Bikernet Banner

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

Funky Panhead Project, Part 2







In a sense, this project is indicative of this time in my life and the life of many bikers everywhere. I asked myself if this should be a life and times story. Let’s see if I can make sense of my life right now.



I’m feeling stress at almost 70 and I don’t get it. Actually I do, but I don’t want to feel anything but nirvana. Hell, I built a motorcycle nirvana right on the coast, across the street from the Port of Los Angeles. But there’s something not right about that. They are now calling it America’s Port, yet the port has basically shit on the town adjacent to one of the richest ports in the world.



I’ve done my part to bring a waterfront to the people of Wilmington. I attended meetings for 14 years, spoke and bitched, but little has been accomplished. I’m working on a report to send to the Major of LA. Unlike Long Beach, which is right on the water next to the port and is beautiful. Our downtown is 20 miles away. They don’t give a shit about the town that’s illegally overrun with containers and trucks. It bugs me. But I did accomplish a mural on the side of the building in support of the Wilmington Waterfront.



Okay, so I started this Panhead project in the middle of a war over whether engines will still be around in another decade. What the fuck? No wonder our industry is in a state of upheaval. Most folks think bad thoughts every time they get into their cars, as if they are having an affair. Brings me down, but I fight back. I reach out to the motorcycle rights movement and try to keep folks informed regarding their rights and the issues. It torments me. I want freedom and fun back.



Plus, I live in California where the Governor is dying to eliminate engines, as if he can torture all his citizens and that will help the planet. More and more, there’s proof that the whole global warming anti-everything campaign is just bullshit. Drives me nuts, but I’m an outlaw and will fight back for the rest of my life.



So, when the shit brings me down, I try to jump down into my shop and work on a bike. The Panhead became a mission for freedom for my soul. I needed relief from the stress. We are living in strange times.




On the other hand, life couldn’t be better. We have more resources than ever before, if the government doesn’t make them all illegal. For instance, you can build anything your heart desires. This Pan is a terrific example.

Sure, it’s a Pan but it has a ’69 right case and a ’79 left case, which allows me to make it look like a Pan, yet run an electronic, automatic advance distributor, an Evo to Twin Cam alternator, and a spin-on oil filter, which allows me more oil capacity and more protection for the engine.

The heads are brand new STD outside oiler Panheads with knock-off rocker blocks. The STD heads breath better than stock and contain improved valves and springs.

I’m running hydraulic JIMS machine cam followers, S&S adjustable pushrods, an S&S mild cam and an improved S&S oil pump. Even the Kraft Tech TIG-welded frame is modified for almost any engine and allows me to run a rear Softail disc without doing a thing.



A brother, Dale Gorman, left a stock Fatboy wheel, rotor, and Softail caliper behind several years ago and it all bolted right up. Basically, I could build 1998 rigid Panheads all day long with super-strong late model 5-speed transmissions, and BDL belt drives with any EVO starter and I was good to go.



I wanted to use a Linkert Carb and I had a couple rebuilt by Mike Egan, but since we planned to run two on a Knucklehead they were M-35s for maybe 45s, but I decided to try one using the small venturi for snappy throttle response notion, like we’ve done with 42 mm Mikunis.



Bob Bennett went through the engine and I supplied parts where I could. You can no longer order any performance parts in California. They were banned by the California Air Resources Board, unless companies want or can afford to spend hundreds of thousands trying to have each part tested to receive an executive order through the MIC. If you can’t buy a cam in California, how does the largest market in the US impact the smaller states? Pisses me off.





Needless to say, I made my own pipes using a too bitchin’ shorty muffler from Rick Krost at US Choppers, who only deals with vintage bikes anymore. He’s done with anything new. The muffler was amazing; at least I thought so. Deny, the man behind the vintage paint job, came over and I showed him the muffler and what I intended with the stock squished pipe under the engine.



We discussed having the pipe angle up with the bottom frame rail toward the axle, but we both looked at each other with dismay. I’m not a fan of anything that interferes with the line of the frame. Then I mentioned my like for shotgun pipes and Deny’s blue-gray eyes lit up. I went to work messing with parts and pieces, including the stock squish pipe. I like how it came out.



I worked with Tim at San Pedro muffler to make a couple of exhaust flanges to fit over the Panhead exhaust manifold. I was only able to use one, because the front pipe needed to make an abrupt turn.



I tried several different welding moves with this endeavor. The pipes from San Pedro are 1 ¾-inch aluminum coated chunks, coupled with old bare steel bends, chromed pieces and even an old Pan squish pipe. I believe it was chromed at one time. I had to use various pieces and some were slightly different diameters. I don’t know why, but initially I thought about gas welding with steel rod, but the various metals, even ground and cleaned, weren’t happy with oxygen acetylene, maybe because of the carbon deposits on the inside of the old pipe pieces.





Various pipe manufacturers skimp on funds by running thin-walled tubing and blowing through it is easy. I shifted to MIG welding because of speed and convenience. Also, tacking pieces in place is much easier with a one-handed Miller MIG welder. I ended up carefully MIG welding most of the bends and pieces, but then added some braze just to add color to the pipes.



The pipe brackets were a trip of found brackets and chunks, but finally the pipes were strong enough to stand on and secured comfortably to the heads.



I used care with the driveline alignment. The engine, a mixture of years, fit perfectly in the frame without shimming. I used the BDL inner primary to align the engine and trans.



Moving right along, when I needed to escape the government control freaks, I darted into my shop and hid out rebuilding the old Wagner master cylinder with Paughco re-pop controls. The rebuild kit arrived from Biker’s Choice and Twin Power. James and the Twin Power crew are on a mission to create and manufacturer stock replacement parts for old and new Harleys. I dug out old manuals from Panheads to Shovelheads and Evos and followed them.



With Spectro Oils, I studied brake fluids and I think I installed the Wagner and the Softail Caliper with DOT 4. According to vast research, the Wagner could have been DOT 3 originally and the Softail Caliper was DOT5. They don’t mix. Later I flushed the system with DOT 5 a couple of times and will do it again in the near future.



I stashed the ignition switch in the Paughco toolbox I mounted between the stock Softail gas tanks. I made a goofy bracket running off a stock frame tabs and it worked like a champ. I mounted a 15-amp circuit breaker in the box and an idiot light to prevent me from walking away and leaving the switch on. Let’s see if it works.






I needed to reach out to Barry Wardlaw to find out about timing the Mallory electronic distributor. This was the original electronic distributor installed in the Salt Shaker. It encountered a slight glitch and was replaced, but ultimately fixed. I finally found another Panhead for it to grace. I made the hold down piece with a transmission part and a big brass screw from the hull of a wooden sailboat.



Bob Bennett timed the engine with Berry’s instructions and I monkeyed with the Linkert Carburetor. I also made the top end oil lines with old parts and True Value Hardware, which is usually a tremendous but pricey source for fasteners.



I haven’t installed an oil pressure gauge and I want to. Erik Bennett gave us the look and his dad suggested I run an adjustable valve in the line to the heads so we don’t cause the lower end pressure to drop. I did, thanks to True Value, but we discovered a tiny hole in the valve, which wide open might do the restricting job. I’m still investigating it.



I wired the bike with old Harley wire and fiber-wound loom. I need to replace the front vintage spotlight sealed beam. And one of the spring hold-downs broke. I need to find them.



I used all the old BLD primary drive parts I had laying around the shop. I thought I was golden with the Softail cover I had, but the standoffs didn’t line up with the holes in the cover. Baffled, I tried a batch of alternatives. Ultimately forced to punt, I started to build a bracket. This was a Zen challenge and took me to a new zone.

The stout rear fender didn’t need supports, but I needed a place to mount the LowBrow vintage taillight and license plate mount, so I started to dig around.



I came up with a Road King front fender bumper rail set. With a little braze, some ball bearings and some imagination it worked like a champ.



I need to give some credit. The day I fired her for the first time I ran into a problem. I ran oil through her first to make sure it was getting to the top end, but noticed oil seeping out of the lifter stool gaskets as if the crank case filled with oil. I checked with Eric Bennett and then a young Hamster stopped over, Tony Spinalli. We made an oily mess chasing all my new oil lines looking for a mistake.



I used those stock pinch oil line clamps and they are a bastard to remove. We ended up removing half of them and in some cases replacing them with standard screw-on hose clamps. Then Tony pointed out that the oil wasn’t coming from the gaskets but holes in the JIMS lifter stools. Unbelievable. They drill through the stools to create an oil passage, but it was up to someone to press in plugs or set screws. We taped set screws and we were golden. Thanks Tony.

Fortunately, this article will be a stark reminder of every adjustment and correction needed to dial this puppy in. For instance, I bought the old glide at the Long Beach Swap Meet from a guy who is dedicated to old glides. It was supposed to be sorta rebuilt but wasn’t and wasn’t complete. I had to go back to him several times and I still need to replace the springs. One doesn’t match the other.



A local motorcycle tire-only shop hooked me up with a used aluminum 18-inch front wheel rim, laced it and added the Avon Tyre I had in my shop. Good guys.



So, how am I doing? Still some tinkering to do, but I dig it. It’s comfortable with the cop solo mounted so with some old brackets and some I made. The foot pegs need work to prevent them from rotating. I’ll get to that. I’ve had those pegs for 30 years and just now found the perfect application.




I’ll keep you posted on any additional changes.






Funky Panhead Sources:

S&S


Biker’s Choice


STD
www.STD.com
 
JIMS Machine


Lowbrow


Mallory
www.mallory.com

Accurate Engineering
www.accuratengineering.com

Bennett’s Performance


Paughco


Departure Bike Works
www.departurebikeworks.com

Spectro Oils


Chopper Dave
www.chopperdave.com
Read More

Bennett’s Performance Final, Maybe

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
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 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read More

Bikernet Bike Build: BETSY’S REVIVAL STORY Part 2

 
     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.
 
Read More

Biker’s Choice TWIN-POWER Ignition Tech

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

Read More

The Mudflap Girl FXR Saga

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

Read More

Rebirth of an American Classic: The Build Begins

 
 
 
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

 
 
Sponsored By:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read More

Rebirth of an American Classic: Case Repairs

 
Before the engine could be rebuilt, the cases needed some additional work to repair a damaged portion of the front baffle.  It appears that an unknown piece of debris was wedged between the backside of the baffle and the flywheel which eventually knocked a hole right through the baffle.
 
 
 
Since HD engine cases are made from aluminum, the best method for repairing the hole was to use a TIG welder to fill in the missing material.  The hole was located at the thinnest portion of the baffle, so a piece of copper plate was used to cover the hole and provide support for the weld.

 

 
The entire case half was then placed in a parts oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.  This helped to bake out the old motor oil which had impregnated the case over the years and ensured that the entire case was at equal temperature for welding.  The heating also revealed that there were a number of cracks radiating out from the hole which also needed to be fixed.  By the time the hole, the cracks and the casting imperfections had been repaired, I was left with a good deal of weld to grind away.
 

 

 
The backside of the baffle was easy to reach and was ground back into shape with the help of a curved template and a flap wheel mounted to a hand drill.  The top of the baffle was much harder to grind with standard tools, so it was necessary to make a custom router bit using an aluminum sleeve epoxied to a ½” four fluted end mill.
 

 

 
Working slowly, I removed about 1/32” of excess weld with each pass of the router.  Liberal amounts of Teflon lubricant was used throughout the process.  After every pass the chips were removed and new lubricant was added to make sure no damage was caused by the aluminum sleeve riding against the case.
 

 

 
After some final shaping, the repair was complete and I moved onto chasing the threads for all the tapped holes.
 
 
Next, both case halves received a thorough cleaning.  All the holes were cleaned out with wire brushes attached to a hand drill to remove any aluminum chips and other debris.  From there the cases were soaked in warm soapy water and scrubbed with bristle brushes.  Then each case was carefully blown dry with compressed air, paying careful attention to blow out all holes and orifices.
 

 

 
Once the cases were clean and dry, the last step was to apply a coat of Glyptal to the inside of both cases.  Glyptal is an enamel based sealer, so once it dries, it is tough to remove.  To insure that the sealer only coated the intended surfaces, each case half was carefully taped and covered.  Once the Glyptal was applied, it was cured in an over for two hours at 275 degrees Fahrenheit.  The result was a hard slick coat of Glyptal and a set of cases ready for assembly.
 
 
 
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
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read More

Rebirth of an American Classic: Transmission Rebuild

 
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
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Read More

The Amazing SHRUNKEN FXR Updated

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

Read More

Sturgis Shovel Gets A Wrap

 
The Sturgis Shovel has seen its share of LA Harbor town back alleys in the eight years of pounding the streets around Wilmington, California. The exhaust is really starting to show the effects of the road and weather. Originally these hand fabricated pipes were painted with barbeque paint found lying around the Bikernet Intergalactic Headquarters. Surface rust was starting to take hold, and I really needed to do something about it. The Sturgis Shovel was built to be a “Take no crap, back alley brawler,” so shiny powder coating or chrome just wasn’t going to cut it. I had to research my options and come up with a quick and simple, yet great looking backyard solution to my problem.

 

I decided I would sand the pipes down to bare metal and spray them with VHT High Temp, Flat Black Exhaust Paint. Then I contacted J&P Cycles for a 50-foot roll of Design Engineering Inc., 2-inch Titanium Exhaust wrap and called it a day.
 
 
Once you have the pipes removed from the bike, getting the rust and old paint off is the first step. How you go about this is completely up to you, send them out for media blasting, grab your DA sander and some 120 grit, or do what I did, just pull up a lawn chair, with some 120 grit sandpaper and go to it. How you get to bare metal isn’t important, but getting there is, if you want a good looking final product.

 

Now, we were ready for painting or so we thought. Before you get your spray cans out make sure to degrease the freshly sanded metal with either a metal prep or lacquer thinner. There are a lot of high heat exhaust paints out there and you can use which ever brand you feel most comfortable with. I decided to go with VHT FLAMEPROOF COATING in flat black. Here’s what they say about their product:
 

 
 

VHT FLAMEPROOF COATING

VHT FlameProof Coating will renew and extend the life of any surface exposed to extremely high temperatures. This unique coating is a matte finish, silicone ceramic base widely used by the automotive industry on exhaust systems and the aerospace industry for jet engines, re-entry vehicles and other high temperature applications. VHT FlameProof Coating will withstand temperatures up to 2000°F (1093°C) and is ideal for use on headers, exhaust systems, or wherever an extreme temperature coating is needed.

Specs:
 
Temperature: 1300°F-2000°F (704°C-1093°C)

Applications: Headers, Exhaust Manifolds, Piston Domes, Inside Heads

Finish: Flat

Painting an exhaust pipe should be a simple thing, but getting them in a position that does not require you to have the flexibility of a Hollywood stripper, to paint all the surfaces can take some thought. I decided to hang it from the rafter of my patio awning which allowed me to climb all around it without having to throw my back out.
 
Spraying the VHT FLAMEPROOF paint is much like spraying any other spray paint. Keep the can moving, from about 8 to 10 inches away, and remember multiple light coats are better then one heavy coat. ‘
 
VHT recommends multiple coats with only a 10 or 15 minute time between coats if you get sidetracked and come back to spray your second or third coat after more then an hour you should wait 7 days for the paint to surface cure before you apply your next coat. So make sure that Hollywood stripper I was discussing earlier doesn’t sidetrack you or this step could take awhile.

 

VHT FLAMEPROOF COATING does require curing and VHT includes some specific instructions on how to do this.

Curing FlameProof

VHT FlameProof Coating only attains its unique properties after correct curing (refer to instructions on the can).

Off the Vehicle
 

Paint must be completely dry before curing
Heat to 250°F (121°C) for 30 minutes
Cool for 30 minutes
Heat to 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes
Cool for 30 minutes

Heat to 650°F (343°C ) for 30 minutes
 

Caution: Do not exceed the temperature of the least heat tolerant component or the base metal

On the Vehicle
 

Paint must be completely dry before curing
Run at idle for 10 minutes
Cool for 20 minutes
Run at idle for 20 minutes
Cool for 20 minutes

Run under normal operating conditions for 30 minutes
 

Using the household oven was going to be a non-starter, between the pipes not fitting and the wife giving me absolutely no doubt as to what her thoughts were… I looked at the barbeque. This made perfect sense as the pipes would fit, and I do have a temperature meter on the barbeque. Unfortunatel that option was not going to be allowed either. This left me with few options and as the Sturgis Shovel is currently tore down getting a top end rebuild, curing will need to wait until after the pipes were wrapped with the DEI exhaust wrap and the Shovel was ready to ride again.
 
Note: I am not sure how this will turn out, so I recommend following VHT’s instructions or just not let the wife know what you plan to do with her oven. I will post an update as to the outcome of this experiment once the Shovel tears up the streets once more.
 

 

Once I finished painting and curing(?) the exhaust pipe, it was time to get wrapping. J&P Cycles has a large selection of exhaust wrap to choose from in their online catalog and after looking at all the different options I decided to order the Design Engineering Inc, Titanium Exhaust Wrap Part #308-159. I also had them throw in a package of DEI’s 8-inch Stainless Steel tie wraps to secure the ends.

The DEI Titanium wrap has some great benefits over other exhaust wraps on the market. I could tell you all about its awesome carbon fiber look, or how it doesn’t need to be wetted down before wrapping. But I will instead just let the guys at Design Engineering Inc. fill you in on the details.
 
 
 
 

Titanium exhaust wrap, with LR Technology, is made from pulverized lava rock and stranded into a fiber material and woven into a proprietary weave. Titanium wrap is engineered to be stronger than most wraps and more durable for improved thermal performance and reliability. Perfect for any automotive or motorcycle application!
 
•Withstands 1800°F direct/2500°F intermittent heat 

•Promotes increased flow for improved performance
•Reduces temperature & vibration breakdown
•Extremely pliable for a tight and secure wrap
•DEI HT Silicone Coating not required
•Pre-wetting roll not necessary for wrapping
•Hi-tech carbon fiber look

•High resistance to abrasions, oil spills, temperatures and vibration breakdown
pasting
 
(Note: Design Engineering HT Silicone Coating Spray is NOT recommended for DEI Titanium Wrap.
 

As usual my order from J&P Cycles showed up almost as fast as I hit the enter key on the order form. Once the wrap arrived I looked over DEI’s directions and proceeded to start wrapping the pipe.

To start the process you first must decide which direction you want the overlap to be facing as it will effect the look.

 

 

I decided I liked the look of the overlap facing the front of the bike so I started my wrap at the rear of the pipe.
 

 
 
Once you have made a couple of complete wraps of the pipe use a plastic zip tie to temporarily secure the exhaust wrap. Pulling the wrap tight, keep wrapping the pipe overlapping about ½- inch, at the bends you will need to stretch the wrap and vary the overlap to get a smooth wrap. Just keep wrapping until you get to the end. Keeping the wrap tight is critical to the looks of the finished product. We don’t want any loose, flapping in the wind exhaust wrap do we?

 

There are plenty of different ways you can do it. I prefer to wrap the exhaust wrap around the pipe pulling it tight as I go, other people will tie one end of the exhaust wrap to an immovable object and roll the exhaust pipe onto the stretched wrap. Both ways will work, so try it out and see which way works best for you.
 
When you get to the exhaust flange or the end of the pipe, if you decided to wrap your pipe backwards cut the wrap about 1-inch long and fold it under to hide any fraying using another zip-tie to secure this end. 
 
 

Now that you are finished wrapping the pipe and are happy with the results, it is time to replace those zip-ties with either Stainless Steel Zip-ties or Stainless Steel hose clamps they will both get the job done and look good doing it at the same time.
 

 
 
 

Well that wraps it up. Now, if only I could install the bastards and go for a ride…
 
 
 
Read More
Scroll to Top