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Read More THE CHOPPER OF CHOPPERS FOR SALE
By Robin Technologies |
This bike represents an upbeat era when choppers were kings and the Discovery Channel made it so.
We are going to attempt to tell the story of the bike, the shows, and the esteemed owner, Hugh “The Chopper” King, the producer/director.
Hugh actually worked for Easyriders, as the video editor/director, while I watched over the magazines. But he moved on to Original Productions. Motorcycle Mania was the first motorcycle show and I got a call. “Who should I recommend?” Dave Nichols asked. I said Jesse James, and the rest is history.
“Tom Beers, the boss of Original Productions, came to me,” Hugh said. “He asked me if I knew anything about motorcycles, and I said I knew everything about motorcycles, which of course I didn’t.”
“I had worked for one year at Easyriders, “Hugh continued, “doing Easyriders home videos, back when Keith Ball was the editor. These videos really captured the hard core, get down, biker lifestyle. So when Discovery came to us about a custom Harley show, I was all over it.”
The industry started flying and the ratings for these shows went through the roof. During filming at an Easyriders granddaddy bike show in Columbus, the Discovery Channel guys interviewed me and they asked what sorta chopper show I would suggest.
I told them about a bike build-off series that would culminate in a test ride from one wild location to another. Tom Beers and Original Productions suggested the East vs. West aspect to Discovery and they signed off on the notion with a competition between Rodger Bourget and Billy Lane.
“It was East Coast vs. West Coast, Old School vs. more streamlined,” said Hugh, “and it would end at a small out of control event in North Carolina, the Smoke Out by Commander Edge, the magnificent creator and founder of the wildest bike run on the planet.”
“Roger built his beautiful machine in honor of his daughter,” said Hugh, “who was killed on a motorcycle on the previous New Year’s Eve. It was very moving. His bikes are mean, man, and they run. The guys rode like bats out of hell, at over 100 mph a lot of the time, from Florida to North Carolina. At one point, Billy hit a big pothole, and flew so high into the air I thought we were going to lose him. That episode was really well received, which was enough for Discovery to order four more, and then seven after that, and 11 after that. There were a total of 44 Biker Build-offs.”
Hugh and I talked from time to time during the seasons. The flurry of action was high and the drive-by builders to be celebrities flew over the top. I remember riding my 2003 Road King to the Laughlin River Run. Hugh invited me to, I believe, the unveiling of this bike, but as usual, I got lost with a girl in the desert and never made it. While at Hot Bike, I attended with my crew one of the season finales to celebrate the builders and their accomplishment. The King presided over the festivities.
In the next episode, we will cover more of the extreme history of the famous Biker Build-offs and the Chopper King. Then we will cover this creation by most of the major Build-off players including Billy Lane, Arlen Ness, Chica, Eddie Trotta, Kendall Johnson, Mitch Bergeron, Russell Mitchell and Joe Martin. Hang on for the next report.
This chopper may end up on eBay, but if you’re seriously interested reach out to Hugh King at: hughk16@gmail.com.
Doug Coffey’s RetroMod Panhead Part 5
By Robin Technologies |
Back in the sixties the movie Wild Angels came out shortly followed by a soundtrack album with a great cover
One of the bikes on the cover caught my eye. The one to the right of the lead bike has a set of low rise Zee style handlebars. Try as I might I could never find a manufacturer low rise Zee bars. Everything available was four inch rise or higher and it is still the same today.
I decided I would make my own Zee bars for this new bike project.
I wanted a beefier look for my handlebars than the usual one inch diameter so I used 1-1/4 inch DOM tubing and cut the pieces to size on my milling machine.
I made the end pieces from one inch tubing and after welding everything together I finally had some 1-1/2 inch low rise Zee bars
My good friend Ron McBroom from Paughco offered to chrome plate my bars for me and I think he did a darn fine job.
Risers
I wanted handlebar risers that looked just like original Glide risers but I had a problem. Original Glide risers are made for one inch handlebars and my bars were 1-1/4 inch which is 25% larger.
I wasn’t going to let that stop me so I made a drawing of the original Glide risers scaled up 25% larger.
After boring and tapping a hole to 1/2 x 13 threads per inch for mounting, I bolted them into an angle plate on my mill and bored a 1-1/4 inch hole for the bars.
In the picture at right you can see a stock original Glide riser.
After boring the holes for the bars on my milling machine the risers went back on the lathe for turning.
The left picture shows the turning work done including a guide groove for slitting the caps off later on the mill.
The right picture shows the finished product ready for polishing. I also drilled and tapped the holes for the Allen bolts on the milling machine.
I don’t much care for rubber mounted handlebars so I turned some mounting adapters on my lathe.
Mission accomplished.
(it only took me 45 years to get around to doing this)
Rebirth of an American Classic: The Build Begins
By Robin Technologies |
After months of planning, my 1933 Harley-Davidson build officially started on Black Friday. That’s when I made the long trip up to Replicant Metals (www.replicantmetals.com), located a mere 7 hours north of me in Pennsylvannia. Owner Tom Feezer was waiting for me with a set of matched 1933 VL cases when I walked into the shop. These will serve as the basis for my build and are the most important part as the VIN number stamped on these cases is what makes the motorcycle a ’33 model. I plan to stay true to what the factory produced in ’33, but technically anything I build with these cases will be titled as a ’33 Harley-Davidson.
Setting aside the cases, I started making a pile of the other parts: heads, cylinders, cams, flywheels, rods and cam cover. Everything needed a trip through the blasting cabinet to knock off 80 years of built up grease and grime. Before loading up the blast cabinet, some of the parts needed to be broken down further, including the cases and the cam cover.
Starting with the cases, there were still some cylinder studs which needed to be removed.
Normally, I’d just use the old two nut trick to back them out, but Tom actually had a specialty tool from Snap-On for removing them. The tool comes with a number of collets which are sized for different thread pitches and bolt diameters. You screw the collet onto the stud and then slide a collar down over the collet. The opposite end of the collet in threaded on the outside, which allows you to screw a nut onto which forces the collar down the collet. As the collar slides down the collet, it tightens the collet onto the stud. Once the collet is secured onto the stud, you just unscrew the entire set up as one piece. The result is easy stud removal without damaging the stud or the case.
The idler gear and shaft also needed to be removed which was accomplished by first removing the retaining ring which keeps the gear on the shaft. After removing the retaining ring, the idler gear slid right off without any problems. The shaft proved to be a trickier to get out, but we were able to carefully pry it out after threading a bolt into the end of it. Using blocks of wood to protect the case, a small pry bar was slipped under the bolt head to pry out the shaft.
Next I turned my attention to the cam cover, which turned out to be the most complicated part to disassemble. Unlike modern motorcycles, the VL cam cover is used to houses the oil pumps and timer. All of these parts are held in with flathead screws, so special attention was paid not to damage them. The first step was to give everything a get soak in Kroil penetrating lubricant.
That did the trick for all but one screw. In the end, it took careful heating of the cam cover with a torch to break that last screw loose. These parts had enough surface grease on them that the needed to be cleaned in lacquer thinner to get them to a state suitable for putting in the blast cabinet.
Now I had enough parts to get started on the blasting process. The cabinet was filled with a fine grain aluminum oxide medium, which is gentle enough not to cause serious damage to the aluminum. Still, it was important to keep the gun moving back and forth to make sure that no one spot was cleaned to aggressively and to keep the overall color and surface texture even. As a precaution, I also taped over the VIN number just to make sure that it wasn’t damaged as well as plugging all the bushing holes.
About half a day was spent blasting the cases, cam cover, oil pumps, timer parts, connecting rods and flywheels before I moved onto the cams. The V-series engine uses four gear driven cams, much like a modern Sportster, each cam as one lobe which opens either and exhaust or an intake valve. Upon close inspection of my cams, I discovered that the worm gear on cam #4, which drives the oil pump, was damaged.
This is an easy fix if you have a replacement shaft available. On V-series cams, the shafts are pressed onto the gear/lobe clusters, so to make this repair I just had to press out the damaged shaft and press in a replacement. Harley designed these cams with an alignment tab, so they can only be assembled in the correct orientation.
When the repair was complete, the cams went into the blast cabinet to clean up the gears. I was careful not to blast any surfaces that would come in contact with the bushings in the case or cam cover.
Lastly I turned my attention to the cylinders and heads. The cylinders were in good shape, without any broken fins and only bored .005” and .010” over stock. All they required was removing the old hi-temp paint from the external surfaces in the blast cabinet. The heads had some minor fin damage which is very common on flatheads. Fins can be easily snapped off when removing the heads if the wrong tool is used.
Since the damage to my heads was not extensive, I decided to use a die grinder to smooth out the broken fins. Once painted, they should blend together nicely and it will take careful inspection to spot the damaged areas.
The heads were placed in the blast cabinet for final cleaning. To help protect my freshly cleaned heads and cylinders, they were all sprayed with an aircraft primer made by Tempo. Don’t be alarmed by the green color, they’ll get top coated black.
After a few pictures were taken, everything was boxed up to be sent out to the machine shop for inspection. After the machinist gives the ok on these parts, they’ll come back to the shop for a final cleaning to remove any debris left by the blasting process. Then it will be time to rebuild the engine.
Editors Note:
If you would like to contribute to the completion of this bike please use the link below.
This project started on Black Friday of 2013 with just a set of engine cases and will end with a complete 1933 Harley-Davidson VL making a cross country run in the fall of 2014. Already a great deal of progress has been made on the restoration of this motorcycle, but more funding is needed to see this project through to the end. Additional articles will continue throughout the remainder of this build and will result in a complete digital archive which takes the reader through the restoration of a 1933 Harley-Davidson, step by step. By making this information available freely online, future vintage motorcycle enthusiasts will be able to rebuild and maintain these great machines.
We have already gained the support of many of the top compaines in the vintage motorcycle industry. If you would like to see your company’s logo included not only on the motorcycle, but also on every article, please contact me directly to learn more about our marketing campaign and advertising opportunities. EMAIL
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The Amazing SHRUNKEN FXR Updated
By Robin Technologies |
Once upon a time there was a bike built called the Shrunken FXR. Keith “Bandit” Ball, of Bikernet and other assorted fame, built it. By a stroke of good fortune the bike became mine through the generosity and trust of Keith Ball.
This bike was my daily commuter for a handful of years. It was and is always a challenge and a ton of fun navigating the streets and freeways of Los Angeles on two wheels and especially on a custom built motorcycle.
I decided it was time to update the look of the bike as well as do some fine-tuning of a few mechanical items I wanted to switch up a bit. Below is a brief summary of what was done, again primarily with the help of friends and some extra cash from my Pops to help get it all finished up proper.
First I replaced the front fork tubes with new fork tubes made by Forking by Frank. Styles have changes, so I installed new handlebars, 10-inch baby apes mated to Black Boyd Motor Co. risers.
I work at the magnificent ARCH motorcycle company and LA Chop Rods, so natch; I installed Black Anodized hand controls by ISR purchased. They are absolutely the best and contain the mechanical Bandit approved styling.
I replaced the mirrors with 2-inch Blind spot jobs by CRG (Small and work great). We
Powder-coated the classic Performance machine wheels black (Thanks to Custom Metal Finishing in Gardena CA, who handle the high-end ARCH motorcycle extreme perfectionist coating).
We manufactured a new Shift arm and Brake arm to improve function. Ryan Boyd, Boyd Motor Co./Arch Motorcycle, is a master machinist and engineer. He configured then machined these components to enhance the rear brake functions, and it now works like a charm, plus it improved shifting dramatically.
We replaced the pegs with something sport bike like and again Ryan stepped up to design and machine one-off mounting bracket adaptors.
We reworked the exhaust basically back to the original first version, added BBQ paint and LA County Chop Rods baffles.
These upgrades, in addition to the rear shocks by Progressive and my comfy Saddlemen seat make the Shrunken FXR road ready and looking fresh for 2016.
Me owning this bike and updating would not be possible without the help and kindness of the following wonderful humans beings: Keith “Bandit” Ball, Dr. Ladd Terry, Gard Hollinger, Ryan Boyd, Jose Laguna, Saddlemen, L.A. County Chop rods, Custom Metal Finishing, Boyd Motor Co., Frank’s maintenance and engineering.
Here’s a link to the original feature, if you search the Shrunken FXR on Bikernet, you’ll find all the build articles: http://www.bikernet.com/pages/Amazing_Shrunken_FXRThe_Full_Feature.aspx
–Buster Cates
BIKERNET RESOURCES
The Magnificent ARCH motorcycle factory
LA Chop Rods
Saddlemen
BDL
Progressive Suspension
The Mudflap Girl FXR Saga
By Robin Technologies |
It all started when a brother was desperate for cash and I bought a basket case Dyna, and with the help of JIMS machine turned it into an FXR. I started to build it for my son, Frank, the tattoo artist, around an old Kenny Boyce-styled pro street frame. Making progress on this build, with a massive upside down Custom Chrome front end, a brother stumbled into my shop and told me about Paul Cavallo and Spitfire Motorcycles.
Paul’s been around the industry for a couple of decades. When the economy tanked, he hung on with his dad and started Spitfire motorcycles. He was struggling and a brother thought I could help by using a couple of his Spitfire components on a Bikernet.com build. I went to visit Paul and was inspired by his non-stop drive to create new components daily, build world-class old school chops for customers, and kick ass at shows all over the country.
Then I was hit with the bike builder blues. My girlfriend left and I was forced to sell my 2003 Road King, leaving me with a ratty rigid Shovelhead and a Bonneville racer to ride. I needed a new girl and a long distance rider. Too often, around the campfire we debated twin cams versus Evos and most of the bros confirmed the solid stature of the FXR configuration. A plan formulated to build myself another FXR. I returned to Paul’s shop to cut a deal on a chassis for myself. Both were stretched, almost single-loop, long-distance riders with Spitfire Girder front ends.
Paul’s team built my chassis in pure traditional FXR style and Frank’s in the pro street configuration. We re-manned Frank’s FXR engine in black and chrome, and I ordered a bone-stock crate H-D 80-inch Evo. Both transmissions were rebuilt by the JIMS crew to be 6-speed overdrive units. I went with chain final drive and Frank used a stock belt.
The overwhelming concept revolved around building a bike that’s a chopper to the bone, but could be easily ridden across the country. My stretched gas tank holds well over three gallons, the oil tank contains nearly four quarts of oil, and I installed an oil cooler for heat waves. The Spitfire bars are held in place with Custom Cycle Engineering dog bone rubber-mounted classics.
I used Contrast Cut Performance Machine grips and pegs for style, yet road comfort. The bike is rubber-mounted for vibration-free riding. I worked closely with David Zemla of Progressive suspension until we configured a shock system capable of affording me some suspension with somewhat limited travel.
The girder is an uplifting quandary. With the Spitfire structure I could feasibly install almost any shock system, with whatever spring rate I decided on. I’m still messing with the gas-operated Rockshox.
I’m missing the best part, the Saddlemen seat. This seat was carefully configured at the Saddlemen manufacturing facility in Los Angeles, from the heavy-duty fiberglass seat pan to the spine-relieving slot, to the better than foam gel, and the ultimate breathing resilient fabric. That puppy is amazing.
The engine is virtually stock with the exception of a Bennett’s Performance-installed Andrews Cam, S&S oil breather gear, and Branch flowed heads, all their state-of-the-art valves and springs, and intake manifold. I ran an Andrews EV-27 cam and Andrews chrome-moly adjustable pushrods for less flex, a new cam bearing and the Branch flowed stock heads, for 8.9:1 compression, 78 cc Branch-flowed chambers, and 75-80 horses at 2,600 rpms.
The bike was built specifically for the road, but with chopper styling. I can’t leave anything alone, or ride a stock bike. It’s against my nature, but I can ride a scooter that will get me there comfortably in style.
For the first time in my bike-building life, I built this bike in bare form, wired it, and rode it for almost eight months. The benefits are immense, since I could make changes and adjustments throughout this road or rode research period. It gave me an extended period to investigate color schemes, build the front fender, break stuff, repair, and outright replace components, including my goofy chain guard.
It’s odd, but even with 2,000 miles under her belt, I still came up with last-minute changes during the paint and powder process. I added a keyless ignition system from Digital Dawg, which proved to be a safety and security feature. The drawback to riding a bare vehicle for an extended period included rust and oil management.
Still, when I assembled the bike for the final time, I ran into rear powder-coated fender expansion, and adjustments to the position of my one-off Spitfire oil bag to prevent chain damage. Maybe a rear belt would have been a wiser decision, maybe not.
Finally, the Mudflap Girl represents the open road. She represents the drawbacks of industry when it takes our girls away from us. And lastly she represents the desire to find our Mudflap Girl at home or down the road.
IRONWORKS EXTREME TECH CHART
Specifications
Name: Keith “Bandit” Ball
Owner: Lt. Ball
Builder: Ballintsky
GENERAL
Year, Make & Model: 2012 Mudflap Girl FXR
Assembly/Builder: Ballorama
Timeline: 8 months
FORKS
Year/Model: 2012 Girder
Builder: Paul Cavallo, Spitfire Motorcycles
Type: Girder
Triple trees: Spitfire
Extension: 9 inches over stock
ENGINE
Year/Model: 2011 H-D
Rebuilder: New
Displacement: 80 cubic inches
Lower End: assembled by S&S
Balancing: S&S
Pistons: H-D
Cases: factory
Heads: Branch O’Keefe
Cams: Andrews
Lifters: S&S
EFI/ Carb: Trock modified CV
Air Cleaner: Roger Goldammer
Pipes: D&D
Ignition: Crane Hi-4
TRANSMISSION
Year/Modifications: 2012 JIMS overdrive 6-speed
Engine sprocket: BDL
Trans sprocket: JIMS 23-tooth
Wheel sprocket: 51-tooth
Secondary drive: Biker’s Choice chain
FRAME
Year: 2012
Designer/Builder: Paul Cavallo/Spitfire Motorcycles
Rake/Stretch: 5 inches up, 2 out
ACCESSORIES
Bars: Spitfire
Risers: Custom Cycle Engineering dog bones
Fenders: Bar Knuckle/Toby/Bandit front, Biker’s Choice rear
Gas Tank: Biker’s Choice
Oil Tank: Spitfire
Headlight: Old spot
Taillight: Donkey from Biker’s Choice
Speedo: Wire Plus
Pegs: Performance Machine Contrast Cut
Electrics: Wire Plus, Digital Dawg (keyless), Biker’s Choice
Seat: Custom by Saddlemen
WHEELS/TIRES
Front Wheel: Metalsport
Front Tire: Avon
Size: 19
Rear Wheel: Metalsport
Rear Tire: Avon
Size:
Hubs: Metalsport
Rotors: Metalsport
Brakes: GMA
PAINT
Bodywork/Molding: none
Painter: Chris Morrison and George the Wild Brush
Color: Super silver
Powdercoating: Worco silver and asphalt satin black
Sources:
Biker’s Choice
BDL
Custom Cycle Engineering
D&D Exhaust
JIMS
MetalSport
S&S
Saddlemen
Spitfire
Wire Plus
Bennett’s Performance Final, Maybe
By Robin Technologies |
Bennett’s Performance touts being the performance test bed for all-things big twin performance and handling in Long Beach, California. The team is also very involved in Bonneville Land Speed Record efforts. Unless the California Air Resources Board decides to shut down every California custom or performance shop, they will be burning rods, turning lathes, and twisting wrenches until they die.
I say, “They,” and I’m referring to Eric Bennett, the boss, and his longtime mechanic and Dad, Bob. Other technicians come and go. Plus, next-door are the men, including Jerry Branch, and John O’Keefe, who are the masters of the flow bench and headwork at the Branch O’Keefe machine shop.
All shops big and small in California live in fear of being shut down. But let’s not go there. For a few minutes let’s pretend that freedom rings in this country and our political structure loves folks who build anything from hot rods to custom motorcycles. They even support the notion that loud pipes saves lives, because it’s true. They love it that guys don’t beat their wives or do drugs, that they learn how to work with their hands and create something one-off, which they can ride to work or to Sturgis with pride. Am I dreaming or what?
Eric recently came across this 2004 Dyna and decided to research every performance resource and build himself the best hot rod Dyna on the planet, as a test project for anything performance, for Twin-Cams. He did, and we followed the process on Bikernet.com, and this is the third and last stellar episode. But wait, their could be more, according to Eric’s assessment at this point.
“I need to change the shocks,” Eric said. “They are too low and shifting the weight to the rear. I need to tighten the handling.”
Eric was pushing is Dyna onto his shop dyno as we strolled into Bennett’s Performance, a very clean and well-organized shop, a couple of weeks ago. “I wanted to dyno it one final time without a rev limiter,” he said and discovered a dyno malady. The battery was low. At about 5500 rpms the dyno results didn’t indicate a smooth transition through the gears, but jumpy results. He was dying to try again, but we were forced to take a break.
“We’ve run across jumpy dyno results with other rubbermounted bikes, specifically Dynas,” Eric said. With the dyno fixed he removed his air cleaner and backing plate to allow the carb to float. Then he changed his 48 mm Mikuni main jet to the next larger size, for more fuel, and he retarded his timing one notch. He pulled it twice on the dyno and was proud to watch it jump from 117 hp, and to 119 hp, and 121 pounds of Torque. The power range was perfect for street use.
Eric now has 1978 miles on the bike since he rebuilt and upgraded the engine from 88 inches to 106. Shortly after the bike was completed and running, his dyno pulls indicated 112 hp and 119 pounds of torque, then 116 hp and 118 pounds of torque with a carb change, more miles and tuning.
Our discussion shifted back to handling. “At 100 it starts to wiggle,” Eric said, “There’s too much weight on the back.” He plans to install 14-inch Ohlins. Today, the lower badder look is slipping away for the jacked, terrific suspension, badass, dirt bike, café racer, SOA, go fast appearance.
We discussed the new CCE stiffer rubbermounts for Dynas, which might do the trick. “I still won’t be able to dial-in the handling as well as FXRS, like the Unknown Industry guys,” Eric said. “With my handling issues, they pulled away at just over 100 mph. The front feels fine, but I haven’t decided what to do with my number plate. Newer Dynas have additional gussets, but nothing like the FXR, period!”
He plans to black out the wheels and add Michelin tires, but he loves this engine configuration. “It’s perfect,” Eric said. “I didn’t need to machine the cases or crank up the compression. The cam isn’t radical, and I could run stock cylinders.” Jerry Branch told Eric that engines are like a combination lock. One number off and the system doesn’t work.
He’s currently looking for an ’06 or ’07 Dyna 17-inch rear wheel, and he will run a 160 tire. “It still gets 42 mpg. Reaching more than one horsepower per cubic inch with a naturally aspirated engine. It’s impressive.”
The S&S lower end contains a 4.5-inch stroke with 3 7/8-inch S&S pistons. Eric blocked the Mikuni carb out one inch to allow the air and fuel to atomize more before it reached the intake valves. “It’s a smoother delivery to the chambers,” Eric said. “We were lucky to score a set of Dave Thew heads designed for monster JIMS 116-inch motors by the Branch/O’Keefe team. This combination with 2.02 intake and 1.610 exhaust valves, and some slight porting, coupled with a Redshift .647 lift cam, and 11.5:1 compression gave Dave Thew 132 ass-kicking horsepower and 132 pounds of torque.
Dave’s bike with fat tanks and beach bars could not be beat at the drags.
I spoke to Eric’s dad who talked of his Bonneville bikes and going after a 167 mph record. Eric was the rider. “We couldn’t get over 161, but then I learned about aerodynamics. I gained 9 mph by moving the pipes inboard. We gained another 5 mph when Eric shifted his riding position and tucked one foot behind the primary.” They grabbed a record.
So, you can tell by the smell of go-fast, the posters of Burt Munro on the wall, and the Bennett record next to the counter, that this group is all about motorcycles and folks who ride hard and fast. Hang on for the next report.
Bikernet.com Extreme Bennett’s Performance Tech Chart
Regular Stuff
Owner: Eric BennettBike
Name: Brute
City/State: Signal Hill Ca
Builder: Eric BennettCity/state: Signal Hill, CA
Company Info: Bennett’s Performance Inc.
Address: 1940 Freeman Ave,Signal Hill Ca, 90755
Phone: 562 498 1819
Web site: Bennettsperformance.com
E-mail: Bennettsperformance@verizon.net
Fabrication: Bennett’s
Manufacturing: Harley-Davidson
Welding: me
Machining: me
Engine
Year: 2004
Make: Custom
Model: Twin cam
Displacement: 106 cubic inches
Builder or Rebuilder: Eric Bennett
Cases: H-D
Case finish: Black
Barrels: H-D turned round By Branch
Bore: 3 7/8-inch
Pistons: S & S
Barrel finish: stock
Lower end: S&S
Stroke: 4 ½-inch
Rods: S&S
Heads: Branch #4 Dave Thew mods
Head finish: Stock
Valves and springs: AV&V
Pushrods: S&S
Cams: 585 S&S
Lifters: S&S
Carburetion: Mikuni 48 mm modified by Bennett’s
Air cleaner: S&S muscle
Exhaust: D & D Bob cat modified by Bennett’s
Mufflers: D&D Bob Cat
Transmission
Year: 2004
Make: H-D
Gear configuration: Stock 5-speed with wpc treatment
Primary: stock
Clutch: Rivera Primo Pro Clutch
Final drive: Stock
Frame
Year: 2004
Builder: H-D
Style or Model: Dyna
Stretch:stock
Rake:stock
Front End
Make: H-D Speed Merchant
Model: 2004 Dyna sport
Year: 2004
Length: Stock
Mods: Speed Merchant Trees, risers, grips
Sheet metal
Tanks: H-D
Fenders: stock
Panels: stock
Oil tank: factory
Paint
Sheet metal: nicked Black
Molding: none
Graphics: Nothing yet, maybe pinstriping
Type: Factory
Pinstriping: Maybe George the Wild Brush
Wheels
Front
Make: H-D
Size: 19-inch
Brake calipers: Brembo
FrontBrake rotor(s): Lyndall
Tire: Metzler
Rear
Make: H-D
Size: 16-inchBrake calipers: Stock
Brake rotor: Lyndall
Pulley: H-D
Tire: Dunlop
Controls
Foot controls: Factory stock Master cylinder: H-D
Brake lines: Barnett
Handlebar controls: Factory Clutch
Cable: Barnett
Brake Lines: Barnett
Shifting: Stock
Kickstand: Factory
Electrical
Ignition: Dyna twin cam 88
Ignition switch: H-D
Coils: H-D
Regulator: Stock
Charging: Spyke
Starter: H-D
Wiring: Mostly stock
Headlight: Alloy Art
Taillight: Alloy Art
What’s Left
Seat: Le Pera
Mirror(s): Speed Merchant
Gas caps: Stock
Handlebars: Todd’s Cycle
Grips: Speed merchant
Pegs: Speed Merchant
Oil filter: Hi Flo
Oil cooler: Jag
Throttle cables: Barnett
Fasteners: Unbrako
Specialty items: Custom Number Plate fabricated by Brandon at Speed Merchant
Credits: S&S Cycle, Alloy Art, Speed Merchant, Mikuni Carbs, Rivera Primo, Bikernet, Lyndall Racing Brakes.
Sources
Bikernet Bike Build: BETSY’S REVIVAL STORY Part 2
By Robin Technologies |
Oncethat trailer gate hit the driveway back at home I could see tired ol’Betsy begging for another chance at life! As I walked aroundthe trailer she lay resting after the 1500 mile journey back. Iassessed the impending task of making this Ol’ girl right again.
“Rode hard and put up wet,” I said to myself thinkingof all the journeys and adventures she served Scooter Tramp Scotty through.As I took in every line every worn out part of this soul servingmachine I tried to imagine all the places she saw, all thelandscapes, the women who made passenger, the endless white lines stretched for over half-a-million miles. The nomadicvessel of freedom that is this motorcycle I now have the honor ofsorting out to make whole again.
Ilugged the broken pieces of this ’88 Electra Glide into the garageone by one. With an enthusiastic fire burning inside that I’vebecome a master at harnessing, I went straight to rearranging the shop foraccommodation of the new project. The work bench was clearedand the sorting of parts began, one-by-one. The bike “formallyknown as” Betsy quickly became a shell of her former self.The quest to get to her skeleton was my frantic goal, because there iswhere the worst lie waited to be healed. The evening faded to nightquickly and sleep was beckoning.
Tomorrow would be a new daybut with it came the disruptive chore of work so Betsy would laywaiting for my 6:30 return from the daily grind.
Ipulled in to the house with anxious anticipation to strip her down tothat rusted and broken frame.As all parts lay categorized on the bench, I was left staring at 20years of grease and road grime thicker than the remaining paint theMoCo laid down 29 years prior. Before I could send this frameto repair, I had to get the layers of gunk off.
Thoughtsimmediately flooded my mind of just how many states and how manycountries this dirt belongs to! As I started scraping andcompiling clump by clump into the jar my imagination raced again intothe tapestry of visions stretching from Panama to Alaska where thistrusty companion carried her rider faithfully. I was holding inmy hand crust of the earth scooped up by Scooter Tramp Scotty’s gypsyjourneys traversing the entire North American continent for twodecades. WOW!
Nowof course you know all of this has been documented in picturesthrough social media and through that incredible juggernaut I wasable to reach. I announced toFacebook land my intentions with Betsy and the response wasoverwhelming. This resurrection would only be possible withhelp of the great people who reached out to aid in thisreconstruction.
With the frame in real bad shape, it became my first and most important part of the restoration. An unsuspecting buddy reached out to me.Little did I know, he had been following the unfolding of theRevival of Betsy. Mr. Steve Brownell of Brownell Metal Studio, who has been a great friend of mine for a number of years extendedhis professional welding expertise. You see Steve has been inmetal manipulation for over 30 years doing high-end architectural andstructural work for some of Virginia’s finest establishments. Amaster welder and fabricator in every type of metal from brass,stainless, bronze, aluminum and steel, his craftsmanship is upperechelon in the industry.
Bringingthis exhausted carcass to his hands of healing was a no brainer.I asked Steve, “Can you fix her road ravaged frame, brother?”He smiled ear to ear responding, “Of course I can.””I’ll have her back together better than the day sherolled off the assembly line.” My confidence in thisrevival mirrored the words from Steve’s mouth at that moment. Iknew this was the beginning of Betsy’s second coming!
Stevewasted no time in tackling the task. Explaining to me how he had been followingScotty’s adventure, as many have, he was piqued by the ScooterTramp’s offbeat lifestyle and was excited to be a part of Betsy’srebirth. First line of business was tobead blast every square inch of the frame to expose any unseen rot or cracks laying camouflaged beneath the patina’d paint. Steve went towork uncovering what would soon become a little more than a brokenframe rail.
With three portions of the frame cracked and thebottom section of the frame rails looking like Swiss cheese, Stevecut out the cancered sections and replaced those portions withupgraded stainless steel meticulously melding the two metals togetherin one seamless blend of strength and integrity that won’t see rustagain at least in those portions. Hand shaping a few new panelsto replace and reinforce the swingarm junctures and a kickstand mountready for another twenty years of parking lot profiling, restorativefabrication COMPLETE!
Mr. Brownell even offered, as an addedbonus, to give her a two coats of primer, a fresh coat or three ofpaint, and shine her up with plenty of clear. She will onceagain be the prettiest girl at the ball or rally. I only sawthe process in pictures as you are now, but all I can sayis..AMAZING! Putting thirty plus years of quality experiencebreathing new life into a piece of true biker Americana, SteveBrownell, executed flawlessly.
Igot the call about a week after drop off– the surgery was asuccess. The following morning I anxiously drove out toBrownell Metal Art Studio anticipating the unveiling of Betsy 2.0.Upon arrival I had that knot in my stomach as if meeting a girl forthe first time..fucking motorcycle..it was like the morning ofChristmas as a child all over again.
As I walked into the shopSteve met me upon entering with a shit eating grin, I knew it wasgoing to good. I said to him, “I see things went well.”
He replied, “Piece of cake.”
We walked over to theother half of the shop and lying in the middle of the floor restingon a piece of cardboard as to preserve the fresh paint from beingdamaged, sat the old girl. At first glance, I searched for arusted worn out hunk of metal until my gaze fell upon the gleam ofthe newly painted frame sparkling under the shop lights.
HOLYSHIT!..I couldn’t believe what I was seeing I had to double take.As I walked over to inspect Steve’s handy work I looked back at himreciprocating the same “shit eating” grin. I wasfloored. Having to remind myself that this is indeed the samerusted wore out tubes of iron I dropped off a week earlier. Wetook our time and carefully loaded the fresh chassis into the truckmaking sure all was secure and photos were taken.
Ahuge expression of gratitude goes out to my friend Steve Brownell forselflessly donating his time and materials to bring this GypsyMachine back from the dead. As a fellow biker himself Stevereiterated to me a manta I hear and have used time and again, “That’swhat we do, brother.” With a new lease on life I closedthe tailgate behind the NEW girl, gave Steve a big appreciative hug,then drove off waving as I watched Steve and the crew in the rearview sending us on our way to future adventures yet to come.
Onthe ride back home I glanced behind me whispering, as if that framewas my girlfriend, in no time she will feel whole again.
“She’s a cheating Bitch,” Scotty.
Bennett’s Performance Dyna Build, Part Two
By Robin Technologies |
It took a while before the call shook the receiver on the wall.
“We’re ready, finally to move onto the next stage,” Eric said, and I slipped across congested Long Beach on Pacific Coast Highway to the base of Signal Hill, where the clean offices of Bennett’s Performance and Branch O’Keefe reside in an alley.
There’s a bit of a dichotomy here. When you say Pacific Coast Highway, you immediately have visions of the sea splashing against white sand. That’s not the case when PCH skirts through the Los Angeles Harbor area behind container ships, container trucks, and container trains Terminal Island and through the concrete jungle of Long Beach packed with steel supply joints, body shops, junk yards, stucco Mexican fast food joints, and dingy bars. Sure, once you weave south of Long Beach, the coast comes into view again and islands, marinas, and white sand can one again be seen.
Sorta the same equation in reverse fits Bennett’s. They are located on an alley, but it’s about as clean and wide as a comfortable two-lanner, and the buildings are pristine and orderly. Hell, there’s even some landscaping bordering the buildings. Eric and his dad keep the shop tidy and it’s open and painted white on the interior and the exterior. Makes it easy to take tech shots.
So we got to work. Eric hadn’t ridden his own motorcycle in six months, broke up with his girlfriend three times, and needed his two-wheeled Valium. Working with D&D, they altered a stock D&D system to fit ’91 to ’13 Dynas. The heat shield was modified and the system was ceramic-coated for a long-lasting satin black. He also had to modify the mounting bracket for the performance pipe system. Eric is going to share his mods with the D&D gang so they can make adjustments to their manufacturing process for these model years.
Eric’s first move was to avoid a potential problem with the 5-speed tranny main shaft inner primary race. They occasionally drift inwards from the inner primary toward the tranny main shaft seal and damage the threads. A malady solution included installing a JIMS inner primary bearing upgrade Kit.
Here’s what the JIMS team has to say about it: Thinking of running an open primary system, or looking for added durability in your high output engine? JIMS now has a double-row ball-bearing with seal and retaining ring kit.
For use on 1990 to 2006 FLH and FXST, and on 1990 to 2005 Dyna models or any 5 or 6-speeds using H-D bearing No. 9135.
Note: Not compatible with Bandit clutch kits.
Eric used his Custom Cycle Engineering swing arm punch to remove the stock bearing. Then he used JIMS tools, including the race puller No. 34902-84 and the seal installer No. 967, to press in the bearing to the perfect depth. The JIMS kit removes the main-shaft bearing race.
With the bearing pressed in perfectly, Eric installed the snap ring with the flat side toward the transmission, then the JIMS seal. It was time to install the inner primary using 22 foot-pounds of torque on the 5/16 bolts with a dab of blue Loctite.
He was ready to install the new Rivera Pro Cutch, but first he had to press out the stock clutch hub. The performance differences in the clutches were obvious. The difference in the fiber surface areas was substantial. For big-inch motorcycles, the more surface contact area, the better.
Per the Rivera/Primo instructions, we needed to soak the Rivera clutch plates in ATF transmission fluid before assembly. “If we don’t, Ben Kudon, from Rivera will bust my balls,” Eric said trembling. Per the instructions, we soaked them for 10-15 minutes.
While waiting, we installed the stock compensating sprocket using a 2.5-inch socket and Loctite, and the primary chain adjuster. Eric installed the clutch hub with a 1 3/16 socket, being careful to handle the left-handed threads. Then he installed the first thick steel plate into the hub, followed by a fiber, then steel, and then another fiber plate.
Eric runs ATF fluid in his primary. With the pressure plate in place, the diaphragm and the retainer, the clutch was a done deal. “Don’t over-tighten the fasteners against the locking ears,” Eric pointed out.
Eric uses JIMS guide pins to hold gaskets in place, so the primary could be slid into place without fighting the gasket. They are easy to make, or just buy a set the perfect length from JIMS. He tightened the stock primary to 120-inch-pounds of torque.
Between the last time I darkened the Bennett’s Performance door and this point, Eric and John O’Keefe from Bennett’s Performance had a brain fart to machine only Twin Cam cylinders to give them a drag bike appearance. Eric volunteered to be first and tore his engine apart again.
[page break]
John O’Keeffe has a special lathe fixture designed to hold cylinders in place while boring. He used the same fixture to turn these cylinders down slightly, but not enough to hamper cooling.
“It’s a looks-only modification,” said Paul, at Branch O’Keefe. “It gives them a stout look.” The cost is about the same as boring, about $200 a set. “If a customer wants, they could have their cylinders powder-coated or treated first before machining.”
John O’Keefe has given this signature look a new name: Branch Race Cut Cylinders. Eric chose to be the trial run and they cause a stir around the shop. Currently, the Branch team doesn’t have enough cylinders to offer an exchange service, but you can send your cylinders out, and depending on the shipping service you select, get them back within a week.
At this point, we installed the S&S intake manifold per the instructions with the S&S G series shorty carb.
“The new S&S intake manifolds are perfect,” Eric said. “This one aligned perfectly with the stock ports and the inside surface was smooth and finished. Branch didn’t need to touch it, unless you want that polished look.”
He installed the carb with the isolator block and new S&S O-rings dry. “If the surfaces are in good shape,” Eric said, “you don’t need grease or sealants. They just cause problems for the next mechanic.”
We took a break, since Eric was working with a Speed Merchant and Alloy Art on a couple of custom products, plus a couple of items needed powder-coating. Eric was anxious for final assembly and to fire the monster for the first time and go for a ride.
When I returned, Eric was installing a new H-D floating rotor on the rear wheel of his bike. “You can’t install the rear wheel until you pull the wiring into place.” Eric pointed out the wiring pocket in front of the rear wheel cavity, which is very tough to reach with the rear wheel in place. “Only ’05 and earlier Dynas were set up this way. It’s a pain in the ass.”
Okay, this may get a tad confusing, but I’ll do my best. Alloy Art is a machine shop and they build parts for companies like Speed Merchant and Harley-Davidson. They machined these Speed Merchant triple trees for Dynas, in keeping with Buell configuration and agile handling. You can see the difference.
He greased the neck bearing and the Timken, and began to slip the fully adjustable stock forks into place. With the dust shield in place, the top triple tree was added.
Eric chose to run Alloy Art super clean rear turn signals, no fronts, and an Alloy Art tight billet headlight and grips. He also installed good and tight Alloy Art urethane riser bushings. Next came his own headlight mount bracket and the Alloy Art billet headlight, plus his handlebars and controls, and the Dakota Digital dash, speedo, tach, and data acquisition system. Then he pulled the stock wiring harness runs into place under the rear fender and installed the stock wiring plugs.
The Alloy Art rear turn signals required drilling one hole for a signal wire. Then it was a matter of installing his pre-ordered Goodrich front and rear brake lines. He installed and adjusted the pull throttle cable first, then the push. He slipped chunks of ½ inch black shrink tubing over the dual throttle cables and used them as guides. Once the cables were run and comfortable, he used a heat gun to tighten the shrink-wrap.
We were getting close. He would use a vacuum bleeder later to bleed the brakes. Finally, he installed the new S&S air cleaner with the bracket for the choke lever in place.
These puppies are well-designed to include a velocity stack element for enhanced airflow and throttle response and ease of maintenance. It was a breeze to install, and then Eric checked all of his fluids, installed a stock H-D battery, and bada-bing it fired to life.
He is pilling on the miles (585 as we speak). Next, we will bring you dyno results, and then a feature after he adds some final details. “I love the way it runs,” said Eric.
It’s not a show bike, but a hard-riding hot rod build with all the finest mechanical elements. We will report on all the results from the dyno, the streets, and seat of the pants. Hang on!
Sources:
Bennett’s Performance
Rivera Primo
S&S
Branch O’Keefe
Alloy Art
TEL: 626 963 5021
FAX: 626 335 3685
CONTACT@ALLOYART.COM
154 S. VALENCIA ST.
GLENDORA, CA 91741
Speed Merchant
www.thespeedmerchant.com
info@tsmracing.net
Custom Cycle Engineering
How to replace grips on a Harley-Davidson by J&P Cycles
By Robin Technologies |
Today, J&P Cycles shows you how to replace grips on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. From removing your old grips and adding new grips watch the entire process take place.In this video they use a 2013 Harley Davidson Softail Slim for demonstration but the process will be very similar for all motorcycles that utilize dual throttle cables.
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Rebirth of an American Classic: Transmission Rebuild
By Robin Technologies |
My 3-speed transmission started out very similar to my engine, an empty case and a pile of parts, all in need of cleaning. So the first step was to break everything down into individual pieces and perform a thorough inspection of each piece, to see which parts just needed cleaning and which parts needed repairs or replacement.
Luckily most of the parts were in good shape, even the transmission studs, so everything was put into the blasting cabinet. It’s always important to note that you don’t want to blast bearing surfaces and fine threads, so these areas need to be covered before the part goes into the blast cabinet. After a couple of hours of blasting, the results speak for themselves.
Next a coat of paint was sprayed on all the external parts (except the case). Some parts were Cadmium plated from the factory, but a layer of silver paint was a quick way to approximate the original finish.
While the paint was left to dry, work began on assembling the internal components of the transmission. I decided to upgrade the mainshaft bearings to sealed units which are available from Replicant Metals (www.replicantmetals.com). Using sealed bearings helps to eliminate fluid leaks, which is always a worthwhile improvement. In order to install the new bearings, the case was carefully heated with a torch to expand the opening while the bearings were placed in the snow to contract. Once the case was hot, the bearing was quickly dropped in and tapped into place with a wooden dowel.
Both my countershaft and mainshaft were well worn, so I replaced them with new units from Eastern Motorcycle Parts (www.easternmotorcycleparts.com). My slider gear was in terrible shape too and was replaced with a new unit from Eastern as well. Here’s a side by side photo of my original slider gear and the Eastern replacement. Definitely is big improvement!
Assembly was very straight forward, the mainshaft was slid partially into the case, allowing room for the main drive gear and slider gear to be installed, before the mainshaft was slid the rest of the way through the case.
Next new bearings were installed inside the cluster gear and it was held inside the transmission case while the countershaft was pushed through it. Lots of red grease was used for this step, not only to lube the new bearings, but to hold them in place as some of them rode loose inside the cluster gear.
The last thing to install inside the case was the shift fork assembly. The shift fork attaches to the center of the slider gear and slides back and forth on its own shaft. An arm in the transmission lid moves the shift fork, which in turn moves the slider gear and engages it with the selected gear on the gear cluster.
With the internals finished, work began on the kicker assembly. Using a special lock ring, both the mainshaft and countershaft were secured on the right side of the transmission before the kicker parts were added to the mainshaft.
Assembling the parts on the mainshaft was a two man job as there was a spring which had to be compressed while two keys are installed in the end of the mainshaft.
Once everything was stacked onto the mainshaft, a nut and washer was installed to hold the whole assembly in place. The following photo shows the assembly ready for the kicker cover to be installed.
Inside the kicker cover and attached to the end of the kicker arm is a half gear which meshes with the kicker gear that was just installed on the end of the mainshaft. This half gear turns the mainshaft when you kick down on the kicker pedal.
A paper gasket and a handful of washers and nuts was all that was needed to complete the kicker installation. There was a little bit of work left to assemble the transmission lid and it was soon bolted onto the top of case.
A couple of new grease fittings finished off the build and we were left with a great looking transmission.
Editors Note:
If you would like to contribute to the completion of this bike please use the link below.
This project started on Black Friday of 2013 with just a set of engine cases and will end with a complete 1933 Harley-Davidson VL making a cross country run in the fall of 2014. Already a great deal of progress has been made on the restoration of this motorcycle, but more funding is needed to see this project through to the end.
Additional articles will continue throughout the remainder of this build and will result in a complete digital archive which takes the reader through the restoration of a 1933 Harley-Davidson, step by step. By making this information available freely online, future vintage motorcycle enthusiasts will be able to rebuild and maintain these great machines.
We have already gained the support of many of the top compaines in the vintage motorcycle industry. If you would like to see your company’s logo included not only on the motorcycle, but also on every article, please contact me directly to learn more about our marketing campaign and advertising opportunities. EMAIL
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