Drop Seat Sporty for Kristie


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This all began 38 years ago on the Big Island of Hawaii. Chris Calicdan’s dad, a phone company lineman, rode a raked-out Panhead at the time. Chris, at 2-years-old, stumbled into the garage as his father’s engineer boot kicked the starter lever and that rigid, with upsweeps, fired to life. It was the first time Chris shit his pants and meant it. The sparkling chrome locomotive on two wheels was reminiscent of a land mind going off in front of a lizard on a nearby rock. His life would never be the same.

Dad
Dad and his Pan.

“My dad always rode,” Chris told me as we discussed his biking background for this bike feature. He grew up in Hilo, the largest town of 45,000, on the 90,000-population island of Hawaii, or the Big Island. The most southern, eastern, and largest of the six-island chain, here’s a handful of history:

inshop
Chris, in his tin shop, working on his Ness frame, Pro Street FXR.

The youngest island in the archipelago, Hawaii’s Big Island is believed to be the first island Polynesian voyagers from the Marquesas Islands set foot on 1,500 years ago.

In 1778, Captain Cook arrived on Kauai, opening the door to an influx of westerners. Only a year later on the Big Island, warriors at Kealakekua Bay killed Cook after a contentious chain of events.

During this time of discovery, Hawaii’s Big Island was divided into separate chiefdoms, and war between factions was common. In 1791, Kohala-born Kamehameha united the Big Island and went on to unify all of the Hawaiian Islands. This was the home to King Kamehameha’s court until it moved to Oahu in 1804. In 1812, Kamehameha the Great returned to his beloved Big Island, where he died in 1819.

In 1820, the first missionaries arrived in Kailua-Kona. Other westerners followed, introducing cattle to the island. Parker Ranch was born, becoming one of the largest cattle ranches in the country. Sugar plantations also bloomed on the Hilo side in the 20th century.

Today, the Big Island remains a vital touchstone for Hawaiian culture. Throughout its modernization, one ancient Hawaiian god is believed to be alive and well here. Pele, the volcano goddess, has settled in Kilauea Volcano after moving south along the island chain. She continues to display her power today, keeping Kilauea in a constant state of eruption since 1983.

Of course, the white man arrived with the kindly old missionaries and delivered western religion and disease. Only 25 percent of the native population survived to tell about it, but we won’t go there.

primaryside
When I asked about riding on the island, Chris told me of the only active volcano in Hawaii.

“It’s constantly erupting and we have every climate,” he said.

Eleven different climate zones generate everything from lush rain forests to arid deserts, black sand beaches to snow-capped mountaintops.

“Hilo is overcast and cool, but when you ride to Kona, it’s sliced with lava flows and super hot, then you can run into mist, rain and cool roads. It rains between 180 and 200 inches a year. We’ve had 24 inches drop on our coast in one evening.”

That was way beyond my precipitation limit and I shifted interview gears.

“Let’s talk bikes.”

rear
Chris grew up around bikes. His first was a ’79 Sportster.

“My dad helped me get it, but it was kick only,” Chris said.

inshop3
Inside Chris’s shop.

One of his first jobs included a stint as a mechanic at the local H-D dealership, but when it went bankrupt, he opened his own shop, in a 2000-square foot old military Quonset hut five miles from the coast, next to the power plant.

“It’s an oven in the summer,” Chris said.

There are only three shops in the city, and he’s opened his creaking steel doors daily for five years, since 2004, building customs, servicing bikes, and designing himself a one-off scooter from time to time. The island is a haven of fat tire Softails and Island Boy-styled bikes, a fat FLH-styled scooter from the ’50s.

talllight
“You don’t see a lot of diversion from the norm,” Chris said. So, when he built this Sporty for his girlfriend, Kristie, the mother of his two sons, it turned out to be an island novelty.

Maybe I should back up some, so you’ll understand the motive for his build, and why he left the island’s custom lava path. He met Kristie while working as the bouncer in Hilo’s Shooters Bar a decade ago.

“I’ve been married once,” Chris said. “That’s enough.”

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Soon after, they had two young men, Xander, the brainiac and Wyatt, the biker, she took the riders training course, graduated, got her license and Chris built her an island traditional fat tire Softail. Life was good, and then mysteriously, he sold the Softail out of the shop.

Kristie teaches math at the local high school and the kids love to see her tool onto the campus aboard her customized Softail. So, it wasn’t going to bode well for the man of the house if she found out her trusty Softail ran off with a new owner. He needed to move fast.

pipeside
He got a call and an offered to buy an ’89 Sporty that had been collecting dust for 10 years in a hillside garage for $1,500. Chris made a beeline for the score. He took a fresh battery, aired up the flattened tires, and it fired to life. He was able, just barely, to steer the scooter to his tin shop, where he tore the engine away from the chassis.

“I sold the roller for $200 and ordered a drop seat rigid frame from Red Baron,” Chris said. In three weeks, the special order 6-inch stretched frame arrived with 40 degrees rake worked into the neck.

stack
He quickly set to work fabricating the handlebars, the coil mount, the rear fender, the battery box, the oil tank (in the frame top tube), the glass velocity stack, and the taillight. Between working on customer Softails and Island Boy bikes, he assembled, tore down for paint and chrome, reassembled and road-tested his girl’s new ride. He saved his ass. She digs the unique aspects of this Mini Cooper blue bike and the light, fast, Sportster agility he built into the driveline.

inshop2
All is well once more in the island paradise of Twisted Bike Worx, where Chris is capable of rebuilding motors and trans, welding, fabricating, and service. He has a readily available machine shop across the street. He handles all but chrome and paint. And he still builds big tire Softails and Island Boy bikes, but likes to branch out on his own customs, with light 200-tire rigids, and maybe even a low-buck Sporty custom from time to time.

inshopgrinding
He doesn’t venture off the island much since they shut the super ferries down.

“It runs $500 just to have your bike shipped to another island,” Chris said, but he ventures over from time to time to check out the action on the more crowded islands, then sneaks home to escape the squalor, to find his school teacher, life partner, and his dad, who still rides a strut-lowered FXR at 66 years of age.

FXR
“You’ve got to come visit us on the Big Island,” Chris said and I agreed. Just to hang at Twisted Bike Worx would be worth the trip.

–Bandit

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Bikernet.com Extreme Tech Chart

Regular Stuff

Owner: Twisted Bike Worx
Bike Name: The Reckoning
City/State: Hilo/Hawaii

Builder: Chris Calicdan/Twisted Bike Worx
City/state: Hilo/Hawaii
Address: 22 Halekauila Street
Phone: 808-938-9093
Web site: http://twistedbikeworx.shutterfly.com
E-mail: twistedbikeworx@hotmail.com
Fabrication: Chris Calicdan/Twisted Bike Worx
Welding: Chris Calicdan/Twisted Bike Worx
Machining: Dayton Jackson/Chris Calicdan

engine
Engine

Year: 1989
Make: Harley-Davidson
Model: XL1200
Displacement: 1200cc
Builder or Rebuilder: Chris Calicdan/Twisted Bike Worx
Cases: H-D
Case finish: Natural
Barrels: H-D
Bore: 3 ½”
Pistons: Wiseco
Barrel finish: Natural
Lower end: H-D
Rods: H-D
Heads: Branch Flowmetrics
Head finish: Natural
Valves and springs: Andrews High Lift
Pushrods: Andrews Adjustable
Cams: Andrews V4
Lifters: H-D
Carburetion: S&S Super “G”
Air cleaner: Glass Velocity Stack
Exhaust: Tedd’s Cycle
Mufflers: NOPE!

trans
Transmission

Year: 1989
Make: HD
Gear configuration:
Final drive: HHI Sprotor
Primary: H-D
Clutch: Barnett Kevlar
Kicker: NOPE!

frame
Frame

Year: 2008
Make: Red Barron Choppers
Style or Model: Single Down Tube Rigid
Stretch: 6” top tube
Rake: 40 degree
Modifications: In-the-Frame Oil Tank

frontend
Front End

Make: Ultima
Model: 58mm Inverted
Year: 2008
Length: Stock FXST

Paint
Sheet metal

Tanks: Stretched by Twisted Bike Worx
Fenders: Front/stock FXST Rear/Twisted Bike Worx
Oil tank: Twisted Bike Worx

Paint

Sheet metal: Kalae Wong/Russell Gomes
Molding: Kalae Wong/Michael Leopoldino
Graphics: Greg Kobayashi
Graphics or art: Greg Kobayashi

Wheels

Front
Make: DNA
Size: 21”X2.125”
Brake calipers: Custom Chrome
Brake rotor(s): DNA Stainless
Tire: 90/90-21 Maxxis

Rear
Make: DNA
Size: 5.50”X18”
Brake calipers: HHI Sprotor
Brake rotor: Stainless Sprotor
Pulley: NOPE!
Tire: 180/55-18” Dunlop

Controls

Foot controls: UMI
Finish: Chrome
Master cylinder: UMI Chrome
Brake lines: Russell
Handlebar controls: Custom Chrome
Finish: Chrome
Clutch Cable: Barnett Clear Coat Braided
Brake Lines Russell
Shifting: Forward Controls
Kickstand: Chrome

coil
Electrical

Ignition: Crane HI-4
Ignition switch: Toggle
Coils: Crane
Regulator: Chrome
Wiring: Twisted Bike Worx
Headlight: Chrome 4”
Taillight: Twisted Bike Worx LED
Accessory lights: NADA
Electrical accessories:
Switches: Toggle
Battery: Interstate AGM

seat
What’s Left

Seat: Thompson Upholstery
Mirror(s): Billet Ebay
Gas caps: Pop-up
Handlebars: Twisted Bike Worx
Grips: Avon Performance
Pegs: UMI
Oil filter: Chrome
Oil cooler: NOPE
Oil lines: Braided
Fuel filter: NOPE
Fuel Lines: Braided
Throttle: Chrome
Throttle cables: Braided
Fasteners: ACORNS!!!

shoptruck
Specialty items:Custom fabricated handlebars, headlight mount, coil cover/motor mount,LED taillight, license plate mount, rear axle, rear fender & supports, lowermotor mount, sprocket cover, glass velocity stack, air ride seat, batter box,in-the-frame oil tank.

Comments:I purchased this bike as a $1500 basket, and I owed my girlfriend a bike because I sold her previous bike. No one has built a full custom sportsteron the Big Island so I figured what the hell let’s do it.

Credits:Kristie Kelly(girlfriend)-PatienceMichael Leopoldino-General AssistanceGeorge Calicdan-General Assistance

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June 10, 2010 Part 1

BIKERNET THURSDAY NEWS – REPORT FROM HEATHER NEW, D&D DOES GOOD, HELMET LAWS SQUASHED, NEW SHOP IN FLORIDA AND MORE…

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Hey,

It’s another crazy day in Paradise. The City of Los Angeles, coupled to a stimulus job generating project, are widening and enhancing the 4-lane boulevard outside our building. It’s a 1-mile long project to the Harbor Freeway. It’s an indication of our over-complicated lives. They can’t just call a gang to widen the street, plant some palms and have a party. First, they need to deal with every city union, then create a team for the hiring and training employee prospects. Then they need to work with the Department of water and power, because all the telephone poles will be removed, all the lines will now be run underground. A new updated storm drain system will be included and of course, new lighting. Surveyors have been blocking traffic. A bid must go out to landscapers. Eminent domain elements come into play to widen the street. There will be serious traffic mitigation, detours, and warning signs have already been posted.

Inleadsetoftanks
Here’s the full set of Sucker Punch Sheet metal painted by Sarah Ray. Click the image for more info.

I’m just scratching the surface for a straight 1-mile project, and we all know the condition of the roads in our areas, the new developments and population growth. Hang on. Get me a shot of whiskey and let’s hit the news.

JackDanielscold

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SEMA POWER SPORTS ADVISORY COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD–WHAT SEMA HAS TO OFFER THE POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY:

Professional Industry Network:

?Over 12,000 individual members from over 7,100 member companies worldwide
?Cross-marketing opportunities provided by new buyer/markets, both domestic and international
?Lifestyle similarity between industries e.g., Custom V-Twins and Hot Rods, Motocross bikes, Dirt Bikes and Trucks, Metric Street Bikes and Sport Compact Cars, Drag Bikes and Dragsters, etc., etc.
?Grass roots racers and performance enthusiasts

Long, Enduring History:
?SEMA Association began in 1963
?SEMA Show began in 1967

EPA letter
Check the letter recently received by Dave Rash, the boss of D&D exhaust. I’ll run the whole complicated tamale next week.

Government Affairs:

SEMA has a proven legislative and regulatory program led by a professional staff based in Washington, D.C. that continually works on behalf of the membership.
?Government Advocacy/Legislative Programs
?Grass-root Enthusiast Support/SEMA Action Network (SAN)
?Political Action Committee (PAC)
?Quarterly PAC Newsletter
?Professional lobbying staff (Federal & State)
?Legislative alerts and comprehensive website

I’m on this Powersports committee to investigate whether a relationship between motorcycling and the automotive side can help both. So far it looks good. I will bring you reports on SEMA efforts and capabilities as we move forward. It looks like Bikernet will have a 5-Ball Racing booth at the SEMA Las Vegas show this year. Some 150,000 people attend every year. We will make our space available to various companies in our industry.–Bandit

SEMA banner
Anybody can join Sema, large companies, small, dealers and motorcycle related companies. They recently launched a PowerSports Action Groups that include street motorcycles.

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Badridewww

A FEW SUPPORTIVE WORDS FROM OUR BIKERNET WELDING INSTRUCTOR– Nice start on the Tig/Heli-Arc welding. You must try to make better fits on your tubing. Coping or fish mouthing the joints right make the welding much easier. This also puts less heat into the parent metal. Very important on Chromemoly tubing.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/video_library/tig.html

Miller has a good news letter out with lot’s of tips. http://www.millerwelds.com Look in the http://www.millerwelds.com/resources and wwwhttp://www.millerwelds.com/interests areas of the website. They also have a newsletter this http://www.millerwelds.com/newsletters

Keep it going, you’ll never want to weld any other way!!

–PSD
P.S. Heli-Arc is what I call “White Collar” welding by the way.

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Plumline Babe4 stretched on HD PanShovel

BIKERNET INSURANCE COMPANY WROTE AN AMAZING POLICY– We wrote a beautiful “Special Construction” Custom 1965 H-D Pan-Shovel for a customer in Louisiana this week. Here’s the quick low-down. We will do a full story on the build as it is a good and very unique one.

Special Construction Motorcycle Insurance – Bikernet’s Insurance Specialty.

As the banner in the Bikernet Blog says, “We Love Special Construction & Custom Bikes” and at Bikernet Insurance, we see a lot of sharp machines. No matter what, we can insure them all, with proper documentation.

Here are some pics of a special construction beauty we insured for a Bro out of Louisiana this week. It runs a 1965 Shovel, 88-cubic-inch motor with one hell of a history. The engine cases are all that was left from a ’65 Panhead police bike our customer picked up while serving in Beirut, Lebanon years ago.

That’s right, while out there protecting our freedom, he was also keeping an eye out for his future dream build. That’s dedication folks. It’s no wonder our military kick’s ass.

Another unique twist to this custom is being from Louisiana. This Bro and his family encountered a few storms there and over the years they almost killed this bike build. We’ll give ya the whole story in a future post.

In the meantime, check out these pictures of the bike (and the wife). Like they say, behind every good man is a great women.

Left Side - HD PanShovel - Plumline

Let the agents at Bikernet Insurance insure your Special Construction Custom right and at the lowest price possible. Here’s all we need to get started:

1. Go to our insurance department Click on the “Click Here” section of the orange Cool Customs “Specialty Construction” banner. Complete the quick application and submit.
2. Email us two color pictures, one left side and one right side views of the bike. Other photos welcome and will add to the bike’s credibility.
3. Send us a copy an “Official” Actual Cash Value Appraisal (Letter of the bike’s value from your local Harley dealer.)
4. While pics of your babe showing off the detail of your bike are not required to get your custom assembled beauty insured, we won’t ignore them.

Ride safe out there. We care about you. Contact us anytime: Online Services: Email: clientservice@bikernet-insurance.com
Toll Free: 888-467-8706
Direct: 858-566-8703
CA 0G67810 & 0D71028 Agents serving 20 states. States added as needed to serve customers.

BikernetinsuranceCARD

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beerbottlelife

THE BIKERNET ZEN MASTER SPEAKS–Life can be summarized in 4 bottles….Holy Shit!!! we’re on #3!

–from Paul Davis

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HDseverywhere

BIKERNET FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT REPORTS IN–Them gol-dang Harleys is everywhere………..

–Robin Hartfiel

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vrod 3

BIKERNET V-ROD SPY FINDINGS–Went to the 1/4 mile track this weekend with my club. Our V’s were running sub 12’s in the quarter at over 115 mph. Best time was 11.4 at 117 mph by the President, Blkbal! These bikes are fast.

vrod 4

I didn’t run because I still don’t have a tuner, but am really considering a Trask Turbo.

Also may throw a small fairing and some bags on it to create the worlds baddest night rod bagger.

–Johnny

vrod2

REPUBLIC HD BANNER

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Genosuperglide

DYNA DEAL OF THE WEEK–Hey youse guysI need to sell my Dynaits mint and a good price.

Please pass it aroundits located in Jesup, GA now

Thanks a ton
–Geno

geno osr-2home

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Indianadforfathersday

The New Indian Motorcycles West Coast Event Premier!LA Calendar Motorcycle Sunday July 18th 2010 Sponsored by Bikernet.com–Los Angeles, CA June 8th, 2010 – The Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show, America’s premier streetbike event, is excited to announce the return of an American legend with first West Coast show premier of the all new Indian Motorcycles on Sunday July 18th at the Queen Mary Event Park, Long Beach, CA.

Indian Motorcycles Los Angeles will be displaying all five new Indian Motorcycle models including the retro styled Chief Bomber shown here, and the more contemporary designs of the Chief Roadmaster and Chief Dark Horse. Dealer personnel will be on hand to show you the bikes, let you sit in the saddle, and arrange a future test ride. For additional information on Indian Motorcycle sales on the West Coast contact Indian Motorcycle Los Angeles at (310) 539-3366. For additional information on the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show go to: http://www.FastDates.com

Russ Brown & Chuck Koro Motorcycle Attorneys present the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show with Associate Sponsors: Iron Works Magazine, Mikuni Carburetors, California Harley-Davidson / Indian Motorcycle Los Angeles, CycleTrader.com, Bikernet.com, Meguiars Car Care Products, and the FastDates.com Calendars.

For additional LA Calendar Motorcycle Show & Calendar Girl Music Festival details including the show schedule, hotels and parking information visit http://www.FastDates.com

LAshowadv

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ZZtop

BIKERNET ARCHIVIST MEMO–I am in the process of getting rid of a bunch of old magazines, thumbing through them and came across this, I cannot seem to find my Number 4 ER Tech Tip issues, did you take em?

I am headed to the ROT Thursday or Friday I will make a better effort to take pictures of cute girls this year, unless it hot. If I don’t go up Thursday I am gonna try and make a different bike night?

–RFR

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softailrearend

AMAZING SOFTAIL PRODUCT OF THE WEEK–This is the latest product from my shop. Now anyone can make there Softail look seriously vintage . Our shop can furnish H-D swingarm conversions to the 1948 style rigid frame axleplates, or a customer can supply their swingarm, and we will take care of it. Or we can provide a complete Softail swingarm with 1948 axle plates installed.

Axleplates are $275.00 a set and the tubing and labor is $475.00. Powder coating is $100. Fast turnaround. We can also supply tubing, axleplates and instructions for doing your own work. All frame castings are made in the USA.

Call or click for questions, john@hardtailchoppers.com or www.hardtailchoppers.com

–John Casting

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ABATEofColo

ABATE OF COLORADO FUNDRAISER CAMPOUT–Here are the detail for this annual event:
Start Date: 6/11/2010
End Date: 6/13/2010
Location: ABATE of Colorado
City/State/Zip: Simla, CO 80835
Telephone: 303-789-3264
Sponsor: ABATE of Colorado
Website: www.abateofcolo.org
E-mail: statecoord@abateofcolo.org

Description: Join us for the weekend! Campout, live music, bike show, rodeo, poker run, food, 50/50, door prizes. This is a fundraiser for fallen bikers and or their families. Check out the ABATE web site, click on Randy Run for more information.

–Bruce Snyder

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funnycop

HELMET RECALL–Last month, in an agreement with the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration, Florida-based Advanced Carbon Composites announced a recall of all of its motorcycle helmets after testing revealed that the helmets failed compliance testing with the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 in virtually all categories. Test results and the recall are published on the NHSTA website.

ACC had long touted its $180 Headtrip carbon fiber/Kevlar helmets as the smallest and lightest DOT-compliant helmets on the market. Under terms of the agreement with NHSTA, ACC was to provide owners with prepaid shipping labels to return the defective helmets for a full refund. ACC also agreed to stop manufacturing, marketing, and selling motorcycle helmets.

Unfortunately for helmet owners, ACC has only honored the latter part of the agreement. As of June 9, 2010, all of ACC’s phone lines had been disconnected and the company’s website no longer exists.

The only option for helmet owners at this point is to file complaints with the NHSTA at 1-888-327-4236 and the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357.

–Bruce Snyder

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Dunderdevent

DUNDERDON X GODSPEED 45/06–PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION AND BOOK RELEASE,JUNE 25 2010 5 TO 9PM,FREE BEER AND WINE,25 HOWARD STREET NEW YORK.

Come thru on Friday the 25th and have a few drinks. All are invited, so spread the word. Let me know if you think you can make it.

–Cicero.
DUNDERDON.COM

GODSPEED4506.COM

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heather snow

SNOWBOUND ENGRAVER BREAKS OUT–It has been the longest spring in my memory …It snowed less than one week ago!No wonder Canadian riders get so anxious!

I wish I could tell you I’ve been busy…bits and pieces in months…The economy trouble trickled-down to my hands too, always difficult when one is self-employed!

new shocks

I was contacted a few weeks ago by Laura Klock..she’s doing an all-female build for the Michael Lichter show in Sturgis, andasked me if I would like to be part of the fun :)Naturally I am THRILLED!!I know Athena is one of them, which also has me chomping at the bit to get started on my small part of the project!

before

I have an interesting job right now… a guy from Eastern Canada sent me 4 mag wheels to add detail to…They were CNC’d with 3 wrapping dragons…and I had to add scales/fins etc…A ton of work, and so …finally…things are picking up for me 🙂

after

–Heather

Newlinebanner

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BIKERNET CORRESPONDENT REPORT ON BIG MOUNTAIN RUN ARTICLE–Since you posted my story and photos, I’ve gotten 18,874 hits on my photos from your web site. What an amazing amount of browsers hitting my photos!

Whew…you guys sure must get pounded with hits from all over the world on a daily basis!

–Marilyn

Here’s a link to her story: http://www.bikernet.com/events/PageViewer.asp?PageID=3315

Cyclesourcebanner

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PEASHOOTERENGINE

THE 5-BALL PEASHOOTER OVERTAKES THE BONNE BELLE BUILD AT DEPARTURE BIKE WORKS–It’s a race in more ways than one. The Bonne Belle, 1940 45 flathead with a K-model top end and Sportster lower end is being built at Departure Bike Works, in Richmond, Virginia. But suddenly the 5-Ball Peashooter is coming together faster at the Bikernet International World Headquarters, in the Port of Los Angeles. The engine is complete, the Frame is modified, the rider is being flown from Australia, and parts are coming from Paughco. This just in from the engine builder:

“Yesterday I pulled the cyl. head off the Peashooter and clayed the piston to check the clearance between it and the cyl. head, ” said Tom “Rodan” Evans. “It was a little tight, so I reworked the piston crown and we now have just enough clearance at TDC for good squish and no contact at RPM. Got rid of the tight spot we had, and now I can sleep without thinking about it. It’s ready for you to pick up.”

I will pick it up and head to Orange county for a mag cap. It’s broken and needs to be replaced.

–Bandit
click here for our latest Bonneville report: http://www.bikernet.com/Bonneville2010/PageViewer.asp?PageID=3318

BIKERNET BONNE SPONSOR 2010

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HDMarlboro

Brothers to build motorcycles at Billy Lane’s former Melbourne shop– There’s no swagger as he walks around his soon-to-open Melbourne showroom and workshop. Every other word out of his mouth isn’t an expletive. He’s not covered with tattoos.

“It’s because I’m from South Carolina and tattoo parlors are illegal in South Carolina,” the 40-year-old Parker said. “You actually have to travel out of state to get tattoos and I never did it. Now that I’m living here in Florida, I guess I should get some.”

Body art, however, isn’t Parker’s main mission these days. The art of building custom motorcycles is.In less than two weeks, he and his brother Shanon, plan on opening Parker Brothers Choppers at 1243 N. Harbor City Boulevard. If the address is familiar, it’s where Billy Lane operated Choppers Inc. for several years.

Parker Brothers has its logo — a shadowy image of the comic and tragedy masks — but it hasn’t been placed in front of the 3,500-square-foot burnt orange colored building where Parker and his brother will operate the business.

They plan to design, build and sell motorcycles ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Unlike other so-called custom motorcycle shops, the Parker brothers will build entire bikes, including fabricating parts and hand-manufacturing frames and metal work.

“All my life I’ve been building motorcycles and cars,” Parker said. “Where I grew up you start learning to swing a wrench at a pretty early age. You start tinkering with stuff when you’re young and then you start customizing things when you’re a little bit older because you want to make it cool.”One of those “cool things” is the replica of the “bat pod” motorcycle from “The Dark Knight” Batman movie. The two brothers spent 1,500 hours designing and putting together a working replica and then advertised it on eBay.

It drew tens of thousands of hits and, unfortunately, earned a rebuke from the “Dark Knight” film studio for using a trade marked logo. The brothers quickly removed the movie image and then they decided to raffle off their creation, selling 5,000 tickets at $20 each. The drawing will be held at noon July 31.

Parker, who once owned Parker Brothers bar in downtown Melbourne, stresses that for him, designing motorcycles and choppers is less about image and more about art. And art, more so than the fate of guys like Lane and James, is driven by the tepid recovery of the economy.

By all means, 2009 was a wreck of a year for the industry, according to the Irvine, Calif.-based Motorcycle Industry Council. Sales of street bikes, off-road motorcycles and scooters fell 43.2 percent from 2008. In the first quarter of this year, sales of motorcycles and scooters were down 4.6 percent compared with the same period in 2009.

Choppers, in the last 20 years, have become more popular as motorcycling in general has increased, said Peter Horst, a spokesman for the Pickerington, Ohio-based American Motorcyclist Association. That niche has been hit by the recession just as the industry as a whole has been affected, he said.

“It’s not inexpensive to buy custom-built motorcycles like that,” Horst said. “You have to have some expendable dollars to buy them.”Parker said he is well aware the rocky road ahead, at least for the near future, but he’s confident Parker Brothers Choppers won’t take a spill.

“Everybody is hurting right now,” Parker said of the economy. “But if you do things that are unique enough and you stand out from the rest of the crowd, you can still make a decent living doing the custom-bike thing.”

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Fat Cat lookin good 2 06 2010

D&D RECOMMENDATION–Baggerman Craig wrote to D&D Performance Enterprises about his his 2006 Street Glide outfitted with a 95″ Big Bore kit, S&S 510 gear drive cams and Big Sucker breather. “D&D was recommended to me by a racing guru friend for their performance with this bike,” says Craig. “I love the pipes. They look great and sound great.” He says people often notice and ask about the pipes, “I would definitely recommend them.”

Get more details at D&D Performance Enterprises.

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Continued On Page 2

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