Editor’s Note: Michael Kamalian is the CEO of Revolution Manufacturing, Bikernet’s newest sponsor to date. Unlike what many CEOs are perceived to be like, Michael is the kind of cat who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. The following short bike feature is in Michael’s words and showcases some of his company’s products. But most of all, it demonstrate how much fun can be had for under $10,000 today.
We find this kind of build very inspiring and we hope that more Bikernet readers will feel compelled to get down and greasy in the shed this winter as well. If your like this bike, make sure to check out Revolution Manufacturing’s other creation and visit their website to check out all the trick parts they offer. Hit the banner at the bottom of this story to find out more about Revolution Manufacturing.
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This is the 1998 Softail, before Michael took it apart for this project
Here are some pics of a new bike I just finished. The goal was to build a bike for no more than $10,000 including the cost of the bike.
The donor bike was a 1998 softail with 28,000 miles and some primary issues; it turned out to be a worn-through adjustment shoe. I bought the bike for $5,000 and proceeded to strip it down before I could modify and powdercoat the frame. Using the stock 80-inch motor, I bored the cylinders .060 over and installed a set of new pistons and rings. the heads were thoroughly cleaned up while they were off the cases, but the bottom end was left alone. The stock 5-speed transmission was gone through and new fluid put in. The belt final drive was converted to chain.
The wheels were traded for 16-inch versions and were disassembled and powdercoated. The forks were swapped for an FL set and then lowered with a Progressive Suspension spring kit. I also added HHI triple trees and some new bars and controls. I made the seat, and swapped out all the sheet metal for the Performance Machine primary (the most expensive part on the bike). A swap meet tank and fender scrap from out back were painted in-house. I went for a putt with it today and it rides excellent.
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With the days of high-dollar bikes now long gone, I wanted to see what could be done with some trading, ingenuity, and a couple bucks. We have exactly $9890.62 (excluding my labor – which as a fellow builder you know is worthless when it comes to your own projects) in this bike. I am looking forward to doing many more projects like this one. —Michael Kamalian
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