Word Of Mouth On Some Of The Good Stuff Out There

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aria’s defiant x helmet - worth the money

Ihave a problem...pretty sure I’m addicted to expensive helmets. So, lucky for me I was invited to the Arai launch of the Defiant-X in Daytona.

Now like I said, I have a helmet hoarding issue, so

I’m not new to Arai helmets (have around 10,000 miles on a XD-4) but getting the whole company backstory at the presentation really hammered home Arai’s commitment to safety and quality manufacturing processes to protect my already thick skull.

I only have about a 1000 miles or so on the helmet since the debut (SD weather wasn’t cooperative this spring), but I have been able to use it in a fairly wide variety of situations. Back in Daytona Arai took us straight to the Daytona short track where I had a chance to spin some laps in the new lid, and I spent the rest of bike week wearing it all over town. Back here in Sturgis, I’ve beat around town and of course blown through the twisties with it. And in true Black Hills

fashion, I’ve experienced everything from low 50° to low 90-degree weather, rain, and even hail.

Having spent a fair amount of time in an Arai, I had a lofty expectation when buckled it up. First thing I noticed was it felt light (3lbs, 8oz) and the second thing was that it fit like most Arai’s fit, extremely well. If your a intermediate oval head shape (most people are) this going to fit you like a glove. And if you need to make a few tweaks, they have the interior set up to peel off pieces in increments of 5mm to custom fit it to your liking. The venting is up to the standards of past Arai offerings and is stellar. The classic Arai eyebrow vents are front and center along with multiposition vents on the top that exhaust out the back. Vents in the chin bar actuate inside the helmet and pull air up through some trick check vents and exhaust it behind your ear on outside of the helmet. Needless to say, the venting is next level. One of the well know complaints about an Arai in the past was removing the pods to get

the shield off, you needed a degree in mechanical engineering to change your shield. Well no more, they have made it exponentially easier. Even a meathead like myself got the job done first try.

Arai has set their sights on the cruiser market with the styling of the Defiant-X. Which can be a tough sell for a demographic that’s known for spending more on beer in a 4 hour stretch at the bar than they generally do on helmets. I often hear the chopper faithful questioning the difference in a $100 helmet vs. a $600 helmet. I could going into the race-bred heritage, safety measures and manufacturing practices of this company but I won’t. I’ll break it down with a simple analogy; you don’t have to drive or even start up a Cadillac but when you sit in it you know its a nicer vehicle than a Yugo (Google it, kids). The Defiant - X is a clear winner, do yourself a favor and take a night off from the local watering hole and kick down that money for a bitchen helmet.

Video link https://youtu. be/50WzVu9cA6U

i’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who has a hard time staring at this bike because of all the details. With most of my articles that Chris and Heather ask me to write, I take a look at the pictures and compare some of the build details with things or tricks I’ve seen before. More times than not I have used most of them to a certain degree but not with this bike. What started life as a 1978 Shovelhead is now a rolling piece of art that performs just as good as it looks which is exactly what Christian Newman had in mind when he started on this build.

Believe it or not, this is his first bike build. He started fabricating a few parts for Hondas here and there but had never done any framework or intense fabrication except for a few relatively performance-based import cars. Newman found working with bikes to be a more satisfying outlet because of the exposed nature of most the mechanical pieces. Being an engineer by profession, it really intrigued him and was a primary focus during this build.

The Greasy Dozen Collective was the inspiration for this build and Christian says it was a great time where he got to meet a lot of great people. It was truly his introduction into the world of custom motorcycles. This being his first Harley, he had hoped he would be able to just reuse the engine and transmission, but as with most projects, he ended up rebuilding them both from top to bottom. Christian would like to thank

BA Enterprises in Lockport NY for helping with advice while he took this on. Since he had never used a mill and had only a few minutes on a Tig machine, it was a learning process from the start as were the engine and transmission. Drawing from his BMX days, Newman fabbed the handlebars, but the mounting was a bit unusual as the risers were the first part that he ever milled. The triple trees were next, and over the next six months, he began to get a little more experience and proficient with the tools and machines. So, by the time he made the foot controls, exhaust, axles, oil cooler mounts, fuel tank parts, kickstand, chain tensioners, motor mount, caliper mount, license plate mount, sissy bar and seat suspension the doubt he had at the beginning of this build was long gone! Most of these pieces were made from stainless steel, not only because of strength but for the raw, exposed look instead of painted pieces. The BSA C15 gas tank was a first as well. Christian had never really done much sheet metal work, and while he says it wasn’t too complex, he remembers it was challenging at the time. As with most rigid frame bikes, vibration has a way of breaking anything brittle like tank mounts so while he was at it he also he sectioned it for an oil tank. Some of you may be wondering how it functions with the turbo and I was one of them. Unlike a conventional carbureted bike this fuel system uses an electric fuel pump which feeds a 1:1 rising rate regulator, which keeps fuel pressure about 5 psi above boost pressure at all times, this is essential in keeping the fuel from being forced out of the carb by positive manifold pressure. The HSR42 Mikuni carburetor is set up to be a blow thru design, and the timing is controlled by a Morris Magneto but for a true race application Christian says an electronic ignition with a boost retard would be needed. The turbo is

actually mounted under the seat and receives a high pressure (for a Harley) feed from the S&S HVHP pump, a restrictor was added to the top end feed to prevent over oiling, and he added custom external head drains to help the process as well. Oil also flows through an external oil filter as well as an 8-row oil cooler. The bike was street tuned only with a wideband O2 sensor. While it runs well, Christian says he doesn’t know the actual power it makes. Now for a guy who builds a bike as clean and meticulous as this, I had to laugh at that statement.

I asked about the frame because I didn’t recognize its origin and of course, Christian had modified it. He started by deraking the neck by 5 degrees to accommodate the 2” under GSXR 1000 front end and adding a set of one-off axle plates. A first for this writer was the rear taillights that were takeoff items from a British Armored Personnel Carrier which look they fit perfectly with the bike! The paint is PPG Jeep Rescue Green that was done in record time by Andy Zeon of Zeon’s Collision. Even though I agree with the superstition of about green bikes, I’ll make an exception this time. As I look over the images of this machine, I’m personally impressed with the attention to detail on the stainless

Owner: Christian Newman City/State: Buffalo, NY Builder: Owner Year: 1978 Model: FLH Value: ??? Time: 1500 HR

ENGINE Year: 1978 Model: Shovelhead Builder: Owner Ignition: Morris Mag Displacement: 80 cu in Pistons: Wiseco Forged Heads: STD Carb: Mikuni 42 Cam: Andrews A Air Cleaner: N/A Exhaust: Owner Primary: BDL/ Evo Industries

TRANSMISSION Year: 1978 Make: HD Shifting: Hand, Jockey

FRAME Year: 1978 Model: FLH Rake: -5 Derake Stretch: -2 Stretch

Forks Builder: Owner Type: GSXR 750, Shortened 2”, Shaved Triple Trees: Owner Extension: -2

WHEELS Front Wheel: Rad MFG Hub, Excel Rim Size: 18x3 Tire: 18-4.00 SMII Front Brake: N/A Rear Wheel: Rad MFG Hub, Excel Rim Size: 16x3.5 Tire: 16-5.00 SMII Rear Brake: EBC R1 Rotor, GSXR Caliper, APR Master

PAINT Painter: Andy Zion Color: Jeep Rescue Green Type: PPG Graphics: Badge By Owner Chroming: N/A

ACCESSORIES Bars: Owner Risers: Owner Hand Controls: Exile Internal Throttle/Owner Foot Controls: Owner, Pro Taper Pegs Gas Tank(s): BSA C15,Sectioned For Oil Oil Tank: Integrated Into Fuel Tank Front fender: N/A Rear Fender: Owner Seat: Sully’s Customs Headlight: Owner Tail light: Takeoff From British APC Speedo: N/A

brackets as well as the custom mid controls and the rear exhaust mounts by the axle plate. Another piece I was drawn to was how Christian utilized a gear type adjustment for the rear wheel. I could go on forever about the small details that separate this bike from the rest, but I’ll let you, the reader, take your own time to recognize the true talent and skill that went into this bike. Christian would like to thank Bear (Old Bike Barn, Greasy Dozen Collective) Postprocess Technologies, BA Enterprises, Zeon’s Custom Paint and Kickstart Cycle for all of their help with this build! It’s refreshing to see a bike of this caliber being built. I for one am looking forward to seeing what else Christian comes up with next!!

Articel And Photos By: Chris Callen

o, this bike is going to be The Pro Tracker for Progressive Motorcycle Insurance. We started the project at Leesburg Bike Fest last S month but the more we looked at it the more we decided that the standard frame would not due for our design. Of course, the first thing we think of when we customize and evolve a Sporty is to chop off the rear suspension and hardtail it, but this one had to have performance front and rear suspension. So, as we started to tear it down, we discussed what we could do to get the best of both worlds.

We decided to take some cues from the work Jeff Cochran, SpeedKing Racing, is doing on four speed frames with his drop seat conversion and drop the seat rails down about an inch and a half. It starts by locking the frame into the Bluco table to prevent any of the stock geometry from changing.

After some thought and planning we make the decision on where to cut away the stock frame components, and then make marks to cut from. It’s important here to think ahead. You don’t want to cut away too much so keeping a little extra material that can be massaged away later is the best practice.

Before we get the saw out, we weld in a piece of tubing between the shock support sections of the frame to ensure that they remain inline throughout the process. A couple heavy tacks will do for this purpose.

There are a number of ways that the unwanted frame material could be cut away, but we go with the SawZaw so that we can keep better control of exactly where we cut. Remember you can’t put metal back on so it’s better to play it safe. With the old frame section out of the way, you can see that there is still a considerable amount of work to do to get the frame ready to accept new material.

Using a section of TIG welding rod we assume the line of our desired new seat rail, just to get a better visual of what we will be going after once we start bending the tubing. Before any tubing work can happen, the delicate work begins. We start with an electric grinder and an 80grit flapper wheel, taking off light amounts of the original fixture material. Just kissing the metal at the weld joint until it cuts through the weld, but not the section of the frame we are keeping.

Here you can see the prepared frame ready for new seat rails. From here we headed to Ohio Bike Week to do

With the frame locked down again, this time on our Grease & Gears Weld Table, we start by measuring out the tubing needed for our new seat rails.

Using the Mittler Bros Hydraulic tubing bender we can accurately bend the 1-1/4 to a 26 degree bend per our design requirements.

Once more, we take it to the frame to double check the fitment before we go any further. We also make lines at the center of the tubing to indicate where we will need to notch the end.

Using the Mittler Bros tubing notcher we notch both ends of the seat tubing, so they fit nice and tight to the stock frame. After notching a piece of tubing, it is imperative that the outside edge of the tubing be sanded back to full material thickness and beveled at an angle that will allow for full weld penetration.

We complete the same steps for the other side of the seat rail and hold them into position to get a measurement for the crossbar.

The cross bar gets notched in similar fashion on both ends as well. Then we check it for fitment.

With all the new sections of tubing fit and ready we take a minute to prep the areas that will be welded. This is done with both Acetone and mechanically with red Scotchbrite pads. One last fitment check and we should be ready to start tacking the seat rails in. It’s never too late to readjust the fitment before you weld. The better the fit, the better the weld, the better your end result.

In this case, our cross bar needed just a little extra material taken away. Remember to bevel the tubing to allow for weld penetration.

One step at a time, each piece gets a tack weld and all angles and alignment are checked after each one.

Here you can see the new lines established by the first ever drop seat conversion for an Evo Sportster. We have teamed up with Suspension Technologies to add in some performance shocks and they will be doing the front cartridges as well. As always, the result will be a direct reflection of the time and care you are willing to put into the process. Strive for precision and quality in every pursuit and you will reap the rewards. The Grease and Gears stage has become a proving ground for demonstrations of high quality work in the motorcycle industry. Be sure to check out our next stage performance during Laconia Bike Week at Roadhouse.

Article And Photos By: Charlie Weisel

t wasn’t until we turned off of Hwy 28 onto Wyoming Road 131 that we came to the realization that we would not, sadly, be reaching our intended destination of Louis

Lake, a small lake nestled snuggly in the Shoshone National Forest. Hwy 131 was, in fact, not only closed a mere half mile from the pavement we now sadly stood on, but it was also not a road intended, by any stretch of the imagination, for a chopper such as mine. Kayla’s, Honda Africa Twin, would have managed the loose and deep gravel just fine on the other hand, but, with a lack of a winch to pull mine from every ditch I would most undoubtedly be careening into, the fact that the road was closed proved to not only be a major letdown, especially after a 350-mile ride to reach it, but also a bit of a saving grace. I am by no means opposed to a challenge but often these things border on stupid, and I’ve worn the stupid hat enough times to know that those situations don’t usually end well.

Not all was lost though, a few miles back down the road we had just so excitedly come up, we had passed a sign that read “Atlantic City 4 miles” with an arrow pointing down a paved road and some of those cute little images implying that said town would provide both food and lodging. Both of these amenities we doubted the existence of, but we rolled the dice and went for it anyway. Needless to say, after 1.5 miles of pavement, the road very affirmatively turned to dirt, almost as if the road was angry about having been paved in the first place, if even for only a brief stretch, and we found ourselves lumbering across loose gravel towards a “town” that possessed more character then I’ve seen in some time. We slid our motorcycles to a stop a bit haphazardly on an off-camber patch of dirt parking lot, stopped to listen for sounds of banjos while exchanging glances of mild, yet legitimate, concern. After deciding that we didn’t hear anything but the wind howling, we made our way towards the only prominent structure in sight, up the rickety wooden steps and through the crickity saloon door that will, from this point forward, be known as the lost portal to 1885. The marble eyes of the taxidermy, most certainly of animals shot from the very front porch we had just entered from, stared at us with curiosity as the barkeep stared at us with the same. Again, glances of mild concern were exchanged between Kayla and me. We have a knack for getting ourselves in precarious

Isituations, but fortunately, they always seem to end well enough. We took a seat, the two seats at the far end of the bar. I think it was some sort survival instinct kicking in with that move, knowing that at the end of the bar we were less likely to be surrounded by a band of unruly locals and become the next specimens adorning the walls in a taxidermy style. I can see it now, Kayla and I packed full of stuffing and propped up in that traditional attacking bear pose, little kids begging mom and dad for a picture with the two “outsiders.” A ravenous hunger had set in by this point leaving us with little option but to give the local cuisine a fair shake. Once we ordered our icy cold sodas from the icy cold bartender, who at this point was beginning to de-thaw a bit upon realization that we weren’t a couple of city slickers looking to build a Marriott Hotel across the street, we settled on a double burger with bacon for myself and a chicken sandwich for Kayla. I figured if I wasn’t going to survive the night then I was going out with a stomach full of beef and bacon. Not to any big surprise, the meal was fantastic, the bacon was thick and smokey, and we both were left feeling more than satisfied with our decision to stay for dinner. It’s been my experience in the past that establishments such as this tend to have some pretty great food. I think the owners take a lot of pride in knowing that they are treating the locals right and surprising the occasional lost tourist with a delightful meal, assuming of course that you have a hankering for some classic American bar food. We wiped the ketchup and french fry grease from our fingers as a gal snuck in from the back room to grab our empty plates, paid our tab and headed for the door as the sun began to remind us that it was time to find a campsite for the night.

Slipping, sliding and bouncing our way back up the dirt road we had just come down, we rambled the easy two miles towards the Atlantic City Campground and pulled into a site that we would call home for the night. After going through our typical routine of setting up the tent, organizing our goods and walking the “loop” through the campground, a pastime favorite of ours as it always provides a bit of entertainment and a nice way to loosen up the legs, we began to study the map before laying our heads down for the night. We had begun to question our original intention of heading towards the Thunder Basin National Grasslands the following morning due to the high winds we had battled all day. Knowing that the following day would likely be worse, especially as we would be exiting the hills on the western side of Wyoming, we chose to go south, towards Dinosaur National Monument and avoid some sort of strange Wizard of Oz experience. This plan proved to be a refreshing plot twist to our original intentions. If you’ve never been to Dinosaur National Monument, you need to add this to your bucket list. We opted to stay on the Utah side of the park, mainly because that was the only side we could actually find a campsite. I point this out because the park is incredibly large and spans across the Utah/Colorado border. What we did learn quickly though, was that the sights we had wanted to see were in fact 50 miles south of where we had just so neatly set up camp for the night. Fortunately, though, our ride south that day was by no means a long one so traveling the additional 100 miles round trip was by no means a stretch or anticlimactic. Climbing quickly out of the town of Dinosaur we almost immediately saw firsthand what all the fuss was about. The grand vistas were just that, grand. Overlooks that sent us peering into deep canyons across great expanses were, at times, almost too hard to wrap our heads around. It boggles my mind sometimes at how the magnitude of Mother Nature can make us feel so small and how that reminds us that we are just one tiny piece of this earth yet so impactful at the same time.

That has to be one of my favorite attributes of Wyoming, the quiet, underappreciated and often dismissed state. The vast expanses of the eastern plains, the grasslands and starry skies creating a smooth harmonic symbiosis with the earth before reaching its exuberant crescendo on the western border, tantalizing onlookers with Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons. If you haven’t given Wyoming much of a thought, or at least not a serious one, then consider giving it a try on your next two-wheeled adventure. Leave the naysayers at home and don’t tell them what they are missing.

For more photos of this trip as well as others, feel free to follow me on Instagram @ charlietravelingchopper

im Dixon is a man who is up to his armpits in Harley iron with his shop Gas Axe Chop Shop in Ten Mile Tennessee. With the current number of bikes in his stable running at or near 27 bikes, the last thing he needed was another project. But that didn’t stop him from craving a turbo Evo powered bike. Everybody has that weird urge to build something but never really put the effort in because, well, it’s a novelty and not that cool old iron that keeps your shop runnin’.

As chance would have it though, the project saw some light when he stumbled on a turbo Evo motor, complete from the carb in. It was brand new and ready to run, the engine was

toriginally built by the legendary Steve Bowie and then stashed on a shelf. The original owner caught a case of life gets in the way, when he found that his wife was pregnant with twins and his project had to stop. The motor had been collecting dust and Tim was able to pick it up for less than a song and snagged the mill for less than you can buy any Knucklehead part for. The motor itself is eighty-eight cubic inches with an estimated 10-1 compression Wiseco pistons and a turbo grind cam capped with a Garret t2 turbo and a Mikuni 42 requiring an electric fuel pump to make it all operational. The turbo itself is oiled from a ‘t’ fitting running off the oil pump to feed it and then it runs back

into the cam cover.

With the engine taken care of, attention was turned to the rest of the drive- train. A stock 1997 H-D five-speed is mated to the mill using an Ultima three-inch belt drive and electric starter. Shifting is by a set of swap meet forward controls of unknown origin.

Tim was doin’ some wheeling and dealing with an old Ford “A” coupe and stumbled on the bikes roller. The roller was negotiated into the deal and with that became Tim’s.

The frame is a gooseneck and has a rake of 34° and a stretch of roughly two inches. The frame is mated to a four-inch over girder. A twentyone-inch front wheel shod with a Metzeler 90/90/21 is used up front and an eighteen-inch rear wheel sporting a Metzeler 200/50/16 tire out back.

For braking in the rear is a K.C. International sprotor was used while up front CPM rotor, and caliper was used and actuated by an eBay set of hand controls. The handlebars were made by Gas Axe as well as the stainless exhaust system you see hangin’ behind the turbo.

The battery needed for the electric

start resides in the swap meet oil tank, and the rear fender is molded into the frame. This along with the custom sliced and stretched Sportster gas tank by Gas Axe was sent to Flamin’ Freddy for the House of Kolor root beer flake paint as the rest of the shiny stuff was sent to Atlantic Coast Plating for a dose of that bling. The front and rear lights, as well as the seat, were eBay sourced.

After the normal wait on shipping and cursing of the UPS man, all the flaked out, and chrome stuff arrived back at the shop. The bike was assembled in about five weeks; working on and off when time permitted while working on other projects.

I asked about turbo lag as it’s not intercooled, and Tim told me there is none to speak of as the turbo doesn’t really kick in ‘til about 30 mph. When it does though, he said that you better hang ‘cuz’ it pulls like a monster from 30 mph to well over a hundred. There have been no major problems to speak of, but idling is annoying.

At idle, oil smoke will appear after it warms up but goes away above idle. The problem lies in the turbo itself. There is a fault with the main bearing seal, and Tim has yet to address the problem by a ceramic bearing the replaces the whole set up…problem solved. It hasn’t been

Owner: Tim Dixon City/State: Ten Mile, TN Builder: Gas Axe Chop Shop Year: 012 Model: Custom Value: $15,000 Time: 5 Weeks

ENGINE Year: 1997 Model: Eve Garret Turbo Charged Builder: Steve Bowie Ignition: Ultima Displacement: 88ci Pistons: Wiseco Heads: Stock Carb: Mikuni Cam: Custom Air Cleaner: K&N Exhaust: Gas Axe Primary: Ultima

TRANSMISSION Year: 1997 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: Forward

FRAME Year: Unknown Model: Gooseneck Rake: 34° Stretch: 2”

Forks Builder: Unknown Type: Girder Triple Trees: Unkown Extension: 4”

WHEELS Front Wheel: Spoke Size: 21” Tire: Metzeler Front Brake: CPM Rear Wheel: Spoke Size: 18” Tire: Metzeler Rear Brake: KC International Sprotor

PAINT Painter: Flamin Freddy Color: Root Beer Type: House of Kolors Graphics: Flamin Freddy Chroming: Atlantic Coast Plating

ACCESSORIES Bars: Gas Axe Risers: Gas Axe Hand Controls: E-Bay Foot Controls: Swap Meet Special Gas Tank(s):Gas Axe Oil Tank: Unknown Front fender: None Rear Fender: Molded In Frame Seat: Headlight: E-Bay Tail light: E-Bay Speedo: None

a problem at all, once underway, so it’s way down on Tim’s to-do list.

Tim built this bike because the components revealed themselves and he had a bug in his britches to build the turbo bike. Although he uses it to jam around the block, it is mostly used for a loaner bike by his friends.

With as many bikes as Tim has, it’s no wonder why this doesn’t get ridden much. With a multitude of bikes to choose from it’s hard to pick a favorite. However, when he does throw his leg over it, there is no doubt he is astride one unique ride. “GTP”

Article And Photos By: Chris Callen

Ok, so the plan was to make a tail section for the Twisted Tea Tracker that would transfer the skinny 19inch rear wheel to the standard size frame without making it look like lips on a duck. We wanted a somewhat cafe style tail section but didn’t want to take away from that skinny back end. Now, usually this would have been done through hours and hours of forming a buck, then hand-forming sheet metal around it to get the exact size and dimensions you want, but we didn’t have time for that, so this tech article is a shortcut we found. We simply took sections of other fenders we had laying around the shop. Since they were the same radius, we could use them in different manners to get the desired results. In the end, we wanted to match the combination of the convex/concave style of the fuel tank, which would have been a real challenge without this happy accident. We start with the same practice, as usual, set up the fender for the correct radius using the Mittler Bros shrinker stretcher. No big deal here, set the height using an old piece of bike chain. Since the fender was 5-1/2 inches wide and the tire is only four inches wide, we decided to take an inch out of the fender to snug it up. A pretty easy trick is to lay it flat on its side on a table and measure up 2-1/4 from each side.

Once our pencil lines are on, we mask them off, then apply machinist dye so we can see the line clearly when we cut.

When the tape is removed, the blue dye stays and will remain visible through the entire process of the cut. RJ is a master with the wheel of death, no there isn’t a guard on it, yes you should have one on yours before trying this at home.

Here you can see how nice and even the cut is. You should take time and fit the two halves before welding a sloppy or uneven seam. We tacked it in spots, then came back and did one inch at a time in different areas to let the heat dissipate, reducing the amount of warpage. We needed a place to base our tail section from. RJ came up with this great seat backer that would serve both purposes. He cut this out with his Lincoln Plasma Table, and once we found the complementary angle, we welded it in place.

I know, so where is the tail section? By utilizing the the fender we had previously cut to length it provided a top piece to fit up against the seat backer, like so. We also took the top section and narrowed it in the back so it would transition to our seat backer in a V shape.

Now, here is where it gets interesting. By taking another fender and splitting it in half and taking those halves and shaping sides with them, we had two side panels that would transition from the base fender to the top section in the exact radius we were using. Of course, these were way too long but one thing at a time.

At this point, we make a simple seat pan that will pop right into our molding work and get it out to the seat guy.

Here is a shot of the whole contraption from above. While there is still a ton of material to take off the sides, we have the length and the hard part, the reverse radius, has been done for us. This will save days. With the excess material cut away in a graduated line to make the transition from the seat rail of the frame to the tail of the fender, you can start to see what we are going after.

Here you can see the number plates will also fit just under the tail section and will also be kept tight up against the tire. We also cut out a small piece to fill in where the top section was short and started to take it all up.

Here you can see that we have started to tack on our 1/4 inch round rod to match the molding lines of the fuel tank. This will also go between the two parts of the fender to accentuate the concave/convex design. Here we have most of the silicone bronze work done. The idea here, if you haven’t heard us speak on this, is that we fill in the gap along the round rod with silicone bronze. This metal is softer than mild steel, so when we grind and sand it away, it smooths out nicely leaving a nearly finished seam.

By this point, we are almost ready to prep this thing for paint. A few more hours with more delicate sanding work and it should be ready for primer and at most, a skim coat of finishing putty.

Here is our finished piece ready for paint. While we came about it in unconventional fashion, the result is killer, and we achieved al we set out for in the design principal.

ot many motorcycle kids from my generation will ever forget the brilliant chase scene from the movie “The Great Escape” where Steve McQueen leads the Germans on a cross-country run that ends with him jumping a barbed wire fence. At the time I was a small boy, Steve McQueen was larger than life, and his role in that movie and his N legendary prowess as an avid cyclist away from the silver screen made me want to ride a bike more than ever. These were times when real men rode motorcycles, smoked cigars and ate red meat. Of course, there were the regulars at the track like Gary Nixon and Marty Sipes, Bob Hanna came along years later, but the regular guy appeal that Steve McQueen had, well sir, that was unmatched. He raced in the ISDT, desert

scrambles, and in the movies, he was all about fast cars and bikes.

Eventually, he had come to a crossroads where the movie people forced him to make a choice between his racing career and his movie contracts. Of course, he picked the life of the actor that gave him such a great name in the Hollywood history books, but his love for motorcycles never died. By the time of his passing in 1980, McQueen had over 200 motorcycles in his collection. Many of those bikes were bequeathed to friends and family, but many more were sold at an auction in 1984.

It was said that although Steve loved all brands of motorcycle, his favorites were Indian and Triumph. I have always dug his Indian Chopper, a bike that for any chopper nut is almost as iconic as the man himself. But when it came to prized members of his motorcycle family, the rare Chiefs were where he really had it. And that brings us to the 35 you see pictured here.

I met David Flores when I was staying with Mike and Carolyn Tomas. Kiwi, as he is known by the world, is the foremost authority on Indian Motorcycles and he alerted me to this beauty, making sure I got some time with the owner will I was in LA. It turns out that along with Steve McQueen, this hardtail Chief was also owned, for a short time, by Tom

Cruise. David showed me an interview where Cruise explains to the show host how his wife bought him the bike as a present. He wrongly identified it as a ‘34 to which both David and I had a good laugh. Can you imagine having enough money that your wife could surprise you with a bike this expensive, or not knowing exactly what the bike was after so much was paid for it? Yeah, that’s funny!

Anyway, back to David. Flores is a property investor who grew up in LA and lives in Orange County today. He got into bikes in ‘91, and for most of this time he has been into modern machines, even had some rare cars along the way. Then about three years ago he ran into a friend who had just bought a ‘48 Indian Chief. David fell in love with it and was hooked. His vintage bike addiction took off, and as he thinks back to it now, he isn’t sorry one bit. David feels the people are the half of it. The more he gets into vintage bikes, the more people he meets and the more he enjoys it. Unlike the world of exotic cars, where he would regularly lose half his money by the time he sold a car, the bikes are a solid investment, and he gets way more enjoyment out of them.

This one came to him almost by accident. He was at the Mecum Auction buying a ‘32 Chief when his friend, Glenn Bader, a motorcycle broker, told him about it. They hooked up on the deal and just like that David had a McQueen Indian. Having huge respect for Steve, David decided to keep the bike in perfect “McQueen” condition. That meant that despite some things being wrong by Indian standards; he kept them like Steve had them. Take the seat, for example; it was a Harley seat pan with an upholstered Indian cover. Since that was how Steve had it... David had an identical seat remade without the wear and kept it just the same. He has had the bike all over, did the Big Bear run with the LA AMCA, took it to a Steve McQueen car show just recently where he met Steve’s son Chad McQueen and

McQueen’s ‘35 indian tech sheet Owner: David Flores City/State: California Builder: Indian Motorcycles Year: 1935 Model: Chief Value: Time: Engine Year: 1935 Model: Chief Builder: Indian Motorcycles Ignition: Stock Displacement: Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: Stock Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: Stock Exhaust: Stock Primary: Stock

Transmission Year: 1935 Make: Shifting: Frame Year: 1935 Model: Chief Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock

Forks Builder: Indian Motorcycles Type: Stock Triple Trees: Stock Extension: Stock

Wheels Front Wheel: Stock Size: Tire: Front Brake: Stock Rear Wheel: Stock Size: Tire: Rear Brake: Aerocraft Drilled Disc

Paint Painter: Color: Powder Coating: Pinstriping: Polishing: Accessories Bars: Stock Risers: Stock Hand Controls: Foot Controls: Stock Gas Tank(S): Stock Oil Tank: Stock Front Fender: Stock Rear Fender: Stock Seat: Harley Seat Pan Headlight: Stock Tail Light: Stock Speedo: Stock Photographer: Chris Callen

got a picture with him and the bike.

Of course, having old Indians and a need to have them in tip-top shape led him to Kiwi Mike Tomas. David says that Kiwi is the kind of man you’ll have a hard time finding in the Harley world. He is reliable, honest and a perfectionist at his craft. Flores found Mike by Google searching Indian Specialists. Ok, so this article is gonna take a while for Mike to live down, I can almost hear him giving me the business about being one of those shady Harley guys now... Thanks, David.

But no, seriously, thank you for the chance at shooting such an incredible bike. Flores is on his way to an impressive list of motorcycles as well, but of all of them, he says this one is in the top two or three. He feels pretty lucky that since he has owned it all his has had to do has been to enjoy it... Just like Steve McQueen!

Article By: Amelia “Killer” Rose

sometimes the only support you need in your life is from your mom. I know mine is a big source of support for all of my theatrical endeavors and I am thankful every day for her. For Jim Myers, his mother was just as influential. Since the ripe old age of two, Jim has been making art, driven by nothing more than an overwhelming urge to create. When he was only eight years old, he saw his first David Mann poster, and from then on, he was hooked! By the time he was old enough and started painting, around 14, he had already decided the path he wanted to take. Looking at David Mann’s paintings, he could see the freedom and life that each one held and from then on worked to achieve that same feeling in his own work.

Throughout high school, Jim thrived in his art classes, being driven primarily by not being able to afford posters for his room. Unfortunately, his grades didn’t reflect this, as much like myself now in college, Jim had a hard time producing and submitting his work on a deadline. In later years, the motivation to create came from wanting to keep out of trouble, and out of boredom. These days, Jim finds his motivation in making others happy with the work he creates.

In 2008 Jim decided to pursue a full-time career in art, eventually opening his own gallery. Unfortunately for the fate of the gallery, the town he had opened it in wasn’t exactly an art haven, and it closed after only a few years.

As for his love of motorcycles, what really drew him into this crazy, creative culture, Jim has been riding for about as long as he’s been painting! When he was younger, his mom was friends with people who rode so it was something he was always familiar with growing up. Around the time he started painting is when Jim began riding and made some moto-friends for himself, finding himself being drawn to the freedom and opportunities that motorcycles held for him. The people he surrounded himself with taught him plenty of valuable life lessons while also teaching him the ways of the road, which can kind of be the same thing if you think about it.

What visually sets Jim apart from

other artists in our industry is his intense love and need for realism. When starting a new piece, his goal is to bring in as much detail and accuracy as possible, with every piece being better than the last. His favoring of acrylic paints in his work gives him just that. It’s also a favorite of his because he doesn’t exactly have the patience for a slow-drying medium like oil paints and the fast-drying medium pushes him to work faster to achieve greater work.

Over the years and through his artwork, Jim has been able to do things he had only dreamed of as a child. Back in 1998 he actually had the opportunity to meet David Mann in Sturgis. He had been carrying his sketchbook around, and David asked if he could take a look at what he was working on. Since then, Jim has painted live at Las Vegas BikeFest 2014, and in 2015 he was invited to and attended Chopperfest out in California. Jim has also had the pleasure of meeting a few of his fellow moto-artists, such as Scott Jacobs and Motor Marc (who was recently featured in the magazine by yours truly!) And of course it wouldn’t be awful to one day be seen as one of the big names in the moto-art industry like David Mann, David Uhl, Scott Jacobs, etc,.

Today, Jim spends his time painting and taking commissions at home with his lovely wife, who is one of the most supportive people in his life today. He is also an on-the-side goat farmer, thanks to his wife!

To check out more of this amazing artwork and show some love, you can head to Facebook (Jim Myers), his website http://yamachop73.wix.com/ jim-myers_biker_artist, And for prints, you can go to https://fineartamerica. com/profiles/1-jim-myers.html

Mexico is always an adventure,” had said the American who’d been visiting annually for the past 30 years. My experience since this statement was made has confirmed its validity beyond doubt. And although

I didn’t spend last winter there, the previous winter’s adventures have been too numerous to print successively. So, after four consecutive months of Mexico stories, I decided it was time to bring us back to the U.S. However, I can’t help it,

I still feel compelled to tell a couple more of those Mexico tales…

Puerto Escondido is located along the beach in the state of Oaxaca, which is not too far from the border of Guatemala.

The Shalom Youth Hostel’s backyard in which I’d been camped was a beautiful tropical place. Most of its residents - my neighbors - were young folks from around the world. It was as interesting a place as I’d ever experienced. Because of the extreme January heat and humidity,

I was grateful for Shalom’s swimming pool. But my time here was about to end.

I’d been seeing Toni Girl, and very soon she’d be flying into this place for a two-week working vacation. Although there’d be plenty of time to enjoy this tropical town, Toni’s work is done over the internet, and it would be necessary that she spend a few hours each day on her laptop. Toni does well at her job and, unlike myself, for her, there would be no lack of funds to do whatever she wanted in a land that is very inexpensive. In light of all that, I’d already located a $17 a day hotel (My youth hostel was $3.50), and upon her arrival, we’d be moving there. Also unlike myself, Toni would be mostly on vacation. It would be her show, and I intended to simply go along with whatever activities she cared to engage in.

Toni’s plane would arrive at 2:00 pm, and on the morning of her arrival I broke camp and rode for the hotel. Anna, the proprietor, is the sweetest thing and without having yet paid a single peso, she handed me the room key and a smile. Although Anna speaks little English, I speak some Spanish and had been able to communicate to her what was going on. In anticipation of toting Toni’s luggage on my bike, I stashed my equipment in the room.

After a few wrong turns, I found the little airport slightly late and met Toni in the lobby. She seemed excited. After bungee cording her stuff aboard, we headed off.

At the hotel, Toni went to pay the bill and was met with a large bouquet of flowers Anna had purchased for her. This gesture encouraged almost instant friendship. Toni speaks some Spanish, and the girls rattled on for a good while before we finally settled into the room.

Located just two blocks from the beach, our hotel was filled with mostly Canadians and a few Americans who visit this place annually. Unlike Cancun or its equivalent, Puerto Escondido is not really a tourist town. The place is known mostly for its waves and surfers from around the world visit for that purpose. Because of the surf and its tropical beauty over the years the town has grown. It attracts many snow-birds and a few short-term tourists. This has increased the economy and many parts, especially those along the beaches, have been developed into beautiful areas of restaurants, bars, coffee places, surf shops, and the like. Yet it’s not the usual tourists with loud shirts, Bermuda shorts, and cameras around their necks that one is most likely to run into, but more likely the retired—some wealthy, others not, and many who reside yearround—and ordinary folks from all over the world who just have a yen for traveling. An interesting place to say the

least.

The following morning began with a short walk to a beautiful little restaurant for breakfast with the Canadians. Cost for a strategically arranged plate of anything you wanted was $3.50 including coffee. Next, we joined the little gym that was directly at the top of our driveway. After that Toni had to work a few hours before we took a walk along the sand and into the beachfront section of town. Toni was delighted with this place and began inquiring about the cost of houses here; which I found kind of comical. The days rolled on in this manner. Toni was delighted with the prices and, being a natural lover of fine food; we began to frequent the posher restaurants I’d never consider dining in. One day Toni informed me we’d be going for a Thai massage. This was a new experience and one that I enjoyed immensely. Some may be familiar with such activities, but for me, these things were both a delight and an adventure. Sometimes we’d ride back from the beach to areas where town is mostly all Mexican and roam the streets in search of interesting sights and foods. We spent at least a half a day at one huge indoor market.

Knowing from my recent stay at Shalom that an event would be happening there, I loaded Toni up for the short ride. All my old pals lined the

youth hostel’s front windows or hung at the little bar set out front to laugh, drink, smoke weed, and watch the street show. Pretty soon a couple of vans arrived to let 30 or so drag queens step into the street. Beside my parked motorcycle they adjusted dresses then grabbed flags and signs to make ready for the gay pride parade. A comical sight. Oh, my youth hostel friends, none of whom were gay, whooped and hollered as they sipped beers and cheered the ‘girls’ on. When ready, the queens marched on down the street. Back at Shalom, the party continued. Eventually growing bored with this scene, Toni and I strolled down the street for enchiladas at my favorite restaurant.

It was yet another hot and humid mid-January morning as I declared this excellent timing for a day ride into the mountains. Wearing only shorts, t-shirts, and sandals, we set off along the tiny potholed road that led away from the sea and high into the altitude. Almost completely devoid of houses, this was mostly a second gear road. It twisted ever higher until we were engulfed in thickly forested mountains. The air cooled. We stopped at a small restaurant for a fresh treat that is, unfortunately, unavailable in the states. After taking seats under the handmade cabana, our young attendant grabbed a machete, lopped the ends off two coconuts, inserted a couple of straws, handed them over, and then sat to practice his English with us. Having never seen such a thing, he took particular interest in the vapor machine I was smoking. I handed it over for him to try. The guy really liked it. Maybe such things will make their way into this country in time.

Some miles up the road, we came across a pile of vultures perched on the carcass of a burrow. Beyond that, an interesting looking restaurant sat beside a small waterfall, and I just had to stop for lunch. This stand was built by hand using only saplings cut from the surrounding forest. As is common in Mexico, two women, apparently mother, and daughter were cooking at a handmade grill beneath the makeshift awning. A handful of others, probably family, milled around.

We placed an order and took seats at the picnic table. This was a quiet, tranquil place. I soon took notice of what appeared to be a 13ish-year-oldgirl staring incessantly at Toni. When I caught her, she’d look away, then quickly stare back again. It was Toni’s blond hair and blue eyes that intrigued the girl, and I wondered how often, if ever, she’d seen such features before.

I walked to the fire/stove for a coffee refill. Noting that the letters printed across the chest of the teenage daughter’s t-shirt were in English, I asked if she knew what they said. She didn’t. I then told her in my spotty

Spanish, “I read English perfectly. That shirt says, ‘Who needs brains when you have these (meaning boobs)’”. The girl burst out laughing so hard she had to stagger over to our picnic table and sit down. I had no choice but to laugh with her and we cracked up together for a long time before she eventually went back to work.

After lunch, a younger man (who may have been the t-shirt girl’s squeeze or husband) and the 13ish girl showed us their new baby. It appeared that three generations of family all worked at this stand.

Back in town, while sitting in El Cafacito (The Little Cafe) by the beach, the lady who walks around selling fine hammocks passed by and, knowing Toni had an interest in getting one, I flagged her to sit with us. Having been in the area for over three weeks now, I’d seen this older woman around and even talked with her some. She’d quickly dropped the sales pitch on me, and we’d become at least pleasant acquaintances. I asked her now, “Haven’t seen you for a week. Where have you been?”

“I went home to make more hammocks…” I’d not known she weaves this colorful commodity by hand. As the woman talked, I learned that she lives in a town some miles away. Once the hammocks are made, she rides the bus to this wealthier area then stays with a friend while walking the streets until they are all sold. Afterward, she does it again. “How long does it take to make a hammock?” I asked. “Eight to ten hours for each one.” “I think Toni wants to buy one from you.” The woman brightened immediately. I believe that having already found me uninterested in buying a hammock, she only thought I’d invited her to sit and relax with us for a while. In the end, Toni paid $35 for that fantastic piece of handmade furniture.

As Toni’s two week stay slowly wound down, I considered my own next move. Toni’s hotel room was airconditioned, but upon her departure, it would be necessary to remake my camp at the youth hostel. The air here had always been hot and humid, but now it was growing even worse. The idea of returning to a sweaty tent held no appeal. Besides, spring was not far off and, after six weeks in this place and a total of three months in Mexico, it seemed as good a time as any to begin the long journey north.

After kissing Toni goodbye at the plane, I packed for the ride out. Although there are generally faster roads out, the ones I picked were tiny byways that wound seemingly endlessly through a mountain land unlike anything found in the modern world.

Little did I suspect that some of the greatest adventures lay just ahead…

if you have been reading the last few issues, you know that the junkyard CB 750 was a labor of love but also a way to connect with readers who maybe have some mechanical aptitude but not a ton of dough. Everyone doesn’t have the ability to go out and buy a Harley or afford parts to customize them. Typically, they can afford an imported bike that needs some TLC. My first bike was a 1977 Yamaha RD 400 two stroke two cylinder. I knew nothing about bikes, had a local guy bore out the cylinders and put new rings and pistons, but my dreams of customizing it quickly came to a halt when I couldn’t keep it running. I wish I had that bike today to tinker with and make it to a proper scrambler, but I gave up because I didn’t have the knowledge to keep up with all the tiny issues. I still thought about what I would make that bike into; thankfully I got rid of it before I could molest it into a state of it being unrideable. A nice flat tracker racer came by and “took it off my hands” for a few hundred dollars. My next build was similar to what this CB 750 was, but in boxes as a parts bike. I chopped the frame, did some terrible seagull crap welds and gave up on bike building until I had a friend who could show me the ins and outs of building a proper custom from the ground up.

This CB750 was in a junkyard across from Jason Delacroix and Jason Williams shop. It was of questionable quality because you never know what you are going to get even if it is through reputable source. Assume the worst. They got this CB750 that had been sitting for decades in the desert and quickly deloused it with heavy insect killer and degreaser. That made it so they could really see what they were working with. You can look through the previous issues to see everything they did to take a junkyard do and make it into a fully functional café racer. The point is that everyone reading this knows a place or person who has a bike that might be in questionable condition but could be reconditioned and made into a rideable bike. This project got started because the co-owners of Motoauct.com wanted to transform an unrideable vintage motorcycle into a piece that could be auctioned off live on their platform. They decided the perfect place to unveil it would be The Quail motorcycle gathering and auction it off on their site during the event. What started as a mild customization turned into the full-blown café racer before you. As you read this it will have new lucky owner as it was auctioned off on Motoauct.com during the Quail Motorcycle Gathering. If you weren’t the lucky bidder on Motoauct.com, you can always look at their site and see if there is a contender for your own groundup custom build. Chances are with everything that you can find on the internet it is possible to build something on your own and learn the ins and outs of a bike that you can truly call your own.

the gavel TECH SHEET Owner: Motoauct, LLC City/State: Bakersfield, CA Builder: Jason Delacroix & Jason Williams Year: 1978 Model: Honda Value: $10-12K Time: approx. 150 Hrs ENGINE Year: 1978 Model: CB750 Builder: Jason Delacroix Ignition: Dyna S Displacement: 750cc Pistons: STD Heads: STD Carb: Keihen PD42B (Modified) Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: Pod type Exhaust: Mac Primary: TRANSMISSION Year: 1978 Make: Honda Shifting: FRAME Year: 1978 Model: Honda CB750 (Modified) Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock

Forks Builder: Jason Delacroix Type: Telescopic Over Hydraulic Triple Trees: STD Extension: WHEELS Front Wheel: Size: 19” Tire: Metzler 190/90/19 Dual Sport Front Brake: Stock caliper,Kawasaki Master Cylinder Rear Wheel: Size: 17” Tire: Metzler 120/90/17 Dual Sport Rear Brake: Drum PAINT Painter: T&L Customs Color: Off White, Brown, Orange, Blue Type: Graphics: Jeff Beitzell (Four Eyes) Chroming: minimal. ACCESSORIES Bars: Dirt Track Style Risers: none Hand Controls: Honda Foot Controls: Stock Position Gas Tank(s): Stock Oil Tank: Stock Front fender: Stock Rear Fender: Modified Moto 00Guzzi 850T Seat: Handmade Headlight: Custom Tail light: Custom Speedo: Custom LEATHER WORK: Bennys Trim Shop Photographer: Mike Hows Photography

The mornings can be brisk in southern California in May, but on the opening morning for Why We Ride to the Quail, we could not have asked for better weather. As I left the hotel, I could comfortably ride in a vest and flannel with no problem. Then again, I was riding the new Indian Roadmaster and could have as much or as little wind as I desired. Paul Yaffe and I arrived at Lucky Fools Pub in Moorpark right on time and were greeted by at least 50 bikes lining the road to the lead off spot. Why We Ride to the Quail is in its 4th year and was founded by Bryan Carroll, who also co-produced the inspirational motorcycle documentary Why We Ride. Bryan and his co-producer, James Walker, wanted to keep the enthusiasm for the movie going and create a ride that engages riders and raise money for charity. The recipient of the fundraising from the ride is the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. If you aren’t familiar with them you should go check out their site; it is worth seeing the exceptional work they do for children.

We left Lucky Fools and headed through some great riding for the day. The first few hours saw us going through lemon groves of Fillmore, winding around agricultural land and putting through Ojai. We stopped at the historic Cold Spring Tavern that was established in 1886 for a BBQ tri-tip lunch. Lunch stops are typically longer, and we got to know our fellow riders a bit. There were people from all over the US, Mexico and even India that rode this year on everything from brand new Indian’s to 70’s two-stroke Honda’s to a fully custom Yaffe Knucklehead Bagger. The one common denominator was that everyone loved to ride. Some had adventure bikes, others sport bikes but there was always a sense of togetherness, a shared love of the road and being in the wind. After lunch, we wound through the vineyards of Los Olives and Santa Maria stopping at

Riverbench Vineyard, which claims to be one of the oldest vineyards in Santa Barbara County. The day continued at a great pace, and we ended the night at Pismo Beach with a private catered dinner on the patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. To say the first day was a perfect bit of riding would be an understatement.

The next morning found us with some low fog that quickly burned off as we headed to our first stop the Cayucos Pier. We headed inland from there and made our way to the Mission San Antonio de Padua that was built in 1773, where we had another gourmet catered meal with authentic Mexican fare. There had been a lot of talk of the next section of road, and with some newer riders, I had my doubts that it would be that spectacular. Boy was I wrong. We headed out of the Mission and went towards Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. That was easily one of the most memorable roads I have ever ridden. It is right up there with Escalante Staircase of Utah and the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. We hit it on a Friday, and there was an exceptional amount of traffic because it was really the only way to get to Big Sur because the PCH was still

closed after mudslides. NacimientoFergusson Rd offered endless curves, breathtaking views, not a guardrail to be seen and the Indian Roadmaster handled all the curves, even off camber with ease and comfort. I was mostly alone, trying to get imagery, so I didn’t have to go the pace but definitely got a feel for one of the best roads in California, next time it will be on a not so busy day, maybe even in the early morning. After the intense ride, we all spilled out onto the PCH and stopped so we could regroup and get an idea of where we were headed next.

The rest of the ride up the PCH and then inland towards Carmel was full of winding curves, camaraderie and reflection on what is truly important. We made it to the Monterey Tides Hotel well before sunset and washed up to get ready for our banquet. That evening was full of laughs with a table full of enthusiast from the Yaffe and Klock camps as well as some heartwarming stories. We were lucky to have a panel of women talk about their experiences with motorcycling, including famed motorsports adventurist Wendy Newton, founder of Helmets n’ Heels; Samantha Moore; and Cindi Martin, a woman who always had the bug to ride motorcycles but didn’t get her license and first bike until she was 60 years old; after which, her husband promptly followed. The evening ended early knowing that the next day was the culmination of several days of riding and truly the event that we all came for, the Quail Motorcycle Gathering.

The next morning, I was joined by my friend Ryan Boyd of Arch Motorcycle. We got to see some incredible bikes that day including the new Arch 143, a collection of Arlen Ness bikes (who was honored at the show) and featured classes including Café Racers and Electric Motorcycles. The food, as always was exceptional, the motorcycles were varied and show the vast sea of what people like, including many vintageinspired builds and restorations. If you get a chance to go on the 5th annual Why We Ride to the Quail you should jump at the opportunity, registration will start soon. They raise money every year for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and have produced a short documentary called “Why we Ride to the Quail, A Documentary” that can be viewed on GoFundme.com if you like it donate a few bucks. www.whyweride.com

Article By: Bear Haughton Photos By: Bear & Mike Vandergriff

Hi folks! Bear Haughton, of Old Bike Barn, here.

We are living in an extraordinary time in human history where travel to exotic locations that once would only have been available to aristocrats is within the reach of the workingman! It’s near and dear to my heart. As some of you may have seen through various social media feeds, I have spent the last few years devoting serious time and energy to adventure motorcycle travel and inviting various industry friends to join in the fun. As you can imagine, I was stoked when Chris Callen Editor at Large of one my favorite grassroots publications, offered me an opportunity to tell his readership about my latest endeavor in motorcycling. I’ll be heading up the US branch of www.himalayanheroes.com and hosting/ guiding 4-6 epic rides per year! I believe that we all need to break out of the rat race as often as possible! Life is too short to not do epic things and climbing mountains with motorcycles is time well spent. Lately, I have taken to saying, “There is only one irreplaceable commodity in life: TIME.” I have found that my little recipe for happiness in a world gone mad, is to “Live modestly and spend the rest on motorcycles, good food, and as much travel to far-flung places as possible”! So, what will you see? Well, our trips offer a wide range of terrain; but the main feature is the high elevation riding in the Himalayan Mountain ranges of Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Tibet. While these pictures speak for themselves, I figured I’d answer a few common questions here. Is it dangerous? Yes, riding motorcycles is dangerous! As for the locals, we found them to be welcoming even at some of the most sacred sites. We always have local guides with us that speak the language. They explain our purpose in moto-adventure and cultural voyeurism; it’s always well received. What do we eat? The food ranges from simple omelets and toast

“We are living in a very special time in human history where travel to exotic locations that would only have been available to aristocrats is within the reach of the working man”. –Bear Haughton

while camping to gourmet meals on either end of the trips, with lots of tea at local guesthouses along our well researched and remote routes. The tours are designed to be about riding and epic vistas with as little logistical burden as possible on the riders. Seasoned guides, translators, and a chase truck with spare parts and mechanics are included in every ride we do.

Some say, “I don’t want to be on no stinking tour group?” I can honestly say it would be challenging, if not impossible for a solo rider to pull off the motorcycle adventures we lead. It would require a massive amount of effort, time, and dollars to do a comparable “trip.” The amount of research, prep, and know-how that goes into these epic journeys is hard to explain until you see it firsthand. “Trip” isn’t even a fair word to describe it. These are full on expeditions! Himalayan Heroes manages everything from permits, accommodations, food, to wellresearched and pre-run routes, a sweeper rider (no one is ever left behind), and as I mentioned earlier, a chase vehicle with all the gear and tools. All you have to do is focus on the riding and epic scenery! You will never be stuck for days at a checkpoint or with a broken-down bike. Want to bathe in a fountain at a sacred temple that few westerners have ever seen? How about cross a mountain pass at 18,500 feet? Ride the world’s longest suspension bridge? Or maybe meet some of the last living headhunters in North East India! We create these sorts of experiences! These are full on motorcycle adventures that are cathartic experiences for all that attend. We have tons of photos and details at www.himalayanheroes.com

I’m guiding on 4-6 trips a year, leveraging my previous military career as needed when thrust into a leadership role in a tight spot in the middle of nowhere. In my mind, solid operators have two things: experience and the humility, my team has both. For us, it’s all about facilitating good times for other riders and setting a tone of teamwork, mutual respect, and brotherhood for the people on the expedition.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to share my passion for riding in exotic locations and hope these photos inspire Y’all to ride with us. After 17 years running www.oldbikebarn. com, I’m certain this next chapter will be some of the most rewarding work in my motorcycling career. So, here’s to seeing some of you in a distant land, with me, and the Himalayan Heroes crew climbing mountains with motorcycles! –Bear Haughton

in 2002 Triumph wanted to exploit the fact that they hit their centennial first. They pushed the fact to dealerships to make sure the customers all knew which company was older, therefore had more history. In honor of the 100th anniversary of Triumph motorcycles the company released the T100 model starting with a limited run of the “Centennial” edition. But on March 15th the factory had a crippling fire allowing only a handful of bikes to emerge unscathed. The run was then pushed to the fallowing year, with about 500 total models produced. With a familiar look in trying to hold fast to the classic Bonneville style the T100 is still produced today.

Motone USA is a top to bottom one stop shop for aftermarket parts for later model Triumphs. Based out of Roanoke Texas, the young company was looking to feature their products and ideals in a way that showed the full potential. But when you’re trying to have the perfect spokes model built finding someone that you trust and shares your same vision is

never easy…or is it?

Well, it’s easy if your neighbor is Kyle Shorey of Shadetree Fabrications. See both Shadetree and Motone share the same building and both Motone’s Dale Crawford and Kyle have a great respect for each others work, so the decision was easy. Shadetree was started in 2005 and over the years has become the first place to go for specialized Harley Softail parts. For Kyle, this was a special circumstance build for a special customer. Shadetree produces a limited number of bikes and rarely are they customer builds, but a challenge is rarely dismissed.

The 2004 T100 all in all took eight months to come together. With other priorities on his plate Kyle fit the project in when possible, always trying to keep it fresh and moving forward. The frame sports a stock rake with no stretch and a hardtail done by Cycle One in Locust Grove, OK.

Kyle cleaned the frame and the welds and showcased Motone’s own fuel tank, cap, and seat pan. The frame came with a Mid USA rear wheel which Kyle matched for the front along with a Mid USA springer. The entire purpose of the bike was to draw attention without taking away from the products and risk being overbearing so it was decided that the frame was to be chrome plated. Being that the engine cradle is a separate piece it was painted to match the tins by Liquid Illusions in a candy apple red with gold flake to give color to the bottom of the bike. The motor was in turn punched out and adorned with intricate side covers that Dale had done by a kid in India. The clutch was beefed up to handle the motor with a set of Keihin carbs feeding the frenzy.

Shadetree was able to accent the Triumph with their own magic and one-off details with custom exhaust, battery box, and beautiful controls finely tuned to work with the original Triumph pieces. For only being Kyle’s second Triumph build, his attention to detail remains unmatched. Giving a later model motorcycle the slight tweaks and

OWNER: Motone Customs CITY: Roanoke, TX FABRICATION BY: Kyle Shorey YEAR: 2004 MODEL: Triumph T100 VALUE: $25,000 TIME: 8 Months

ENGINE YEAR: 2004 MODEL: Triumph 750 BUILDER: Tony Lewis IGNITION: DISPLACEMENT: 904cc PISTONS: BP/Wiseco 10.5.1 HEADS: Bored & Polished CAM: Stock CARB: Keihin FCR 39 AIR CLEANER: Gas Box EXHAUST: Shadetree PRIMARY: TRANSMISSION YEAR: 2004 MAKE: Triumph SHIFTING: FRAME YEAR/MAKE: 2006 MODEL: Stock,Hardtail By Cycle One RAKE: Stock STRETCH: Stock

FRONT END TYPE: Springer BUILDER: Mid USA EXTENSION: -4” TRIPLE TREES: WHEELS FRONT: Triumph SIZE: 6” FRONT TIRE: Avon MKII FRONT BRAKE: Mid USA REAR SIZE: 16” REAR TIRE: Avon MKII REAR BRAKE: Harley-Davidson PAINT PAINTER: Liquid Illusions COLOR: Candy Apple Red TYPE: GRAPHICS: None CHROMING: Pulido Plating ACCESSORIES: BARS: Shadetree RISERS: HAND CONTROLS: Kustom Tech Retro FOOT CONTROLS: FUEL TANK: Motone USA OIL TANK: None FRONT FENDER: None REAR FENDER: Shadetree SEAT: Motone USA upholstery: Working Man’s Customs HEADLIGHT: Dual - Retro W/ Grill TAILLIGHT: Motone Belair SPEEDO: None

exaggerations needed to obtain a classic European look. As it turned out, the T100 was finally completed to match the release of the Triumph Bobber. The T100 has not gone unnoticed wherever it shows, taking numerous awards including The Ultimate Builder. Kyle may never produce another one but at least we were able to witness his talents on the one he did. Make sure to check out Shadetree Fabrications on the web and don’t forget Motone USA for those late model Triumph accessories and more.