo’s new Packtalk Bold features voice-activated technology to the point where literally everything on the Bluetooth communication system is operated via voice control. In a world where Siri and Alexa are the new taskmasters, it makes sense for voiceoperated motorcycle comm setups like Cardo’s Bold. Now you can keep your hands where they belong: on the handlebars!

With Cardo’s new natural voice operation feature, you will never have to press a button, turn a wheel or move a slider again. Whether you ride with a buddy or in a group of up to 15, a simple “Hey, Cardo” does the trick to get you and your communicator, well, communicating.

The Bold also incorporates Cardo’s Dynamic Mesh Communication (DMC) technology, which solves the usual Bluetooth intercom connectivity and clarity pains. Just set your intercom once and forget about it, and stay connected with audio quality that’s crisp and clear. Whether you are riding with a passenger or in a group of four to 15, the Bold can handle it all.

As for traditional comm-system creature comforts, you still get universal connectivity with any of the manufacturer’s comm systems, plus quality sound from the powerful 40 mm-wide high-definition speakers and specially tuned audio processor for playing your favorite tunes, and of course, phone call functions for when you have to alert the missis you’re running late because you can’t quite end the ride just yet.

There are some new features worth mentioning too. You can share your music playlist or favorite radio station with your passenger in case you want to vibe out to Yanni’s greatest hits together. And when it’s necessary to adjust settings, the Cardo Connect app allows you to do just that. And the best thing: You can charge the setup while you ride!

Basically, Cardo’s new Packtalk Bold features everything you need to make your ride more entertaining and enjoyable, whether riding solo or with your best buds. We installed the new Packtalk Bold units in a matter of minutes into two helmet styles, Arai’s Defiant-X full-face helmet and Classic-V open-face helmet, and we were ready to hit the road.

SINGLE $329.95 PAIR $579.95 cardosystems.com

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EL GATO ROBERTO THE SKINNY ON SAN DIEGO CUSTOMS’ FATTY WORDS: ROB FORTIER PHOTOS: MIKEY VAN MODEL: KYLIE MARIE WALTON

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ISSUE 2

2018 / 27

W

hile I lay wide awake each and every night, staring at the ceiling, pondering the same question over and over—why didn’t a huge crate from Milwaukee get dropped off in my driveway?!—those who are more fortunate, like San Diego Customs, probably got just as much sleep in the months after those mysterious crates began dropping last September. But for different reasons, obviously, as the fortunate ones uncrated brand-new 2018 FXFBs—Harley-Davidson’s debut of its fresh Fat Bob à la Softail/M-8 platform. SDC’s Chip Kastelnik and his sidekick Mikey definitely sacrificed some slumber time as they accepted their gracious gift from The Motor Company, tore it completely apart, and proceeded to do their thing, SDC style. I rode down to San Diego (on my “vintage” FXR) one Sunday morning for some coffee and conversation with Chip to get his side of the story regarding El Gato Roberto.

FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS MORE OF A STATEMENT BUT NEVERTHELESS REQUIRES AN ANSWER OF SORTS ON YOUR PART: IF YOU HAVE ANY WORDS REGARDING THE “DEATH OF THE DYNA,” NOW’S THE CHANCE TO GET THEM OFF YOUR CHEST BECAUSE THAT HORSE HAS BEEN BEATEN BEYOND RECOGNITION—UNLESS YOU FEEL LIKE TALKING ABOUT MY DYNA INSTEAD? Hey, Rob. What’s happening, man? Good to see you, dude. To answer your question in regard to the death of the Dyna, I can say some things die at 27 and aren’t buried until 75. Benjamin Franklin said something similar to that about people a long time ago, but I’ll apply it to the Dyna. As the Harley demographic transitions from the older guy who thinks eagles and do-rags are the rage to the new era of motorcycle riders who aren’t so concerned with trinkets and tassels but are very in tune with performance and custom paint schemes, it’s going to be another time in which old things come back around again. As technology advances, manufacturing processes will advance, finishing work will provide more options than black and chrome, and H-D will be right there, offering all its new models and customization options as it has in the past, and will until single-craft space pods are readily available. As far as the actual Dyna, it may be dead, but there are a lot of them on the road, and they need to come to SDC to get some upgrades!

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ISSUE 2

2018 / 29

“SINCE THE BIKE LOST SOME WEIGHT BUT IS STILL ‘FAT,’ I KIND OF WONDER HOW TO SAY ‘PHAT’ IN SPANISH AND GET THE SAME MEANING AS IN ENGLISH. FURTHERMORE, YOU DO KNOW THAT BOB ORIGINATED FROM THE HYPOCORISM ROB, SHORT FOR ROBERT, WHICH IN SPANISH IS ROBERTO.”

TELL ME HOW THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT ALL CAME ABOUT. DID YOU WORK DIRECTLY WITH H-D, OR THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP? Well, Rob, I’ll be happy to tell you how it all went down. It was a combo deal with H-D corporate, San Diego H-D, Quaid H-D, and San Diego Customs. We got a call from Ty at SD H-D, who was with Brandon from Quaid and a few high-ranking H-D officials who were at the dealer show at the time that H-D announced the Dyna would no longer be in production and was being replaced with the Softail models. He then explained to me that The Motor Company would like to extend us a new 2018 Softail Fat Bob to customize and see what our take on the new design would be. We said yes, thanks, a few hundred times to H-D for the chance to dig into a brand-new chassis design and see what all the hype is about and see what our perspective is.

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LET’S HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEW M-8 AND THE SOFTAIL CHASSIS IT’S WRAPPED IN. AND WHAT DID THE ODOMETER READ AFTER YOU CAME TO THAT PARTICULAR OPINION? Let me tell you this, buddy, the new Softail chassis is one stable mofo party plan. The M-8 motor has ample power and room to make more, complemented by a full array of aftermarket component choices from all the leading manufacturers. The monoshock setup is a stable, no-nonsense platform that has all riders in mind and handles like a champ.

People are scared of change; they genuinely believe (often on an unconscious level) that when you’ve been doing something a particular way for some time, it must be the good way to do things, and the longer you’ve been doing it that way, the better it is. H-D must have just said let’s lose this whole

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Dyna platform and move into the future with a new, redesigned model lineup and not look back. Fact is there is nothing anyone can do; H-D does what it does, and that’s that. We have all been anxiously awaiting the return of the FXR—that will never happen, but it’s great internet gossip. Add the Dyna to the list. Oh, and the odometer read zero, and now it’s at 37. Ha-ha, just kidding, man. I don’t know the mileage; I don’t look down at that round device.

OK, SO IT WAS A 2018 FAT BOB, BUT IT LOOKS ANYTHING BUT FAT NOW. DID YOU ENVISION SHEDDING WEIGHT FROM THE SOFTAIL FROM THE GET-GO? EXPLAIN THE THOUGHT PROCESS YOU AND MIKEY HAD IN THE REDESIGN PLANNING STAGES BEFORE THE FIRST WRENCH WAS EVEN TURNED. It still is a 2018 Fat Bob on the title and in its heart.

When we took delivery of the new bike, we rode it around in its stock form for a while to figure out the direction we could take and how to get there. It had the factory-built 114 kit at the time, so it had some pep in its step and was kind of fun to zip around. There are a lot of changes that we started to notice as we dug into things. Riding position, bars, foot controls, triple tree width all seemed a bit foreign to me, and so began the process of changing those things first and then dealing with the things that popped up along the way. Mike suggested the gray paint theme with a bright neon-orange “bar and shield” to Hot Dog one day when we were hanging out, and the next time we saw it, it was all dialed in. Hot Dog is one of the best painters in the world, and it was a fun change to do a simple paint scheme that could pack a punch. He nails it every time. The rest, well, just kind of happens in a puff of smoke.

I KNOW THE GEARS IN YOUR HEAD WERE ALREADY TURNING AS FAR AS COMING UP WITH NEW PRODUCTS FOR THE M-8 PLATFORM. DID THIS PROJECT HELP BRING ANY OF THOSE IDEAS TO FRUITION? Yeah, man, it sure did. We were stoked to get a hold of a new bike to do some R&D on to make some parts for the future of motorcycling. We at SDC are not known for being quick. We are taking the time to make sure our components are up to the standards that we expect them to be rather than rush to make a quick buck with a substandard product. There are enough parts ideas to be thought of for everyone; let’s all get thinking.

I’M FLATTERED TO HAVE THE SDC SOFTAIL, LOS GRASA ROBERTO, NAMED AFTER ME, BUT YOU KNOW BETO IS THE SPANISH NICKNAME VERSION OF BOB, RIGHT? Well, Bob, I’ll tell you, pilgrim, I renamed the bike for my homies that ride Dynas around the corner and do wheelies, mang. Since the bike lost some weight but is still “fat,” I kind of wonder how to say “phat” in Spanish

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and get the same meaning as in English. Furthermore, you do know that Bob originated from the hypocorism Rob, short for Robert, which in Spanish is Roberto.

DAMN. GOT ME WITH MY OWN UPPERCUT THERE. WELL, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? Sure do, dude: This is all just the same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea. All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see. Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind. Be the hero of your own movie. Live before you die. Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.

Thanks for letting me babble, brochacho. Always a pleasure.

Check out sandiegocustoms.com. Legalize it. HB

YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT IT’S CARDIO. OPEN YOUR ROAD with the exhilarating performance of the 2018 Spyder F3-S™. To explore our full list of features, visit your local dealer or go to CanAmSpyder.com/F3-S

©2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Ride responsibly and safely. Observe applicable local laws and regulations. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and appropriate protective clothing. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. BRP reserves the right to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Vehicle performance may vary depending on weather, temperature, altitude, riding ability and rider/passenger weight. Visit canamspyder.com.

SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL OWNER SHOP SHOP PHONE WEBSITE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL FABRICATION BUILD TIME ENGINE YEAR/TYPE/SIZE BUILDER CASES CYLINDERS HEADS ROCKER BOXES CAMS THROTTLE BODY AIR CLEANER EFI CONTROLLER EXHAUST TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE GEARS CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

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Chuck Chillout/Mad Mike San Diego Customs 619-234-6666 sandiegocustoms.com 2018/H-D/Fat Bob 114 San Diego Customs Two months 2018/M-8/114ci San Diego Customs H-D H-D H-D modified H-D with Feuling studs Feuling Horsepower Inc. Horsepower Inc. Power Vision PV2 CHD Custom by Unobtainium Welding 2018/six-speed/H-D H-D H-D H-D

FRAME YEAR/TYPE RAKE/STRETCH SUSPENSION FRONT END TRIPLE TREES SWINGARM REAR SHOCKS

2018/H-D Fat Bob 28 degrees/zero rake ODC ODC H-D H-D

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES FRONT SDC Speedline V2.0 SIZE 19 x 2.125 in.

TIRE/SIZE 19 x 110 in.

CALIPERS Performance Machine ROTORS SDC Speedline V2.0 13-inch REAR SDC Speedline V2.0 SIZE 18 x 5.5 in.

TIRE/SIZE 18 x 180 in.

CALIPER H-D ROTOR SDC Speedline V2.0 11.5-inch PULLEY SDC Speedline 51T FINISH/PAINT MANUFACTURER PAINT/GRAPHICS PLATING/POLISHING POWDERCOATING

PPG Hot Dog Kustoms / Pete “Hot Dog” Finlan SDC SDC

ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER REAR FENDER GAS TANK DASH GAUGES HANDLEBARS RISERS GRIPS MIRRORS HAND CONTROLS FOOT CONTROLS FOOTPEGS HEADLIGHT TAILLIGHT TURN SIGNALS LICENSE MOUNT SEAT

H-D Street Bob OEM (modified) H-D OEM (modified) H-D H-D H-D ProTaper (Hardcase Performance) Hardcase Performance Performance Machine H-D H-D H-D OEM SDC Mini floorboards H-D San Diego Customs Custom Dynamics San Diego Customs SDC/Saddlemen

CUSTOM OR SPECIAL ACCESSORIES AND FEATURES CUSTOM POWERVISION MOUNT San Diego Customs BAGS LeatherPros Saddlebags WIRING Custom wiring for non-ABS system HARDWARE Hardware by ARP TUNING Tuned by Hiro Koiso

THE NEW

THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER JOSH JAMES’ LOW RIDER SOFTAIL WORDS: JON LANGSTON PHOTOS: KATIE LUCAS

“THIS WAS THE FIRST 2018 LOW RIDER THAT ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA! WE PICKED THE BIKE UP FROM FRASER HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN SYDNEY AND RODE TO THE BEACH. FIVE HOURS LATER, I HAD IT STRIPPED DOWN TO JUST THE ENGINE AND FRAME WITH ONLY 140 KILOMETERS ON THE ODOMETER.”

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C

hange is constant. Change is necessary. Change is… not always good. (Remember New Coke?) So, when Harley-Davidson folded its Softail and Dyna lines into one new lineup for model year 2018, purists were, naturally, alarmed.

Another group of Harley enthusiasts was also unnerved by the change, and it’s one that should most concern The Motor Company. The FXR craze of the past few years has spawned a new movement of H-D enthusiasts, one more rooted in fun, adventure, and style than in tradition or heritage. This vibrant generation of wheelie-popping, fairing-wearing Harley riders has to be considered one of the few bright spots in what’s often considered a pretty bleak picture of HarleyDavidson’s future, so when the new line of Softails was released last fall, it was interesting to see how these young Dyna enthusiasts would react.

Josh James is the founder of HD Hooligans, one of the world’s most spirited and successful online motorcycle communities. With an Instagram following of more than 93,000, Josh and the rest of the Hooligans are widely seen laying rubber, planting palms on asphalt at ridiculous angles, and sparking showers of DIY fireworks down roads all over the world. It’s a fun, fantastic feed, full of risk-takers, death-cheaters, and, yeah, the occasional moron. But it’s always an entertaining scroll, and Josh is one of the lunatics who started it all.

“The day Harley released the 2018 lineup, [my partner] Katie and I were watching the live releases pop up on Instagram and were texting each other as each model was released,” Josh says. “Having a lot of influence with my Hooligans page, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to shift the negative hype surrounding the ‘death of the Dyna’ or whatever.

“I was disappointed the Dyna had been discontinued too,” he admits, “but after my first ride, it was obvious that this new Low Rider was a force to be reckoned with. So I wanted to show everyone the same potential I saw in it.”

But of course, the path from vision to execution is fraught with logistical peril, particularly with a brandnew model as your platform. A custom motorcycle based on the new Harley Softail had, quite simply, never been done in Australia—or anywhere else, for that matter.

“In building this bike there were many world’sfirsts,” Josh says. “I mean, this was the first 2018 Low Rider that arrived in Australia! We picked the bike up from Fraser Harley-Davidson in Sydney and rode to the beach. Five hours later, I had it stripped down to just the engine and frame with only 140 kilometers on the odometer.”

Wanting to ensure his Low Rider would be the first custom built from the new H-D platform, Josh didn’t waste any time ordering parts. “I’m a strong believer in staying with what works,” he says, “and that’s why I contacted my regular guys at Bassani, Hard Case, Memphis Shades, Progressive, Saddlemen, Topline Tubes, and Speed-Kings Cycle.

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“But it still took a lot of trial and error to get parts to work right,” he says. “All said and done, I was able to have the bike started and finished within a month.”

Even with the hype of the new H-D range dying down, Josh’s custom Low Rider still turns heads. “I get comments from Dyna lovers saying my build has completely changed their whole mindset on the new lineup,” he gushes. “My personal favorite comment was, ‘Dude, I think you saved Harley!’”

Not sure we’d go that far, but it’s safe to say Josh is on to something Down Under. His successful social media profile has led to the establishment of Hooligan Supply Co., which currently sells only apparel but parts are on the way for the new breed of Harley aficionados—which is clearly alive and well on the other side of the planet.

“Progress is impossible without change,” Josh says.

And with all the doom-and-gloom speculation surrounding the health of the motorcycle industry, it’s refreshing to hear such optimism (especially from a young Harley devotee). The good news is the FXR is a cool but very old bike, Sons of Anarchy hasn’t been on TV in years, and the new Harley power plant is a revelation. Add to that the excitement about the new lineup—the beefy Fat Bob and FXR-inspired Low Rider in particular—and there’s plenty of reason to believe that the death of Harley-Davidson has been, yet again, greatly exaggerated. HB

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SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL OWNER SHOP SHOP PHONE WEBSITE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL BUILD TIME

Josh James Hooligan Supply Co. 0439-261-001 hooligansupplyco.com.au 2018/Harley/Low Rider One month

ENGINE YEAR/TYPE/SIZE BUILDER CASES CYLINDERS HEADS ROCKER BOXES CAMS THROTTLE BODY AIR CLEANER EFI CONTROLLER EXHAUST

M-8/107ci H-D H-D H-D H-D H-D H-D H-D Screaming Eagle H-D Bassani Road Rage 3

TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE GEARS CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

H-D Stock H-D Stock H-D Stock H-D

FRAME YEAR/TYPE RAKE/STRETCH

2018/Softail Stock

SUSPENSION FRONT END Black Top Line Tubes, Burly Brand preload adjusters LENGTH Stock H-D TRIPLE TREES Ceramic-coated H-D SWINGARM H-D REAR SHOCKS H-D with Bung King lift WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES FRONT H-D powdercoated TIRE/SIZE 110/90/19 Shinko CALIPERS H-D with Hard Case Performance adapter ROTORS 14-inch Hard Case Performance REAR Galfer TIRE/SIZE 180/70/16 Shinko 555 CALIPER H-D PULLEY Bung King sprocket, H-D chain conversion FINISH/PAINT MANUFACTURER Smith Concepts COLORS PPG black base coat; custom faded gold custom-made mix for design stripes; 23-karat gold leaf with a mix of variegated gold leaf; outlined in one-shot enamel; cleared in PPG Deltron PAINT/GRAPHICS Smith Concepts ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER H-D REAR FENDER H-D GAS TANK H-D DASH H-D GAUGES H-D with Hard Case Performance relocate kit HANDLEBARS Renthal Fatbars on 9.5-inch Hard Case Performance risers GRIPS H-D MIRRORS H-D HAND CONTROLS H-D shorty levers FOOT CONTROLS H-D FLOORBOARDS H-D HEADLIGHT H-D TAILLIGHT Speed-Kings Cycle Slim TURN SIGNALS Modified Alloy Art SEAT Saddlemen step-up

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SPORTSTER SCRAMBLING WITH HUGO MOTO

TRICKED-OUT HARLEY ENDUROS O N A M E R I C A’ S B E ST R OA DS AND TRAILS WORDS: MORGAN GALES PHOTOS: CHRIS ROSSELL

R

acing down the damp gravel back roads of the Smoky Mountains, my knees were squeezing the steel gas tank as I tried to remember to keep my arms relaxed. The hole in my shin and the roadside repairs we made to the bike after my low-side the day before were distant thoughts as I focused only on the patch of ground in front of me and how to get through it. As we blasted by campers, four-wheeler drivers, and other riders on “more capable” bikes, we grinned behind our helmets as we heard their predictable response: “Wait, s—t, those are Harleys?!” And then we would pull away as we climbed, ripped and slid our way farther down the trail.

Over the course of two days riding

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in Tennessee, not only did I get a solid thrashing and a lesson in how terrible I was on dirt, I learned what it is about these bikes that drives people to Frankenstein them into everything from airplanes to submarines, and how Hugo Moto has figured out the recipe for wild, American-made enduro fun.

I reached out to the Hugo Moto guys after seeing the preproduction version of the company’s World Tour kit—an all-inclusive package to change a HarleyDavidson Sportster into a trail-chomping enduro. After a quick conversation with Nico Danan, founder of Hugo Moto, he hipped me to the fact that Hugo had updated its World Tour kit to the new HD2 Enduro you see here. With a basic tool kit and some knowledge of how to use it, it should take only a couple of days

to enduro your Sporty, especially since the parts are all bolt-on and don’t require cutting or welding.

The new Enduro kit comes with a long-travel front-end cartridge kit with compression adjustment, long-travel rear shocks with compression and preload adjustment, new aluminum wheels (18-inch rear, 21-inch front), SuperTrapp 2-1 muffler, new handlebar, chain conversion kit, peg relocation kit with relocation bracket, stainless steel Pro Moto Billet MX foot pegs, chain tensioner, adjustable kickstand, aluminum shift arm, peg and linkage, skid plate, front fender, rubber fork boots, Rekluse auto clutch, and high front fender kit. The bike I was riding had a few different components that were in R&D stages at the time, but for the most part everything listed is what you get.

Photos: Larry Pangilinan

3/4 OPEN-FACE

RATNIK

WHITE

MATTE BLACK HALF

Covert 3-in-1 road Helmet SOLIDS $209. GRAPHICS $229.

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95

Meant to disrupt the norm, this radical design can be converted to work with any type of bike. We started with a half helmet and added an integrated drop-down sun visor for protection from sunlight. A rear comfort sleeve allows you to convert the helmet to a ¾ open-face and then attach the included front mask and you’ve got one, aggressive “bad ass” looking helmet.

US deSiGn Patent US D804,731 S

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#ScorpionExo

#WeLiveInOurProtection

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I LEARNED WHAT IT IS ABOUT THESE BIKES THAT DRIVES PEOPLE TO FRANKENSTEIN THEM INTO EVERYTHING FROM AIRPLANES TO SUBMARINES, AND HOW HUGO MOTO HAS FIGURED OUT THE RECIPE FOR WILD, AMERICAN-MADE ENDURO FUN.

After talking back and forth with Nico and Hugo’s president, Jason Smith, a plan was hatched for a visit to Tennessee to ride the new enduro with Nico, Jason, and the Hugo boys, as well as Scott Maddux, owner of Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, and his crew.

Maddux can whip a Sportster through rough terrain faster than just about anyone I’ve ridden with (or behind, more accurately). And he was no stranger to scramblers since Smoky Mountain H-D had been building them for years. In fact, Smoky Mountain H-D helped Hugo develop its own scrambler kit by setting Hugo straight with proper ratios for suspension and wheels. “When we started the company, we only had the World Tour kit, an adventure kit,” Nico says. “We created the Scrambler kit following in the footsteps of the Smoky Mountain H-D scramblers, and we called the first one the Black Dragon SMHD Scrambler kit.”

The Hugo Enduro kit runs an 18-inch rear wheel with a 21-inch front, making it a little easier to hop over obstacles or cross rough terrain but sacrificing a little on-road handling.

We would all have the opportunity to ride them on some of the best roads in the United States, with guys who knew them like the backs of their hands.

Of course, I was going to get slaughtered.

It was wet in Tennessee, but not rainy. The perfect bit of weather to make riding a challenge, with puddles in the shadowy corners, but not miserable and soaking wet the entire time.

We would leave the dealership and ride through some of the famous roads in the area, such as Tail of the Dragon and the Rattler, before we eventually headed onto the mud, sand, and gravel roads that followed various rivers and streams through the Smoky Mountain backcountry.

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Riding the enduro, I liked how the tall 21-inch front tire found its way through the muddy sections and deeper dirt, but still felt myself drifting a little farther to the back of the group. I was determined to stay with them, and by the end of the day—battered, bruised, and ready for some of that “white lightnin’” these mountains are known for—I was officially hooked on Hugo’s Enduro kit.

Thanks for showing me some of that down-home Southern hospitality, riding the back roads of the epic Smoky Mountains. HB

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JUDGME DDCC GENE-SPLICES A ROAD KING AND AN FXR WORDS: MARK MASKER PHOTOS: SHOOTER’S IMAGES

ENT DAY ISSUE 3

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verything has been done. Every big-wheel bike, I’ve done, whether it was a Street Glide, Road Glide, what have you. But no one’s done an FXR front end on a touring bike.” That’s how Dave Dupor of DD Custom Cycles decided this meaty Road King had to happen. “It’s a cool-looking

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front end that’s something different and will appeal to guys on the West Coast,” Dave says. “Here in the Midwest, the FXR thing hasn’t taken real well, and I’m the guy who always does something a little different. I also heavily modified the fairing to my liking.” Converting an FXR fork to it was just the opening salvo in the creativity barrage that followed, as you can probably tell.

It’s also nobody’s big wheel. “I really wanted to build something totally different from the current stretched bags,

30-inch wheels, etc. Those bikes are starting to look the same,” Dave continues. “The wide tire handles well and rides awesome. The 180 tire, you feel really in control. With the MX bars, mids, that front end, and 180, it’s a full combo that’s easy and fun to control.”

Dave scrounged up this 2014 Road King, a donor bike, in Ohio. It was in great condition, and could have been a great bike left as is (OK, maybe not so much; it was torn down in less than a week). He then faced the task of making it all flow from front to back. “I tried to make every part of the bike, the steel fenders, steel tank, steel side covers, bags with my vents, and so on,” he says, “and just make it my own and not just another bolt-on bagger.”

For the tugboat up front, Dave took a modified TOL

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Designs FXR fairing and put it on this Road King. “Even the smartest people here thought this bike was an FXR,” he recalls. There are plenty of other details throughout the bike, and while it looks like a tank, it rides like a street fighter (for a bagger). Dave tells us you can throw it anywhere you want.

Plus, the wide-tire front and the short and stubby stance just demand respect. The outcome was awesome and people love it.

Dave made 90 percent of the custom parts on this bike, including the all-steel bodywork. He molded the windshield, made the speaker enclosures, and built the big 107-inch motor.

Not that the project started out with fans. There were skeptics. When the fairing came in, people came into the shop thinking it was ugly. “Wait till it’s done,” he’d say. “Then you can judge it.” HB

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SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL BIKE OWNER SHOP NAME SHOP PHONE SHOP WEBSITE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL FABRICATION ASSEMBLY BUILD TIME

Dave Dupor/DD Custom DD Custom (DDCC) 847-356-8053 ddcustomcycle.com 2014/Harley-Davidson/Road King DD Custom DD Custom Three months (should have been six)

ENGINE YEAR/MANUFACTURER TYPE/SIZE BUILDER CASES CYLINDERS HEADS ROCKER BOXES EFI/CARB AIR CLEANER EXHAUST

2014/H-D 107ci DD Custom H-D H-D/Dragos 107 Dragos Stage 2 EMD Thundermax Vity’s Graffeo

TRANSMISSION YEAR/MANUFACTURER CASE CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

2014/H-D H-D BDL H-D

FRAME YEAR/MANUFACTURER RAKE

2014/H-D 30 degrees

SUSPENSION MANUFACTURER FRONT LENGTH TRIPLE TREES MANUFACTURER REAR SWINGARM

American Suspension/DD Air Stock Stock Dirty Air Stock

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES MANUFACTURER FRONT/TYPE Roland Sands Design/ Slam Black Ops SIZE-HEIGHT/WIDTH 18x5.5-inch TIRE/SIZE 180/55R18 CALIPER Performance Machine six-piston ROTOR Lyndall MANUFACTURER REAR Roland Sands Design Slam Black Ops SIZE-HEIGHT/WIDTH 16x5.5-inch TIRE/SIZE 180/65R16 CALIPER Performance Machine four-piston ROTOR Lyndall FINISH/PAINT COLOR PAINTER

Audi/Lamborghini Nardo Gray Custom Painted Vehicles (CPV)

ACCESSORIES FRONT Fender Native/DDCC REAR FENDER DD Custom (steel) FENDER STRUTS H-D GAS TANK AND CAP DD Custom (steel)with Crazy Beaver cap OIL TANK H-D HANDLEBARS DD Custom Ghost Bars HAND CONTROLS Berringer FOOT CONTROLS Boosted Brad FOOTPEGS Boosted Brad HEADLIGHT DD Custom/HD TAILLIGHT DD Custom LICENSE MOUNT DD Custom (hidden style) SEAT Dave Vos/DD Custom pan SADDLEBAGS Top Shop/DD Custom vents SADDLEBAG LATCHES Performance Machine AUDIO PRV/JL

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THE

LIFE

THE

FRANKEN’BLAST LABORATORY

BRINGING A BUELL BLAST BACK TO LIFE IN THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACE: A KITCHEN WORDS AND PHOTOS: MIKE CALABRO

THE

LIFE

ave you ever seen Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory? It had the mysterious scientific junk that any mad scientist needs to create a monster, but his place was littered with cobwebs and grime. Doc was a creative genius in the most poetic way—making his dream come true, but also drowning in other ideas while surrounding himself with chaos. Most bike builders can identify with this feeling of obtaining various body parts from graveyards and plugging in machines with a deranged look in their eye until it springs to life. But not all of them.

Alex Maslin is a genius of a different variety. He doesn’t have a castle, and he’s not a social outcast. He’s a normal dude who lives in a small apartment in Chicago. It is your typical small urban domicile that has the quintessential items you’d expect in a shared

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one-bedroom apartment—a stove, couch, television, and so on. And there’s some stuff you’re not expecting, like the welding table. Wait, in the apartment?

Well, yeah, of course.

Unlike Frankenstein’s catastrophe, Alex’s not-so-evil workshop is immaculate. It’s one of the cleanest shops we’ve ever seen. Instead of living with a hunchbacked assistant, he cohabits with his gorgeous girlfriend, Andrea, and she won’t put up with a dirty castle.

She doesn’t have to deal with a mess, and thinks it’s cool to have a custom bike shop next to the refrigerator. She tells me it’s “better than having a drunk boyfriend on the couch.” All of us idiots on the couch, take note.

Alex’s desire for a sterile workspace comes from the family lineage from his home country of Romania. His dad and uncle are dentists, and his sister is a dental tech. Don’t show up at the Maslin household without flossing first. His dad

DEFIANT-X, APRIL 2018

ARAIAMERICAS.COM

THE

LIFE

wanted him to become a dentist, but Alex wasn’t stoked on all of the “blood and stuff.” During dental school, he enjoyed the artistic side, carving sets of perfect teeth out of blocks of plaster.

Alex puts it this way: “I was doing custom stuff without handlebars, wheels, and engines. I’ve put a smile on people’s faces one way or another.” In the real world, no one cared about the craftsmanship. It was all about the money. So he bailed on that career and moved to greener pastures two years ago.

Alex didn’t come to the States to

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follow the typical American dream.

He came here to follow his passion for custom motorcycles. He wanted to experience the custom bike scene that he previously only saw on TV and online.

“I think that if I did not spend so much time watching Orange County Choppers and biker build-off shows, I would have become a dentist,” he says. No offense to Eastern-European teeth, but one look at his Franken’Blast makes us happy he’s here with a welder in his hand.

Alex’s passion for customizing started with painting matchbox cars.

Romania is a poor country, so his mom had to take out a loan so she could afford to buy Alex a bicycle. He gave his shiny new bike a “custom” paint job with a can of old house paint. The itch to customize never went away, and Alex started working on motorcycles in 2007.

Building his first bike in America hasn’t been an easy or fast process. Alex couldn’t afford to bring his stuff when he moved to the States and had to start from scratch. Every paycheck went to basic tools before being able to buy a Buell Blast for $1,400. Alex chose a Buell

THE

LIFE

Blast to customize because “it was one of the cheapest bikes I could find.”

The Blast is one of the most boring and hated bikes ever. Even Erik Buell was so embarrassed by it that he announced the end of the Blast in 2010 by crushing a few into cubes. Alex differs from the masses. “The engine has a clean look, simple design, and is reliable,” he says. “People expected too much for an air-cooled single-cylinder bike.”

Alex created his monster just as Frankenstein did, out of various parts gathered through dark and nefarious means. OK, maybe not dark or nefarious, but it was a bit unorthodox. He lives on a tight budget so he can build bikes, hoping to prove that he has skills to find a job where he can “learn more, create, and be happy,” he says. He didn’t have the tools to fabricate everything. To save money, every bracket was drilled and tapped by hand, and some parts were cut with a handsaw.

Since he didn’t know any machinists in the

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States, he had to get his buddies back home to turn his sketches into hard parts and then ship them from overseas.

Mixed in with the custom bits are salvaged organs and appendages from other bikes. The stern is from a Buell XB, the shock is from a Buell 1125, the handlebar is an inverted 1-inch Throttle Addiction Z bar, and the solid front wheel came from a first-generation

V-Rod. The build took 11 months to complete. It took such a long time because he had to keep it a secret from the landlord. It takes a creative mind to keep a bike build under wraps. To prevent the landlord from stopping by the apartment to collect the rent, Alex drives an hour away every month to deliver the cash by hand. The landlord came by one day unannounced while Alex was at work.

THE

LIFE

Luckily, the bike was hidden, as best as a motorcycle in an apartment can be, behind the couch, with a cover on it. She asked what was behind the couch and Andrea said “bikes,” so it wasn’t a total lie. As far as she knows, they are the perfect tenants.

There is no such thing as welding in secrecy once the sun goes down. There are two problems to get around: light and noise. A blinding light emanating through the drapes would likely end up with a visit from Johnny Law, therefore Alex only welds on sunny days. TIG welding steel makes minimal noise. Aluminum, on the other hand, is loud. Alex covers up the noise by cranking AC/DC, saying, “I’d rather piss off the neighbors with music than have them complaining to the landlord about some mysterious buzz.”

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Blasting “Thunderstruck” cranked up to 11 won’t cover up the sound of a thumper with a custom stainless-steel header and a shorty carbon muffler. “If I started it here, the building would collapse from all the vibration.” When he needs to work on the engine, he pushes it to a self-storage unit.

The owner of the storage facility is also Romanian and puts up with the noise on occasion.

The Franken’Blast was recently sold to a fortuitous man in Texas. The apartment was empty for two weeks. He is currently working on a 2000 Buell Thunderbolt for his daily rider. After it’s done, the laboratory won’t be empty for long. A custom Zero FXS is already planned. Even with an electric bike, knowing Alex, he won’t need a lightning strike to bring it to life. HB

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50 DRAG TURNS

DRAG SPECIALTIES CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY WORDS: BRYAN HARLEY PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY EDGE ADVERTISING

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dmit it. How many of you have visited your local bike shop and drooled over Drag Specialties’ FatBook like a kid in a candy store? It’s hard not to thumb through nigh 2,000 pages of the latest parts and accessories for the cruiser market and not have your heart beat a little faster. Be it performance upgrades or basic maintenance, Drag Specialties has been shipping the hottest aftermarket parts to dealers and getting them in the hands of motorcyclists with the quickness for 50 years running. Heading into its golden anniversary, Drag keeps the throttle wide open, with its sights set on a century of success.

True to its name, Drag Specialties was founded by a motorcycle drag racer, Tom Rudd, who competed in the A-Dragster class on a modified Harley-Davidson Sportster in the 1960s.

Rudd’s bike was fast, and soon other racers began asking Rudd and a couple of his racing buddies for help in making their bikes faster as well. The story is a common one. The trio had a

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racing habit, which is never cheap, so they began doing engine work on the side so they could continue pursuing their passion. A story in the February 2018 issue of Drag Specialties Magazine states that one day somebody called Rudd asking if he was speaking to “Drag Specialties” and the name stuck. Turns out Rudd was a visionary who saw the potential of building and shipping out his own parts, an idea his two partners didn’t exactly subscribe to, so he bought them out. Rudd opened up a small parts and accessories store in Minneapolis called Drag Specialties. Before long, he

expanded his product line and brought on board more businesses that were eager to sell their parts to a larger market as well, and in 1968, a brand was born.

“We were king of the castle at that time in the ’70s and early ’80s. We were on top of the world. When things started tumbling, CCI (Custom Chrome Inc.) became the top dog around the mid-’80s,” says Drag Specialties director of purchasing Tom Motzko, who’s been with the company since 1974.

As with most small businesses, Drag Specialties endured the ebb and flow of the economic tides for 20 years before

Tom Rudd circa 1973. The man who started it all.

Tom Motzko (above left) has been with Drag Specialties since 1974, and continues to be one of Drag’s key players as the director of purchasing for Drag Specialties. Fred Fox (above right) helped turn Drag Specialties into the global giant it is today after purchasing Drag Specialties in 1988, joining Parts Unlimited under the LeMans Corp. umbrella.

it was sold to LeMans Corp. founder Fred Fox in 1988. This was the best thing that could have happened to Drag because Fox was already a magnate in the distribution sector thanks to the successful company he founded in 1967, Parts Unlimited.

“That provided six warehouse locations at the time, which we only had one previously. Plus, it gave us access to Canada because he had a warehouse in Canada. Now we were North Americawide,” says Motzko. “We had a handful of people that they trusted, and gave the reins to us, if you will, and we began the rebuilding process with the

funding, the warehouses, and the trust.

That’s how we rebuilt the company.”

Another instrumental part in the rebuilding process was revamping the Drag Specialties catalog. Fox assigned this task to his in-house marketing team, Edge Advertising in Minneapolis.

A primary goal was making the catalog more user-friendly so dealers and shop owners could track down part numbers and prices quicker and easier. Adding eye-catching pictures of products was prioritized as well. Story goes that Edge Advertising began referring to the massive undertaking as the “fat book,” and

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“BUILDING BIKES IN HOUSE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE DAY ONE, IN 1968, WITH DRAG RACING. WE’VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUILDERS OR DEALERS TO DO BIKES OVER THE YEARS.” Drag Specialties’ catalog has gone by that name since. The 2018 FatBook has a whopping 1,812 pages.

Another savvy move by Fox was bringing 1972 Daytona 200 winner Don Emde on board to produce Drag Specialties Magazine. The two became friends when Emde worked at DealerNews, the friendship carrying over to when the future AMA Hall of Famer started his own magazine, Motorcycle Collector. Emde said he got the idea for the magazine on a plane flight when he noticed how “everything in the magazine was part of their world.”

So he pitched the idea of a magazine featuring “everything in Fred’s world”

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to his friend. Fox liked the idea and had Emde do a magazine for Parts Unlimited first. After a few issues of Parts, Fox suggested doing one for Drag as well.

Twenty-three years later, Drag Specialties Magazine is still going strong.

“The magazine is intended for dealers but compelling enough to leave in waiting rooms. It goes to all dealers in the United States and Canada,” says Emde.

Endearing Drag Specialties further to the cruiser market are the motorcycles it customizes in house, featuring parts found in the catalog. In honor of its 50th anniversary, Drag had Ray Price Harley-Davidson turn a stock 2017 Road King into a mean

Milwaukee-Eight-powered dresser, which is featured on the cover of the 2018 FatBook. Price was sponsored

by Drag during his racing career. Last year, Drag had Suburban Motors H-D build a wicked 2009 Dyna Fat Bob for its cover bike. In the past, it’s teamed up with industry heavy hitters such as Carl Brouhard Designs, which tricked out an Indian Scout Sixty, and Biltwell, which built a nasty FXR called Lobo Negro.

“Building bikes in house has been going on since day one, in 1968, with drag racing,” says Motzko. “We’ve worked with a lot of different builders or dealers to do bikes over the years.

It gives them a shot in the arm as well

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as us. Ray Price, Don Tilley, the drag racing and tie-in with Ray Price H-D was a perfect fit.”

Racing and performance is intertwined with Drag Specialties history, and this year it has partnered with American Flat Track (AFT) to be the official wholesalers for the 2018 season. Flat track has been blowing up the past few years and is reaching new audiences thanks to a TV contract with NBCSN, so the timing of the partnership couldn’t be better.

Drag Specialties is also sponsoring two of the most popular racers in the paddock, defending AFT Twins champion Jared Mees and AFT Singles competitor Shayna Texter.

“We’ve been involved with racing all along, all the way back to 1968. We’ve supported drag racing, salt-flat racing, the old flat-track racing back in the ’90s when it was so popular, and now it’s time for us to hit it again,” says Motzko.

Nurturing relationships with its dealers is another integral part of the company’s success. It does this through vehicles such as its annual Drag Specialties Dealers Ride.

“The reason we started that program is very simple. We wanted to have something to remind us why we got into this business in the first place because we all, whether it’s a vendor or a dealer that participates in them or company staff, we all get way too damn busy and involved with day-to-day business and forget to take

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that ride on Sunday afternoon or forget that we got into this in the first place because we all love motorcycling.”

Last year, the 12th annual Drag Specialties Dealers Ride was held in Las Vegas. It was three entertaining days of riding to different destinations in the scenic Mojave Desert, topped off by a farewell dinner where awards were handed out on the final night.

“It isn’t about money, it isn’t about doing business, it’s about the camaraderie of it and ultimately forging new friendships and business relationships.

It’s a fun deal,” says Motzko.

But it’s not all fun and games at Drag Specialties. You don’t stay in business for 50 years by not having acute business acumen. Twice a year, Drag hosts its National Vendor Presentations (NVP) Product Expo, one in Madison near its home base in Janesville, Wisconsin, and another in Indianapolis. The NVP allows sales reps and dealers to get their first glimpse at the hottest new products from leading brands. The event is

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jam-packed with vendors, product presentations, and both dealer and sales training sessions. Drag Specialties has also organized a Helmet and Apparel Tour, where they take products from the top brands they distribute on the road to the benefit of those who might not be able to attend the NVP. Dealers get to inspect products firsthand and see them installed on motorcycles so they can make an educated choice about the products they want to carry based on the wants of their particular consumer base.

As if it didn’t have enough projects going on already, Drag Specialties is also moving all Harley Evolution parts to the OldBook in 2018 to make way for the Milwaukee-Eight in the FatBook, the Evo joining the ranks of Knuckles, Pans, Shovels and Ironhead XLs. This is a massive new addition to the OldBook, which will now be adopting the same format as the FatBook.

Fortunately, Drag Specialties has five warehouses in the United States, two in Canada, and one in Germany to help it

fulfill all those orders that will be flowing out of its big books. This strategic network is instrumental in maintaining its claim to fame as being able to get products to dealers within one or two days.

Expediency has helped Drag be a force in the industry for 50 years.

Motzko has a couple of other ideas why the company has been successful for so long.

“Ethics and karma. We believe in appropriate, correct ethics in doing business, and shaking hands and looking people in the eye and telling the truth.

And I believe in karma. I believe good begets good. I honestly believe that.”

Emde also provides some solid insight about Drag’s sustainability.

“They have great reps; they have great vendors. They’re very selective about what brands they carry. Another point I think is really important is they’re all motorcycle guys.”

While it’s good to be golden, no doubt Drag already has its enterprising sights set on diamond and platinum celebrations further on down the road. HB

TECH

MILWAUKEE-EIGHT

FXR BUILD PART 1: FITTING THE DRIVETRAIN INTO THE MODIFIED FXR FRAME

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WORDS AND PHOTOS: JEFF G. HOLT

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1

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1. Justin Coleman, of Torch Industries, took a large amount of material out of the backbone of the FXR to make room for the Milwaukee-Eight engine.

2. Justin and Danny “Motor Witch” Wilson installed the H-D M-8 motor into the bike for what seemed like the 50th time to get all the clearances and fabrication points correct.

hat began with two guys, a 1993 H-D FXRP with a blown motor, and a bottle of Tullamore Dew has turned into a bike build that has never been attempted before. Like most monumental bike builds, this one started with a large amount of hopes and dreams. Then we added a boatload of skill and ample amount of patience to the mix.

The idea was drunkenly dreamed up by me and Danny Wilson, aka Motor Witch. The mating of a 2018 Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight driveline into the venerable FXR chassis was the game plan.

We originally wanted to find a crashed 2018 Road King and jack it for its drivetrain and wiring harness, but we decided to just ask the fine folks at Harley-Davidson to partner with us on the build and to supply us with the parts to make this bike a reality. And they did! Speaking of partners, Danny and I both knew we fall short in the metalworking department and that this bike was going to need a lot of it. That is why we called in fabricator extraordinaire Justin Coleman, from Torch Industries.

We also rang up Big Chris, from FXR Division, who knows the ins and outs of the chassis and has done many funky and fresh FXR builds with all sorts of motors and transmissions. After a meeting over some hotter-than-hell Thai food, a deal was made, the team was formed, and we were all ready to get to work on the M8FXR. The terms next level, groundbreaking, and game changer have been thrown around so many times in the realm of custom bikes that when a build such as this comes to be there are really no adjectives left with which to describe it. This is no Twin Cam swap where you just cut out a cross-member, jam the thing in the frame, and throw a carburetor on it. This was going to be fab work done by a team of guys who, combined, have more than 100 years of real-deal motorcycle-building and metalworking skills. We knew going into it that it wasn’t going to be easy because the motor is very different from the H-D Evolution that came in the bike. Plus, we wanted to use a stock 2018 H-D wiring harness with CAN bus electronics so the bike could take advantage of a big electronically controlled throttle body and accurately be performance tuned on the Dyno when completed. And so, we started the build with much wide-eyed optimism.

Knowing that we had no guidelines to go on and that the M-8 engine and transmission were going to be in and out of the FXR frame more than a few times, Danny disassembled the brand-new factory Harley-Davidson engine and removed rolling assembly and transmission guts to make it lighter and easier to move around. The empty engine and driveline were brought from Buddy Stubbs H-D in Cave Creek, Arizona, where the bike is being put together, to FXR Division in Phoenix. Justin, Chris, and Danny then got busy figuring out what

TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD: PART 1

3

needed to be done to get the M-8 to actually fit into the FXR frame. We all agreed that we wanted the M8FXR to look as if Harley-Davidson built this bike from the factory.

Danny first placed the motor into the frame without the top end on it so Justin could better assess what needed to be done on the bottom frame rails. Once that was done, a set of Chopper Hauss front motor mounts “borrowed” from Ramjet Racing was drastically modified to work with both the frame rails and the Milwaukee-Eight bottom end. After many more measurements were made to both the frame and the engine, it was decided that the bottom of the frame’s backbone needed to be seriously sectioned so the Milwaukee-Eight’s “bubble head” top end and oiling system would properly fit.

4

IT TOOK ALMOST THREE MONTHS OF TRIMMING, CUTTING, WELDING, AND METAL-FINISHING THE FRAME TO MAKE IT LOOK AS IF IT ROLLED OFF THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY FLOOR. 5 Due to the increase in horsepower with the new motor, Justin also had to make a series of braces and gussets on both front and rear for the frame, as well as turn the original lower cross-member brace into a mount for an H-D Dyna jiffy stand. Once the frame was deemed straight, Justin finish-welded it to mimic the stock welds. Justin also smoothed the hydroformed backbone so it had the same look as it did from the factory. Once all torchwork was done, the frame was sent off to be chemically stripped of all the original factory paint. Though this feature makes it look like the job of getting the Milwaukee-Eight into the FXRP frame was rather easy, we can assure you that it took almost three months of trimming, cutting, welding, and metal-finishing the frame to make it look as if it rolled off the Harley-Davidson factory floor.

3. The FXR frame was all cleaned up and stripped of its old paint, so you can better see what was really done to it.

4. The downtubes have two bracing tubes welded onto them, as well as modified Twin Cam motor mounts from Chopper Hauss.

5. The engine cross-member has been replaced with a custom jiffy stand mount, while another brace was made at the rear of the frame, where the 2018 six-speed bagger transmission will reside.

6. Danny installs the Milwaukee-Eight engine for final mock-up.

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6

TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD: PART 1 7

8

7. These shots show just how heavily we modified the stock frame to fit the M-8 power plant into it.

8. A C and S Custom 6061-T6 aluminum swingarm was employed both to increase stiffness and lose weight.

9

9. With the transmission and swingarm installed, it shows just how tidy of a fabrication job was done to achieve this sort of look and function.

10. The right-side

motor mount is removable, while the left-side mount was permanently welded to the frame.

10

11

12

11. A 2018 bagger primary setup is being used due to the fact that this is a police-model FXR and we will be running floorboards, so no mid-control provision was needed.

12. The M8FXR powertrain has been mocked up and ready for the next step of suspension, wheels, tires, and brakes.

Once the frame was back to Buddy Stubbs H-D and in bare metal, Danny began a mock-up of the M-8 motor to a 2018 H-D six-speed touring transmission, H-D clutch, and H-D Bagger primary drive setup.

An aluminum swingarm from C and S Custom was also mated to the frame, which will be both stiffer and lighter than the stock FXR unit. With those items mounted, we will be ready to make the M8FXR a roller with help from Race Tech Suspension, The Speed Merchant, Jade Affiliated wheels, Beringer Brakes, and Continental Tires. Check it out in Part 2, which will be in the next issue of Hot Bike. HB

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Petcocks:

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON harley-davidson.com FXR DIVISION fxrdivision.com TORCH INDUSTRIES torchind.com CHOPPER HAUSS chopperhauss.net BUDDY STUBBS H-D buddystubbshd.com RAMJET RACING ramjetracing.com

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TECH

WORDS: ROBERT MARTIN PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

HOLY GYROSCOPIC LEDs, BATMAN! THE FUTURE OF HEADLAMP TECHNOLOGY

SOURCE: J.W. SPEAKER jwspeaker.com

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eing seen on the road day or night is just as important as wearing proper gear when you ride. The vast majority of bikes on the market still come stock with incandescent/halogen bulbs. Aftermarket LED headlights are the obvious next step for most riders who want to improve their visibility, and there are many options currently on the market. J.W. Speaker has taken things to the next level with its new Adaptive lighting units (8690 Adaptive 2, $507.95), which incorporate a digitally controlled

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gyroscope to illuminate your path as you tear through the twisties. It’s really simple: Lean right, and the Adaptive’s auxiliary lights brighten the right side of your path; lean left… You get the picture.

Inside J.W. Speaker’s Adaptive series die-cast aluminum housing are an array of onboard sensors with gyrometers and accelerometers that calculate bank angles on a real-time basis, automatically directing the light array up or down as the motorcycle leans. This additional illumination fills in the gaps to the left or right of the motorcycle that traditional

headlights can’t, and it looks just as cool as it performs. This unit is the 5.75-inch round to fit my 2013 Iron 883, but 7-inch headlamps are also available.

Installation was a breeze, and after just a few night rides with this new beam of confidence in front of me, I can honestly attest to this technology being worth the investment. I see obstacles in turns I’ve never seen before.

The future is here with this one-of-akind headlight, and it’s something you will need to see to believe. HB

HotBikeweb.com

TECH

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE OUTFITTING OUR LONG-TERM 2018 INDIAN CHIEFTAIN CLASSIC

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aggers were created for one reason: functional motorcycle travel. Straight from the factory you get a bike equipped with the chops for hauling extendedstay gear on a trip. The Indian Chieftain is a top-notch touring bike that is pretty stellar from the factory.

But we all have our own idiosyncrasies, and personalizing our bikes to fit us just right is what makes owning a bike more fun.

When we received our long-term 2018 Indian Chieftain Classic for doing some projects over the course of this year, we were eager to log some miles and wanted to start with the comfort and convenience departments.

The stock Indian seat is extremely comfortable and definitely works well, but not being huge fans of fringe, we’re going with a different styling direction, with a more progressive

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overall look, and wanted to add some style and comfort options that would stand up to the factory seat. That said, we were sold on the Mustang Wide Tripper one-piece seat, with diamond stitching and a driver backrest, for 2014–’18 Indian Chieftain models ($479.99). The Mustang Wide Tripper twoup seat offers a sportier look, is cut low and streamlined, and the 13-inch-wide driver’s seat puts riders in a slightly lower position that feels like they are sitting in the motorcycle rather than on it. The 11-inch rear width provides ample comfort for passengers too. The durable vinyl cover features a distinctive diamond-stitched design that sets your bike apart from the rest. But the best feature has to be the removable rider backrest, which keeps lower-back fatigue at bay when long-hauling across the country.

WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

ISSUE 3

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TECH

Next, we needed something in the wind-deflection department with a little more height and tint. The Klock Werks Flare for Chieftain models ($209.95) was perfect. Klock’s innovative Flare design features “hips” at the outer edge of the shield that reroute the air to add downforce to the front of the bike, improving stability versus riding with a stock shield. The “flip” at the top of the Flare is designed to kick the air up and back as less turbulent air for the rider and passenger. Made from hard-coated polycarbonate material for added durability, and available in 10 or 12 inches in tint or dark smoke (we opted for the 12-inch dark smoke), the Klock Werks Flare fits 2014–’18 Indian Chieftain and Roadmaster models.

Last but not least, we’re gluttons for iPhone accessibility. Unfortunately, we rely on it more than we should, but Rokform’s iPhone 8/7 Pro series motorcycle handlebar mount ($149.99) makes it easy to use when on the road. Featuring a dual-retention lock system and universal fit, this handlebar mount keeps your device in clear view as you ride on pretty much any size handlebar.

You can easily adjust the mount angle so you always have a good view of your screen. The handlebar phone mount comes with Rokform’s mountable sport case to safeguard your phone on and off the bike, as well as a water-resistant skin to protect against water, mud, dust, dirt, and oil. With its sleek, black anodized aluminum finish, the mount blends seamlessly into your bike’s original design. HB

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SOURCES: INDIAN MOTORCYCLE indianmotorcycle.com KLOCK WERKS getklocked.com MUSTANG mustangseats.com ROKFORM rokform.com

USED AND ABUSED

WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

HENTY COPILOT TRAVEL BAG

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I always overpack when I travel. Half the stuff I bring on rides never even makes it out of the bag. But I’m comforted by the fact that I can pack a third bottle of booze if necessary (you never know who you’ll have to entertain). The Henty CoPilot bag is something big enough—and smart enough—to allow my hoarding habits.

After a visit to Henty’s website (henty.cc), I noticed the CoPilot’s selling point is its ability to pack a suit in the garment bag. Now, I’m pretty sure I won’t use it for that purpose, but if I wanted to, I could (are you starting to understand my pack-rat affliction?).

Henty was founded as a result of a seemingly simple problem: how to transport business clothing to and from the office and have it ready to wear on arrival.

With nothing on the market that met this need, Jeremy Grey designed and made a prototype to solve the problem. When it worked, he and childhood friend Jon Gourlay joined forces, and in 2012, they started Henty. The result: the Wingman, a multipurpose suit and garment bag, which can now be found carrying wardrobes all over the globe. Today, Henty is based in the co-founders’ home state of Tasmania, Australia. The team is focused on creating innovative products based on their “carry clever” ethos. Its focus is simple: to take

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quality materials, create clever products, and make people’s lives easier. I saw the Henty bag as a very capable motorcycle transport bag; it’s a smart product for those on the go.

The CoPilot is a durable multipurpose bag made from waxed canvas, based on Henty’s popular Commuter range.

Optimized for airplane travel, the CoPilot features a larger inner tube stuff sack that allows you to maximize luggage space on a weekend away or a two- to three-day business trip on the bike. It’s also pretty light and easy to handle for long bouts in the saddle. The CoPilot also features a large external pocket for belongings such as chargers, keys, and accessories; a

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removable 13-inch laptop pouch; a padded adjustable shoulder strap with aluminum buckle; and a stabilization strap perfect for motorcyclists. I especially like the fact that the exterior features a waterproof rain cover that prevents your goodies from getting wet, and the reflective piping around the bag’s perimeter is also a nice touch. The CoPilot is available in khaki, olive, blue, and, of course, black. Measuring in at 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches, the CoPilot is easily portable but still large enough to fit a ton of gear.

I’ve used the CoPilot on several occasions for different scenarios, such as motorcycle camping trips where I’ve literally folded a sleeping bag in the wardrobe

area and all the fixings for a good night’s sleep in the duffel. I’ve rocked it on overnighters on the Sportster. I’ve taken it on several airplane travel trips just because I’ve gotten so used to its compartments— I’m a creature of habit. I’ve even used it for packing my work equipment for shoots (13-inch MacBook Air, external drives, Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 16/35 2.8L and 70/200 2.8L lenses, batteries, chargers, even my monopod for video); the CoPilot balks at the challenge and still leaves plenty of room for my vices.

The CoPilot is a great multipurpose bag that allows me to pack all the things I need, and especially the things I don’t need, which for me, is a very good thing. HB

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BONNIER MOTORCYCLE GROUP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Andy Leisner

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING

Tim Collins

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Mark Hoyer ADVERTISING

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS

Katelynn Dudek, Ross Cunningham SALES OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Kaitlyn Thompson

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

John Simanovich

DIGITAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Mary Hannah Hardcastle

SALES & MARKETING OPERATIONS MANAGER

John W. Scafetta

DIGITAL STRATEGY DIRECTOR

Sadie Huemmer I T/O F F I C E M A N A G E R

Camilo B. Viray Jr. DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Kim Putman

BUSINESS MANAGER

Connie Lau MARKETING

SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER

Ashley Roberts MARKETING MANAGER

Nichole Starkey PRODUCTION GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Rina V. Murray

ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Kelly Kramer Weekley PRODUCTION MANAGER

Melissa Beckham

CHAIRMAN

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HEAD OF BUSINESS AREA, MAGAZINES

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Tomas Franzén Lars Dahmén

David Ritchie

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Elizabeth Burnham Murphy

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Sean Holzman

Eric Zinczenko

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CHIEF DIGITAL REVENUE OFFICER

David Butler Perri Dorset

GENERAL COUNSEL

Jeremy Thompson

V I C E P R E S I D E N T, I N T EG R AT E D S A L E S

John Graney This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.

Copyright © 2018 by Bonnier Corp., LLC. All rights reserved.

Printed in the USA.

HOT BIKE GARAGE

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION CALL (760)707-1085 HOT BIKE GARAGE

URNS! STOP HEAT - STOP B

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DEIpowersports.com • 800.264.9472

MADE IN THE U.S.A. Patent No. US 8,652,238B2

INSTALLS IN 60 SECONDS!

Heat from the exhaust valve and exhaust pipe area never ever gives the rear cylinder or the rider’s leg a break or a blast of fresh air...until now! TRAVEL-AIR™ air scoop, made of a tough polycarbonate, provides heat relief for riders of V-twin air-cooled engines, such as the big V-twin air-cooled Harleys with the football-shaped air cleaners.

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LIMIT 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Bauer, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/2/18.

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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

HOT BIKE (ISSN: 8750-3212) (USPS 848-620), publishes six issues a year for $24.97 by Bonnier Corp., 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. The number of issues in an annual term is subject to change at any time, but the amount of time remaining on your subscription will not be altered. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2018 by Bonnier Corp. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of Bonnier Corp.

Mailing list: Occasionally, we make portions of our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services we think might be of interest to you. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us at 515-237-3697.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes and all UAA to CFS, nonpostal and military facilities to Hot Bike, PO Box 6364, Harlan IA 51593-1864. Subscription Rates: U.S. addresses — one year for $24.97. Canadian addresses — one year for $34.97. All other international addresses — one year for $44.97. Canada Post Publication agreement #40612608. Canada return mail: IMEX Global Solutions, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2

MODEL: BLANCA BROOKE PHOTO: MARK V PHOTOGRAPHY BIKE: PETER GUNZ

HOTNESS See more of Blanca at visit hotbike.com.

MCH-GPS17

• Factory-Match, GPS-Powered Compass, Altimeter, Ambient Air Temperature • Plugs directly into ’96-13 Harley Touring Models, replacing OE Ambient Air Temp gauge • GPS Technology provides quick and precise compass information • Chrome or Black Bezel option, selectable to match OE Gauges • 8 user-selectable color options: Stock Match, Red, Green, Blue, Teal, Magenta, Amber, White

New application fitting 2014+ models!

MCL-3014 Gauges • Direct-replacement 4-gauge kit fitting ‘14-16 Harley Touring Models • High-Brightness Red or Blue LED Lighting • Includes Speedometer, Tachometer, Fuel Level, Oil Temp and Voltmeter.

2015 SEMA Award• Additional readouts include Gear Position, OE indicators and much more!

• MBM Add-on modules available to add Single/Dual Air Pressure or Boost Powersports

Product of the Year

MVX-2000 Series • New MVX Application, fitting decades of models using the classic 5” tank mounted gauge: Road King, Softail, Dyna, Deuce • 31 User-selectable Pointer, Backlight and LCD Message Center Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Teal, Magenta, Amber, White • 4 Face options available: Black/Red, Black/Gray, White/Red, White/Gray • 2 bezel options: Chrome or Black Visit our website for more information.

MVX-8K Series • MVX Application fitting ’96-13 Harley Touring Models • Direct Plug-in integration for simple installation • 31 User-selectable Pointer, Backlight and LCD Message Center Colors: Red, Green, Blue, Teal, Magenta, Amber, White • 4 Face options available: Black/Red, Black/Gray, White/Red, White/Gray • 2 bezel options: Chrome or Black Visit our website for more information.

MCL-3000 Series High-Brightness LED package fits ’96-13 Harley Touring Models.

Da k o ta dig it al .c om/ H B P. 888. 8 8 1 . 0 5 3 6

MCL-2000 Series High-Brightness LED system fits Road King, Softail, Dyna and Deuce models across many years.

Visit our website for more information.