Updating the Bikernet Experience
Hey, Here’s the deal. We’ve worked and spent an entire year to move all Bikernet Free Content (16,000 articles) onto a fast-acting, mobile-friendly, google accessible, WordPress Platform. ...
Read More Timbo’s ’64 FL Restoration (Part Five)
By Robin Technologies |
Well here she is, finally complete and out for her last shake down run. We stopped at a scenic area and shot a few pictures before I have to hand her over to the owner, Tim.
I took my buddy Sal along. He’s the only one I have available to kick start this old gal. Sal owned a couple of Pans in the past, and he has the starting sequence down pat! With gas off, kick her through a couple times, gas on, breaker retarded, half choke and a little throttle, and Ka Bam! She starts right up!
Riding the Pan is an art form in itself. The steering is spot on; it will turn on a dime! The suspension is wonderful for the age of the bike. It floats along better than most modern Harleys. The only thing I can’t get use to yet is the pogo seat, feels like it wants to buck you off sometimes.
On the way back from our ride, I noticed a loud noise as I pulled to the stoplight. It’s Sal, yelling at me to slow down, YOUR DOING 85!!
If you followed the articles from the past year and a half, you know that hundreds of man-hours and a little mega money went into this restoration. And I loved every minute of it!
I’d be safe in estimating the restoration at 95% original, give or take a percent or two.
Hope everyone has a save and wonderful 2013 Holiday season!
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.
Advertisement
Doug Coffey’s RetroMod Panhead Part 3
By Robin Technologies |
I needed an oil tank for this build that would be rather unique. It had to hold a full size battery from a late model electric start Dyna or Softail as my large high compression stroker motor would need all the starting power it could get. It had to completely hide the battery because I didn’t want any of it to protrude above the frame rails and it had to hold lots of oil.
My preference was round oil tanks so I started looking for cylinder like containers to see what size might fit.
After testing a variety of ice cream containers and my wife’s Tupperware I found a one gallon paint can to be perfect. (once I cut the bottom out to clear the electric starter)
The first step in making the oil tank was to fabricate a battery box. I used some 14 gauge sheet metal and bent one up on my brake and then welded in the sides. The batteries I use are the late sealed type so they can be placed in any position. This one was going to lay in at an angle to miss the electric starter.
With the battery box out of the way I used some more 14 gauge sheet metal and rolled up the tank on my 3 roll machine.
I cut a rectangular piece out of the tank shell and welded the batter box inside the tank. Now you can see why I wanted such a big tank, that battery box displaces a lot of oil holding capacity.
The under side of the tank had to be notched for electric starter clearance.
With the oil tank shell part taken care of it was time to make some tank ends. I wanted my ends flat so i could later bolt on polished aluminum covers.
After plasma cutting the ends out I drilled holes to mount them in my lathe and turn them round. I need perfectly round ends to help pull the tank shell into shape as i tack welded everything together.
Before welding the ends in place I had to weld two threaded blind bungs in the back sides to attach my aluminum side covers. This was a little tricky as the threaded holes needed to be parallel with the fins on my motor’s right side timing cover as I planned to machine matching fins for the oil tank end cover.
Lower front oil tank mount is hinged to flip up for easy removal. If I need to work on the starter, the oil tank must come out.
Oil tank top mounts are countersunk for Allen cap screws. I do this with all my mounts so I am not tightening bolts and washers against paint.
Time to make those oil tank end covers.
The left side cover had to be notched for the starter drive.
Right side cover test fit and oil tank filler welded in and capped.
I machined and radius cut the exact same fin pattern as the engine timing gear cover on the right side cover. The left side cover was easy as it was all done on my lathe.
I think it was all worth the extra effort.
The RetroMod Panhead is Provided by Doug Coffey with www.Head-quarters.com
What the Hell is 5-Ball Racing?
By Robin Technologies |
It all started when my mother ran over my metal- flaked Honda 55 Super Cub with a single shotgun pipe. She stormed into our tiny stucco house in Long Beach and announced, “Get that damn thing out from under my car.” Her car was a massive ’59 Ford station wagon. It was 1964 and I was 15.5 years of age. That Honda was my first motorcycle.
Mom and I didn’t see eye-to-eye on a couple of issues. The day after I graduated from high school, I joined the Navy and was shipped to a heavy cruiser off the coast of Vietnam for three tours. I fell in love, and got married, to my mother’s chagrin (my loves have always played a major part, as you will see). During that time, I bought my first Harley, a ’69 kick-only XLCH with a magneto and no battery.
And so began a life of running wild, building motorcycles, ditching wives, and being involved in Bonneville racing. One of the first bikers I ever met was on a small destroyer, the USS Maddox. Andy Hanson was also building his first ground-up big twin in 1970, and his mentor was the late Bob George. Bob was an engine builder and an innovator. He taught me how to build engines. When I slipped away from the Vietnam War, honorably discharged, while dodging a pot-smuggling bust, I returned to civilian life. I was innocent, I tell ya.
They let me out early if I took a trade course, so I took a welding class at Long Beach City College, so I could rake frames. I took the certified welder course. Once clear of the Navy, I enrolled at the liberal arts campus at LBCC and started taking classes. I worked part time at US Choppers in Inglewood, and built engines and bikes on the side. One of the bikes, a Knucklehead, belonged to a high school buddy, Brad. As we were about to finish this wild chop, a new magazine appeared on the racks, Easyriders.
I wrote the publisher a note about Brad’s Knuckle and Lou Kimzey, the publisher, came to see it. The next thing you know, I was the manager of ABATE, the first grass routes organization fighting for motorcycling freedom in America. Then I became an associate editor of Easyriders magazine. Long story short, I worked for this publishing company off and on for 30 years and built a few bikes during that time. Okay, so during that stretch, I introduced Bob George to the Jammer Cycle bosses, Joe Teresi and Mil Blair.
Bob built a streamliner with two 90-inch Shovelhead engines and wanted to go after Don Vesco’s 314 mph motorcycle world land speed record (the granddaddy of records), but he needed financial backing. He couldn’t do it alone. It became the Jammer, then the Easyriders streamliner always piloted by Dave Campos. About this time, I ran off on my first wife and hooked up with a biker broad, who became the second Mrs. Ball and we had a son. That didn’t last long, either.
I became more of a crazed bike builder, joined a club, wrote more articles and hooked up with a club sweetie, the third Mrs. Ball. That was the era of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Nothing lasted more than a minute, and she was gone, but what a party we had.
Then in the mid ‘80s, I met the most beautiful redhead on the planet and fell in love. I ditched five girlfriends and married the fourth Mrs. Ball. About the same time, Joe Teresi took over the streamliner effort and Paisano Publications. Keith Ruxton became the engine builder/crew chief and Easyriders readers went after that world land speed record. In 1989, we set a major record at 284 mph, but that wasn’t good enough.
We returned in 1990 with Micah McCloskey, Dean Shawler, Kit Maria, and a solid bunch and brought the land speed record back to America at 321 mph. We held that record for 16 years, longer than any of my marriages, so number four was history.
I took a break and then met number five, Rebecca and so 5-Ball was born as a tribute to her and to all the Mrs. Balls in my life. I finally came to the dire conclusion: Marriages weren’t for me. There would only be five. I started writing motorcycle fiction books and they all fell under the 5-Ball brand. Then as the Internet fluttered to life, I started Bikernet.com, also a 5-Ball entity.
At the time, about the mid ‘90s I would build a motorcycle each year and test it on the roads to Sturgis, often with a bunch called the Hamsters. Then in 2006, we established the 5-Ball Racing Team and returned to Bub’s Bonneville with the first sport-bike Panhead based around John Reed’s V-Bike and Berry Wardlaw’s 120-inch Panhead engine. It was a pure fluke, but Valerie Thompson rode this monster into the record books at a top speed of 152 mph. I was standing on the salt the day the ER record was snatched by the Ack Attack streamliner, 16 years later (342 mph).
We learned so much that year that we decided to return in 2007 with another Panhead. This time, we built an aerodynamic bullet and our notion was to build the World’s Fastest Panhead. We did set another record in our class with a top speed of 162-mph during horrible salt conditions.
I pulled away from the magazine world, but continued to write wild fiction books, and then a Bonneville book around our second Panhead World Record, while building Bikernet.com. Hell, we didn’t know what we were doing. But we did know we were having the time of our lives, writing about motorcycles, building motorcycles, and living the two-wheeled dream.
I wasn’t much for trophies or organized sports. I liked to sit alone and write a story, or tinker in my shop. I didn’t ride with groups much, but enjoyed the open road alone, in search of the next redhead and bottle of whiskey. I’ve tried to live by the code of the west and always be available to a downed brother or sister. And I endeavor to help folks in the industry, and with Chris Callen we promote the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Industry Council.
So, a couple of years ago, a young man approached me and wanted to build an apparel line around Bikernet. I leaned back in my tattered leather chair and kicked my boots up on my Panhead desk. After a shot of Single-Barrel Jack the 5-Ball Racing brand was born. I told him there was no money in it, but Andrew Calogero persisted, while the 5-Ball team prepared for another run at the salt.
While we grappled with designing and building the first streamlined Belly Tank trike for Bonneville, I hooked up another positive element to the growing team, Bob Kay, a man who has lived and breathed the motorcycle business as long as I have. Andrew is the operations and sales arm (rolled 5-Ball apparel into the J&P catalog), while Bob designed a carefully thought-out line of leather goods, and suddenly we had a 5-Ball Racing line of riding leathers.
So, there you have it. We were just a handful of brothers and sisters living the chopper dream, snorting racing fuel, drinking whiskey and running amuck. This year, we hope to roll back to the salt with Ray Wheeler’s 124-inch, turbocharged, Hayabusa-suspended Twin Cam; the 5-Ball 1940 45 flathead with a K-model top end (featured in Cycle Source with an engine built by Departure Bike Works in Richmond, VA), and the JIMS Machine, Paughco, Lucky Devil, 5-Ball streamlined trike. Hang on, because there’s never a dull moment around Bikernet or the 5-Ball Racing headquarters.
J&P Cycles Giveaway Bike – Part One
By Robin Technologies |
Editors note: The following is an introduction to a 5 part tech series which will document the processes used at Bare Knuckle Choppers to transform the J&P Roller with an S&S X-Wedge motor into a street pounding machine to be given away at the 2015 J&P Cycles Open House Rally.
Clocks dictate so much of our lives. My wake up call is at 6am. Checkout is 9am. I’ve been on the road for 30 of the last 48 hours to get to the roller for J&P Cycles’ Giveaway bike. At least before Paul Wideman of Bare Knuckle Choppers (BKC) rips into it. Kate, who’s been with me since Atlanta, is from my hometown near Chicago. She knows me better than myself. She’s also the Sicilian version of Jessica Rabbit, if Jessica could belch like a sawed-off shotgun.
“Quit being a little bitch,” she lovingly encourages me. Since I moved to Raleigh, I missed her Mid-Western charm. I give in, and we pull over after sundown and hit the hotel pool for a couple hours, with a garbage can full of Miller Lites. This is when I lose track of time. In the morning I’m meeting Paul Wideman at the crack of dawn. It’s a good thing I’m not building the bike since there’s only six weeks to do it. Well, that and the fact that only the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show champion gets the privilege—and that trophy belongs to BKC. (You can see Paul’s winning bike in the February 2014 edition of Cycle Source.)
“The roller came in about three days ago. We tucked it back there until you got here to shoot it,” Paul confesses as I get to the shop. It was obvious he had approached it with wrenches in hand, and then had to back away from it. The pro-street style bike looks as if it already has won a couple of ¼ strip races without hitting pavement. All Paul can see is dead weight. Whoever wins the raffle for this bike had better know how to ride fast.
Anyone who has seen a BKC bike knows that there’s nothing you could call an “add-on” or “accessory”. Every part is essential to the operation of the machine. The Bare Knuckle style is purely functional and unapologetically stripped-down. The 117” X-Wedge engine makes the Rolling Thunder FXR frame look beefy, but also brutally fast. Paul gazes at it like a blank canvas- it was obvious the wheels were turning in his head. Like Michelangelo said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
The BKC Shop is truly a sculptor’s paradise. A row of refrigerator-sized lathes, routers, and presses line the perimeter of the compact factory. Many of them are from the 1950’s. Paul has built some of these machines by hand, so working with a Rivera Primo drive and the 54° triple-cam motor was something he felt he could figure it—although he hasn’t even seen one in person before. As we study the project, Paul has gone beyond the day-dreaming stages of the bike, and is envisioning his ride on finished product. Nichole, Paul’s girlfriend and office manager, snaps us back to reality with a list of new orders. The business and bike build will have to share Paul’s attention.
“I’m known for building choppers and bobbers, so this is going to be interesting… Definitely looking forward to the challenge. This bike deserves it.” Paul philosophized. “Obviously it has just gobs of horsepower. I’m excited for whoever eventually gets this thing.” Paul only has six weeks to take this bike from roller to completion to make the tour for J&P’s Ultimate Builder custom bike show, but Paul is confident, despite it being an impossible timeframe for many shops. To stand next to the man and hear his plan, you would think it is already done. “Go ahead and snap some pics of the shop, whatever you need. I have to chew one of my guys out for being late.” This bike is being created for the winner of the J&P Cycle’s Raffle. You can enter to win at the International Motorcycle Show or anywhere you see a J&P Transporter.
Follow Paul and the J&P Cycles Giveaway bike at http://bareknucklechoppers.com/ and #JPUltimateBuilder and #BareKnuckleChoppers on Instagram and Twitter
J&P Cycles Call Out
J&P is proud to welcome Paul and BKC to their catalog, with more than 10k items available, for the completion of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Giveaway. Zach Parham, General Manager of J&P, is excited to see the final product.
“It’s going to be a great. Paul’s bikes are quite ride-able. We think this bike will be narrow and made to be ridden. He makes the kind of bikes that make someone want to get a motorcycle.I think I’m going to want to take it home for myself.” Zach lamented. Zach and the crew at J&P love customization.
The bikes that you see out at the J&P transporters are actually their daily drivers when they’re on the road, so they know what it takes to maintain a hard-ridden bike. “If there’s one thing we want our customers to know, it’s that we’re structured to get their parts to them in as soon as two work days, including consumables like tires and oil. We like working with builders because we want people feel comfortable working on their own motorcycles, and show them what they can do with bolt-on parts. We have 35 techs on staff ready for calls every day… They can walk you through an oil change or rebuilding your engine.”
Bikernet Project: Widowmaker Charity Build, Part 4
By Robin Technologies |
We are back at the Widowmaker Custom Design & Repair shop for final assembly of our bike. Everything has come back from paint, powder coat, etc. Now comes the patience part of our build, reassembly. At this point you need to have a plan of attack. Hopefully you took note of how you removed certain items so that your assembly is smooth without and scratches. Let us get started.
Item One: Where to start? I generally start by getting the bike back into a rolling state. But this can all hinge on your choice of engine. For Harleys and most v-twin engines this is the best approach. This is the way we approached our setup with the Yamaha Roadstar drivetrain.
However, if you are working with an inline 4-cylinder metric engine you might want to come up with another approach. What I have done in the past is to lay the engine on the floor, on its side. Tape off the areas of your frame that will be near or possibly come in contact with the frame and lay your frame over the top of the engine, at which time you can install all your mounting hardware. This will make it easier to install the engine without damage to the painted surfaces; however it will make it more difficult to get the bike into a rolling state.
One of the things people overlook is the proper set up of your fork bearing. I suggest going to the fork mfg. to get the proper bearing preload. However, a good rule of thumb is for your fall away to be 1 inch. Real easy to check. With your front end on bike and wheel installed and front of bike off the ground, simply move the front tire to a left turn position from center. From center to the point it starts to fall by itself without assistance should be 1 inch. Make sure you check left and right. Next is to tighten or loosen your triple tree stem bolt/nut until you get the desired results.
Item Two: Now is time for your driveline fitment. At this point I would suggest installing all the parts needed to complete your driveline. Start with your primary (if you are using an H-D unit). Alignment of your engine to transmission is critical. Once all is put together, chain/belt and brake install next.
One of the most common issues we see is improper wheel and brake caliper alignment. If your belt is not tracking true you will eat up belts. If you are using aftermarket calipers, it is critical that the caliper is centered over the rotor. You may have to shim your caliper to achieve this. If you don’t take the time to do this, the caliper and rotor can be damaged after a short period of time riding. Watch what brake fluid you use.. Know what the brake mfg. requirements are. Should be DOT 4 and DOT 5. In our case we were able to use all DOT 5 fluid.
Item Three: Now you’re ready to plumb the bike. Time to install your oil tank and remaining large items, such as your starter, headlight, etc. Plan ahead; you want your oil lines to be not only functional but appealing to the eye. Keep in mind that if you are using stainless steel braided hoses to make sure they are clear of any rubbing issues. A vibrating braided hose can become a saw on top of paint or aluminum. Do not put any fluids in your bike just yet; you may need to remove the tank for ease of wiring.
Item Four: Hands down, the largest area people struggle with is wiring. You can use a stock wiring harness, this works well if you are dealing with a metric bike as we did. However, be prepared to make modifications to the stock harness. I would suggest having a service manual for the brand of engine you are working with. This will make your life easier. If you are not and you’re planning on making your own harness, I would suggest owning a meter and have a clear understanding as how to use it.
I cannot stress enough to plan ahead.
The best way to handle this is by drawing up your own wiring schematic, making a list of all the items you are using. This will give you a visual to go by. In our case we used the stock wiring harness, with some modifications to make everything work. Then we added a great product, “Grip Ace.”
The “Grip Ace” makes for a super clean and simple install without the dopey look of stock switch housings. If you are not familiar with this product, visit them at www.gripace.com. This product allows you to have all of your bike functions literally at your fingertips of your left hand. The system is compiled of a four button key pad that is installed on your left hand grip and a slim line module that can easily hidden almost anywhere on your bike.
The wiring is super simple. Once your left hand grip is fitted with the key pad, run your preformed wire and plug through your bars and plug into the module. All of your bike functions are wired to the module. The unit comes with clean and clear wiring instructions and easy to follow schematics. On our bike, we chose to keep the system super clean and mounted our key pad to the inside tunnel of the gas tank. As for the rest of your wiring, test each circuit as you assemble it. Try not to rely on butt connectors, solder as many of your wire connections as possible and keep in mind the serviceability of the bike. Make sure that future removal of the headlight and rear fender can be done by unplugging the wiring rather than cutting it.
Item Five: Last pieces of the puzzle, installation of the tins. This can be the most rewarding part of the job, seeing your new bike in all its glory or it can be a bad day and a trip back to the painter. Make sure you take your time in this installation. Make good choices of hardware. I personally like to use rubber washers on painted surfaces so as not damage the paint with the installation of the mounting hardware. Once everything is hooked up, top off your fluids and add only enough fuel to get the bike running. I suggest this in case there is a an issue of a gas leak or oil leak that may require you to remove the tank.
Once everything has checked out, get out and enjoy that first test ride. Make it short, come back, check everything over. Once all is good, pack up and enjoy your new ride.
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
Sponsored By
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
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
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.
Biker’s Choice TWIN-POWER Ignition Tech
By Robin Technologies |
I recently rambled about never giving up. This tech is an example in not giving up, and looking for opportunities for success. James Simonelli recently went to work for Biker’s Choice and it’s a company constantly looking for opportunities to succeed. They continue to expand and James is working hard on the Twin Power line of products.
I built this bike a few years ago and enjoyed each element of the build. It was my first opportunity to work with Black Bike Wheels and installed the new 23s at the time. I also worked with Rick Krost and the Paughco team, who were building his US Choppers frames and several components. I also worked with Chica for the first time to build my rear fender. This bike slipped together like a dream.
I was digging the old board track notion from the ‘20s, although I wasn’t the first. Arlen Ness built vintage-styled bikes with sidecars around Sportster drivetrains. The master, Don Hotop build a Silent Gray Fellow more refined than any the Davidson and Harley team built — it was beautiful. The Shadley brothers built another example with a sidecar, which I proudly featured recently.
I was just one in a long line of masterful Hamster builders to take on the challenge. When the bike was completed and I slipped the key into Phil’s Speed Shop ignition box and fired it to life, it purred like a kitten. It was a beautiful thing and I appreciated all the help and guidance slipped my way to see this project through to fruition, including the hand-tooled seat by Glen Priddle in Australia. Some of my welds were not handsome, but I was proud to see this puppy finished, and then I went for a ride.
My first challenge was the handling and the two, seemingly giant Black Bike spoked 23-inch wheels and Avon Tyres. It felt odd, but then it popped and coughed at just about 30 mph and I thought it had to be jetting. I carefully tuned and ran an S&S super E for the classic styling and shorter reach sticking out the left side of the bike.
That’s one of the distinct reasons for a Crazy Horse, now American V-Plus engine. It fit in the realm of making a bike look truly old, especially with the carb leaning out between the cylinders on the left, like old flatheads. No matter how I jetted it, it wouldn’t run past 30 mph. Ultimately, I changed the carb for a Mikuni, and I switched out the original Crazy Horse Ignition for a reliable Compu-Fire. I switched coils. I changed the exhaust by removing the muffler. Nothing changed how it ran, and I moved on to the next project.
But obviously it bugged me and recently, when James pointed out the new Twin Power ignition product from Biker’s Choice and suggested an install, I jumped at one more chance to make this beauty come to life. James suggested I install it with Primo-Rivera advance weights, although Twin Power sells a kit.
“Try it in the dual fire mode,” James suggested. “You’ll like the exhaust note and the old school thumping idle.”
Back to the initial problem, I heard strange rumors regarding Crazy Horse engines, and struggles to make them run. John White bought a bunch of the Bottlecap engines when the Indian effort failed in Morgan Hill, California. With the engines in hand, he started Crazy Horse Engines. He was a big construction guy and hoped to build something from the stylized engines, and I agreed with his philosophy. The engines were magnificent, classic, 100-inch, and different.
The company is now American V-Plus and Irma Martin, out of Auburn, Washington, owns it. She is working with Frank Aliano to reintroduce these puppies to the aftermarket and custom world.
As a rider, Frank spent over ten years racing motorcycles in all types of environments, including motorcross, cross-country, scrambles, enduro, hill climb, TT, flat track, ice, and drag racing. As a builder, Frank’s custom and high power creations continue to be trophy winners around the country, with several featured in national magazines.
As a designer, Frank spent decades in engineering, fabrication, machining and product development for Indian Motorcycles, American Quantum Cycles, Big Dog Motorcycles, A&A Performance, Double Services, and more.
Frank designed the billet system to plug more tuneable and flexible Evo ignition systems onto a Crazy Horse and now V-Plus engine. I reached out to Frank, because my investigation steered me to Micah McCloskey and then to Keith Ruxton, who designed the Worlds Fastest motorcycle engines in 1990, two Shovelheads built by Micah. They took the Easyriders streamliner to 321 mph and the record for 16 years. I was a member of the team.
Keith suggested, since I have switched out the carb and ignition, that the breather gear was out of time. “It could be flooding the engine with oil and causing it to fail,” Keith said. And so I dug in during the process of switching out the ignition system to Biker’s Choice Twin Power.
The Twin Power electronic ignition from Biker’s Choice fits ‘70 – ‘99 Big Twin models and ‘71 – ‘03. The unit is entirely self-contained and fits under the original points cover. It can be wired single- or dual-fire, and the built-in timing light allows for easy timing.
Front to rear timing is accurate to 1-2 degrees. It is delivered with a one-year manufacturer’s limited warranty, and they are made in the USA.
Twin Power coils are high-quality direct fit with at least 20% more voltage than stock.
These coils improve starting, stop high-speed misfires, and increase mileage and overall performance.
They are available in black or chrome and carry a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
I went to work digging into the cam cover of the V-Plus 100-inch engine. I removed the point cover, hand-engraved by Heather New in Canada, with the 5-Ball Racing mascot, and then I removed the Compu-Fire ignition system, the ignition cap and the first level of cam cover. Frank coached me on removing the final billet aluminum cover.
“You may not need to back off the pushrods,” Frank said, but I ended up backing them off for a couple of reasons, including ease of replacing the cap. It can be a bastard if you don’t.
“This plate has a gasket and is held in place with steel dowel pins,” Frank said and he was right. “Take a claw hammer and install a quarter/20 bolt with a couple of washers into the plate. Use the threaded hole closest to the cam. With the claw hammer, leverage against the cam and hook the bolt.”
It worked like a champ and gently pulled the plate free from the dowels. “Some of these engines didn’t have breather gears,” Frank explained. This was getting interesting and I found an S&S reed valve in the breather gear hole.
Thinking I had discovered the issue, I pulled the S&S product and found a stock breather gear, timed and replaced it. I faced the Teflon shim to .110 as Frank recommended and replaced the cam cover plate.
I readjusted the valves and looked for top dead center on the front cylinder with a massive tie-wrap. The tie-wrap cannot damage the sparkplug threads or any internal parts. Dominick, another master builder here in LA, suggested the tie-wrap.
“Once you have it at TDC, back it down 7/16-inch for about 30 degrees before top dead center, and your timing mark should show in the timing hole,” Dominick said. He was dead right. Worked like a champ. I grabbed a silver felt pen and was able to make marks to indicate TDC and 7/16-inch down. The timing mark popped right into the hole and I centered it by jacking up the bike and using the massive Black Bike wheel to move the engine in 4th gear.
Here are the Twin Power T/R #21-6500 ignition guidelines. They wanted me to rotate the motor until the front cylinder showed the fully advanced mark in the center of the timing hole, during the front cylinder compression stroke. Note: The compression stroke is evident when the both front valves are closed and you can rotate the pushrods with your fingers.
I installed the new ignition, keeping the rotor index hole in line with the light on the ignition, basically at 9:00. This system automatically runs in the single- or dual-fire mode, depending on how you wire the coil or coils. If it’s not in the 9:00 position, you’re on the wrong compression stroke. Rotate the engine again.
James recommended the dual-fire mode so I wired the Twin Power mini coil with the red wire heading to one lead and the black and white wires going to the other lead (it doesn’t matter which lead you chose on these coils). For single-fire coils, you need to run your hot wire and the red wire from the ignition system to the positive side of the coil, the white wire to one coil and finally, the black wire to the other coil.
This mini coil will afford more cooling space around it while it’s stashed between the heads. This coil doesn’t indicate a positive or negative lead position.
I ran the gray tube insulated wires out of the bottom of the cone cover and basically around the engine and up to the coil between the heads where many coils are located. I wish the insulation was black, and in hindsight I would have run shrink tubing over the gray sleeve for additional protection. I ended up extending the wires about a foot.
I also soldered a length of 14- or 16-gauge wire to pull the new wires through my existing loom. It worked like a champ to hide the new wires. I extended the wires, soldered them in place, using the Frank Kaisler soldering tool and his system for connecting wires, which can be a pain in the ass. He basically cuts and strips his wires and feeds one into the other for a direct connection, which also does not cause a lump in the wiring. It’s almost like shoving a key into a lock and it sometimes takes some maneuvering. That’s where his handy-dandy tool comes in.
Don’t forget to install the hot wire from your ignition switch to the hot side of the coil. You will need that power. I installed a new Twin Power Lithium Ion Battery while I was at it. What an amazing puppy.
This battery fit like it was meant to be. Most of these Twin Power Lithium Ion batteries were designed for stock applications, but we found just the right one for my situation.
Note: Use this ignition system with 3 to 5-Ohm coils.
After the coil was wired and actually before I completely installed the Twin Power ignition system, I installed the magnificent Rivera/Primo mechanical advance weights. I lubed the weight axles with some engine oil and slipped them into place over the cam and then slipped the billet aluminum rotor in place with timing magnets embedded into the cylinder. Be careful, the rotor only fits over the stem in one way. Note the position of the flat.
I repositioned the ignition plate and turned on the ignition switch. The red LED light lit up, and with a right angle punch I was able to push the rotor into the advanced position. It only moved about 20 degrees, if that. The light came on, indicating power to the coil and the ignition system. The key is to rotate the rotor counter-clockwise to the fully advanced position and have the light go out. As soon as you release the rotor, the light should come back on.
I always shoot for the exact link. I want it to light up at the exact point that the rotor moves. The coil and the spark plug fires the moment the LED light shuts off.
The timing procedure is exactly the same for both single- and dual-fire operations. The front and rear cylinders are internally timed and accurate to 1 degree.
That’s when life got interesting. The Redhead loaded up my 5-gallon gas can with premium and I poured a couple of cups in the tank and turned on the petcock. Nothing. I monkeyed with the carb. Nothing. Sometimes there can be a vacuum. I almost filled the tanks; still, nothing passed through the clear glass filter. I started at the carb and removed the line. Still nothing. I removed the line to the brass, inline petcock. No joy.
I could even looked down the mouth of the petcock and saw the large ball valve. I could see it turn and open. Nothing. If it had worked, my face would have been covered in gas. Then I attempted to remove the petcock.
I moved a large crescent wrench into position to back up turning the brass petcock and was immediately sprayed with gas. It was one of those strange moments in the life of a mechanic. Sure, it was a pain in the ass, but it always seems that stuff shows up at just the right time. The trick was to get all the fuel out of the tank so I could replace the split line, plus the petcock was clogged.
With the Redhead wearing protective purple gloves, we maneuvered large old fuel lines, funnels and the gas can to carefully remove all the fuel. I replace the split line (I have never, ever seen a line split like that). We removed the petcock and discovered what appeared to be a glazed layer above the ball valve. The redhead cleared it out with a short piece of brass rod and the fuel delivery system was replaced and fuel added. The 5-Ball factory racer fired right to life.
I spoke to Keith Ruxton the day before, and he told me that top end breathing engines, especially high performance engines don’t need breather valves, or even reed valves. I started looking at fuel delivery from the gas tank, which makes a lot of sense. I need to check to see that my fuel line will deliver 16 ounces of fuel in one minute, according to Dr. Ruxton. I removed the fuel line from the carb, stuck it in a measuring cup, checked my watch and turned on the petcock. It filled it to the 16-ounce mark in about 20 seconds. It wasn’t fuel delivery. So, I’m still not sure if my sputtering problem is solved.
I noticed one more item that needed to be addressed. When tightening the advance bolt, the rotator rubbed against the ignition plate, which would mess with the advance weight mechanism. First I took out the plate, because this cone was removable and if the Allens were loose it shifted around. I loosened them, shifted the system and retightened them. It was substantially better, but not perfect. This wouldn’t happen with a stock cone motor.
“The weights and the rotor have to be completely free to be able to advance,” said Ben Kudon, the Executive Director of Rivera-Primo
I reached out to James. “Here’s what you can do to Auto Advance units. Put a drop of blue Loctite on the advancer bolt and do not over-tighten. Spin the motor without the ignition in place and watch the rotation. If it is eccentric, take a small punch and give a tap on the flat of the hex head screw that will shift it to best center it, until it runs true. Please let me know, nothing should need to be modified. Occasionally, a shim is needed between the advance unit and the cam to shift the mechanism outward.”
“I am not familiar with the Indian cam cover, might be a little different from H-D. Does the plate fit nicely and rotate easily in the recess or is it tight? If this is tight, you may have to slightly sand or file the plate O.D.” That’s what I did until the rotor was centered. I also noticed the hex rubbing on the gasket. Again, this wouldn’t happen in stock applications. I cut a hole in the gasket and rotated the gasket to allow the 5-Ball Racing cap to set out slightly more. Done deal. James also suggest thin washers under the stand-outs, which would accomplish the same thing.
I took the bike for a ride. Over and over it fired right to life and hummed, but again is sputtered. I called Phil at Phil’s Speed shop late at night. He was still working. “It could be the cam timing,” said Phil. “They may have switched the gear for a better pinion shaft mesh and since there is no direct key-way to align the cam, it could have shifted.”
I’ll pull the cam today and take it to Bennitt’s Performance or Branch Flowmetrics to have it checked. Never give up!
I took my cam and a similar JIMS cam to Bennett’s Performance and we discussed options. “I’ve seen the craziest things cause a bike not to run, like the charging system,” Eric Bennett told me. I returned to the shop, prepared to loosen the valves, replace the cam, reinstall the S&S reed valve, follow the return and venting oil lines, check my top-end vent, check the ground to the coil. We even decided to remove my carb mounting system. Don’t ask me why. I took it for a test ride and it blubbered again, but it was definitely running better.
That’s when I stuck my hand over the air cleaner opening and it immediately coughed. Get this, the air cleaner is on backwards because the carb sticks out the left side of the engine. I carefully drilled new holes in the backing plate, turned it around and it ran like a top. Again, don’t ask me. I thought we had tried everything. Don’t ever give up… I can’t wait to ride it to Walker’s Cafe.
BIKERNET 5-BALL TECH SOURCES
Biker’s Choice
Paughco
Rivera/Primo
Black Bike Wheels
Chica
US Choppers
Rick@USChoppers.com
Phil’s Speed Shop
941 West Collins, Orange CA 92867
Appointment (714) 771-6727
Avon Tyres
New Line Engraving