Hey, let’s get this Post on the Road. I worked on the Shovelhead all day yesterday–until midnight. I’ve shifted gears, again, but I like it. This next Shovelhead reports deals with installing the rear fender and the ROHM Performance oil cooler filter. Let’s see, where to start?
I have this wild fluted brass rod, but can’t seem to figure out how to work it. Brass doesn’t want to bend and brazing or welding with it is awkward, but I want to use it on this bike for more that the shift linkage. I’ll keep thinking. I used some 5/8-inch tubing for the rails that I can run wires through. I can also run a couple of taillights with this contraption. We’ll see. The taillight should be here shortly.
Couple of brothers stopped by and one was riding a new Sucker Punch Sally–very old school, bare bones chopper. At midnight I crawled to bed and so did Sin Wu. I was dirty, covered is metal shavings and grease and she was covered in construction dust and tired as a junkyard dog after chasing pussy all day. We laid there looking at each other, then she brought up her girlfriend with the gigantic tits and we went crazy.
Let’s hit the news:
A Taste Of Jerry’s Shop
I was up at Jerry’s shop last night. I talked him into letting me send you some shots of the bike he’s debuting in Daytona. He just finished lacing and truing the wheels and was burning the candle to button it up. Check out the Transmission brake, hydraulic foot clutch set up and intake ( Mind Blowing ).
The 50’s/60’s hot rod art work was Sonny Depalma. Jerry handmade pretty much everything on this rad ride. We both agreed that Street Chopper is the hottest magazine out on the market today ! We know that all the other magazines are going to be fighting each other for it, but we wanted you to have first shot at it for the cover if you wanted it. Pictures don’t do it justice ! Hope to hear from you and see you in Daytona !
All the best !
Mike Mays
954-494-7680
Let’s hook up in Daytona.–Bandit
Bikernet Reporter Embedded In The Daytona Front
DAMN Half the Hot Bike Staff in Daytona. There goes the neighborhood. HaHa. Just kidding it will be good to see you and them again.
I am heading to Daytona this morning (Friday) and will be going to Arlen Ness?s shop to do some adjusting of the Daytona Twin Tech ECM. I like this unit and I am sure everyone will like the article.
Kim Gable is the person helping me and he is also the corporate pilot for Ness. If you get time please phone him at the shop 386-255-7167. He has a couple of projects going you may be interested in.
I will return home on Sunday do some reports for Bikernet and then head back up on Monday for the week. Charlie Brechtel band got in last night. Berry and the Accurate crew are due in later in the week. Berry is scheduled to attend the Biker Ball with Covington and also meet with Allen Alvarez. He will also be partying.
When are you expecting to get into town?
–Rogue
http://www.bikerrogue.com
I’m flying in on Wednesday night.–Bandit
Strange Product Launch
Is suggested new high performance muffler designs. Modifiable & compact designs. Some advanced prototypes were introduced into production.
See WWW. EXCAVATOR. INFO
All machines are welcome!!!
Art’s Chopper Report
Hey Bandit check out these scoots . The Shovel is bad huh?
LTR
–Art
Kansas David Mann Benefit?
We were at the 1st Dave Mann Benefit in Kansas City arriving Friday night and leaving Sunday morning. Question I have, is will there be a 2nd annual tribute benefit for Dave Mann in Kansas City for 2005?
We had a good time with the clubs and Tattoo Dave, we would like to come back if the event happens again.
–Scott, Crank, & Randy
Minnesota Weasels
Okay, you’re in trouble. David Mann was a card carrying Weasel and so are you. I’m an ex-Hamster. You should know what’s going on. I know the Ventura, Chopperfest will be held in California as the David Mann Chopper Fest from now till eternity. Does that help?–Bandit
14th annual Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend–
FastDates.com and Performance Machine present the 2005 2005 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend July 16-17th 2005 featuring the World’s top Builders and Custom Bikes, Jardine Dyno Shootout, Builders Seminars, Metric Midway, Concerts and Beautiful Girls
The Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend sponsored by Performance Machine and Bikernet.com and held at the beautiful Queen Mary Event Park on the Pacific Ocean in downtown Long Beach, CA, continues to grow every year as the most popular consumer street bike show in America catering to custom, cruiser, classic and sportbike enthusiasts.
Always the 3rd weekend of July, the 14th Annual Show scheduled for Saturday July 16th and Sunday July 17th, 2005. The Show features a huge weekend of activities with an expected 180 major motorcycle and product manufacturers, exhibitors and venders, together with the leading custom bike from across America. Associate Sponsorship support for the premier streetbike event weekend in America is provided by Iron Works magazine, Jardine Performance, Trader Publications, Trader Express, Connection Magazines, Quick Throttle Magazine, 2-Wheel Tuner, FastDates.com Calendars & Website, The Los Angeles Times / ReCycler / Cycle Buys, Bikernet.com and SPEED TV’s American Thunder. Spectators can find out more about The LA Calendar Motorcycle Show, the Bike Contest and all the available weekend activities online at http://www.FastDates.com/BIKESHOW.HTM
Eye Candy Custom Cycles I got a call from Hot Bike today about putting my tag lights in a lighting feature. Thanks a million, I really appreciate everything you have done to expose my company.
Anyways I have a question and I hope I?m not overstepping my bounds here, but would you be interested in featuring my bike in one of your magazine. Let me know if you?re interested and thanks again for all of you help.
–Vincent
(513)312-1137
vince@eyecandycustomcycles.com
www.EyeCandyCustomCycles.com
I’m always happy to look at any custom, from a home builder to the major players. You’re lights are cool and deserve recognition.–Bandit
Indian Starter?
I was searching for a electric starter system that I have heard of being tested. I have a friend in California, who is 79, bought his ’48 Indian new in 48, I believe it is a Roadmaster. He’s getting a too old to kick her over. He is looking for a electric starter system he heard of that was being developed.
Do you have any info, or have you heard of any? I live in Florida, and had a e-mail from a Indian dealer(antique) that said he had heard of one being developed here in Florida.
“Russell Cave” shovelhead@cfl.rr.com
Here is a link to AMA activities during Bike Week
http://www.amadirectlink.com/daytonadirect/2005/schedule.asp
–Rogue
http://www.bikerrogue.com
Sturgis Shovel Looking Good
The Shovel is looking good. The pipes, uh I like the right side. Not sure about the left side. Looking at it I kept thinking of Flash Gordon’s rocket ship, don’t know why. Must of fell on my head!!
I think you need a Heli-Arc machine. Check out This is a DC machine. Weighs just 10 lbs. It has Lift Arc starting or you can scratch start. Lift Arc being much more better-er!! All you need then is a bottle of Argon and a gas regulator. One thing though, there is no foot pedal control. So when you start the arc the power is full on!! So you gotta move. You can control the heat some by lifting the up the Tig torch a bit from the bead your laying down just like gas welding. This motion is a up and down as you move along the welding bead. If you can gas weld you can Heli-Arc. The Tig torch with the tungsten creats the heat for welding just like Gas welding does. You add your filler rod (not fucken coat hanger either) to the bead same as gas welding. With this little inverter Tig welder there is no foot pedal to confuse you. Whada you think?????? I’m working with Linclon on a full-on TIG unit. Keep your fingers crossed.–Bandit Flow Bench Update The pictures I sent are the latest on the bottom cabinet. The top pelenum was expanded up some. I will be adding a baffle over the triangle shaped hole to divert the airflow away from the cylinder fixture opening. You don’t want the airflow going straight up ring into the cylinder fixture that holds the head for testing. The goal is a big still air box for the top plenum. Free of turbulence. Just need some more bracing/blocking then I’m ready to seal up all the joints with silicone. Next step will be to finish mounting the motors, do the wiring, switches etc. The top part of the bench is also done. That is with the exception of painting. Should be able to send pictures in the near future. The range disk was made from the original plans. Station #6 is way wrong!! So I’ll have to remake the disk. No big deal as it was made from a 1 to 1 Cad DXF file which was used for the water jet machine. Just have to edit the hole layout some. Water jet cutting gives you a nice clean cut, free of burrs & a hard edge. The manometers are hand made as are the overflow valves for the manometers. Got the plexiglass mat’l. from a trophy shop. The guy had lots of drop off’s laying around. He said just get what you need!! Hell I even copped enough mat’l. for some 3/8″ thick plates for CC’ ing heads from the stash. Cool. The rest of the parts for the overflow valves are from Dwyer Instruments Inc. Sorry picture quality isn’t the best. The most recent pic. were taken with a paper throw away camera from K-mart. It works but sucks for close up photos. –Pablo Amigos This is where I’m at as of today. Replaced the entire front fork, fender, wheel, headlight, handlebars and speedometer. Swapped out the rear struts for some chrome ones ( $1 bid on ebay) and installed the Progressive shocks, sissy bar and LePera seat. Painted the fenders with a spray can. Also installed a carb kit and breather. Got the gas tank to deal with next. I am going to get a body shop to pull / fill the dent and prime it. Then I’m going to rattle can it. Cash outlay so far after trading back and forth $7500. Not bad for a 2002 with 7400 miles! Every thing is coming off the Internet. Only purchase I made at the H-D dealer was the oil filter and fluids. –Anson Feelin’ Kinda RoughI read where you have been feeling kinda rough, hope you are doing better. I am real close to securing a building. I have to go to the government office tomorrow to check on zoning issues. We had planned on being up and running by April 1st but I don’t know if that will happen or not it may be by April 15th. I have already talked to the people at CCI and Drag Specialities. All I have to do is take pictures of the building with the sign in place and it is a done deal. You know I came to a point where it hit me that if I never tried then I would never know. I don’t plan on failng. The shame is not in failing but to me the shame is to never try. I am excited about the possibilities. It seems I have a lot of support around here and a lot of people pulling for me on this. I will let you know how the zoning thing comes out. I think it is going to go good, but you never know with these things. I can’t wait to put the key in the door the first day and know that it is up to me and not some asshole that could care less about bikes and bikers. I have been thinking about the inside of the shop and I know it is going to have that “old school” atmoshere. The magazines are a big improvment. I really got into the new Street Chopper! As soon as I get going I would like to put the mags in the shop for sale! Later! I’m no longer feeling down. I’m going to give these rags all I’ve got. I’m going to make them into magazines based on what my heart, experience and Bikernet readers love to see in a Custom Bike Mag. If anyone wants status quo, AMA guidelines, factory recommendations, then there are several mags that run that editorial package. Right or wrong, I’m doing it my way and hope that riders, enjoy the show. So far our numbers are up, and that’s what counts. Regarding readers’ concerns, I’m all ears. I’ll pay attention, and do whatever I can, without changing my code, to make each reader comfortable. This business is all about the ride, the passion and a never-say-die creative mentality. Let’s rock. Just like you and your shop endeavors. You only go around once. This is an opportunity to treat your customers the way you want to be treated, to build bikes like you see ’em and to do it to your tunes. Give it hell.–Bandit Stock Shovelhead Frame Blues So I’m on my own with a stock frame? That’s alright, I love the challenge! I’ll let you know what I find later this year. I’ve got 2 or 3 on the burner right now. Gotta get them done first. I saw in a MIDUSA catalog last year a rear drive sprocket for the trans with a 3/8 off-set. It might help your cause. –Fritz I’m still working with the issues and don’t seem to need an offset. Now I need a flat wheel sprocket, and I’m good to go. I’m going to work with Frank Kaisler on a series of techs that cover trans configurations and drivelines. He’ll find out the skinny.–Bandit Some People Are Never Happy I saw your note on the Bikernet i.e some people are never happy. The changes you have made have been incredible. I don’t drink any more, but so what, I definitely remember the party hardy days. Some regrets, but in the end not many. I’m 59 years and still love to ride and love the biker lifestyle. What you have done with Hot Bike has made it a much better magazine. The last issue was great. I love the jokes instead of another boring editorial. The mag is stocked full of great stuff from the jokes, beautiful women, new products, great bikes and on and on. Thanks for a great job. Keep the mag in the direction you are taking it. Its definitely the best one out there right now. Buy the way, I have an ’05 Electraglide. It started out as a standard but its more of a custom now. I’ll send a pic after I get the chrome wheels on today. I’d appreciate your feedback if you get a chance. Any how, thanks for Hot Bike. It just keeps getting better. Keep it Hot…. –Danny That’s the idea. Yeah, I’m getting up there, but I still feel like a kid, just can’t run as fast. Look forward to your Electraglide.–Bandit Shovelhead Wiring Recommendations You need to put a 4 fuse block under your dash panel for ignition , dash lights and headlights , brake and tail lights and horn. That will give you the starting point for your harness. For your starter you need to run a wire with a thirty amp fuse from the positive post on the battery to the large post on the starter relay. From the other large post on the starter relay run a wire to the small post on the starter solenoid. From the small post on the starter relay run a wire to the run / off switch. Take a wire from the run off switch to the starter button then run a ground to the frame off of the other post on the starter button. Now run a wire form the poss. post on the battery to the tall fat post on the solenoid it wouldn’t hurt to put a thirty amp fuse here also. Then take a wire from the short fat post on the solenoid to the starter. There it is electric start. LTR Wow. That’s complicated. I ran the cables then bent a feeler gauge from the small post on the Solenoid to the hot one, used a dice for the knob and pressed. –Bandit
–Pablo 
Sunday Artist’s Corner
Hey ya said to send ya samples of my art so here’s a coupla teasers. Thanx for lookin!!
–Grave
magicwolf2@mchsi.com
HOT BIKE Artist Here ya go Bandit….you asked me to send you some jpeg’s of some of my work, hoping to have it published in Hot Bike. I’ve been a commercial artist for more than 25 years, and up until 4 years ago, owned and ran my own sign and custom airbrush shop. I was injured on the job back then, and had to give up the business due to the chronic pain in my neck and back. I can still paint now and then, and with these examples, am hoping to become the next Dave Mann type artist to become a regular feature in Hot Bike.
As you may know, scanners don’t pick up the true details and colors in a painting, so please keep that in mind, as well as the fact that my home scanner is not quite large enough to show the entire page. I’ve tried to center things so that you can get the basic idea of each one. I can do any type of subject matter you’d need, be it anything from a more “family values” type painting, to a “boy’s night out” or even a more “Outlaw, 1%er” style. You give me the idea and direction you’d like to convey, and I can reproduce the feel with brush and paint, pen and ink.
Hopefully we can work something out where you’d need a monthly feature, a centerfold, or even a cover page for articles and/or fictional stories. Like I say, you name it, and I can draw it, from portraits to cartoons. Dave Mann was my hero, and while I like to somewhat show his style in my paintings, I also change it up a bit by adding some of my own flair. I can also do cartoon work in the Jon Towle mode, so basically anything you need, I’m your man.
Let me know if you like what you see, and let’s get things together and start working something out for your new project, Hot Bike. I’d love to get in on the ground floor with you in the rebuilding of the mag, and this could be a good way to do it. I’m almost finished building my very first ground up build, a Shovel Inna Softail, and a working with Hot Bike would sure help in me getting it finished before the season starts again.
–Jeff “Chief” Stockton
Chief, jockeyshifter@hotmail.com
THAT’S IT, LET’S HIT IT–Okay, I made the fender rails and only fucked up one thing. I thought I’d weld as much as possible so I won’t deal with bolts rattling loose. I welded the two fender bolts to the bottom of the fender rail, then they didn’t line up and never will, so I had to drill them out.
Then I dropped the notion of brass sculpted claws on this rig. I would love to do it, but it will take forever. So I went crazy with drill motors, then it dawned on me that with every treatment there’s rules, or guidelines. I knew immediately with the heat shield that I was off track. I wasn’t up to Paul Yaffe quality. I’ll ask around and report in.
So it’s margarita time, time to kick back with her sweetness or go for a ride. The sun is out, Daytona is calling. I can smell her perfume and gasoline. Have a helluve a week. We’ll bring you reports from Daytona as fast as they happen. I’m supposed to meet a Hamster for a night at Lollypops, 200 girls on the floor during bike week.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
