HOT BIKE ISSUE #4 2018 by hotbikemagazine

POP’S GARAGE FABRICATION’S

DYNA STREET BOB

ISSUE 4

2018

HOTBIKE.COM

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

BREAK FROM THE PACK.

CONTENTS

ISSUE 4 - 2018 DEPARTMENTS Two Cents ........................................................10 Candy Shop ..................................................... 12 Closet ................................................................. 14 Used and Abused.........................................94 Hotness ............................................................ 98

FEATURES SPADY’S SPEED SHOP’S GO-FAST BAGGER

Spady’s Is Doing What It Does Best Thanks to a 23-Year-Old Builder ..............16

BLUE COLLAR LUXURY

Heath Pinter’s 2018 Street Bob Concept ...................................................26

JEREMY CUPP CREATED A MONSTER

You’ll Never Look at a Sportster the Same Way ....................................................36

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

We Have Cookies (and Horsepower) ... 44

STREET TRACKER

Indian’s FTR1200 Is Coming to a Dealer Near You .............................................52

GOOD TIMES, BAD IDEAS

Biltwell Races a Harley Sportster in Baja............................................ 60

GOOD RIDE SALUTES

Carey Hart’s Good Ride Goes to Germany ......................................................70

TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD

Part 2: Suspension and Wheels .............. 78

NEVER SAY DIE

Bringing the Club-Style Dyna Vibe to the New Softail ..................................................... 86

INNOVATIVE ELECTRONICS

This Battery Jump-Starts Itself, and These Turn Signals Are Blindingly Bright........................................... 88

NEW BARS FOR THE INDIAN CHIEFTAIN

Torch Industries Delivers the Goods for Our Indian Bagger Project........................ 90

ON THE COVER

Pop’s Garage Fab makes its well-deserved cover debut. Expect big things from the ATL shop. COVER PHOTO: STEVE WEST

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TWO CENTS

INDIAN’S THE WRENCH: SCOUT BOBBER BUILD-OFF I HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING THE CONTENT HERE AT HOT BIKE. NOT JUST ANYTHING MAKES THE CUT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF COOL THINGS HAPPENING IN V-TWIN LAND, AND FILTERING ONLY THE BEST BIKES, PRODUCTS, TECH, AND SO ON CAN BE TRICKY—THERE’S ONLY SO MUCH REAL ESTATE, TIME, AND BUDGET TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW?

When I was asked to participate as a judge for Indian Motorcycle’s The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build-Off competition, I immediately agreed since it falls into that out-of-the-box category we like around here. The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build-Off is a custom-motorcycle competition that was developed to spotlight amateurs who build bikes purely for the love of turning a wrench and shaping sheet metal into handcrafted works of moto art. The goal is to find talented craftsmen whose 9-to-5 isn’t in a motorcycle shop, whose bikes are strictly a creative outlet and who are not looking for anything in return. Men or women who simply love rolling up the garage door, sliding out the tool-chest drawers, and spinning wrenches. But these bikes needed to be functional riders that are just as much go as they are show. A judging panel of professional builders and experts, including Roland Sands, Satya Kraus, Jason Paul Michaels, and me, along with an online fan vote on Indian’s website, selected

JORDAN MASTAGNI

three finalists to take part in the official build-off. From March 15-30, hopefuls from across the nation entered for the chance to win a new 2018 stock Indian Scout Bobber and receive a custom-build budget of $10,000 to design and radically customize the stock bike. From more than 100 submissions, 12 top designers were showcased as semifinalists. Online voting took place until April 19, and three men were selected. Christian Newman, from Buffalo, New York; PJ Grakauskas, from Avon, Ohio; and Alfredo Juarez, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, made the final cut, and each received a brand-new Scout Bobber. However, only one will take the grand prize of $10,000 and receive a feature spread in Hot Bike magazine. Indian’s Scout Bobber is an already cool motorcycle with an aggressive, bold stance that is just as much fun to ride as it is to look at. I’ve had the pleasure of ripping the Scout Bobber several times, and it’s one of my favorites in the Hot Bike test fleet. It’s such a great canvas for customizing too. I’m excited to see the efforts of each of these three talented gents when their customized Scout Bobbers are unveiled in Sturgis at the Legendary Buffalo Chip in August. For now, you can check the progress of what they’ve been up to at hotbike.com, or for more information on The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build-Off, you can visit indianmotorcycle.com. HB

@HOTBIKEJORDAN

American Made, Quality Craftsmanship. Carried with Pride.

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CANDY SHOP

KURYAKYN

KELLERMANN BULLET ATTO LIGHTS

CLYMER

SERVICE MANUALS

DANNY GRAY WEEKDAY TWO-UP SEAT

Don’t let the diminutive size of the Kuryakyn by Kellermann Bullet Atto turn signals fool you. This pint-size powerhouse makes up for its small stature with sheer attention-grabbing brightness. Kellermann’s extreme optical transparency and high-power LED technology increase rider visibility on the road. Choose chrome or black housings with amber turn signals for front/rear applications; red run/brake, run/turn, or run/turn/brake for rear; or white running lights for front.

Unlike factory service manuals, Clymer’s manuals are written with the DIY mechanic in mind, and include easy-to-follow procedures and accurate, clear, and concise test procedures, as well as hundreds of photos. The new HarleyDavidson FXD Dyna Clymer manual M255 covers all recent Dyna models from 2012 to 2017 powered by the Twin Cam motor. And the new Harley-Davidson Sportster Clymer manual M256 covers all Sportster variations since the brakes-and-electrical update in 2014.

Danny Gray Seats released these 2018 Harley-Davidson Softail seats. Available as a solo or twoup, these seats improve rider comfort with two innovative designs exclusive to Danny Gray: independent-suspension technology, featuring strategically placed cutouts in the pan topped with a flexible plastic membrane to combat numbness, road shock, and painful pressure points, and Airhawk air cell technology, which adds another layer of cushioning and dampens vibrations from the road.

$59.99 each kuryakyn.com

$41.95 each clymer.com

$629.95 dannygray.com

SUPERTRAPP

BOOTLEGGER STAINLESS 2-INTO-1

RUGER BY CRKT RTD KNIFE

DRAG SPECIALTIES

TWIN CAM CYLINDER

Stainless 2-into-1 exhaust pipes are all the rage, and SuperTrapp’s Bootlegger for ’17–later Harley-Davidson MilwaukeeEight Touring models is the latest to come from the Cleveland factory. The all-stainless TIGwelded design features highflow stepped header pipes with a beefy stainless collector for a claimed jump in horsepower and torque. The Bootlegger also works with most extended saddlebags and side covers for custom applications.

We like guns and knives almost as much as motorcycles. Hence why we had to get our mitts on CRKT and Ruger’s latest collab, the RTD. Inspired by Ruger’s 10/22 Takedown rifle, the RTD is unique because it can be taken apart for cleaning and maintenance. This folding knife has a textured glass-reinforced nylon handle with clip and locking liner, and measures 8.5 inches overall, with a 3.67-inch blade length and overall weight of 3.9 ounces.

We all rack a ton of mileage on our bikes. Unfortunately, wear and tear can wreak havoc on our pride and joy. When the miles add up and an engine rebuild is in your favorite bike’s future, check out Drag Specialties’ Twin Cam cylinder. Drag’s Twin Cam cylinder is a stock replacement for 88-inch and 96-inch Twin Cam motors with a 3.75-inch bore. OEM black texture powdercoat with highlighted fins maintains the original factory look. Made for all ’99–’17 Twin Cam motors.

$859 supertrapp.com

$89.99 crkt.com

$195.95 dragspecialties.com

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CLOSET

A WINNING COMBINATION

INDIAN AND BELL PAIR WELL ON AND OFF THE TRACK If you’ve been paying any attention to American Flat Track racing this season, you already know that Indian Motorcycle and Bell helmets are a winning combination. Just like the FTR750, both the Indian Benjamin jacket and the Bell Bullitt blend old-school styling with modern technology and performance. Indian Motorcycle does a good job of drawing from its past while looking toward the future with its racebikes, production models, and apparently, its gear as well. The Benjamin leather jacket has classic four-pocket styling reminiscent of vintage adventure jackets, but integrates a handful of modern safety and comfort features. CE-rated armor comes equipped in the shoulders and elbows; there is a zip-out plaid thermal liner, and hidden zippered vents on the arms and back. This jacket will run you $500 and comes with a one-year warranty. The Bell Bullitt is modeled after vintage Bell Star road-racing helmets, while offering a more modern fit and construction. The outer shell of the helmet is slim, and the inside is lined with genuine leather to ensure maximum comfort. Flat and bubble shields are available, as are a handful of different paint options, including limited releases, which are always awesome. This Boost Matte/Gloss Black version is $400, and like all Bell helmets, comes with a five-year warranty. HB

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WORDS: MORGAN GALES PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

SPADY’S SPEED SHOP’S

T S A F O G R E G B AG SPADY’S IS DOING WHAT IT DOES BEST THANKS TO A 23-YEAR-OLD BUILDER WORDS: JON LANGSTON PHOTOS: MARK V PHOTOGRAPHY

hat gives? How will this all shake out? Who knows— but it sure is fun to watch. Take Spady’s Speed Shop. The Boston-area custom shop opened about 15 years ago as Spadafora Choppers, building high-end custom motorcycles. About seven years ago, its proprietor, Ray Willis, decided to give a local kid a part-time job. His goal was just to help the kid out; he ended up with a partner who’s introducing Spady’s to that next generation of custom-motorcycle enthusiasts. At 16, Matt Centore started out sweeping floors, taking out the trash, and basically being Ray’s shop rat. “He didn’t even know what a ratchet was,” Ray says. The kid was sharp, though, and it wasn’t long before he was holding the droplight, handing Ray tools, that sort of thing. From there, he started changing tires and plugs, and assisting on more involved projects. After high school, Matt left Spadafora to study engineering at one of Boston’s storied institutions of higher learning. But by then, it was too late. He’d caught the cycle bug bad, and after a semester of cutting class to go work at the shop—“I wanted to build bikes, not spreadsheets!”—Matt was told to either drop the course or get flunked. The choice was easy.

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“MY DAD WAS A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT, AND AS A KID, I REMEMBER BEING JUST FASCINATED BY THE COCKPIT, ALL THOSE DIALS AND GAUGES.”

Today, Spadafora Choppers is also known as Spady’s Speed Shop, and Matt, now 23, is designing and building performance baggers for one of New England’s hottest custom shops. Matt has helmed several projects already. But this white 2018 Road Glide Special is his baby, and perfectly exemplifies the direction in which Spady’s is headed. Knowing he wanted to use Öhlins forks, Matt first took the FLTRXS down to the frame and had it powdercoated gold. Then, he shaved off 140 pounds, utilizing carbon-fiber bodywork, fenders, saddlebags, and wheels. Combine all that saved weight with a turbocharged Milwaukee-Eight 108, and this monster bagger makes a knuckle-popping 150 hp. Matt then went to work on the fuel tank, carving knee cutouts for comfort and installing three vertical gauges on the right side. He put still more gauging in the fairing to complement the factory dials, then hooked up Spady’s POV Twisted Tee-Bars, plus a digital gauge on top to monitor the turbocharger. To protect the hand controls, Matt then cleverly doctored a set of PowerMadd ATV hand guards to house built-in LED turn signals. So what’s up with all those gauges? Matt laughs: “My dad was a commercial airline pilot, and as a kid, I remember being just fascinated by the cockpit, all those dials and gauges. That stuck with me.” Clearly. “But I guarantee you, from the seat, every gauge is right there,” he says. “And if something starts acting up, I can see what it is almost instantly.”

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“BEST seat ever made." -Donald L., Beaumont, Tx

Revere Journey Gravity Solos and 2-Up Seats Available for Touring, Softail, Dyna & Sportster

Distinctive stitch patterns in several novel colors equips you with a custom looking seat right off the shelf!

every seat starts with a pasSion for riding and a deEp-roOted belief in the tradition of quality american craftsmanship. down to every last stitch. mustangseats.com

LEFT Matt Centore’s 2018 Road Glide Special, with the

frame and engine components painted to match its subtle carbon-fiber bodywork and gold Öhlins suspension.

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To accentuate the bike’s carbonfiber accouterments, Matt had the painters mask off the material and blast over the tape. When the masking was removed, the intricate fiber detail was revealed, and the effect adds depth to the black-and-white graphic scheme. The overall look defines the performance-bagger aesthetic. As for the future of Spadafora/ Spady’s, Ray is psyched. “When I first

opened, the whole industry was all about outdoing the next guy,” Ray remembers. “Everyone thought they were better than everyone else. Now, it’s like a big family. Everyone’s helping each other instead of trying to beat each other.” And he acknowledges he’s learned a lot from the kid. “Matt really turned me on to the idea of focusing on what we do best and not being afraid of using other people’s components,” Ray admits.

“When our bikes get the best of the best, it’s better for us, it’s better for the other shops, and it’s better for the customer.” So while OEMs are still trying to figure out how to make affordable bikes and ’90s bands are playing for geezers on the rally circuit, rest assured the next generation of custom-bike builders is alive and well and thriving in the 21st century. And it’s the young guys like Matt Centore who are leading the charge. HB

ISSUE 4

2018 / 23

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

Matthew Centore Spadafora Choppers spadaforachoppers.com 2018/Harley-Davidson/Road Glide (FLTRXS) Spadafora Choppers Three months

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

2018/turbocharged Milwaukee-Eight/107 in. Spadafora Choppers H-D H-D H-D H-D H-D H-D Aerocharger Dynojet Power Commander V w/ auto-tune Aerocharger Turbo systems

TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE GEARS CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

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2018/H-D six-speed H-D AIM lockup clutch H-D

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

2018/FLTRXS Stock Öhlins FGRT 203/Big Bear Choppers 740 mm Big Bear Choppers Trac Dynamics Öhlins HD044

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES FRONT BUILDER/SIZE BST carbon fiber/19-inch TIRE/SIZE Avon Cobra /120/70ZR-19 CALIPERS Radial-mount Brembo monoblock ROTORS Galfer/Spadafora Choppers REAR BUILDER/SIZE BST carbon fiber/18-inch TIRE/SIZE Avon Cobra/180/55ZR-18 CALIPER H-D Brembo ROTOR Galfer PULLEY MJK Performance chain drive FINISH/PAINT FRONT FENDER

PPG

COLORS PAINT/GRAPHICS PLATING/POLISHING POWDERCOATING

PPG Ultra White Mike’s Auto Body Malden/Sign Art Boston F.M. Callahan Anodizing GoodHues Custom Powder Coating

ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER REAR FENDER GAS TANK DASH GAUGES HANDLEBARS GRIPS MIRRORS HAND CONTROLS FOOT CONTROLS FLOORBOARDS HEADLIGHT TAILLIGHT TURN SIGNALS LICENSE MOUNT SEAT STEREO AMPLIFIER SPEAKERS

Hofmann Designs carbon fiber Hofmann Designs carbon fiber Spadafora Choppers H-D H-D/Innovate Motorsports Spadafora Choppers ProTaper Pillow Top H-D H-D/PSR adjustable levers MJK Performance MJK Performance H-D Custom Dynamics PowerMadd turn signals in hand guards Alloy Art Saddlemen/Cutting Edge Designs Sony XAV-AX100 Arc Audio 600-watt Hertz Mille Pro

BLUE COLLAR

LUXURY HEATH PINTER’S 2018 STREET BOB CONCEPT WORDS: ROB FORTIER PHOTOS: TIM SUTTON

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hen Harley-Davidson gave certain industry folk the all-new Softail last year, it knew full well that, as a trade-off, it would also be giving each of them a leg up over their aftermarket-parts competition on new-product R&D. Ten or so years ago, that might’ve been a bigger deal. These days, however, the major

dealerships have products from those aforementioned folks for sale right next to their genuine H-D motor and accessory parts. But at the end of the day, we all know whose parts Harley-Davidson prefers selling: genuine H-D. And this is where Heath Pinter entered the picture back when the crates began to drop. Heath’s a skilled bike builder, but his riding skills—whether it’s in the dirt, the park, or the local secret spot—are out of this world.

The freestyle BMX world, that is. When it comes to motorized bikes, on the other hand, he’s spent more time twisting throttles than turning wrenches on them (usually because his tools are busy getting turned on one of his Model A Fords, early Chevy pickups, etc.). But Heath’s got an eye for style and had been itching to apply some of his ideas to the new Harley Softail platform—using much of The Motor Company’s own bolt-on offerings (massaged a bit) rather than custom fabricate parts on his own. And Harley agreed. Heath’s vision with his 2018 Street Bob wasn’t to create something entirely different from what it started out as, but rather, a moderately and tastefully customized bike—an attainable inspiration for potential new buyers who want to “roll their own”… right off the showroom floor. Here’s how he describes it: “My strongest influence in building this new bike was to simply follow the lines the design team already put in place. By using Harley-Davidson’s intuitive website to initially choose parts that are engineered to fit the new Street Bob, a new customer can take advantage of H-D’s ability to roll genuine motor and accessory parts and installation into the financing, giving the buyer the flexibility to create a custom motorcycle within their budget—and the peace of mind that comes with the manufacturer’s warranty.” As you’ll see, Heath took that concept a step further, putting his own personal touch in some areas to complement the off-the-shelf add-ons.

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“MY STRONGEST INFLUENCE IN BUILDING THIS NEW BIKE WAS TO SIMPLY FOLLOW THE LINES THE DESIGN TEAM ALREADY PUT IN PLACE.” But in doing so, he kept the modifications within the parameters of the average hands-on enthusiast’s capabilities. Well, mostly. While the instrumentation-inclusive sheetmetal fairing is a little higher on the difficulty meter, it’s a design element that offers visual and functional benefits (it, along with the updated front fender, was painted by Hillview Customs; the tank was redone by AirTrix). And his subtle dash is just bitchin’. The various components used from the Defiance line of H-D parts do just what they were intended to do: get bolted on and enhance the nearly blacked-out chassis controls and M-8 power plant, which was delivered in 107-inch factory form to Quaid Harley-Davidson but left with a 114-inch warranty-retaining Screaming Eagle Stage IV kit, among other things. Heath capped off the larger 64 mm throttle body with an S-E Extreme Flow breather (finished off with a custom mesh outer), but in lieu of the dual H-D Street Cannon exhaust upgrade, he opted for a Fab28 Industries 2-into-1 in black Cerakote. Additionally, he utilized Biltwell’s Tracker bars mounted off Gordo risers, Klock Werks’ Top Hat front fender, and rear lighting components from Rizoma. Finally, although not items you’ll likely ever get an up-sell pitch on, the seat as well as the wheels are genuine H-D. However, Heath thinned and stretched out the stock Street Bob solo (recovered in patternmatched leather by his friend Joe) and back-dated the rolling stock with a set of enlarged-bearing nine-spokes from the defunct Dyna. I admire and appreciate oneoff design concepts as much—if not more—than the next guy. But sometimes you need more than just inspiration to get your motor runnin’, and that’s just what Heath Pinter accomplished with his 2018 Street Bob: a customized Harley for the average man who wants it on a payment plan! HB

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SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL OWNER Heath Pinter YEAR/MAKE/MODEL 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Bob FABRICATION Heath Pinter. Hand-shaped sheet-metal fairing; sheet-metal dash details; sheet-metal/mesh oil cooler and horn cover. BUILD TIME Two weeks ENGINE YEAR/TYPE/SIZE M-8 114 Screamin’ Eagle Stage IV BUILDER Quaid Harley-Davidson CASES Stock CYLINDERS Screamin’ Eagle 4.075-inch HEADS Screamin’ Eagle CNC-ported, with performance valve springs ROCKER BOXES Stock CAMS Screamin’ Eagle SE8-515 THROTTLE BODY Screamin’ Eagle 64 mm AIR CLEANER Screamin’ Eagle extreme-flow air cleaner, K&N filter EFI CONTROLLER Stock EXHAUST Fab 28 Stainless, black Cerakote TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE GEARS CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE FRAME YEAR/TYPE RAKE/STRETCH SUSPENSION FRONT END LENGTH TRIPLE TREES SWINGARM REAR SHOCKS

Stock Stock Stock Stock 2018 Softail Stock

Stock Stock Stock Stock

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES FRONT BUILDER/SIZE H-D Dyna nine-spoke TIRE/SIZE H-D Dunlop19 CALIPERS Stock ROTORS H-D Split seven-spoke REAR BUILDER/SIZE H-D Dyna nine-spoke TIRE/SIZE H-D Dunlop16 CALIPER Stock ROTOR H-D Split seven-spoke PULLEY H-D Turbine Billet ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER Klock Werks Top Hat REAR FENDER Stock GAS TANK Stock DASH Hand-built sheet metal by Heath Pinter GAUGES Stock, relocated into the fairing HANDLEBARS Biltwell Tracker High GRIPS H-D Get-A-Grip MIRRORS Stock HAND CONTROLS Stock, reshaped FOOT CONTROLS H-D Defiance HEADLIGHT Stock TAILLIGHT Rizoma Club S TURN SIGNALS Rizoma Club S LICENSE MOUNT Biltwell SEAT Stock seat re-foamed and wrapped in leather

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MONS

JEREMY CUPP CREATED A

STER

YO U ’ L L N E V E R L O O K AT A SPORTSTER T H E S A M E WAY WORDS: JON LANGSTON PHOTOS: ADAM SCOTT

eremy Cupp comes from a long line of builders and machinists. Years ago, he founded LC Fabrications in Grottoes, Virginia, to satisfy his love for tinkering and old bikes, mainly Triumphs and Sportsters. LC Fab makes beautiful customs, but this superb trail-ready Sportster grew not out of a desire for art but from a need to decompress. The idea was simple: a stock Sportster with knobby tires and Stiletto shocks. Before long, the bike got pushed to a corner of the LC shop in favor of paying gigs, as personal projects do. But the Sporty in the corner kept catching Jeremy’s eye. “I’d seen a few Sportster dirt bikes floating around Instaface, but I hadn’t really seen one done proper,” he says.

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“Being a guy who typically makes everything from scratch, I wanted to see a modified Harley that actually looked like a modified Harley. “I decided to redo the entire subframe and make a billet swingarm so I could convert to a monoshock rear suspension,” he says. “I hadn’t seen anyone do a true modern rising-rate linkage setup, so I set out to be the first.” After a couple of tries, Jeremy sorted the linkage setup so that it both fit the frame and worked properly. By then, there was no turning back. “My simple, quick dirt bike had grown into an actual custom project!” he says, laughing. And the rear end was just the beginning. Note the front suspension— that’s a Showa fork from a Yamaha YZ250 motocrosser, chopped 3 inches. With the suspension dialed in, it was

time to address the bodywork. After checking out Indian’s FTR750 at the International Motorcycle Shows and noting its carbon-fiber setup, Jeremy had a revelation. “I never cared much for carbon fiber, but after seeing that Scout flat tracker, it occurred to me that I’d been looking negatively at a process I knew nothing about,” he says. “So I decided to learn.” Again, several attempts were made, and screwed up, before he finally got it right. “I have a new appreciation for well-done carbon fiber.” Next came the power plant. With limited resources for his pet project, Jeremy did what independent builders do: He scoured the shop. “The only engine that matched the frame was nothing more than an empty set of H-D cases,” he says. “But I was also able to come up

Photos: Larry Pangilinan

3/4 OPEN-FACE

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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.

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“I HADN’T SEEN ANYONE DO A TRUE MODERN RISING-RATE LINKAGE SETUP, SO I SET OUT TO BE THE FIRST.”

with a nice Keihin CV carb, Buell flywheel and heads, and a pair of S&S 1250 cylinders.” Jeremy’s Sportster had suddenly morphed into a monster. “I had no intentions of building a performance engine!” he says, laughing. “It’s just what I had to work with.” Not wanting to half-ass anything at this point, Jeremy completed the conversion by clipping off the starter nose while the cases were split and hooking up a Led Sled kickstarter unit he had lying around. He then machined a custom primary drive from billet and incorporated a hydraulic clutch slave, using the Rotax

internals from a Buell 1125R. Jeremy made the exhaust himself as well, from 1-3/4-inch stainless, and even constructed a handmade muffler using the guts from a Harley exhaust. While its intricacies are many and its details spectacular—the hand controls are off a freakin’ Ducati—it’s the Aermacchi/AMF-era paint scheme that really brings the Sportster together as a complete package. It took more than three years, but the final result is a dirt bike that’s a showstopper and, yes, looks like a Harley-Davidson. You can check it out this summer at Fuel Cleveland in July and at the Brooklyn Invitational in September. HB ISSUE 4

2018 / 41

SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL OWNER SHOP WEBSITE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL FABRICATION BUILD TIME ENGINE YEAR/TYPE/SIZE BUILDER CASES CYLINDERS HEADS ROCKER BOXES CAMS THROTTLE BODY AIR CLEANER EXHAUST

Jeremy Cupp LC Fabrications lcfabrications.com 2001 H-D XL883 LC Fabrications On and off over three years

2001/Sportster/1250cc LC Fabrications H-D S&S Buell H-D H-D CV carb LC Fabrications “mini ham can” LC Fabrications/Cone Engineering

TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE GEARS CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

2001/five-speed Stock Barnett H-D

FRAME YEAR/TYPE RAKE/STRETCH

2001 Sportster Stock

SUSPENSION FRONT END LENGTH TRIPLE TREES SWINGARM REAR SHOCKS

Showa/YZ250 33.5 inches LC Fabrications LC Fabrications 2015 Triumph Tiger monoshock WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES FRONT BUILDER/SIZE LC Fabrications/21-inch TIRE/SIZE Kenda Big Block 90/90/21 CALIPERS Yamaha random sportbike ROTORS V-Rod/LC Fabrications centers REAR BUILDER/SIZE LC Fabrications/18-inch TIRE/SIZE Kenda Big Block 150/70/18 CALIPER GSXR ROTOR V-Rod/LC Fabrications center PULLEY LC Fabrications FINISH/PAINT MANUFACTURER COLORS PAINT/GRAPHICS POWDERCOATING ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER REAR FENDER GAS TANK DASH GAUGES HANDLEBARS GRIPS HAND CONTROLS FOOT CONTROLS HEADLIGHT TAILLIGHT SEAT MISC.

DuPont RAL Grey LC Fabrications Defensecoat, Richmond, Virginia

LC Fabrications, carbon LC Fabrications, carbon LC Fabrications, carbon over steel LC Fabrications Motogadget LC Fabrications Oury Ducati/Motone switches Stock Hella LC Fabrications LC Fabrications One-off billet monoshock swingarm with true rising-rate linkage; starter removed permanently; Led Sled kicker conversion; one-off billet primary cover with hydraulic clutch actuation

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WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

WE HAVE COOKIES (AND HORSEPOWER) WORDS: MARK MASKER PHOTOS: STEVE WEST

oda once told Luke Skywalker that the Dark Side was “quicker, easier, more seductive” than its light counterpart. I don’t think Pop’s Garage Fabrication would describe this dark horse right here as easier to build than some of its other bikes, but this bike was built for speed, and it’s probably damn fun to ride. It’s a 2016 Harley-Davidson Dyna optimized to do what Dynas were meant to do: perform. Unlike its Softail contemporaries that were born to look like something they weren’t (hardtails), the FXD series was the rubber-mount replacement for the infamous FXR, arguably the best chassis Harley ever produced. Pop’s Garage Fabrication is centered on the idea of family and the craft involved in creating rolling, functioning works of art. They strive to build highly functional, performance-driven motorcycles that will handle whatever you throw at them, as well as stand the test of time. That’s a Dyna’s mission in life, so the choice was natural. The bike was purchased new from Savannah Harley-Davidson. Owner Colin McDonald traded a 2014 FLHXS, all blacked out with a badass 107 kit in it, for the FXDB. Although his trade-in was worth more than the stock Dyna, Colin put the extra money into the FXDB and did the 110-inch motor kit along with some other minor upgrades, such as the bars, exhaust, and air cleaner.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 / 47

“I WANTED SOMETHING THAT COULD HANDLE THE ROADS HERE WITH LITTLE EFFORT, AND TO HAVE A HARLEY THAT DEFIED THE STEREOTYPE OF BEING SLOW AND HANDLING POORLY.”

“I am from North Georgia, and we tend to ride long distance in the mountains,” Colin tells us. “I wanted something that could handle the roads here with little effort, and to have a Harley that defied the stereotype of being slow and handling poorly.” Later, North Ridge Cycles punched the mill out from 110 to 124 inches. Colin’s need for speed outweighed what he was getting from the original upgrade. Swapping over to Ohlins forks and shocks made for much better cornering, letting Colin take full advantage of all that newfound muscle in his motor. Not every change was of the simple bolt-on persuasion though. Installing the Kineo wheels and Roaring Toyz swingarm gave Colin a nice challenge. Fabricating the 2-into-1 stainless exhaust system took a week of the efforts of both Pop’s Garage Fabrication and Frankenwerks Fabrication to hammer out. So much for easier! Within a year, the bike was transformed three different times, laid down twice, and has been in the hands of two independent shops and the dealership. But it was the hand of Pop’s Garage Fabrication that made it what it is today. Quicker, more fun, and more seductive. HB

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

Colin McDonald Pop’s Garage Fabrication 770-905-5990 popsgaragefab.com 2016/Harley-Davidson/FXDB Pop’s Garage Fabrication Pop’s Garage Fabrication Four to five months

ENGINE YEAR/MANUFACTURER 2016/S&S TYPE/SIZE Twin Cam/124ci BUILDER North Ridge Cycles CASES H-D CYLINDERS H-D HEADS H-D ROCKER BOXES H-D EFI/CARB 58 mm Screamin’ Eagle AIR CLEANER Performance Machine EXHAUST Pop’s Garage Fabrication/Frankenwerks Fab TRANSMISSION YEAR/MANUFACTURER/TYPE CASE CLUTCH PRIMARY DRIVE

2016/H-D/six-speed H-D Barnett Scorpion Lock-Up PBI sprockets/EK chain

FRAME YEAR/MANUFACTURER RAKE

2016/H-D Stock

SUSPENSION MANUFACTURER FRONT LENGTH TRIPLE TREES MANUFACTURER REAR SPECIAL FEATURES

Ohlins 32 inches Kraus Motor Co. Ohlins Roaring Toyz aluminum swingarm

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES RIM Kineo Wheels MANUFACTURER FRONT Metzeler WHEEL HEIGHT/WIDTH 19 x 3.5-inch TIRE HEIGHT/WIDTH 120/70-19 CALIPER Beringer ROTOR Beringer MANUFACTURER REAR Metzeler WHEEL HEIGHT/WIDTH 17 x 5.5-inch TIRE HEIGHT/WIDTH 170/60-17 CALIPER Beringer ROTOR Revolution Speed Manufacturing FINISH/PAINT COLOR Black PAINTER Chastin Brand GRAPHICS Red pinstriping and FLH badge by hand ACCESSORIES FRONT FENDER Kraus Motor Co. REAR FENDER H-D Low Rider FAIRING/WINDSCREEN Conely’s T-sport fairing GAUGES H-D GAS TANK/CAP H-D flush-mount DASH H-D OIL TANK H-D HANDLEBARS Big Al’s/LS1 HAND CONTROLS/GRIPS Beringer and Motogadget FOOT CONTROLS/PEGS H-D/Speed Merchant HEADLIGHT Daymaker TAILLIGHT Moon’s MC TURN SIGNALS Integrated in taillight LICENSE MOUNT Custom Dynamics SEAT BMC/Corbin MISC. Rizoma mirrors, GPR steering stabilizer, Bung King crash bar

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BLACK NINE REINFORCED

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INDIANÕS

FTR 1200

T H E

F A C T O R Y

WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI

PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

S T R E E T

T R A C K E R

I S

W E L L

W I T H I N

G R A S P

ndian shocked the world by building the raceonly Scout FTR750 in 2017. But it’s what Indian accomplished with the dirt tracker its first season, winning the championship and dominating the podium in the American Flat Track national series, that was pretty substantial. But the FTR1200 Custom—an FTR750inspired street tracker with 1133cc Scout cruiser V-twin—came as an even bigger surprise when it debuted at Milan in November 2017. This factory-produced “custom”—melding a oneoff chrome-moly steel frame, a standard Scout V-twin and seriously rad components with lights and a license plate—moved the motorcycle market so much that Indian has decided to build a production street tracker based on this concept for 2019. Details are still scarce on what the final production FTR 1200, announced at Wheels and Waves in Biarritz, France, on June 16, will look like, but Indian did show it to a select few at the event, with one caveat: No cameras allowed. One of those who saw the bike in Biarritz was Steve Caballero.

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“This new FTR1200 is a game changer and a well-designedlooking motorcycle. She’s definitely a looker, and I can’t wait for it to come out on the market,” Caballero says. We talked with Reid Wilson, senior director of Indian Motorcycle, prior to the Wheels and Waves announcement about the production version of the FTR750 and FTR1200 Custom. “From a consumer standpoint, it’s been pretty clear that there’s just a high degree of impatience,” Wilson says. “Over time, the response went from ‘That is awesome. I want to buy it!’ to ‘Just sell it to us!’ So the level of patience has decreased as time went on, which is a great thing to have, and we want to make sure we deliver what people expect, and we’re pretty sure we’re going to.” And Indian will continue to fine-tune this new machine until it’s available for sale in 2019, with a formal announcement coming later this year. This could be a sign of some of the new Indian motorcycles you’ll be seeing in the future. “This is just the first chapter in a story that’s yet to be written, and that’s what is so exciting about working with this brand because there really are no limits in terms of what we can do and where we can go,” Wilson explains. “We’re all

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Americans, and we’re all motorcyclists that have this ambition, and I’m just so stoked to be part of it.” It’s easy to get excited about a production version of a concept bike that has been so well received. However, it’s a slippery slope on whether or not a production version can retain a similar aesthetic. Delivering the same emotional response from concept to production is tricky. So how does Indian retain the wow factor from the FTR1200 Custom and transform that styling into a production model? “It’s about highlights,” says Rich Christoph, the senior designer also responsible for the FTR750 and Scout FTR1200 Custom. “It’s about light and shadow, the profile of the motorcycle and the bone lines—one, two, three different key lines that will travel through a motorcycle from tip to tail—and if one of those lines is off, your relationship to another line drastically changes the overall image of the motorcycle. It’s one thing to make somebody fall in love with a motorcycle that

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looks like a racebike and it’s just built to be really cool. So you’re trying to hit that sweet spot and that balance of sexy minimal racebike, but you obviously have to have all the criteria to not only fall in love with it, but then marry it.” The Scout FTR1200 Custom utilized products from aftermarket partners S&S Cycle, Roland Sands Design, Ohlins, and more. We were curious if the production model would somehow incorporate said partners. “We’ll have a few partners that are relevant to our target rider for this bike, which we’ve never done before, and none of the partners will be a surprise,” Wilson says. While we didn’t get specific details about the motorcycle’s components, we were told the bike would

Some aftermarket components were used on the FTR1200 Custom, such as a high swept exhaust from S&S Cycle (top) and an Öhlins suspension shock (above). Will the production FTR 1200 take a similarly styled approach by using some aftermarket products?

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have a new engine. Whether that is a completely new platform or an internal overhaul, so to speak, we’ll have to wait and see. From our conversation with Indian executives, one thing was clear: an undeniable passion for this motorcycle. “We’re super proud of the bike. We believe in it, and if we could launch it today, we’d launch it today, but we’re still working on it,” Wilson says. We’re looking forward to seeing the new FTR 1200 soon. And while we don’t have photos of the new motorcycle to report yet, we do have this awesome photo gallery from the few days we spent “testing” the Scout FTR1200 Custom on a dry lake bed in California. Enjoy! HB

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THE

LIFE

GOOD TIMES, BAD IDEAS B I LT W E L L RACES A HARLEY SPORTSTER IN BAJA

WORDS: BILL BRYANT PHOTOS: GEOFF KOWALCHUK AND BILTWELL

rainstorming with friends around a fire pit at Cuatro Casas surf hostel in Baja last November, our crazy idea sounded great at the time. We were down there riding dirt bikes, surfing and watching the Baja 1000 a hundred miles south of Ensenada, Mexico. Of course, after enough beers, we started dreaming up ways to participate in the legendary off-road event personally. I’ve volunteered for pit-crew duties in previous Baja races since 1983, and have even done a few seasons behind the wheel in VW-powered Class 11 and Class 12 buggies. I’m no pro by any means, but my dusty Baja roots run deep. As we drank and smoked around the fire, everyone agreed that since Biltwell specializes in chopper parts and riding gear, racing a custom two-wheeler made the most sense. Because a traditional dirt bike wouldn’t be relevant to the bulk of our customers, the idea of an off-road Sportster started to make sense too. Biltwell staffers Otto and Westy were the first guys to take my bait. Our friend Chris Moeller at S&M Bikes—a legendary BMX dirt jumper and skilled vintage motocross racer in his own right—agreed to split the entry fee in exchange for time in the saddle. With our four-man race team assembled, we headed back to Biltwell headquarters with a rough plan to do the improbable: race to the tip of Baja on an American V-twin motorcycle. Project Frijole 883 was in high gear. THE RACE OF NOT-SO-GENTLEMEN The National Off-Road Racing Association Mexican 1000 is a point-to-point off-road rally that snakes down the entire length of the Baja Peninsula from Ensenada to San Jose del Cabo. It’s 1,000 miles—not kilometers!—of off-road racing, plus another 300 miles of poorly paved transit stages, that runs the gamut from washboard ranch roads to deep sand washes, rocky ascents, technical water crossings, dreaded silt beds and many miles of whoops created

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CHRIS “MAD DOG” MOELLER Prior to this, my desert racing experience amounted to getting my 1964 Avion camper and 1989 F250 diesel 4x4 stuck in front of some buggies in the 2017 Baja 1000 buggy class south of Ensenada. It was fireside on that same trip that Bill cooked up the idea of racing a Harley in the upcoming NORRA. I think getting our vintage rig through a deep silt bed coming into camp, with a wine spritzer in one hand and two 3-year-olds in the extra cab, demonstrated the kind of tenacity Bill was looking for in a teammate, and although I’m not a Biltwell employee like the other guys, I was asked if I wanted to ride, and I jumped at the chance! During my two days and roughly 400 off-road miles, the terrain included some wide-open dirt roads, lots of steep, rocky climbs and descents as well as deep silt beds, rocky riverbed

crossings, and seemingly endless sandy whoops. Although we only tested in a couple of these conditions, the setup was surprisingly easy to ride in all of them. On climbs, the Harley pulled like a tractor and never stalled. Engine braking on descents really worked well. Our secret weapon, the Rekluse clutch, kept me upright in frantic silt, sand, and rocky situations. Due to the low gearing, our top speed was only 60 mph without tucking down behind the fairing, and 63 down low. Having more speed could have come in handy but might have gotten us in trouble too. At the end of some very long days, the Harley needed little more than some extra throttle to stand up and pull out of just about any situation, which was nice because when laid down, she took some coaxing to get back on two wheels.

BILL “BARNACLE” BRYANT I’m the fattest, oldest and have one of the shorter inseams on our team. I knew I was going to struggle with this bike in these conditions, but I made sure I got my share of hard sections and long days. In the six months before the race, I changed my diet dramatically and hiked a local trail with my friend Aaron three days a week, religiously. The only two days I missed were days we were testing the bike in Barstow. I dropped 25 pounds and felt great before, during and after the race. I know our guys might have thought I was crazy along the way, when we had to do something twice, three times or whatever. Test, refine, test, etc. In the end, the plan worked out.

ERIK “WESTY” WESTERGAARD When I am on a motorcycle, whether it be street or dirt, I find my thoughts wandering. If it isn’t about my boys, it might be trying to work out a product design I am struggling with or stresses I am going through. No matter what, motorcycles allow me to process thoughts in a way that I cannot do via any other method. I have done a lot of closed-course racing in my life, and the mindset I am in during a race is one of absolute focus, split-second reaction, and the details of what is going on with the bike and terrain, then determining how I can improve on the next lap. During the NORRA Mexican 1000, I found myself in a different mindset. It wasn’t about working through an issue or the intensity of a closed-course battle inches from another competitor, but more like being fully engaged in the moment. The Mexican landscape was unlike any I have ever seen, and I thought to myself, “I am in

Many moving parts contributed to our success, and one wrong decision or a stroke of bad luck could’ve easily been the end of the race for us. One sad illustration of this was the death of Jake Batulis on day five. Westy was one of the first guys on scene and called me at the next pit, where I radioed in the report and tried to help get medical attention out to them. I didn’t know Jake, but I know his type. A strong, hardworking, independent desert racer who liked to go fast and have fun. Things can go from fun to deadly pretty quickly in the desert, and my heart aches for his family and friends. Stay strong!

“I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BAJA PENINSULA, FULFILLING A RACING DREAM AND TRULY ENJOYING ONE OF THE BEST MOTORCYCLE RIDES I HAVE EVER HAD.” the middle of the Baja Peninsula, fulfilling a racing dream and truly enjoying one of the best motorcycle rides I have ever had.” I am pretty sure I even shouted “woo-hoo!” through my helmet, for only the cactus, cows, roadrunner and GoPro to hear. Having the opportunity to be a part of such an ambitious project was a reward in itself. Being able to race it was a lifelong dream and an experience I will never forget.

MIKE “OTTO” DEUTSCH Racing the NORRA 1000 on a Sportster was a fun but challenging adventure most will never get to experience. I’m stoked my boss/buddy Bill Bryant asked me to partake in something as aspirational as racing in Baja. I don’t have a ton of motocross experience, but I’ve ridden in Baja a fair amount and knew what to expect, so I stepped up my exercise routine a bit and tried to ride dirt more. That being said, after a pre-run with Bill and McGoo, I was a bit apprehensive. Baja on an XR400 ain’t too terrible, but a 500-pound Sporty was another story. When the race finally came, Barnacle Bill’s planning and Rouser’s OCD wrenching paid off. We finished each of the five days

ROB “ROUSER” GALAN Twenty-four hours till we depart Biltwell headquarters, the moto is prepped, the van is loaded, and my coffee kit is set. I kept asking myself, “Do I have every tool I might need? Did I pack all the needed spare parts? Do I have that special bolt?” You know what I’m talking about. That one special bolt that is some odd thread pitch, a particular length. The one that holds some crucial component that the moto can’t run without. The one that can kill the whole mission because it wasn’t packed in the spares kit. I couldn’t let my team down; we all worked so hard leading up to race day. I knew that if I couldn’t keep the moto running for five days, I would live with the burden of failing my team for the rest of my life.

with no huge surprises and zero mechanical issues. Some riders had tougher sections or more miles to make, but all our guys stayed committed, and none tapped out early. A couple of getoffs, a couple of gas stops, some epic scenery along the route, and before we knew it, the race was over. Thirteen hundred miles on a bike originally intended for the highway was a tough mission, but I’m proud to be a part of the team that tackled it and made it, first try. If there’s a better feeling than coming around a dirt pass and seeing three locals standing on the roof of their Ford Ranger, hooting and hollering at a gringo they’ve never heard of, I’ve yet to experience it. Thanks, Biltwell, for providing an experience that I won’t soon forget.

“I KNEW THAT IF I COULDN’T KEEP THE MOTO RUNNING FOR FIVE DAYS, I WOULD LIVE WITH THE BURDEN OF FAILING MY TEAM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.” As each day passed, the dust collecting on the spares bins was a sign. A sign that read: “We are succeeding in our mission.” All the hours of work, testing, and prepping were paying off in how the moto was conquering the gnarly terrain of Baja. My worries subsided, and the pleasure of al pastor tacos started taking over. F—k you, internet, we did it!

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notoriously crappy Mexican gas and stay cool when lugged through sand washes for days on end. That stock 883 mill would barely spin the dirt-bike-size 18-inch rear wheel, so we went through a variety of custom sprockets, finally landing on the pizza-size 65-tooth. Biltwell product manager and Frijole team rider Erik “Westy” Westergaard worked with Precision Concepts to get our Honda CRF250 forks dialed, and relied on UTV suspension guru Doug Roll for swingarm mods and custom Elka shocks. The first round of suspension was subpar, and the 500-pound bike bucked like a burro with a cactus in its butt. Westy wadded it up at speed on our second test session and reinforced what we already knew—silly ideas often have consequences.

by 800 hp trophy trucks in the Baja 1000. NORRA’s format differs from the Baja 1000 in that it includes five days of racing with timed checkpoints at the beginning and end of key stages. This format breaks the race up into smaller chunks, which we agreed might improve our chances of success since we could work on the bike every night between stages. Of course, this multiday format also complicates logistics by throwing pit stops, rider changes, overnight accommodations and other time- and money-sucks into the mix. Get everything right, and one week later, you and a dozen co-riders, chase-truck drivers, friends and volunteers get to party in Cabo for a night or two before traversing a landscape twice the length of Florida north to the San Diego border and civilization. Like I said—this had the potential to be a very bad idea. ROUSER-BUILT Our good friend “Rouser” Rob Galan

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lives a surfer’s dream in Panama and Costa Rica for most of the year but works in the Biltwell shop every winter to cover his nut in paradise. In 2017, Rob’s usual three-month swing grew into eight months with the Frijole 883 project. Rob is a certified Harley mechanic and a certified nut job who loves dirt bikes and Toyota 4x4s. He’s ridden and driven through nearly every square inch of Central America and is just the right mix of creative H-D chopper guy and off-road adventurist. Before the project started, everyone on our team agreed to some basic parameters: Keep the stock frame, swingarm, tank and rear fender—the Frijole had to look like a Harley. Rob worked for months, and as the Frijole took shape, we did test runs in the wash behind the shop in Temecula. Once it was a runner, we took it to an infamous off-road test spot in Barstow for a real shakedown. We wanted to keep it an 883 for pure reliability—this bike had to run on

HEADING TO BATTLE Logistics for our Frijole 883 assault made it feel like we were invading Mexico, not racing there. We built and bought enough spare parts to rebuild nearly everything on the bike should the need arise. I was sure we’d have at least one all-nighter if one of us ran out of talent during the race or if the bike sucked in some legendary Baja silt, so one week before the race, we bought a backup bike and pulled the motor to have a spare, just in case. We ended up destroying more parts in testing than we did in the race, which is exactly how testing is supposed to work. We ruined one rear wheel but finished the day thanks to using Nitro mousse instead of inner tubes. We swapped a rear sprocket on night four since the teeth were just about gone at the end of that day. Rob tightened spokes, adjusted the chain, double-checked fasteners, adjusted the clutch and primary, changed engine oil, and replaced air filters

every night. His attention to detail and insane work ethic made this possible. While we crashed the bike several times, there was never a single mechanical issue, and I was really stoked that none of the custom parts we made broke or gave us problems during the beating. None of our crew had ever raced in Baja, and my experience was so stale it almost didn’t count. By the end of day one, everyone got in a groove, understood their role and worked their asses off. Due to our bike’s limited fuel range, we set up pits more frequently than traditional teams. Several times, our riders had to dump their own gas from three reserve bottles stored in our tank bag and on the sides of the bike. We also used neutral tech support from a group of desert rats called Mag-7 when our chase vehicles couldn’t reach the course. When I had a 200-mile stretch with no Biltwell team support on day three, I was thrilled to get a top-off from the guys at Mag-7. We split our four-rider crew into groups of two. Four riders might seem like a lot, and it was—most competitors in our modern bike class rode solo on sub-300-pound Honda XRs, Huskies and KTMs. With a bike as heavy as ours and one completely inappropriate for the task, splitting the 1,300 miles four ways just seemed prudent. I coldly estimated we’d have at least two injuries and any of us might have to ride farther than originally planned. Westy and I rode three days, and Otto and Moeller rode two. The mileage per rider was determined by terrain, experience and where we had access to the highway to do a rider swap. I don’t think any of us

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felt short-changed at the end of the race; we all had our own challenges and were exhausted and satisfied when the checkered flag dropped in San Jose del Cabo. THE HAPPIEST RACE ON EARTH NORRA’s Mexican 1000 bills itself as the “Happiest Race on Earth,” and its multiday format allows for partying every night and a less blistering pace than a single-day assault from top to bottom. Much of the course comprises popular sections of the Baja 1000, with a few brutal sections mercifully deleted. On long stretches of washboard roads that connect small fishing villages to free-range cattle ranches inland, the Frijole held its own, and we passed several more practical desert sleds from time to time. In the deep sand, our little Milwaukee tractor chugged right through with no problem. The extra weight helped with traction so long as we stayed in motion, though the front end was unpredictable in deep ruts. In early training rides, everyone on our team agreed the best tactic was to lean back, hold on and stay on the gas—the bike would do the rest. Trying to muscle a 500-pound desert hog into the perfect line was utterly impossible, and we did

our fair share of overshooting berms, riding through bushes and bouncing off rocky sections. The most difficult aspect of the race was picking the bike up after a get-off. Otto made both of his days clean—not a single crash, which was totally out of character for our old friend. I crashed the most. At least once per day, and most of the time I got the bike back up on my own, but at the end of my hardest day, in a deep gravel wash into Loreto, I had to call for help. I knew the finish line was only a couple of miles away, but the bike just pushed into the deep gravel and the bars were buried to the neck in the rocks, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get it dug out and back on its wheels. I knew our crew was less than a mile away, so I pulled out my cellphone and begged for an assist. Seeing McGoo, Biltwell’s co-founder, bashing through the wash in my truck was a glorious sight, and we got the bike back up. Of course, about a mile later, I dumped it again, and thankfully our guys were right there. The race might be the happiest on earth, but it’s punctuated by sections of brutal terrain that the Harley factory never imagined its bike would encounter.

WWW.ROLANDSANDS.COM The Waylon is RSD’s interpretation of the classic work jacket. Constructed of heavy weight duck cotton the Waylon is built for the ride. A clever and deliberate design detail is the suede application on the collar, shoulders and upper back that really give the Waylon a nice, premium touch. The front main zipper with snap down storm fl ap keeps the jacket intact at high speeds and the included KNOX™ MICROLOCK™ molded armor keep the rider protected. Remove the armor and you have a stylish casual jacket.

THE

LIFE

FIRE IN THE HOLE The guys insisted that I finish the last leg of the race on day five. It was about a hundred-mile stretch for me, and the first 75 were fast and fun, weaving their way through small villages and rolling terrain from the surf town of Todos Santos southeast to San Jose del Cabo. The last 25 miles was a special stage with no GPS navigation that chicaned its way back and forth through a massive sand wash west of town. As I started that last stage, there were two V8-powered Class 1 buggies queued up just after me, so I knew they’d be passing me soon. The terrain was sandy and curvy, with tall bushes on both sides, so the cars couldn’t see me until the last minute. I had been trading positions all day with John from Black Mamba Racing on the No. 43 bike, and I wanted to keep him between me and the buggies, but I couldn’t quite match the speed of his XR650. A couple of miles in, I spotted him standing next to his bike, which was on its side at the exit to another sand wash. I rode up and immediately fell over like a short-legged dork. After getting the Frijole up and stuffing it in a manzanita bush, we got his bike up and attempted to push it off the course. Remember, those buggies were coming our way any second. The sand was too deep to push the bike, and when he tried to start it, all it took was one backfire and John’s leg went up in

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SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL OWNER

flames. He got that out, and then the air box caught fire and we started to bury it with sand. We dug like mad, but it kept bursting into flames, and at one point, the affable Aussie said, “I think she’s a goner, mate!” We gave up, moved the Sportster to safety and watched it burn. I left him with a thin tarp for shade and confirmed he had water and a cellphone. He didn’t want to ride in on the back of a Harley and just said, “I’ll see you at the bar!” Later that day, he walked across the finish line holding the melted aluminum neck of his dirt bike, but I guess it didn’t count since he didn’t ride it. It was his fourth (I think?) failed attempt at the Mexican 1000, and while his team might not have completed the last 18 or so miles, they had a winning attitude, and I wouldn’t doubt you’ll see them out there again next year. The Frijole? After watching the Honda burn, and being passed by a few cars, I popped out of the riverbed into town and pulled into a checkpoint. They wrote the time on the front fender, and I asked how long the next stage was. “You are done, man. Ride around the corner and go to the party.” I pulled up right behind the winning trophy truck of Mark Post and was honestly a bit teary-eyed as I saw my wife, son and our whole crew on the sidelines, stoked that the Biltwell crew and a band of dedicated close friends had pulled off such a crazy idea. HB

Built at Biltwell headquarters in Temecula, California, by Rob “Rouser” Galan and Bill Bryant MODEL 2000 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 FRAME Stock Harley-Davidson, rear shock mounts reinforced TANK Harley-Davidson Sportster, clearanced for stabilizer REAR FENDER Chopped Harley-Davidson Sportster SWINGARM Stock Harley-Davidson; gusseted and shock mounts moved by Roll Design, Fallbrook, California FRONT Honda CRF250 front forks, hub, brake; internals reworked by Precision Concepts, Riverside, California REAR SHOCKS Elka, custom PAINT Hot Dog Kustoms, Temecula SEAT Stock Harley-Davidson seat foam by Duane Ballard; cover by MotoSeat, Temecula CARB CV, with Rouser mods AIR FILTER Four-layer, custom STABILIZER GPR TOP TREE Gigacycle REAR BRAKE Tokico four-piston, with custom Gigacycle carrier TANK BAG AND REAR GEAR BAG Biltwell Exfil-11 and Exfil-7 BARS ProTaper Adventurer RISERS Fastway 2-inch HAND GUARDS Cycra GEARING PBI 65-tooth rear; 22-tooth front ROCKER BOXES Buell PCV breather-style EXHAUST Custom using Biltwell exhaust kit and shortened SuperTrapp OIL TANK Harley-Davidson, customized with rigid mounts, two additional mounts and screw-in oil cap SHIFTER Modified Honda XR400 folding, mounted in reverse (GP-style) BRAKE PEDAL Custom FOOT CONTROL MOUNTS Hugo Moto (modified) SKID PLATE Hugo Moto (modified) PEGS Moose (modified) OIL COOLER Honda XR400 NAVIGATION Primary: Lowrance Elite 5Ti Secondary: iPad mini with LeadNav app Third: iPhone with LeadNav app Fourth: Road books from NORRA THROTTLE, CABLES, TOOLS Motion Pro HEADLIGHT/FAIRING Baja Designs Squadron Pro REAR GEAR RACK Custom stainless steel MAINTENANCE LOG NIGHTLY Oil and filter change, primary oil change, primary chain check/adjustment, RTV gasket on clutch and inspection cover, air filter change, catch can drain, clean and lube drive chain, adjust drive chain, lube clutch cable, check clutch cable free play, tighten spokes front and rear, top off gas, check motor mounts, check brake pads and disks, check chain slider and roller ONE-TIME MAINTENANCE Clutch adjustment on night of day 2, upper chain slider replaced on night of day 2, bled front brake on night of day 4, new rear sprocket on night of day 4, replaced chain roller bearings on night of day 3, replaced shift lever night of day 3, JB welded brake pedal peg to keep from rotating night of day 3, replaced front and rear wheel set night of day 2, replaced front wheel night of day 3, replaced rear wheel night of day 4 PARTS CONSUMED 1 upper chain slider, 2 chain roller bearings, 1 rear sprocket, 4 air filter setups (paper element, inner foam, outer foam, and pre-charger), 1 front wheel and tire, 1 rear wheel and tire, 4 oil filters, 5 quarts gear/trans oil, 16 quarts Motul 20w-50, 1 shift lever, 1 rearview mirror (not replaced) MECHANICAL ISSUES Choke cable housing came “loose” and had to be held in place when closing the choke (day 4 or 5?), chain roller nut came loose on bolt but was held on by the RTV (day 3), squared one front rim pretty good (day 3), major kink in one rear wheel (day 4)

GOOD RIDE SALUTES CAREY HART AND BIG B GO TO GERMANY WORDS AND PHOTOS: MIKE CALABRO

As we roll up to the security gate, a stout polizei waves us over and asks to see our passports. A side arm on her hip, she gestures at my tattoo-covered companion and demands he “schow das handz! You schow me das handz!” In my head, I immediately go into panic mode, imagining being tortured in a dank cell. She demands that he remove his gloves. My new buddy is about to be cuffed in a foreign country. I haven’t been in Deutschland for more than 24 hours and already have a case of fear-induced anal leakage. “Vhere ist das tattoo?” Confused, he lifts his sleeve to show the fresh ink of an Indian Motorcycle tattoo. Suddenly the officer goes full-on fan girl. “It’s you! It’s you! It’s Carey Hart!” The security guard (it turns out, not police) starts taking selfies with my riding partner. Two more security folks show up, autographs are signed, and I desperately try to figure out when I’m going to have a chance to change my underwear. For this year’s Armed Forces Day, Hart teamed up with Indian Motorcycle and traveled to Germany to honor and celebrate with our active soldiers overseas in an event called Good Ride Salutes USAG Stuttgart. During the month of May, which is National Military Appreciation Month, Indian Motorcycle donated $20 per test ride, up to $30,000. But this ride was different, not a fundraiser, but a direct action to help lift the spirits of U.S. soldiers at Europe’s largest base: U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart. Good Ride is a nonprofit charity that was started by Carey Hart and Big B. In case you missed the memo, Carey is a freestyle motocross rider turned custom bike builder who happens to be married to pop superstar Pink. Big B is a rapper and entrepreneur. The two have been friends for a couple of decades, own businesses together (including a custom bike shop), and for

Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Sutterfield (top left) and his wife, Kelly (bottom right), rode a couple hundred miles to come celebrate Armed Forces Day with the troops at Stuttgart. Veterans, active-duty military, and other local riders got to come out and enjoy food, drinks, live music, test rides, and more.

the past three years, have run Good Ride as a way to give back to the military. All of the proceeds from Good Ride are funneled to the Infinite Hero Foundation, a military charity created by Carey’s eyewear sponsor, Oakley. They fund programs that drive innovation and accessibility of effective treatments for military heroes and their families dealing with service-related mental and physical injuries. “Big B and I have been friends for about 20 years,” Carey says. “He put out a bunch of albums. He was part of my tattoo shop when I first started it. He helped me out with my race team. Over the past couple of years, when I got serious about V-twins and building bikes, he moved out to where I live, and we now do all of our builds together.” He tells me that while he doesn’t “personally have any experience with the military, my wife’s mom and stepdad served in the Vietnam War, and her brother is a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force.” The effects of Agent Orange on Carey’s father-inlaw and “how the government throws people by the wayside when they come back home” sparked the idea to create the Good Ride. Those tattoos the guards were so excited about? Those were like the final bonding ritual between Hart, Big B and Indian. Right there in the back of the Stuttgart Indian dealership, they got matching tattoos of the Indian logo, using ink made from a burnout. Last year, Carey did a long, smoky burnout on an Indian Scout—Indian dutifully collected the dust and used it in the pigment of a limited-edition ink. That’s a true commitment, from both sides. Indian has supported Good Ride since inception. “Indian came to me and asked what I thought about taking it to Stuttgart, the largest base in Europe,” Carey remembers. “And I said, ‘Tell me when to book my flight.’” Good Ride gave our active-duty soldiers and their families a day to escape from the stresses of military life. Many of the men and women stationed here are either coming back from a hostile situation or are preparing to go to one. Though both Carey and Big B had been to Germany several times each for music and motorcycle shows, they’d never stopped to tour the countryside, especially not on Indians. “It’s one thing to see a country through airplanes and hotels and venues, but it is a whole nother thing to do it on two wheels,” Carey says. The American V-twin market is strong in Germany. Once you get out of town and on the open roads, they are the perfect way to cruise the

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countryside. Germans seem to love the style and soul of the bikes. It’s a lifestyle. They don’t want to go fast. They want to cruise—in style. Which is a little ironic in Stuttgart, home of Porsche and Mercedes. The Armed Forces Day event with the military dudes was on Sunday, but we did a press ride on Saturday with a bunch of Germans invited by the Indian dealership in Stuttgart. Our ride was our first sampling of the amazing Bavarian roads. Every motorcyclist lusts for the rare freshly poured road. This is one of the reasons why riding in Germany is so rad. Every road we cruised on was in impeccable shape. I stayed an extra week after the event ended and didn’t see one pothole or tar snake. The engineers must be bike enthusiasts who built the roads

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just for themselves. They are pure asphalt perfection. Even the highway exit signs are enjoyable. I giggled every time I read “Ausfart” as I tried to obey the flatulent command without s—tting myself. On Sunday morning, the day of the poker run, the weather was rainy and dismal. That didn’t stop more than 50 riders from showing up—not bad considering it would have been really easy to sit at home and watch soccer. The base has more than 700 registered motorcycles, but many of them that had planned to go were recently deployed. That is the life of these warriors. It doesn’t only affect them. They have families that have to deal with them having to leave without much notice. Imagine being one of their young sons or daughters. The kids know what is going

on. They understand that Daddy might never make it back home. The event even had a bounce house and other fun kid stuff to help them have a taste of a stress-free day. Big B later tells me the event “wasn’t just about motorcycles. It was about community. A break from stress. Just families. Raising morale and paying respects to the troops.” The command sergeant major (that basically means the head dude of the American military in Bavaria), Michael D. Sutterfield, and his wife met up with us for the poker run. He has more decoration than a Christmas tree. Once I figured out how important he is, I apologized for my lack of a vocal muffler. The command sergeant major smiled and told me he “is fluent in sarcasm.” I asked around to borrow a pair of

DEFIANT-X

araiamericas.com

lederhosen for the ride. One of the German guys I met at the dealership almost hooked me up until he told me more about them. “People wear them during Oktoberfest to sit around all day and drink. They are hot and sweaty. When you are drinking all day you have to pee a lot. The buttons are a pain in the ass, and there is lots of splatter.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was a bad idea. Without the aforementioned leather breeches, I donned my rain gear, and we headed out to our first stop. I was lucky enough to get a Roadmaster with heated seat and grips. It was comfy and kept me dry. The route snaked through pristine roads in the Black Forest. I was glad I’d gotten to ride the day before, since I had to keep it tight in the bad weather. We spent way more time than planned at our first stop. The Brauhaus Schönbuch is a classic countryside drinking establishment, with a tree growing through it. It has its own whiskey still and bottled the brown hooch into motorcycle-shaped glass bottles. Naturally, we really wanted

to try a taste, but that would have to wait until later. Everyone bought a bottle to take home. I took a page from the security guard’s book and had Carey sign my bottle. There were five stops total, which makes sense since a poker hand is five cards. Our third stop was a restaurant that served, you guessed it, more fried meat. We were low on time and only had a few minutes to sit down and chug some water before we had to go back to the base. No need to mention it, but none of us ended up winning the poker run. Back at the base, there was a barbecue featuring more encased meat and lots of smiles. Servicemen and their families thanked Carey for all he does with the Good Ride charity and took photos with him. A couple of veterans shook his hand and gave him challenge coins as a thank you. To someone like Carey, the sentiment goes a long way because he understands that a lot of them are “getting shipped to places with civil war and going to help keep the peace. These guys are in pressure-cooker situations.”

There are always more people to reach, which is probably what keeps him going. There were even a few people who only knew him as the guy who is married to a pop star and not the person who invented the Hart Attack freestyle moto trick. A handful of nonmotorcyclists even showed up to hang with Hart, B, and the rest of the veterans to help support the cause. The good news is that Good Ride raised more than $100,000 last year for Infinite Hero Foundation. “This year, our goal is to write a $150,000 check to Infinite Hero. I hope as this thing grows we can put a zero behind the number,” Carey says. “But you’ve got to crawl before you walk.” When it became clear that Pink wasn’t going to show up, I knew it was time to go home. I had a great time and would have loved to spend another month riding throughout Germany, but I didn’t have enough replacement underwear with me. The bacon strips in my underpants from eating pounds of encased meat were a hint that it was time to go home for a fresh pair of chonies. HB

TECH

WORDS AND PHOTOS: JEFF G. HOLT

MILWAUKEE-EIGHT

FXR BUILD PART 2: SUSPENSION AND WHEELS

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TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD: PART 2

ast issue, we told you the story of how the M8FXR project came to be and the amount of work it took to put a 2018 Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight engine and transmission into a 1993 Harley-Davidson FXR police-model frame. And let’s just say getting that driveline into a 24-year-old frame wasn’t a vacation to Legoland. But thanks to Justin Coleman, of Torch Industries, and Big Chris at FXR Division, Danny Wilson, aka Motor Witch, and I beat all odds, and the team got the job done. Now it’s time to get this project the performance suspension and righteous rolling stock it deserves. This bike is going to be fast. We can’t really tell you all of the details of just how fast it will be until we get the performance parts in it and roll it on the dyno, but we can tell you that it will have a firebreathing powerplant like you have never seen once this machine is up and running. With that said, we reached out to Race Tech for some real-deal suspension. After consulting the 30-plus-year suspension guru, world record holder, and owner of Race Tech, Paul Thede, we decided on using Race Tech’s G6 front end and G3-S rear shocks with remote reservoirs. Sure, we had the choice of running literally any manufacturer of performance suspension the world over, and we chose Race Tech for this build. Why, you ask? They are made in the United States by a small group of die-hard riders, racers, and craftsmen. Another fact is that Race Tech is a built-to-order suspension company, meaning it has no pre-set off-the-shelf shocks in stock. Each G6 front end and G3-S set of rear shocks are built exactly to the individual rider’s weight, style of riding, and overall intended usage. Other aspects, such as percentage of time the bike will be loaded with gear or with a riding partner, also are taken into account. Of course, the weight of the bike, as well as that of the rider, are other very important parameters the engineers use to make this truly custom suspension just for you.

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1. This is the exploded view of the handmade Race Tech G6 forks we are using. Yes, more parts than a Swiss watch, and twice as expensive. But you get what you pay for with top-of-the-line suspension systems. 2. The rear of the M8FXR was treated to a set of 14.5-inch Race Tech G3-S remote reservoir shocks that will be mounted between the rear fender and FXR Division Police saddlebags. 3. We had to upgrade to a Brock’s Performance long-travel bagger rear swingarm due to our previous option not having enough clearance to use 14.5-inch shocks.

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TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD: PART 2 4

“EACH G6 FRONT END AND G3-S SET OF REAR SHOCKS ARE BUILT EXACTLY TO THE INDIVIDUAL RIDER’S WEIGHT, STYLE OF RIDING, AND OVERALL INTENDED USAGE.” When filling out the suspension order form from Race Tech, we hit a major roadblock while going over the “extended and collapsed” swingarm measurement questions. These two factors are very important data for making the rear suspension work correctly. The bike originally had an aftermarket aluminum swingarm from C&S Customs that, once we measured, we learned wasn’t going to work. This was not because of any sort of quality or design issues from C&S. The problem lay in the fact that the swingarm was designed for a stock FXR and the bottom of the C&S unit came in contact with the Milwaukee-Eight transmission oil pan, which severely limited the full potential of the M8FXR’s suspension travel. I then contacted Brock Davidson at Brock’s Performance. He, of course, had what we needed in the form of a Brock’s West Coast bagger swingarm. This piece of welded and machined art is made for late-model performance-style bagger builds, so it possessed much better clearance. This style of swingarm allowed us to use 14.5-inch shocks. With the rear-suspension dilemma figured out, we then installed a set of Speed Merchant triple trees to the front of the FXR frame and installed the Race Tech G6 legs onto the bike. Then, we got busy installing a set of Continental’s new Conti Tour performance tires on a set of Jade Affiliated wheels. The Conti Tour tires have been specifically designed for V-twin bikes, and feature a reinforced casing and a specially formulated compound for big bikes. Jade Affiliated is a new company out of Anaheim, California. It carved us up a set of custom-designed 16- and 19-inch 13-spoke billet aluminum wheels and powdercoated them matte black for a sinister look. Since this is a real-deal performance build with a highpowered motor, we had to go with some serious braking power. After looking at our choices, we chose Beringer Brakes. The French manufacturer has been an authority

4. Danny Wilson, aka Motor Witch, installs the new swingarm onto the modified FXR frame. 5. When you order a set of shocks, Race Tech requires that certain weights and measurements be procured before production of the suspension begins. 6. Here’s a shot of the union of a Brock’s Performance swingarm and Race Tech remote shocks on the M8FXR frame.

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7. After the Continental Conti Tour tires were installed, Danny then bolted up a set of hubs with the proper width onto the Jade Affiliated 13-spoke wheels. 8. The rear wheel was installed onto the bike and checked for fitment. Some custom spacers and a brake hanger mount will have to be fabricated. 9. A set of Speed Merchant triple trees in black were used to mount the Race Tech G6 fork legs onto the chassis.

TECH MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD: PART 2 on braking for more than 30 years. Starting with motorcycle brake rotors back in the 1980s, the company now makes brake rotors and calipers for all types of two- and four-wheeled vehicles, including World Rally, MotoGP, and Formula 1. We went with a radial caliper design over the standard axial calipers like the ones the bike came with. Sure,

radial calipers look cool, but the design has major benefits as well. On a radial caliper, the mounting bolts are 90 degrees to the wheel axle. This means the radial-style caliper doesn’t rotate around the axle like an axial caliper does. A radial caliper’s design also distributes kinetic energy under braking along the same axis as the rotating wheel. This all but eliminates

any torsional flex, which translates into some superior braking. We also went with a full set of Beringer’s stainlesssteel Aeronal floating rotors to complete the big and badass braking system. Once all of this was done, the M8FXR was officially in roller status, and it’s now ready for a wild mix of bars, risers, controls, and sheet metal to be installed next. Stay tuned! HB

1981 to 2006 (except 2006 Dyna)

• Narrow Rotor fits in Softail/Dyna, voltage regulator mounts in stock location. Available for Evo and Twin Cam Engines. • Precision wound 3Phase Stators provides 25 AMPS at idle, 40 AMPS continuously above 2,800 RPM! • Vented rotor keeps stator cooler to maintain maximum output. • Custom designed flanged seal spacer provides maximum support for the vented rotor. • Series Voltage Regulator provides 14.2V from idle on up!

1990 to 2006 (except 2006 Dyna)

10. The Race Tech, Speed Merchant, and Jade Affiliated combo is looking really good on the front of the M8FXR. They are going to perform at superbike status.

• 6: 1 Planetary gearing for superior mechanical efficiency compared to 4.44: 1 and 2.86: 1 in other starter motors. • Special Neodymium Magnets provide more power with half the current draw of other 2KW starters. The only starter of its kind in the industry! • A must have for high compression, large displacement engines The Highest Performance starter available!

SOURCES: HARLEY-DAVIDSON harley-davidson.com

1970 to 1999 BT (except injected models) & 1971-2003 XL (except “S” models) • Performance advance curves for engines from mild to wild! • Tunable VOES adds 5 to 10 degrees vacuum advance. • Easy installation with LED static timing light. • Selectable RPM limiter from 6,000 RPM to unlimited. • Systems for electric start, kick start, and race engines.

“Some parts are not legal for sale or use in California on pollution controlled vehicles”

RACE TECH SUSPENSION racetech.com BERINGER BRAKES US beringerbrakes.us JADE AFFILIATED jadeaffiliated.com CONTINENTAL TIRE continentaltire.com BROCK’S PERFORMANCE brocksperformance.com

11. We installed Beringer Aerotec fourpiston radial brake calipers in red and blue to go with the M8FXR’s police-bike history and future paint scheme. 12. The wheels were treated to Beringer Aeronal stainless-steel floating brake rotors as well.

TECH

NEVER SAY DIE BRINGING THE CLUB-STYLE DYNA VIBE TO THE NEW SOFTAILS

ith the 2018 Softail lineup wiping out our beloved Dynas, away went our cool club-style bikes—for about one month. For a moment there, it was a race to see who could build the first hot-rodded Softail. Social media was quickly lit up with any of the new bikes that pulled off

the signature Dyna style. Was anyone really doubting that the aftermarket companies would let that trend just die suddenly? Well, thanks to Bung King and trusty Harley-Davidson, you can upgrade to the new Softail platform without sacrificing your tall white socks, Simpson helmet and Vans Classics.

SOURCE: HARLEY-DAVIDSON harley-davidson.com

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WORDS: JON MCDEVITT PHOTOS: JULIA LAPALME

SOURCE: BUNG KING bungking.com

HARLEY-DAVIDSON QUARTER-FAIRING AND LOCKING QUICK-RELEASE WINDSHIELD CLAMPS

There might be a handful of popular quarter-fairings out there for the Dyna, but one of the most popular ones by far is the one that comes from H-D itself. The problem is the brackets that come with it will not work with the 49 mm front forks that the new Softails are sporting. So in place of those, you get a set of the locking quick-release windshield clamps for Harleys as well. These are great for two reasons: One, they lock, so some bozo can’t grab and dash while you are away, and two, if you don’t feel like rocking it one day, you can just pop it off without the need for tools. For the Vivid Black quarter-fairing, you will be looking at $399.95, and $41.95 per locking clamp (four total). Each comes with two keys. BUNG KING QUARTER-FAIRING TO 49 MM BRACKET KIT AND ONE-PIECE LOWER HANDLEBAR RISER

The other piece to the puzzle in regard to installing the quarter-fairing to the new 49 mm front end on the new Softail is the quarter-fairing to 49 mm bracket kit from

Bung King ($95). This kit screws onto the Harley fairing in place of the factory brackets, and the quick-release clamps from H-D bolt onto the new Bung King brackets directly. So, with the fairing on, we needed to finish the look by adding some T-bars. For that, we used Bung King’s complete onepiece lower riser ($182.50) and Bung King’s CR high-bend bars ($115), but you can use another tracker-style bar of your choosing. If you’re looking to add a little Dyna style to the new Softail Street Bob, then this kit is for you. HB ISSUE 4

2018 / 87

TECH

elieve it or not, when you crank over your engine, your starter motor is using battery technology that hasn’t changed much in more than 150 years. Same goes for your turn signals—the incandescent bulbs in your bike’s signals have been the status quo for over a century. Manufacturers still use this old-school tech because it’s cheap and fairly reliable, but there are products on the market now that use new-age technology that blows the existing stuff out of the water. ANTIGRAVITY LITHIUM-ION BATTERY WITH RESTART FEATURE

Dead batteries are a drag. You’re ready to ride, but all you get when you thumb the starter is a clicking noise from somewhere under your seat. With a regular lead-acid battery, you’ll be looking for a jump-start, but with this new “restart” lithiumion battery from Antigravity, the jump-start is built in. You just need to push the button on the top of the battery, and you’ve got enough juice to get your bike cranking again and get going. This convenient and innovative feature is the result of battery-management circuitry that monitors the cells’ charge and puts the battery to sleep if the voltage drops too much because you left your key on. That means no more dead batteries, or at least a second chance before you have to call for help. Antigravity is the first company to bring this tech to the market, and it’s doing it with new-age lithium-ion chemistry that has some other impressive advantages too. For starters (pun intended), lithium-ion batteries are going to help your bike start easier since they’re better at dumping current than their lazy old lead-acid counterparts. On average, you’re looking at about twice the cold-cranking amps when you switch to lithium-ion, which is awesome if you’re running high-compression pistons or other performance engine mods that make the motor harder to crank over. Weight is another thing that differentiates lithium-ion from lead-acid. As an example, the Antigravity battery we dropped into a 2013 Iron 883 only weighed 3 pounds, compared to 11 pounds for the stock unit.

SOURCE: ANTIGRAVITY BATTERIES shop.antigravitybatteries.com

INNOVATIVE ELECTRONICS

THIS BATTERY JUMP-STARTS ITSELF, AND THESE TURN SIGNALS ARE BLINDINGLY BRIGHT

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WORDS: ARI HENNING PHOTOS: JULIA LAPALME

SOURCE: RIZOMA rizoma.com

Performance comes at a cost, and Antigravity batteries ring in at a fair bit more than lead-acid options. This particular example is $260, compared to about $130 for a standard replacement, but you’re getting a lot of perks for that price. Antigravity currently offers restart-enabled batteries in eight OEM sizes to fit most bikes, and there are terminals on each corner to provide more orientation options. RIZOMA LED TURN SIGNALS

Just as lithium-ion chemistry is replacing lead-acid batteries as a lighter, more powerful technology, light-emitting diodes are rapidly replacing old-school incandescent lights. LEDs produce a brighter, crisper light than incandescent bulbs. LEDs also draw a lot less power than other forms of illumination, and they last hundreds of thousands of hours, which means you’ll likely never need to deal with a burned-out bulb again.

Most V-twins on the market still come with ancient incandescentbulb turn signals, but you can easily update your bike with sleeker, brighter signals from Rizoma. Whether you want to integrate the signals into the mirrors like we did with these sexy Veloce mirrors ($201 each, plus $20 each for adapters) or just replace your stock turn/stop lights with more compact, brighter units like the Iride S units ($95 each, plus $10 each for adapters) we put on this 883, Rizoma has a huge selection of trick parts for American motorcycles. Installation is straightforward if you take advantage of Rizoma’s modelspecific components, or you can use adapters for universal parts. Since we swapped from incandescent to LED, we needed to wire in the included resistors to keep the flash rate the same, so it helps to be handy with a soldering iron. Other than that, these parts are plug-and-play and totally improve the look of your bike, plus they bring your lighting into the 21st century. HB

ISSUE 4

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WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

NEW BARS FOR THE INDIAN CHIEFTAIN TORCH INDUSTRIES DELIVERS THE GOODS FOR OUR INDIAN BAGGER PROJECT

eeing as I’ll be blacking out a lot of the components (still in the process) on my long-term Indian Chieftain project and I was also leaning toward a new set of handlebars for this overall build, why not kill two birds with one stone with a black set of handlebars from Torch Industries? The factory handlebars are perfectly fine and plenty comfortable from an ergonomics perspective. But I needed black bars, man, and Torch’s new bars for Chieftain and Roadmaster models ($379 to $429) scratched my proverbial itch. They’re a tad taller, and they come in black (shown) but you can also get them in chrome or raw if that’s your thing. Measuring 4 inches

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over stock, the unique thing about installing new handlebars on ’18 Chieftains versus ’17-and-earlier Chieftains is that the switch housings were slimmed up and the electronic throttle control (ETC) is now housed inside the end of the new notched bar as opposed to being housed inside the switch cube, so 2018-andlater bars were only going to work in this case. Not to worry, Torch carries bars for both styles. And seeing how I already loved the classy styling of the factory grips, I decided to keep those in place. I was able to reuse the factory throttle-by-wire grip, but I needed to buy a new left-side grip since I damaged my stocker when removing it (contact your local dealer for pricing). Doh!

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TECH Getting into the meat of the installation, I was surprised at how easy it was to get this new handlebar on, especially after removing the fairing. I was also curious about how the internal wiring portion would go since I’d never ripped into an Indian Chieftain fairing before and wasn’t sure what I was working with as far as connectors, brackets, mounts, and what-have-you. On further inspection, my mind was put at ease after looking at how small the deutsch connectors were at the handlebar switch location, and I knew they would easily fish through the new Torch bars without having to remove each pin individually. Getting the fairing off and on is also relatively easy—I recommend grabbing a buddy to help with holding the fairing while you remove the mounting bolts, and then again for reinstallation, though (nothing a sixer couldn’t cover). Essentially, four bolts hold the fairing in place (two top, and two bottom mounts), and of course, a ton of wiring connectors housed inside the unit. All in all, you can remove the fairing as one piece once you’ve removed the mounting bolts and unplug

SOURCES: INDIAN MOTORCYCLE indianmotorcycle.com TORCH INDUSTRIES torchind.com

92 / HOTBIKE.COM

the connectors, but I’d recommend marking each connector before unplugging (I used different colored strips of electrical tape) for reference during reinstallation. As for plumbing, all of the stock wiring was long enough to work with the taller bars. While I didn’t need to extend the wiring, I did need to purchase a longer clutch cable (contact your dealer for pricing), which was 2 inches longer than stock. Lastly, the brake line still had plenty of slack for me to keep it in place safely, so I also reused it for this project. Once I installed the bars, I of course had to test them out on a ride. I was stoked on the hand positioning and how comfortable they were. I didn’t feel my back slouching as it usually does when I ride. I also didn’t notice reaching too far forward at all, which was another plus. And they don’t inhibit my view of the gauges when riding, and the switch housings are still easy to reach. Overall, I scored with this new set of Torch bars, and look forward to ripping into the next set of parts of the performance persuasion next month! HB

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WORDS: JORDAN MASTAGNI PHOTOS: JEFF ALLEN

SOURCE: REV’IT! revitsport.com

REV’IT! MOHAWK 2 BOOTS

A MODERN SPIN ON THE CLASSIC MOC TOE Motorcycle-boot quality has come a long way in recent years. I’ve had the opportunity to test some of the best on the market, and some of the worst out there. The Rev’It! Mohawk 2 boots fall into the former category. After testing Rev’It!’s first-iteration Mohawk a few years ago, my only complaints were that the break-in time of about two weeks was pretty brutal on my right ankle bone, wearing the skin down to exposed flesh. But after a couple of weeks,

94 / HOTBIKE.COM

they were the most comfortable boots I owned. The other gripe was that the soles wore out from literally wearing them every day for over a year. They were my favorite boots by far, and I guess that’s to be expected given the abuse I put them through. So I was eager to see what enhancements had been made for Rev’It!’s second go-round. The Mohawk 2 is now available in black (shown) or brown (the previous version was only available in brown). I like the look of these modern moc toe boots and the contrast of the white stitching against the black. Overall, the Mohawk 2 is a good combination of distinction, lightness, protection, and style. The high-cuff classic moc toe motorcycle boots are made entirely of full-grain cowhide, which is ideal for breathability and durability. Plus, there is a water-repellent coating that keeps water out. The boots come with a shifter strap,

which I immediately discarded—I don’t need a boot condom for riding, but thanks for the consideration. The anatomically shaped ankle cup and ankle area have been padded and reinforced for comfort, and to support proper foot position. Also, the anatomically shaped foot bed has been incorporated to support the foot for both comfort and safety. On the inside, the tongue has been stitched to the sides to keep out wind, water, and dirt. I did experience the same break-in pains with the Mohawk 2. Maybe it’s the way my right foot is shaped, or maybe I need to correct my pimp walk, but either way, two weeks of favoring the opposite foot when walking is a tad too much. However, once the break-in period was up, again, they have been one of the most comfortable boots I’ve worn. I guess the old “no pain, no gain” adage is definitely applicable with the Rev’It! Mohawk 2 boots. HB

Editor–in–Chief JORDAN MASTAGNI Senior Editor MORGAN GALES EDITORIAL

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Features Editor ZACK COURTS Group Road Test Editor ARI HENNING Off-Road Editor ANDREW OLDAR Social Media Manager JOHN ZAMORA Motorcycle Service Specialists WILL STEENROD, JON MCDEVITT Photo Director JEFF ALLEN Art Director ROBERT MARTIN Video Director SPENSER ROBERT Associate Video Producer BERT BELTRAN Managing Editors IRENE GONZALEZ, TERRY MASAOKA Production Manager MELISSA BECKHAM Copy Editor DAVE CARRIERE BILL BRYANT, MIKE CALABRO, ROB FORTIER, JEFF G. HOLT, GEOFF KOWALCHUK, JON LANGSTON, JULIA LAPALME, MARK MASKER, ADAM SCOTT, TIM SUTTON, MARK V, STEVE WEST

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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

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HOT BIKE ISSUE #4 2018

Articles inside

NEW BARS FOR THE INDIAN CHIEFTAIN

INNOVATIVE ELECTRONICS

NEVER SAY DIE

MILWAUKEE-EIGHT FXR BUILD

GOO S S

GOOD TIMES, BAD IDEAS

FTR 1200 INDIANÕS

STER

BLUE COLLAR LUXURY

GO-FAST BAGGER

A WINNING COMBINATION

INDIAN’S THE WRENCH: SCOUT BOBBER BUILD-OFF