Cycle Source Magazine Issue 305 - Dec23/Jan 24

50 December‘10 CYCLE SOURCE

CYCLE SOURCE December December '23 - January '24 7

BIKES Freakenstein

Brock Bridges Evo Chop ................................................. 20

Baby Blue

Eric Stein's 67 Shovel ...................................................... 38

The Hustler

Daniel Donley's XS650 ................................................... 50

Greyhound Jack

MTW's Ode To His Father ............................................... 60

Blaze

Matt Brannan's CFL ........................................................... 74

The Trident

Garage Builder Drew Skocelas' Triumph ............ 86

FEATURES SmokeOut 23

The Same But Different In All The Good Ways ..... 10

First Ride

Chris Cruises On The Indian Sport Chief ...............30

Museum Minute

Art At The Museum ............................................................ 44

Get The Vote Out

Let Us Know What Was The Best Of 23 ................... 56

1000 Words

SmokeOut 23 In Pictures .............................................. 66

CFL Coming Back

Is it Still Choppers For Life? ......................................... 70

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TECH

Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow

How To Diagnose Engine Problems .......................... 16

Gearing Up-Part 2

Installing The Andrews Cam Gear Set .................... 26

Better Than Stock

Improving The Stock Gear Box Cycle Stop .......... 46

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EDITORIAL OFFICE

The Cycle Source Magazine 118 Dellenbaugh Road Tarentum, PA 15084

For Any Questions Or Comments Please Call 724-226-2867 or e-mail cyclesourcemain@comcast.net

EDITORIAL STAFF

Christopher Callen - Editor In Chief - cyclesource69@comcast.net Heather Callen - Managing Editor - cyclesourcemain@comcast.net Kevin Baxter- Tech Editor - Kevin@baxtersgarage.com Milwaukee Mike - Mid-West Editor - neanderthalneon@hotmail.com Roadside Marty - South East Editor - roadsidemd@bellsouth.net Keith “Bandit” Ball - News Editor - bandit@bikernet.com

STAFF WRITERS

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Chris Callen, Milwaukee Mike, Jack Schit, Pat Jansen, Xavier Muriel, Charlie Weisel, Mitch Bodine, Amelia Rose, Daniel Donley, Joshua Elzey, Roadside Marty, Heather Callen, Melissa DeBord, Troy Bensinger, Matt Reel, Jason Mook

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Mad Stork Ken, Twila Knight, Melissa DeBord

CONTRIBUTORS

Jason Hallman, Leah Whaley, Matt Quinlan

STAFF ARTISTS Chris Callen

ADVERTISING

Heather Callen- Sales Manager - cyclesourcemain@comcast.net

GRAPHIC ARTISTS Chris Callen, Heather Callen

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DISTRIBUTION

Comag 5230 Finch Ave. E., Ste. 1, Toronto, ON, M1S 4Z9 Cycle Source - Dealership Direct Distribution 724-226-2867

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Heather Callen - 724-226-2867

COPY EDITOR Judy Duggan

LEGAL COUNSEL

James L. Paz Attorney at Law - Tarentum, PA - 724-226-9PAZ For Any Subscription Questions Call 724-226-2867

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SPARE PARTS Product Spotlight

Hot Off The Rack ............................................................... 84

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Cycle Source Magazine

In The News

The World Report Powered by BikerNet.com .... 90

DEPARTMENTS

118 Dellenbaugh Rd. Tarentum, PA 15084

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From The Editor’s Desk .................................................... 8 Art Of Our Culture ............................................................ 34 Photo Hunt ........................................................................... 36 Pin-Up Of The Month ....................................................... 49 Chopper Charlie ............................................................... 80 Gut Busters ........................................................................ 98

The Cycle Source Magazine® (ISSN 1935-0287) is published 10 times a year by The Cycle Source Magazine with Offices at 118 Dellenbaugh Road Tarentum, PA 15084, 724-226-2867, www.cyclesource.com. U.S. Subscription rate is $40.00 for 10 issues. Canadian Subscription rate is $50.00 for 10 issues. Back Issues, when available, are $7.99 each, payable in advance. Periodicals postage paid at Tarentum, PA ad additional mailing offices. The Cycle Source Magazine® reserves the right to reject any advertising or contributions that it deems unsuitable. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not of The Cycle Source Magazine®. Nothing printed in The Cycle Source Magazine® can be re-printed in whole or part without the express written consent of the publishers. Copyright ® 2023. The Cycle Source Magazine®, A Grass Roots Motorcycle PublicationSM, Scooter Tramp ™ Wild Man™ Low Down & Dirty Rotten™ Grease & Gears Garage™ Grease & Gears TV™ Grease & Gears Garage Roadshow™ ShopTalk™ Do It Your Damn Self™ Inslide Line™ and SmokeOut™ are registered trade marks.

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ABOUT THE COVER Daniel Donley is no stranger to our pages, nor is he a stranger to building killer customs and The Hustler is no exception. Donley debuted this beautiful XS650 at SmokeOut 23 and it was a showstopper for sure. We are thrilled to have it grace our cover.

December '23 - January '24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 7

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ometimes, I feel like I was born at the wrong time. I mean, there is so much about this world that has changed while I’ve been alive, but up until lately, it has always seemed as if the motorcycle world was immune to it. We were a group comprised of blue-collar people who worked hard, partied hard, and, by and large, were just good, grounded folks. Now, let’s not get into the bohemian aspects of this culture that saw a much more open assessment of the drug and art lifestyles. Instead, let’s focus on the garage. I have been reminded about this mindset over the past years magazines when writing many of the feature bike articles. I have come to the realization that the people I tend to gravitate towards are as much into the process of doing as they are in the having. Sometimes, even more so. I guess that goes back to the days when all this started; you couldn’t just order everything for a custom build, and to really come up with something cool, you spent hours in the garage making bad decisions and starting over. There was very little encouragement as much of what we call the custom bike industry today hadn’t been invented yet, and nobody in conventional society gave a damn about what we were doing in our dirty little garages anyway.

Now, by this time, and I mean in and around the onset of the eighties, there were plenty of custom bike builders, plenty of parts, but it was all very underground. Where I grew up, we didn’t have the pot or the window

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to throw it out of, so often, times we would see something cool enough times to just try to do it ourselves, or we’d find a beat-up old version of it at a swap meet and quickly squirrel it away to our shop where we’d work on rehabbing it. The point is the work was ever-present. You never had to wonder if a guy who rolled out a freshly finished custom bike could do any of the work to create the parts on it. Could he weld? Can he run a lathe? These questions never came up because either that person or someone in his close circle could; otherwise, it wouldn’t happen.

Now, geographically, this anomaly can be traced to generations of steelworkers and fabricators from the auto industries and coal mines, but it got me thinking about where it all came from on a large scale. The people customizing early hot rods and choppers most likely worked in a field where machining and welding were part of their everyday lives. Just like today, you hear cats say, “I’ll take it to work with me and make it there.” One thing for sure: there was no magic wrench. I knew guys in my area who decided early on that they were going to paint bikes. While some may have spent their days doing “Earl Shine” $99.95 paint jobs on grocery getters for the retail public, painting a bike is a whole other thing. So, they spent time learning the practices and processes to become qualified in our area as “The Bike Painter.” The same was true for almost every

part of the bike. I remember a way early shop called The Cycle Deli that exemplified this model. One guy was a motor guru, another was the best tranny man in the land. Each had their own specialty and brought it all together under one roof. Of course, that much Alpha Male energy in one spot in the universe was a recipe for disaster but nonetheless, these were achieved skills over a lifetime for them… Still no magic wrench.

So where is all this going? Well, dear reader, as we sit here today with more options than ever before.

The ability to build a motorcycle from scratch at our fingertips without leaving the comfort of our couch.

Content on getting it all shipped to us the very next day in Amazon boxes: I wonder if the magic wrench has robbed our culture of something truly greater. Have we given up the art of mining for gold just to be able to pile it up faster and show other people how much of it we have in front of us? Have we somehow cheated the growth potential from learning by prioritizing the egocentric nature of bragging about what we own? Now, these are the politics of the soul.

Each man or woman has to answer these questions for themselves, as do I. But the point is, we have to start asking them, if not to each other, at least internally, before the next time we filter for the PRIME ONLY items that will get here faster.

December '23 - January '24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 9

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Article By: Jason Hallman Photos By: Benny, Missi & Matt Quinlan

alking back through the gates of the Rowan County Fairgrounds for the first time since 2006 was a little more than cathartic.

I’ll admit, I asked myself if it was going to be the same as I remembered it? If you had been around in those early days, you’d recall that only half of the event was the actual “event.”

A good deal of the fun those early SmokeOuts’ was had at the Holiday Inn, which by now, we all know is no longer a hotel.

This was the first time I made my way to the Rowan County Fairgrounds since 2006 (only the second year it has returned to Salisbury.) I attended with Eric Gorges from Voodoo Choppers that year, and I can only recall a few details. I

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remember that North Carolina is hot and humid in the summer.

I learned that Pat Patterson’s Impaler Chopper can do killer

fire burnouts, and I also distinctly remember a group of guys in the Holiday Inn parking lot who were trying to start a chopper that the

neck had snapped off of. They were successful, and like I said before, back in those days, the party happened as much at the hotel as it did at the fairgrounds.

At first glance, things hadn’t changed that much, but it would all change once I took a closer look. I think it is in everyone’s nature to be skeptical of an event that is “under new management,” but I wasn’t.

I believed in what Source Media was doing from the very beginning. One thing everyone should know about Chris Callen is that he is a fan first.

He approaches everything with the excitement of a little kid getting a new BMX bike, and acquiring the SmokeOut was no exception. There is just enough of Chris’s influence around the property to make you wish he had done it earlier.

One of the best things about SmokeOut has always been the freedom to have fun in a part

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of the country that offers amazing riding too. I wasn’t able to go out and experience the roads, but I know many of the rallygoers were, and I think it helped remind people why we have rallies in the first place. Loads of friends [new and old] all converge together to do motorcycle stuff.

“Nothing could be finer than to meet in Carolina.”

One of the things that I noticed to be different and much improved was Randy’s Cycle Showcase-style “Legend’s Gallery,” which pays homage to this amazing event’s history by placing some of the most notable bikes of the past two decades built by Legendary builders on display in a beautifully decorated hall. This is a multi-media experience too, with a large screen playing some of the best motorcycle content that has been archived since the beginning of this event and others too. This year’s gallery featured bikes from the readers’ top builders from the pages of Cycle Source Magazine 2022.

Rally-goer attendance was impressive, as were the bikes they brought with them. While the early SmokeOuts were mainly Choppers, today’s custom motorcycles include everything from Choppers and Bobbers to Softails, Dynas, and performance baggers. There were several individual custom motorcycle shows with trophies presented by industry leaders. John Jessup’s Team Dream Rides FXR Gathering had over 30 bikes. The Perewitz Paint Show was hosted by legendary builder Dave Perewitz, and his daughter Jody had every imaginable type of bike, all with incredible paint jobs. Pat Patterson’s Sportster Showdown by Led Sled also brought out the best of the XL crowd.

The professional band stage didn’t disappoint at all. Big House Pete from Pennsylvania, who by all accounts looks to have a strong shot at becoming the SmokeOut’s “house band,” played two complete sets.

One with their current touring bass player and one with their original bass player, Mr. Chris Callen. Other rockers, City Awake, ran through a set list of original songs plus their cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher.”

Bands like THEM!, Wolftooth, One For The Road, and Kentucky Music Mafia filled the air with a diverse selection of sounds that provided something for everyone.

The weekend’s highlight had to be the performance by headliners

Drowning Pool on the Dennis Kirk stage! Not only did they rock the stage, but they completely flame threw the crowd with their songs Bodies, Sinner, Step Up, and Tear Away. The guys were just getting ready to launch their North American fall tour, and The SmokeOut was their warm-up! Look for a podcast from them to be released by the time this goes to print at the Garage Built Podcast.

While the weekend’s highlight may have been Drowning Pool, the rest of the event was not for the faint of heart.

The Dirt Drags were as close to any legitimate drag racing competition I have ever attended, and [trust me] I’ve been to more than I can count in my lifetime. Hell, even the Sherriff’s department got in on the competition.

I am willing to bet that there will be some purpose-built machines at future events. Hint, hint, wink, wink!

The Biker Olympics were a riot! The “World’s Strongest Biker” competitors ranged from 5-foot 6-inches and 170 pounds to 6-foot-tall weight-lifters ready to compete for the title of “World’s Strongest Biker”. We even had female competitors this year.

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either. They were just as competitive as the guys were and completed every single challenge in the competition. If you somehow missed this event, it will be my personal mission to see to it that it gets higher billing in 2024, so get yourself an engine block and learn how to run with it! You have less than 300 days left to get you’re a$$ in shape!

The SmokeOut has become an official Hamster’s USA® event, and “Hamster Holler” was open to everyone who attended. North Carolina’s very own Mark Hendrix was on hand, as was his new CFL chopper built entirely at “the shop that shall not be named” by Mark and his staff. The Holler offered its own brand of southern hospitality all weekend long with great food, storytelling, and even a little hardcore “Hamster Hooch” whiskey, too!

It simply couldn’t be The SmokeOut without the wet t-shirt contest hosted by the legendary Roadside Marty.

While there may not be any “official” winners, there were certainly no losers, and lets face it, we ALL win the Wet T-Shirt contest, am I right?

I would be remiss if I skipped over a SmokeOut staple, the mini bike races. Thanks to Jive Turkey Racing for organizing the choas. I’m not sure how they ran last year but this year they were killer. They had a full course just on the other side of the dirt track in front of the bleachers. Riders and racers adorned costumes, which are mandatory, that ranged from hotdogs to heros. Based on that, noone took the racing too seriously but they sure did have a helluva time.

No grassroots motorcycle party would be complete without old time bike games. The Shadetree crew made sure that didn’t get overlooked, there were weenies, kegs, and the slowest rides on the planet.

All in all, the weekend was a blast and I cannot wait for the next one.

Their working on 2024 as I write this and from what I understand, it’s only going to get better from here so stay tuned to Cycle Source on social media as well as Grease & Gears TV for more coverage and news on next year’s event and the inaugural Garage Build Off!

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Article And Photos By: Daniel Donley

h

www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com

aving engine issues? Or do you want to check to ensure everything is in tip-top shape?

The Motion Pro 4 Stroke Leakdown Tester is a great tool for diagnosing engine problems.

This tool will pressurize the cylinder and show you the percentage of leakage on that cylinder. This lets you know if you are in good shape or have issues that must be addressed.

intake and exhaust valves closed.

Some engines have more than one spark plug. It is only necessary to remove 1 of the 2 plugs for this test. Rotate the engine till the piston comes to Top Dead Center with the

The Motion Pro 4 Stroke leakdown tester comes with everything necessary to perform the leak-down test. Different size adapters will allow this tool to be universal for different spark plug thread sizes.

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In some instances, when pressure is applied to the cylinder, it can rotate the crankshaft. This can create a dangerous situation, so be safe here.

I like to shift the transmission to high gear and apply the brake so the crankshaft will not rotate. Watch what you are doing here and use your

head. We basically want to stop any crankshaft rotation during this test.

The kit comes with different size threaded adapters for the most common spark plug thread sizes.

You can now connect the hose to the adapter to the spark plug hole. DO

NOT CONNECT THE TESTER YET! Connect the air supply to the Leak Down tester, turn on the gauge, and adjust the pressure regulator knob until you achieve 0% at 80 PSI, then press the bleed off valve for a few seconds. This will make the reading fluctuate, let off the bleed off button, and make sure the gauge returns to 0% at 80 PSI. You may have to readjust the regulator accordingly, and you may have to do this a few times

to get this reading consistently.

Connect the tester to the spark plug hose. Let the numbers settle down, and record your reading. Here, you can see that this engine has issues.

There is an intake valve leaking and an exhaust valve leaking, showing

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that this engine needs repair. You can hear and feel the air coming from the intake and exhaust valves. So, this particular engine needs a valve job. A high percentage reading here indicates Leak Down.

These are the areas where you will want to check for air escaping. If there is no air escaping, your percentage will be very low, if any at all. That is when you will know your engine is in good health.

• Carburetor - intake valve leak • Exhaust – exhaust valve leak • Crankcase breather - piston blow by • Adjacent cylinder - bad head gasket • Bubbles in your radiator - bad head gasket Motion Pro Suggests / Percentage of Cylinder leakage.

• 0%-5% Excellent condition (Most engines built for racing have 5% or less) • 6%- 14% Good Condition • 15% - 22% Poor Condition (Engine will run but will be down on performance) • 23% - UP Engine might run but probably needs to be rebuilt.

The Motion Pro 4 Stroke Leak Down

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Tester PN: 08-0740 is a great tool for engine diagnostics. It is quick and easy to use and provides very accurate measurements, giving you an excellent idea of what is happening inside your engine.

If you have questions, or suggestions for a future tech article please feel

free to reach out to me at the shop!

FB- Pandemonium Custom Choppers IG – pandemoniumc2 happydandemonium@gmail.com www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com

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hen you meet Brock Bridges, the builder of the bike before you, he seems like the average Joe. A younger man from the Midwest who might get rowdy here and there. However, when you look at his work, he may be a genius walking among us. But he comes by this naturally.

Brock grew up with drag racing culture running through his veins.

His grandfather was a motor guy, and his dad did the fabrication.

Together, they built chassis for local teams and for their own use, so his ability to build custom cars and bikes came at a young age. At 15, he got some of his car builds in publications like OldSkool Rodz. But there is even more to him than that. The fact that none of his bikes look the same is a clear sign that this is a cat looking for a challenge. On each build, he sets out to try to take his skills a little further. To build outside his comfort zone, pick up a new

process, or meet a new challenge.

He has literally been consumed by this thing, and we are all the better for it. In his creations, we can all find the inspiration to do something new in our own work.

So this bike was built around the wheels, oh no, I am quite serious. Brock had the idea to make this set of wheels, kind of a throwback to the old BMX days and Snowflake wheels. He knew he wanted the bike to be an Evostyle motor and tranny but other

Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Missi DeBord

CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 21

than that, it would be a bike and he was good. But that mix to get these wheels out of his of old and new is also constant. head and into the world. Bridges He used a transmission with a found a donor in St. Louis, of all hydraulic clutch while at the same places, and it turned out the bike time engineering a mechanical was being sold by Big Randy. brake pass through to use an old The two agreed on some terms drum-style brake. When I asked since Brock didn’t want half the about this, he admitted you must stuff it had on it, and Randy did. make choices. Of course, it’s not Brock headed home with an Evo a great brake, but Brock feels motor and tranny, and a frame like the mechanical nature is a that he could put in the attic with part that he digs in all this and the others he has collected. The likes to see more of. name Freakenstein couldn’t be The girder front end was more perfect as the rest of this another personal goal for him. story is filled with things he had Having built many springer front lying around, like the Burkhart ends before this and even a rigid nosecone and the Model A Front front fork, he had yet to build Axle, The I-Beam he used as a girder. Brock stated this is a the seat post. Of course, there lesson in patience as building is the Evo front cylinder and a one-off front end doesn’t call head matched with the rear for prepping as much fixturing, Shovelhead, but Bridges said so slow and steady welding that was relatively easy. He practice is king. The slip-fit frame just had to figure out the angle, joints adorned with small speed

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hole beams tie it together. The lack of traditional triple trees makes the single down tube stand out and keeps the lines tight and narrow.

The handmade oil and fuel tanks are this cat’s real jam. Brock says he prefers to work in aluminum these days, and whatever the process, the result is an incredible mix of organic components that mesh perfectly with the mechanical nature of his bikes. Topping off the fuel tank is a race car/aircraft style snap-lock fuel cap.

When I said earlier that Bridges is the type of man who likes to pick up knowledge as he goes, his abilities see him right through every step of the build. The hand-stitched and tooled leather seat and even the custom paint are done in-house and by his hands. In fact, the only place he admits he needs help is in the polishing. He credits Rob Jones for helping to keep his sanity

CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 23

freakenstein TECH Sheet Owner: Brock Bridges City/State: Nilwood, IL Builder: Brock Bridges Year: 2021 Model: P.O.S. Value: Priceless Time: Too much ENGINE Year: 1987 Model: Evo, Shovel Builder: Brock Bridges Ignition: magneto Displacement: 1340 Pistons: HARLEY-DAVIDSON Heads: HARLEY-DAVIDSON Carb: S&S Cam: HARLEY-DAVIDSON Air Cleaner: Exhaust: Brock Bridges Primary: Brock Bridges TRANSMISSION Year: 1987 Make: HARLEY-DAVIDSON Shifting: 5 speed FRAME Year: 2021 Model: Homemade Rake: 32° Stretch: 3” Forks Builder: Brock Bridges Type: Girder-Brock Bridges Triple Trees: Brock Bridges Extension: WHEELS Front Wheel: Snow-flake invaders Size:21” Tire: Avon Front Brake: sucks Rear Wheel: Snow-flake invaders Size: 21” Tire: Avon Rear Brake: Sportster drum PAINT Painter: Brock Bridges Color: Root Beer Type: H.O.K. Graphics: Brock Bridges Chroming: ACCESSORIES Bars: Brock Bridges Risers: n/a Hand Controls: n/a Foot Controls: Brock Bridges Gas Tank(s): Brock Bridges Oil Tank: Brock Bridges Front fender: sucks Rear Fender: Brock Bridges Seat: Brock Bridges Headlight: FNA Tail light: Brock Bridges Speedo: Hair Photographer: Missi DeBord

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through the polishing. roll out from that point on.

While he has patience for Makes me wonder what many things, Rob helps might come from his Madhim keep his cool in that Fab laboratories next. We area. suggest you stay tuned While it seems like because there isn’t much just yesterday we first we figure at this point met Brock as he rolled that would be outside his out the first build we had reach. seen of his at Willie’s Chopper Time, it was, in fact, five years ago, but in that short amount of time he has had at least one incredible bike a year

CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 25

Article And Photos By: Jason Mook www.deadwoodcustomcycles.com

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e’re back for the second installation of this two-part series, upgrading your 5-speed transmission with the gearset from Andrews Products. We have the transmission case, trap door back from powder coating, and top and side (clutch release) covers.

I know this model FXRS came with a natural finish or “blonde” drivetrain, and while some purists are shaking their head at me right now, I wanted 7.

Completion Time: 4 hours Difficulty Level:3 (Scale of 1-5)

Tools & Supplies Required: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

SAE Wrench Set Assorted Allen Wrenches Rubber Mallet Various Retaining Ring Pliers Seal Installers Hydraulic Press Transmission Specialty Tools Red thread locker Blue thread locker Thread sealant

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to put some wrinkle black on the driveline, along with some custom colors on the bike. It is my FXR, I can do what I want! Remember, if you want to check out this 5-speed kit, along with all the other Andrews’ Product Line, go to www.AndrewsProducts. com to eat off. Position the main drive gear bearing in the bore with the markings on the bearing facing out.

Start by cleaning the Cosmoline off all the gears, main shaft, and countershaft in the kit. I did it all in the parts washer, but you can use any quality contact cleaner if you don’t have one. The Cosmoline is to ensure the parts don’t rust before they get to you. Next, prepare your transmission case by chasing all the threaded holes and ensuring it is clean enough

ring is facing out. At this point, I like to install the new countershaft bearing in the case.

Use the specialty installation tool to seat the bearing in the bore.

to have the case built to receive the transmission cassette.

With the countershaft bearing installed, move to the installation of the main drive gear using the specialty tool.

While wearing safety glasses, install the retaining ring for the bearing in the groove of the bore.

Ensure the bevel of the retaining

Use a hydraulic press and appropriate driver to install the new bearings in the trap door plate.

Next is the shift shaft seal from the rebuild kit.

The shift pawl assembly with washer and retaining ring is all left

Finish

the

trap

door

bearing

CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 27

installation with the retaining rings, remembering your safety glasses.

respective bearings, doing the main shaft first, install the spacers and Nylock Nuts hand tight over the main and counter shafts.

You will repeat this process several times throughout the assembly. The 4th gear main goes over the bearing, You need special retaining ring pliers to assemble the gears on the main and counter shafts.

Pictured are the two I use the most, one from Snap-On (left) and the other from Matco (right). I wouldn’t recommend doing a transmission rebuild without them.

Continue assembling the gear set with 3rd gear main and counter. You

followed by the 1st gear main from the other side of the shaft. will finish with 2nd gear main and counter, then 5th gear counter.

Using the specialty pliers, install the first retaining ring in the groove of the main shaft closest to the trap door side.

Next, move to the countershaft, installing 1st gear counter and 4th gear counter with the appropriate retaining ring, thrust washer, and bearing.

You will use the bearings, retaining rings, and thrust washers where applicable. Protect the threaded end of the main shaft while installing the cassette in the case.

Follow that with a thrust washer.

Apply assembly lubricant to the bearing race section of the main shaft.

Install a new bearing in the race groove.

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The main and countershaft each get a tapered spacer on the end that is pressed into the bearing (tapered side toward the bearing).

It is important to note that the main shaft spacer has a shoulder, while the counter does NOT.

After pressing the shafts into their

Don’t forget the gasket! I always use new hardware for these rebuilds.

Torque the 5/16” bolts to 14-16 ft/lbs and the 1/4” socket head cap screws to 90-120 inch/lbs.

You can “lock” the transmission by engaging gears to prevent the shafts from rotating. After doing so, apply

red thread locker to the shaft nuts and torque them to 45-55 foot/lbs.

to 90-120 inch/lbs with blue thread locker applied. Now for the shift pawl adjustment. Temporarily put a shift arm on the shift shaft and bring the transmission into 3rd gear. Using the eccentric screw with thread sealant applied, adjust the “claw” so it has an equal distance of daylight on each side.

Install the shift forks with rods in their specific locations.

Next is the shift drum with hardware.

Those four bolts should be torqued

Lock down the jam nut with an 11/16” wrench. Home stretch – all that is left is the main drive gear quad seal

and the main drive gear seal with pulley spacer. Boom! I like to add a little transmission fluid to the gears before installing the transmission top cover (don’t forget the drain plug back in the case).

This 5-speed gear set is a great way to freshen up an old tired transmission. You even have options for the first gear ratio, depending on how you want to ride it. Get to wrenching!

-Jason Deadwood Custom Cycles

CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 29

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ometimes, you get bogged down in the details of this industry, and it can cause you to become a little cynical.

All the E-bike talk and the new and better features thrown at us each model year can take away some of what we all started this for: The Fun Of Riding A Motorcycle.

Enter the Indian Sport Chief. Now, to say that this bike surprised the hell outta me is a huge understatement.

Meter that with the fact that I have not entirely been a fan of a lot of their offerings.

I kinda dug the FTR. Other than that, I felt that while it was great that Polaris revived the ageold American Motorcycle Company, they were often perceived as searching for an identity that was separate from Harley-Davidson. Well, in this new model, I think they may have found that and more.

When you consider that Indian has been dominating on the race

Article By: Chris Callen tracks both in flat track and at the Kind Of Baggers, it would make sense that their retail motorcycles would bring along some of what they are learning on the track.

Still,l there have been many companies that do well on one or the other but fail to bring those two worlds together.

I can sum up how they have scored with this model in a simple statement; “Dear God, Is This Bike Fast!”

Ok, with that said, let’s qualify that statement a bit. I first mistook this bike as another iteration of the Scout. It was sleek and small and seemed as if they had just implemented a redesign on that platform. Upon my first twist of the throttle, I was made aware that it, in fact, had an Air-Cooled Thunderstroke 116-inch engine.

It’s fuel injected with a 54mm Throttle Body. While there is no reported HP, the peak torque is stated to be an impressive 120foot pounds; most importantly, that CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE - December ‘23 - January ‘24 31

number is achieved at 2,900 rpms.

That means that all that low-end power delivery is right where you are gonna grab for it. Pairing that with a vehicle weight of 665 lbs adds up to a lot of power in a small box. But let’s talk about that. This bike is equipped with a mode selector that enables you to move that torque curve around a bit. I suppose those numbers are in Sport Mode, and you can feel it. But both other modes have equally different characteristics. In Standard Mode, you get the best of both worlds. A polite, streetable motorcycle that isn’t jumpy but still has plenty of power. In Touring Mode, you will find the torque curve feels a bit broader and more into the mid and upper midrange, where you need it for passing in traffic and a smooth ride on the top end.

We asked nothing of the company for the first ride on this bike. In fact, that was why I mislabeled it as a Scout. It just showed up one day, and we started riding it.

As time goes on, we will do a few more reports where I will discuss those particulars with them, but for now, it was all about the ride. To that end, we set out on our familiar turf, namely the hills of Southwest PA. I went back and forth on the mode selection, and it provided the data above. I was also interested in whether the higher ground clearance and addition of performance suspension would translate to the ride. It did for sure.

As a matter of fact, between the power delivery and the suspension, I was able to ride beyond the motorcycle’s 29.5 degree lean angle quite easily. No big deal as peg scraping for a Harley rider is nothing unusual, but it does point to the fact that there is more room to get more out of it. Now, that might be in a different set of controls as these are sort of mids but still hold on to the idea of a more traditional cruiser position.

Another item was the dual four-piston Brembo brakes on the front. They are

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amazing but may either be a little too much brake or might need to be met by a slightly stiffer front suspension, as under hard corner braking, I could feel the front end hitting bottom. Again, I must stress that I was riding this thing extremely aggressively. I was easily doing 90mph on back country roads where speed limits of 40 were

typical. The rear suspension features a set of FOX Piggyback reservoirs and performed great, while the front forks were 43mm KYB® Inverted Telescopic Forks.

The other standard features are the ABS, Keyless Ignition, Rear Cylinder Deactivation, and 12-volt and USB

Charging ports.

One thing that will take way more time to get into is the 4-inch touch screen with their proprietary Ride Command system. This will be included for free for 1 year on 2024 models and boasts features like live weather/traffic and intuitive destination search. A real-time clock; ambient air temperature; heading; audio information display; map/ navigation; Bluetooth status for phone and headset; vehicle status (voltage, engine hours, oil change); vehicle info (speed, fuel range, RPM, gear position); current ride data (distance, moving time, stop time, altitude, altitude change); trip meters; ride mode selection; screen brightness; and vehicle trouble code readout. Like I said, I got minimal exposure to that feature and will do some homework. Suffice it to say that all the techno goodies that the average moto-geek is looking for are included in this little package.

As far as ergonomics, the seat height of the Sport Chief is pretty low at 27 inches. A height that my 5’4” wife felt immediately comfortable on while I felt no cramping while riding it for an entire day. So, to say it’s a good fit across the board is accurate.

In closing, for this round, I want to say again how impressed we are with this bike overall. It comes in at a retail price of $19,999 and is a whole lot of bike for that money. The closest comparison might be to the Lowrider ST, which is right around the same money, and while the torque number on the Lowrider is about the same, the Sport Chief gets to that peak number earlier, making it more fun to ride. See our entire test ride video on Grease & Gears TV with your Roku or Firestick TV. But don’t just take our word for it. Get out to a dealer today and check one out.

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Article By: Killer

ypically, the artists you see on these pages are pinstripers, welders, engravers, etc. This month, however, we have something a little different for y’all. William Cassio is a tattoo artist currently based out of Maryville, TN. As a child, Will used art to escape the things around him, a form of stress relief that doubled as a way to keep himself occupied. He has distinct memories of going to tattoo shops with his mom and bars with his dad as a child. At the bars, he would sit and watch his dad’s friends with their biker or military tattoos and try to recreate them on napkins.

Will was born and raised in the great state of New Jersey, where he learned to tattoo. He started tattooing on himself and his friends until he could finally land an apprenticeship. From age 15, Cassio lived independently, forcing him to be resourceful and use his acquired skills. Now 32, he’s been tattooing (professionally) for the past 15 years and has been his own boss since 2014.

As a tattoo artist, Will finds that his environment plays a big part in finding his inspiration. His general surroundings can affect his mood, as well as the places and people he’s discovered along the way.

The motorcycle industry plays a significant role in his art. Artists like Salvador Dali, Joe Fenton, Bob Tyrell, and Herman Yepes have also influenced Will. He credits DJ Tambe for inspiring him to be a well-rounded, genuinely talented (my words, not his!) tattoo artist.

Over the years, he’s taken up other artistic mediums, including charcoal and oil painting. Though it’s far from the only art he’s done

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outside of tattoos. He’s dabbled in everything from woodworking and carpentry to digital design.

Basically, he’s tried whatever may pique his interest at the time. To Will, the term “art” is extensive.

It’s everything he finds visually appealing: motorcycles, handcrafted trinkets, furniture…hell, you could give him a picture of wood grain, and he would be able to make something out of it. He also has a mild interest in interior design and appreciates wellthought-out layouts and the flow of spaces.

Despite his many talents, one of the reasons he chooses tattoos as his medium, again and again, is the “challenge of perfecting

permanence.” Which includes everything from the blood and ink, the way no two skin types are the same, the designs, and, of course, the approach. It’s not like drawing on paper that you can throw away or erase if you make a mistake. It’s permanent. With that, there’s also a level of trust and understanding involved. Once he picks up a machine, it’s almost like his hands start working for him. His mind becomes clearer, and his eyes open to his soul, almost as if he sees clearly for the first time.

Thanks to Dave “Mull” Silvia, a great friend and father figure who sadly passed away last year, his connection to the motorcycle is also familial. He and Will had

met when they lived in the same town. Will painted a large rock for him in his backyard; they became fast friends. Will often looked up to him as he would his own father. As time passed, Will was introduced to a close friend of “Mull’s,” who happens to be the “King of Flames” himself, Dave Perewitz. That introduction eventually led Will to his first Laconia rally with Mull, where they ran into Perewitz, who invited them to ride with him, and the rest of the Yellow Shirts, who bore the design Will had painted for Mull on that rock. That led Will to a network of people that are just amazing. He said he could go on forever and that if it hadn’t been for Mull, he wouldn’t know anything about this incredible community or anyone in it. Will says he has been around bikes his whole life, but not on the level the past several years have shown him. Back in 2017, he actually traded a tattoo for his first Harley, a 1977 Ironhead, and it’s been an addiction ever since.

Will believes that what sets him apart from others in the tattoo world is that he is only in competition with himself. He gives respect where it’s earned and honest advice where needed without judgment to anyone who wants direction. Will is not a gatekeeper but holds onto the oldschool values that the tattoo artist title must be earned. He believes you have to clean up your mentor’s dog shit, work weeks for free, and walk miles in the snow and rain to learn this trade cause that’s what he had to do to earn that title. He paid his dues and will continue to do so in many other ways. He says: Crazy Philadelphia Eddie once told me, “The day you stop learning is the day you die; remember that young man.” And boy, did it stay burned into my memory. I’m well aware there are many other artists that are better than me, but like I said…I am me, and I’ll never forget where I came from, and I’ll continue to learn every day. 15 years later, I’m humbled every day by the blessing of being able to permanently alter someone’s body with art.

As I write this, Will is hard at work getting ready to hang his own shingle in Maryville, TN, Cassio’s Tattoo Gallery. In the meantime, he’s set up shop at The Tattooed Lady until it opens.

You can check out Will’s portfolio on Instagram @the_grim_willis or schedule an appointment with him by emailing inkbywill@icloud.com

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1. Missing Flames On Top Of Tank. 2. Missing Speed Hole In Girder Front End. 3. Extra Nuts On Valve Cover. 4. Missing Fins On Head Bolt Boss. 5. Different End On Oil Tank.

6. Missing Speed Holes On Rear Fender. 7. Extra Bolts On Timing Cover. 8. Yamamma Emboss On Rear Of Motor. 9. Extra Front Exhaust. 10. Missing Fins On Air Filter Element.

FIND TEN DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE HUSTLER NO THERE ISN’T ANY REAL PRIZE, JUST SOMETHING TO DO WHILE YOU’RE IN THE CAN.

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December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 37

i

first met Eric Stein while working for MFL at a bike show in Columbus, OH. He and his two buddies, Chris and Bryan, were pretty excited to have their bikes shot. I quickly realized these guys were what this life is all about: friends sharing the love of two wheels and genuinely having a good time joking and laughing about water bottles and bananas. As the years have gone by, I see these guys at the rallies, and

they are always having the time of their lives. The bikes seem to have brought them together, but their friendship is way more than the bikes.

It’s kind of weird how life takes turns and sends you down a certain path. Eric started out on dirt bikes, riding his first one at his Grandma’s company picnic at 13. After high school in 1985, he and two friends bought matching 1983 YZ125s. This led to him racing motocross from 87-

Article And Photos By: Missi DeBord

38 December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

92 when an injury prevented him from continuing to race.

Eric never had any intentions of riding street bikes. Then, somewhere around 2003, he was working on a job site at the house of a guy who worked for a popular motorcycle magazine. The guy gave him a stack to take home. He started looking through those and got an itch he couldn’t shake. Inside, there were advertisements for rolling chassis that were reasonably

December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 39

priced, and heck, the guys on TV at that time made building a bike look easy, so Eric sold a car and bought a rolling chassis. You know, one of those fat tire bikes that was the craze.

He completed that project in 04, and two weeks later, he was off to his first Daytona Bike Week on a bike that only had 30 miles on it. (How many of you can relate to that?) Well, that’s all it took.

He was hooked. He built a 2nd fat tire bike in 2005 and then, in 06, moved to North Carolina.

This is where things changed for him.

Things were a little different in the motorcycle scene in North Carolina at the time. He met a group of guys riding around on clean, simple, skinny choppers, and he knew right then he needed to step up his game. The circle of friends has grown, and they still all build or have their hands in builds. They never try to one-up each other, but they all feed off each other. The kind of friends that make you want to be your best, and I think Eric is achieving that.

This Shovel started as an idea that Stein had had in his head for a long time. A vision of something with attitude mixed with Chopper.

Even as he was building the beautiful Panhead showcased in the Motorcycles as Art Exhibit, he knew Ice Breaker had to be built, but he just wasn’t ready yet. Eventually, the opportunity arose to sell the Pan, which he sold on a Thursday. The following Saturday, he picked

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up this 67 Shovel basket case that turned into this beauty. And it is the exact vision he had in his head: a bike with nice lines, a little stretch, not comfy, but mean as hell.

Eric said this bike came together quick, like most of his builds. He said he likes to get everything lined up ahead of time, and that is where having a vision comes in handy.

Stein was able to gather some great pieces for this build that really went together well. He had the 35mm stock HD forks shaved by Nick at MadPen and used Bling’s Cycles Super Narrow Trees. RKB built the Invader wheels to Eric’s spec. He used Zach Hindes T-Bars, Jacques Bonard’s leather seat, and some stuff from Prism Supply, just to name a few.

One of the hardest decisions when building is the paint. Eric had blues in mind but just couldn’t find that perfect shade. One day, he and his wife were out, and this Lamborghini pulled up beside them

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baby blue Tech Sheet Owner: ERIC STEIN City/State: INDIAN TRAIL, NC Builder: ERIC STEIN Year: 1967 Model: FL Value: Time: 5-6 MONTHS ENGINE Year: 11967 Model: GENERATOR SHOVEL Builder: harley-davidson Ignition: Points Displacement: 93 ci Pistons: S&S Heads: Stock Carb: S&S SUPER E Cam: SIFTON AVENGER Air Cleaner: MOONEYES Exhaust: EBAY SPECIAL MODIFIED Primary: 15” OPEN BDL TRANSMISSION Year: 1967 Make: STOCK Shifting: HAND FRAME Year: 1967 Model: FL RAKE: 36° Stretch: 2 UP/2 OUT FORKS Builder: HARLEY-DAVIDSON Type: 35MM HYDRAULIC Triple Trees: BLING’S SUPER NARROW Extension: 4 OVER WHEELS Front Wheel: RKB INVADER Size:21 Tire: BATES BAJA 100 Front Brake: NADA Rear Wheel: RKB INVADER Size: 16 Tire: BATES BAJA 100 Rear Brake: PM 4 PISTON PAINT Painter: JEREMY FOGLEMAN Color: LAMBORGHINI BLUE CEPHEUS Type: Graphics: JEREMY FOGLEMAN Chroming: IT’S FINISHED ACCESSORIES Bars: T-BARS BY ZACH HINDES Risers: T-BARS BY ZACH HINDES Hand Controls: WHISKEY THROTTLE Foot Controls: PRISM SUPPLY Gas Tank(s): MODIFIED THROTTLE ADDICTION Oil Tank: PLAN B CYCLES Front fender: none Rear Fender: COOPERSMITH Seat: JACQUES BONARD LEATHER Headlight: 4.5” Bates Style Taillight: PRISM SUPPLY Speedo: none Photographer: Missi debord

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at a light, and there it was… the perfect color.

Eric told his painter, Jeremy Fogleman, what he was after, and Jeremy actually mixed the paint himself. He dropped the frame and the tins off, asking for the frame back as soon as possible so he could start assembly.

Fogleman took his time with the tins and did the flames and the pin

striping. Eric really likes that he can drop his stuff off for paint and have it all done right in one spot.

I really think Eric achieved his goal with this one. Simple, Clean, Attitude, Chopper, all of it. You can keep up with Eric on the gram @ steinway64

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Article And Photos Courtsey Of: The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum

he Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame is home to many amazing and rare motorcycles. But did you know we also have a fantastic collection of original art?

There are several motorcycle artists whose works are on display.

This article will discuss Scott Jacobs, David Uhl, and Darren McKeag.

Scott was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2023. His career spans over three decades. In the early 1990s, Scott became the first licensed artist for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Scott’s style is hyper-photorealism.

He uses a paintbrush with a tip smaller than a pencil, acrylic paints, and the occasional set of oils. After using a reference photo and blocking the blank canvas, he starts the blending process. The highlights

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and lowlights are his final touches to make his paintings look unbelievably real.

David Uhl bought his first motorcycle in the late 1980s and included those images in his early works. A very successful commercial illustrator (he created many of the best-known t-shirt designs for Harley-Davidson), he branched out and created his first oil painting in 1998. That work, “A Change in the Weather,” launched a new phase in his career as HarleyDavidson’s first licensed oil painter.

David’s timeless style brings vintage images to life. He understands how light “works” and how to translate that to the canvas. His subjects include celebrities, dignitaries, and historical figures.

Darren McKeag said that he’s created art for as long as he could remember. He grew up around

motorcycles, and when he was a teenager, he was approached by the Art Instruction Institute of Minnesota to pursue his art and enroll in correspondence courses to refine his art.

After a hitch with the US Army and attending college for art, Darren went into corporate life. He also opened an aftermarket shop with two buddies.

His artwork earned him many requests to tattoo. He immersed himself in learning the world of tattoo, quit his corporate gig, and his career took off. Fast forward over 30 years, and Darren’s artwork and tattooing are going strong. His signature style graces helmets, tins, decks, and more. He travels worldwide with his wife and best friend, Missy, and shares his artwork on social media.

There are many more artists whose works are displayed at the

Museum, too. Stop by and check out all the great art at the Museum! We’ve gone to winter hours until May 1st.

We’re open from 10AM – 4PM daily. We will close for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.

December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 45

f

or years, the Softail chassis set the standard of the custom motorcycle world.

When Bert Baker created the first Six Speed overdrive gearbox, he used a stock transmission gearcase from a Softail transmission.

The Motor Company didn’t introduce the 6-speed Softail until the 2007 model year.

With so many 5-speed Softails still on the road today, we thought we would take this opportunity to share an excellent and economical way to beef up your factory gear set, improve the shifting, find neutral easier, and give you trouble and carefree transmission without breaking the bank (or without installing an inferior [overseas] copy

46 December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

Article And Photos By: Jason Hallman www.cyclestopusa.com of the six-speed transmission that is likely to be more trouble than it is worth).

For this exercise, we made a few assumptions: Even though this job requires some skill and a few

special tools, this isn’t something that someone with a reasonable skill level and a decent set of tools couldn’t successfully do in their home garage.

We strongly urge you to get a service manual if you don’t already have one. Clymer manuals are very thorough, designed for a layman to understand, and readily available. Before you take on this kind of task, we recommend reading the entire transmission overhaul section before starting the repair. This will allow your brain to recall from memory what you have read. We also recommend taking

lots of photos. You can always delete them after the job is done, but you won’t have to commit to memory things like how the stack is sorted, what fasteners go where, etc.

Note: While this job is one of the most technical jobs one can do on one’s own bike, it is not the most difficult. Take your time and take notes (feel free to write notes in your service manual; that way, they will be there for you the next time you need them).

Once this job is done, you’ll have a butter-smooth shifting transmission and a feeling of accomplishment the first time you upshift with all the new parts from Baker.

Since this is the part of the job, our article will start with the gear set already removed from the case.

Our article will focus on the parts and pieces this job will require for a successful outcome. Our goal is to rebuild the factory gear set from our early 2000s Softail and make the upgrades using top-shelf parts from our friends at Baker Drivetrain. When we are done, our Softail will have new shift forks, shifter pawl, new bearings from the inside out, and a shift drum that will allow our customer to shift his transmission with his tank

December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 47

shifter and will put neutral all the way forward in the shift pattern using what Baker calls their “N-1” drum. This will alter the standard shift pattern from 1-N-1-3-4-5 to N-1-2-3-4-5. In a hand shift application, you may want to consider this.

Tools of the trade: This job will require some job-specific tools. If you are already a seasoned garage mechanic with Harley-specific experience, you may already have them. There are three tools that I will recommend you invest in. The first is a transmission pulley socket

48 December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

[HD#94660-37A]. This is the tool that you will need to remove the pulley sprocket. You will also need a tool to remove the factory inner primary bearing race. This tool [HD 3490284] will remove this race and re-install a new one, which we aren’t going to use. Instead, we will use a Baker sealed inner primary bearing. The last specialized tool we recommend is the inner bearing removal and install tool from Baker [Part # ToolA7].

While you can do without it, I find this job goes infinitely easier with it. The balance of the tools are things most of you already have. You’ll need large snap ring pliers, inside pliers, a deadblow hammer, small snap ring pliers, and enough hand tools to remove the gear set, exhaust, oil bag and all of the other items your manual lists.

Now, settle in for the winter, read your Clymer manual, get a few garage beers and a buddy you can trust not to forget to torque the bolts to specs, and enjoy the job!

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50 December ‘23 - January ‘24 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

w

hen asked if I’d write the feature for Daniel Donley’s The Hustler, I responded “Yes” immediately.

Not only is Daniel an amazing builder, turning out super clean bikes with a style all their own, but he’s also a friend. You may recognize Daniel’s name not only from other bikes featured in this magazine, but he shares monthly Tech Tips with you, too.

Article By: Matt Reel Photos By: Missi DeBord I had the pleasure of seeing The Hustler in person at the 2023 SmokeOut, where it was on display in the Legends Gallery. I can tell you for certain this bike is not only beautiful, but it’s a straight-up Hot Rod. The attention to detail is topnotch. Any work that was sent out of the Pandemonium shop to be done was sent to some of the best in their field.

So, now the story of how this

bike came about. Daniel was in the process of a build at his shop with no customer/owner.

During the project, he met Scott Kaufman through a mutual friend. Now, Scott is no stranger to the custom bike world. He happens to have a couple of high-end custom V-Twin bikes.

Scott had seen one of Daniel’s previous builds, Hanky Panky, and decided he wanted one of his own. Fast forward a little,

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a deal was struck, and the bike on the lift had an owner.

With the build taking a direction, Daniel got to work. The stock Yamaha frame front section was grafted onto one of Daniel’s hard tail kits.

Something to take notice of on the frame, is that it is a stock-width frame with a 5.5-inch rear wheel. It’s no simple feat, but it makes for a good look. After the frame was complete, it was meticulously ground and smoothed. Like any finish, the smoother the surface, the better the finish will be. When you’re going to chrome a frame, you have your work cut out for you.

With the frame sorted out, a power plant was needed. If you’re familiar with Pandemonium, you know what’s coming. If not, let me clue you in.

Daniel built a rephased, big-bore Yamaha 650 to go in place. If you’ve never heard of a rephased 650, the crank and cam are literally cut in two and clocked to change when the strokes occur. This makes the engine more efficient and turns it into an RPM screamer. The final displacement came out to 697cc with JE pistons, ported and polished head, hot cam, and a Mikuni VM34 Carb. Spent gasses are expelled through a

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custom Pandemonium Hot Rod exhaust.

The fresh Hot Rod mill was placed in the custom chrome frame, and it was time to get things rolling. As mentioned earlier, a 5.5-inch rear wheel was fitted in the stock-width frame. A Metzler tire was fitted up to that rim and filled everything out nicely. Up front, a VooDoo girder front end was mounted. Hung from it was a 21x3.5 DNA spoke rim shod in Metzler rubber.

To finish everything, Daniel took a Led Sled fender blank and fitted it to the rear end. A Pandemonium gas tank was fitted to the backbone for fuel chores. Pandemonium handlebars take care of what to do with your hands, and their E-Bomb oil tank is used to stash the electronics.

Now that everything was done, it was time to put some finish on everything. The gas tank and fender were sent to NSD Paintworks for a fantastic multi-color paint job. As I

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THE HUSTLER TECH SHEET Owner: Scott Kaufman City/State: Indianapolis Indiana Builder: Daniel Donley/ Pandemonium Year: 1981 Model: XS650 Value: Priceless Time: Long ENGINE Year: 1981 Model: XS650 Builder: Daniel Donley / Pandemonium Ignition: Daniel Donley /Pandemonium Displacement: 697cc Pistons: JE Heads: Ported Polished Carb: Mikuni VM34 Cam: Shell #1 Air Cleaner: K&N Exhaust: Pandemonium / Hot Rod Primary: Barnett TRANSMISSION Year: 1981 Make: Yamaha Shifting: 5 Speed FRAME Year: Pandemonium Built Model: Pandemonium Rake: 28 Degrees Stretch: 4 Inches FORKS Builder: Voodoo Vintage Type: Girter Triple Trees: Girter Extension: Cutom WHEELS Front Wheel: DNA Size: 21 x3.5 Tire: Metzler Front Brake: Non Rear Wheel: DNA Size: 18x5.5 Tire: Metzler Rear Brake: Pandemonium Brembo PAINT Painter: NSD Paintworks Color: Many TYPE: Graphics: Chroming: John Wrights Custom Chrome Plating ACCESSORIES Bars: Pandemonium Risers: Hand Controls: Nissin Foot Controls: Pandemonium Gas Tank(s): Pandemonium Oil Tank: E-Bomb Pandemonium Front fender: Non Rear Fender: Led Sled / Pandemonium Seat: Ranger Leather Headlight: Throttle Addiction Taillight: Model A Speedo: NonE PHOTOGRAPHER: MISSI DEBORD

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said earlier, the frame was sent to chrome. What I didn’t mention is that over 100 pieces were sent out to chrome. When you put work like this in, you want any outside shops you use to be top in their game.

All these chrome parts were sent to John Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating. John is a leading name in the custom arena. Looking at this bike, you can see why.

So, there it is. The making of a custom motorcycle. How Daniel Donley built an exceptional Yamaha for a custom V-Twin guy. Doing such a fantastic job that maybe there’s more to come. To find out, stay tuned right here at Cycle Source magazine. Now, Go Build Something!

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elcome to one of our favorite annual offering from Cycle Source Magazine: The Year In Review. In case you are new to our magazine we take the January or February issue each year to take a look back over the past year in the life of the motorcycle culture. Additionally, we also have a two month process where we develop a list of nominees for you to vote on for a series of what we call the Source Awards. This is a small way for us to give a little credit to the people who make their livings from this industry, make art from it’s images, or have a hand in taking it to the next place. From the best builders, craftsmen, products and more, we leave it up to you, our ravenous readers, to decide who gets the much covetted “Source Awards” each year. It all starts with invited participants from the industry and this publication who we ask to make nominations, then the vote is up to you!

So, using these pages, go to www.cyclesource.com and cast your vote today for the Best of Awards, Best Pin-Up and Top Ten Bikes will be featured next month. Voting will close late December so vote today! The results of your votes will appear in the February-March issue of Cycle Source where we will announce your “Best of 2023” Awards and do our annual Year in Review. Thanks for taking a minute to help us give some love to those who deserve it. Good luck to all the nominees and thank you to all the readers who help make our year in review issue the greatest issue of each season.

1. JAN-FEB 23 - STEPHAN GRAND - SG BETWEEN 2

3. JAN-FEB 23 - MIKE ELDRIDGE- ARDENCY

5. MARCH 23 - DAVE PEREWITZDP’S SOFTY

2. JAN-FEB 23 - DAN STARKEY-TAKIN CARE OF BUSINESS

4. JAN-FEB 23 - JEREMY VALENTINE - VELVET HAMMER

6. MARCH - STEVE GLENNON- PART TIMER

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#1. JAN-FEB 23 - KATE

2. MARCH 23 - ASHLEY BERGLUND

3. APRIL 23 - COURTNEY KENNA

4. MAY 23 - CHELSEA

#5. JUNE 23 - BOBBI JO HASSAY

6. JULY 23 - HANNAH HETZEL

7. AUGUST 23 - SARAH ALLISON

8. SEPTEMBER 23 - KELVIS PINUP

7. MARCH 23 - BOB ZEOLA - KONA FXR

9. OCT-NOV 23 - CALL OF THE WILD PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

10. DEC 23-JAN 24 - SARAH

8. MARCH 23 - SHADLEY BROS- SHALDEY SPECIAL

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9. MARCH - FAKIRONE- VENU

14. MAY 23 - LARRY ALLEN- WHITE PRIVILEGE

19. JUNE 23 - HEMAN FAB- HF-M8122

10. APRIL 23 - LONG JON BARWOO D - FANCY ASS F#@K

15. MAY 23 - DAN TOCE- MICHAEL MICHAEL

20. JULY 23 - ERIC PUGLIA- FAMILY BUSINESS

11. APRIL 23 - ITLL RIDE CHOPPERS- SEMPER AVANTI

16. MAY 23 - ASHLEY GETTINGS- BLACK BIKE

21. JULY 23 - BRIAN KLOCK- THE DECADE

12. APRIL 23 - TOM SEYMOUR- K MAGNUM

17. MAY 23 - RICK NAJERA- BURRITO EXPRESS

22. JULY 23 - CHAD COLLINS- BURNETT

13. APRIL 23 - FRANKLIN CHURCH CHOPPERS - DYNAMITE

18. JUNE 23 - RKB KUSTOM SPEED- STARDUST

23. JULY 23 - JAY MADEIROS- THE PHOENIX

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24. AUGUST 23 - JOSH ALLISON- KING NOTHING

29. OCT-NOV 23 - JOHN JESSUP- SEX MACHINE

34. DEC 23-JAN 24 - MATT REEL- GREYHOUND JACK

25. AUGUST 23 - KURT PETERSON- INFIDEL

30. OCT-NOV 23 - MIKE OLLEY- GRATITUDE

35. DEC 23 - JAN 24 - ERIC STEIN- BABY BLUE

26. SEPTEMBER 23 - SEAN JACKSON- PANERTIA

31. OCT-NOV 23 - PROVIDENCE CYCLE WORX-ROXANNE

36. DEC 23 - JAN 24 - DREW SKOCELAS - TRIDENT

27. SEPTEMBER 23 - ALLEYWAY CUSTOMS- JADE PENNY

32. DEC23-JAN 24 - DANIEL DONLEY - THE HUSTLER

28. OCT-NOV 23 - HEMAN FAB- DIGGER 23

33. DEC 23-JAN 24 - BROCK BRIDGES- ROXANNE

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Article By: Heather Callen Photos By: Bernadette Lopez

In 2001, shortly after watching Motorcycle Mania, Matt Brannan decided to take his four sons to Disneyland for spring break. Smitten with what he had seen on TV, Brannan had set his mind on visiting West Coast Choppers while in SoCal. While visiting the WCC gift shop, the family purchased a couple of t-shirts. The gal at the counter added a WCC clothing and parts catalog to our bag

of awesomeness. Matt couldn’t help but thumb through the catalog on the road trip back to New Mexico, wishing and dreaming of one-day building and owning a WCC CFL, a mere pipe dream at the time.

Soon after that epic trip, Jesse James opened a member-only subscription service site called “CHOPPER DOGS.” Matt quickly subscribed, and through that website, many amazing friendships

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were made with likeminded people across the nation who all had a fondness for West Coast Choppers.

Brannan found several members building their own bikes using WCC CFL frames as the foundation and decided he could do the same thing. In 2006, a WCC CFL frame arrived in his driveway, and so started a long journey. As Jesse would advertise sales on WCC parts, Matt would scoop up whatever he could afford.

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JJ eventually decided to close his parts business. To help aid several of the Chopper Dogs that were building bikes at the time, fellow chopper dog Jason Hallman purchased a big lot of what WCC had left in the way of parts. Matt was able to buy several WCC parts from Jason to help keep his CFL project going.

Shortly after, life took a drastic turn for Brannan personally, and health issues became a priority.

The CFL Project was put on hold.

Matt lost all hope that he would ever complete his project. Reluctantly, he reached out to a few Chopper Dogs members to sell what he had accumulated over the years. After many long conversations with a former WCC employee, Mark “Beaker” Davis, it was decided the project would push ahead, but with his help, several former WCC shop employees, and several Chopper Dogs members, including Aki Sakamoto, Sollis Janus, Pete “Hotdog” Finlan, Alex Anderson, Mark “Beaker” Davis,

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Tim Bentley, Phil and Lynn Hoffman, Brad Barnes, Irish Rich, Frank of Speeddealer customs, Terry Miles, Devon Kwasniewski, Dom Magoon, Vince Wolfe. Numerous parts were gifted to Matt by Chopper Dogs members, and hundreds of hours of tech help via phone conversations,

emails, texts, FaceTime, etc. These fellas went above and beyond to help Brannan build as close to a shopaccurate WCC CFL as possible.

While the project was underway, Matt was fortunate to find a small group of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts in his hometown who

all met at a local shop/garage every Thursday night for “shop nite” to work on their own projects.

The shop’s owner, Sam Lukens, opened his shop to Matt with open arms to complete his build.

At Sam’s shop, a great group of fellas, including Sam Lukens, Pete Goehring, Chris Greiner, Rob Lopez, Adam Vanhorn, and Brad Smith, helped him mock it up and get it together. Once the final mockup and teardown were completed, the frame and tins were handed over to a lifelong friend, Sam Chavez of “Paint By Sambo.”

After Chavez finished working his magic on the paint, it was on to final assembly. The final assembly went remarkably well as Matt had the former WCC “A-Team” on his side and his hometown Thursday

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BLAZE TECH SHEET Owner: Matt Brannan City/State: Socorro New Mexico Builder: Matt Brannan Year: 2006 Model: CFL Value: Heirloom, priceless Time: 13 years( in between raising 7 sons) ENGINE Year: 1999 Model: evolution Builder: HD Ignition: CRANE HI-4 Displacement: 80 cu in Pistons: HD Heads: HD Carb: Ultimate R-2 Cam: HD Air Cleaner: WCC CROSS Exhaust: WCC FU PIPES Primary: ULTIMA POLISHED OLD SCHOOL 2” TRANSMISSION Year: 1999 Make: Ultima Shifting: 6 speed FRAME Year: 2006 Model: WEST COAST CHOPPERS CFL Rake: 38* Stretch: 2” up, 1” out Forks Builder: Pro-one Type: wide glide Triple Trees: HHI Extension: 2” WHEELS Front Wheel: 60 spoke Size: 21x2.15 Tire: Metzler ME880 80/90-21 Front Brake: Brembo Rear Wheel: 60 spoke Size: 18x5.5 Tire: Metzler ME880 200/50-18 Rear Brake: Brembo PAINT Painter: paintbysambo Color: custom blue Type: HOK/Axalta Graphics: Sam Chavez Chroming: N/A ACCESSORIES Bars: WCC 10” mini apes Risers: WCC 2” Hand Controls: Brembo w/custom caps Foot Controls: Speed Dealer Customs Gas Tank(s): WCC P-nut Oil Tank: WCC Front fender: WCC tombstone Rear Fender: WCC 9”rigid two eight Seat: WCC potato-chip Headlight: LowBrow customs Tail light: Boosted Brad Speedo: None Photographer: Bernadette Lopez

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night shop crew. Before he knew it, he was taking a step back and gazing upon this CFL in complete and utter awe, amazed at what the end result was: a spectacular bike and the great friendships made along this journey.

Mark” Beaker “Davis christened the CFL with the name “Blaze” out of respect for his career as a firefighter/EMT. Blaze’s first breath took place on July 4, 2019. When Matt turned the key, she fired on the first crank. Though it wasn’t an easy road, Matt wouldn’t trade the process or the bike for anything in the world.

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he CFL frame was introduced around the turn of the last century, and to many, it is the holy grail of chopper frames. Originally built in Long Beach, California, and designed by Jesse James of West Coast Choppers, it was elegant, looked fast sitting still, offered excellent handling, and was engineered to allow a home builder with minimal experience to purchase a frame kit and [basically] transfer all of the bits from their existing EVO Softail with very little else to think about. While other builders were going wider and wider in the rear section of their bikes, Jesse worked to create a frame that would handle as well as it looked, and in the end, he created a frame with a cult-like following that continues to get stronger and stronger over time.

When it was initially offered, you could get it in multiple configurations (2 up and 4 up) with or without the rear fender already mocked up. The package includ-

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Article By: Jason Hallman ed your oil tank with an integral battery box, brass “West Coast Choppers” neck badge, and signature rear axle covers unique to the CFL frame. The iron cross design utilized for the axle covers was penned initially by Jesse’s childhood friend Rob Fortier, which still today remains the benchmark signature of Jesse James and West Coast Choppers and is synonymous with the quality and style only found in the shop that began in Long Beach, California and now over 30-years later is located in Austin, Texas.

Now out of production for more than a decade, there is a seemingly endless supply of CFL frames in the underground that still have not yet found their way onto the build table in any number of homebased garage shops. As with most things, their popularity comes and goes, but for some reason, the CFL (which stands for “Choppers For Life”) has never gone out of style and still holds its place at the top of the heap when it comes to what a “Chopper” frame should be.

Recently, there has been a resurgence of popularity at custom motorcycle shows, on social media feeds, and in general, across the globe, of West Coast Choppers bikes, parts, and collectibles, but more specifically, the home-built bikes built on the venerable West Coast Choppers CFL chassis. Sure, the El Diablo chassis commanded the big bucks, but those frames were never available without a complete build, so those bikes mostly still appear exactly as they came out of the shop when they were ordered new almost three decades later.

When originally introduced, a CFL frame kit cost anywhere from $3500 to $5000 [plus] depending on what accessories the buyer added to the transaction.

Early frames had an integral battery box/ oil tank mounted with two mounts at the front and two in the rear. Later frames featured a lower battery box and an aluminum oil bag mounted with three billet fasteners. Frames were available in two neck gusset options: a CNC machined

gusset was standard, but most buyers opted for Jesse’s web-neck gusset, mostly because spiders are cool.

By the time the CFL frame was ready for market [and] long before Jesse started West Coast Choppers in his mother’s garage, he was a seasoned veteran of the custom automobile and motorcycle scenes. Having the locational advantage of being from So Cal, Jesse had worked for Performance Machine and Hot Rods by Boyd’s and was very familiar with manufacturing and machining.

It was in this sphere that Jesse became familiar with these processes and, specifically, the technology that surrounded the CNC machining of billet aluminum parts before launching the brand that would become a household name worldwide less than a decade later.

Motorcycle Mania put Jesse James, West Coast Choppers, and, in particular, the CFL in front of the eyes of millions of viewers across every continent. Almost overnight, the phones began to ring off the hook in Long Beach and turned the former paint factory located at 718 West Anaheim into one of the most visited places in Southern California.

When folks traveled to Anaheim to see the mouse named Mickey, they almost always made time for Dad to stop by and [hopefully] catch a glimpse of the man named after the famous outlaw and have a chance to see one of his beautiful choppers in the flesh!

Due to the popularity of shows like Monster Garage and Motorcycle Mania (1, 2, & 3), parts distributors vied for a shot at exclusive distributorship of Jesse’s frames, fenders, six-gun risers, exhaust systems, and fuel tanks. Once a distributor ended up with the parts, you

no longer had to visit Long Beach to obtain a CFL kit. Every local V-Twin shop across the country instantly became an “Authorized West Coast Choppers Dealer.” This also meant that you had

access to all the parts needed to make your CFL as unique and individual as you were. Sales skyrocketed until West Coast Choppers seemed unable to meet the demand placed on it by its distributor when, in truth, the distributor dragged their feet on payment enough that Jesse cut the distributor off and went rogue!

In the spring and summer of 2005, West Coast Choppers offered their CFL frame

sets, exhaust pipes, and fenders at prices so low that no distributor would even attempt to undercut Jesse. CFL frames were sold by the 100s for $999, and all you had to do to get one was email or call to get on the list. I ordered my CFL in May 2005 and received it the following June 2006! The only other time I was that excited in my life was when I received my Revcore freestyle frame and sponsored team leathers all the way back in 1988! Also, as part of the sale, exhaust systems were discounted, as were the fenders to prices so much lower than ever before. You could now get both fenders, your exhaust, and frame for the cost of the CFL frame alone only a short time before the sale.

I can’t find the original advertisement (it was only published online), but if I remember correctly, all fenders were $199, while pipes were offered in the $499 range. This caused quite a stir and quite a lot of work for those employed at West Coast Choppers. It created a year-long backlog, but it put a lot of CFLs in the hands of a lot of us for a price we could never have imagined.

It is shocking to me that there are still so many frames unaccounted for, and it also explains why we keep seeing new and amazing choppers built on the CFL platform each and every year.

So in closing I guess we have to ask, Is the CFL on a comeback trend or have they never really gone away and in fact are part of the mantra Choppers For Life!

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a

Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Benny Stucker

s a professional firefighter for over 25 years, Matt Reel has always had a lot of downtime. Working several days on and then as many off leaves him with plenty of time for extra circulars. In Matt’s world, that time has always

been filled with motorcycles.

He has built plenty and fixed hundreds for other friends and customers. He has been instrumental in the magazine you are reading now, both in the pages of print and the events we have promoted.

So, to say that he has held a lifelong passion for this

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culture would be putting it lightly.

Now, when it comes to the average age of our culture, Reel is still relatively young, but in a short conversation with him, you will notice he is a very old soul. His appreciation of things in the custom bike world comes

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from an honest place where you learned what you could, made things work, and used what you had. Now, those are characteristics that many of us who live in the Rust Belt region picked up, but more importantly, Matt learned these from his dad, Jack, and that’s where our story begins.

Jack was a Greyhound bus driver in a magical time when companies in the US still took a lot of pride in what they did. The presentation of that experience was a matter of detail, and everything from the busses, the Art Deco style decorations of the terminals, and even the employees’ uniforms were given a level of attention that gave it all an air of grandeur. Now, this trickled down to

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Jack’s philosophies and those of his kids. He was very proud of the job he did at Greyhound and conveyed to his children that no matter what you do in life, you take pride in your work and do it with purpose.

Like Matt, his dad had downtime that he filled with hobbies, and for him, that was always tinkering on car projects. As he got older and Matt and his brother Davey got into bikes, Jack realized he could no longer crawl around cars and picked up a little Ironhead project, this exact machine.

Both the boys had some parts for it, and once the motor was cleaned up a little, Jack went about making the bike

his own. Some skirted fenders and a sport bob tank with a dash panel were added, and the crowning glory was the color match GM Silver and blue paint that his Silverado was done in. Matt and his brother rode it a few times, although his dad never did. It was a family project that was around for years.

2017, Jack passed away, and in the details of what to do with his stuff, the next stage of the old Ironhead’s life was decided. Matt took it home with him and started a couple-year campaign to bring it back to what his dad had done with it and infuse it with his style along the way. Reel

had long wanted to build a Sporty with a KR-style bolt on a stainless hardtail and cut the fender struts off in preparation. He had the motor out for a complete overhaul and needed to roll the bike around until he got the rear section, so he just grabbed a set of modern bagger shocks to shove on it to make it mobile. As soon as he did that, it stuck. It turns out that after playing with the air pressure and finding the right mix, these actually add quite a bit of comfort to the old girl’s ride. This was precisely along the lines of what his dad would have done. Matt admits that little bits of his dad still come out in him when he’s doing things in the shop, and that’s not bad.

With Matt’s experience servicing motorcycles for so long, he tends to let form follow function more times than not. He will do things that make it easier down the road to service the bike or incorporate parts that will increase the time between services. That was the case in the neck cups that updated the bearings to taper style and the stem size and length that would allow for newer

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GREYHOUND JACK TECH SHEET Owner: Matt Reel City/State: Bridgeport, WV Builder: Matt Reel MTW Customs Year: 1969 Model: Sportster Value: Priceless Time: 2 Generations ENGINE Year: 1969 Model: Iron Head Builder: H-D Ignition: Stock Timer Displacement: 900cc’s Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: Mikuni Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: K & N Exhaust: Gas Box XLR Primary: Stock TRANSMISSION Year: 1969 Make: H-D Shifting: Foot FRAME Year: 1969 Model: Sportster Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock FORKS Builder: Ross Latimer Type: Narrow Glide 39mm Triple Trees: H-D Extension: 0 WHEELS Front Wheel: 40 Spoke Spool Size: 21 Tire: Duro 90/90-21 Front Brake: N/A Rear Wheel: H-D 40 Spoke Size: 16 Tire: Duro 130/90-16 Rear Brake: Tokico 6 Piston PAINT Painter: American Dream Custom Paint Color: GM Blue & Silver Type: Base Clear Graphics: American Dream Chroming: N/A ACCESSORIES Bars: Tracker Risers: H-D Hand Controls: Foot Controls: H-D Gas Tank(s): Sportster Oil Tank: Bung King Front fender: N/A Rear Fender: Led Sled Seat: MTW Customs Headlight: Stock w/ LED Taillight:LED Speedo: N/A Photographer: BENNY STUCKER

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front end choices to be used. But not all of Matt’s designs are based on function. He wanted to honor his dad with this build. The very hat badge that Jack wore every day to work with Greyhound was used as the neck badge. The 1109 was his badge number, and very much in the way that he had taught his sons, Matt

took the time to hand tool a leather seat that would bring it all together.

Of course, that same Silverado Blue and Silver were used; anything else would have been unthinkable.

While Reel doesn’t ever like to work on a timeline for his bike builds, this one had a little bit of a deadline.

He had been working at getting it done for the SmokeOt, and in 2023, the bike was ready to show the world. It made the trip to Salisbury this year and took home a win in its class from the Led Sled Sportster Showdown. Matt was in his glory that weekend, and for those of us who understand what SmokeOut always meant to a story like this, we were damn proud as well.

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i

’m sitting here in the back of my crusty old van, complete with shag carpet, tassels and fake fur, contemplating what the next year will bring.

This is pretty standard practice for this time of year.

Not the creepily hanging out in the back of an old van part, the contemplating the next year part.

The skies are grey, it’s not as warm as I’d like, and, to be honest, it inspires not much more than lounging on the couch and watching movies. This is winter, the time of year we wish the sun would come out and warm our faces. It’s not all bad though, because it’s also the time of year that affords us the time to

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Article By: Charlie Weisel daydream, plan ahead for those warmer months, and make the preparations necessary to fulfill whatever goals those daydreams

might bring. This is called “looking at the bright side,” even though there is nothing bright about the

landscape out my window.

So what will the future bring?

How will your next summer look?

For me, I am looking at exploring some new i d e a s and new challenges to add an extra layer of adventure to my motorcycle travels.

I am looking at ways to integrate multiple facets of my everchanging life into one big ball of adventure.

Specifically, I want to combine motorcycle travel with trail running and hiking adventures.

You read that right. I want to ride my motorcycle to events where I can challenge myself physically in the realm of ultramarathons (running events

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that exceed that typical 26.2-mile marathon length.) This may sound a bit nuts, which certainly wouldn’t be the first time one of my ideas has been referred to in that manner, but hear me out.

Motorcycle travel is, in my opinion, the greatest way possible to see the world. But so is hiking, and the two complement each other in a number of ways. Take, for example, this scenario: You climb aboard your two-wheeled steed and spend a few days traveling across the West to Moab, Utah, an environment known worldwide for its natural beauty. After a day or two exploring the area, at least what is visible from the road, you feel pretty accomplished and think you have seen all the area has to offer. However, in reality, you have just barely scratched the surface. Imagine parking your bike for another day or two, going on foot, away from the pavement, and exploring deep onto the trails, the trails not open to vehicles. The sights you could see, the silence and peacefulness you could find would be beyond comparison to anything you could experience while standing on the shoulder of a busy highway.

That same highway that so few people ever even consider leaving.

This is what I am looking for: a fully immersive step, or many steps, into the environment. Not only that but the time spent traveling, the day-today stuff between points A and B, will also slow down. Those days would be spent running around, literally, in the morning and then covering some miles on the motorcycle in the afternoon. Or maybe the opposite, that part is really unimportant. The important, or exciting part, is that it provides daily exploration of an area much more in-depth than simply waking up early and hitting the road.

This would then, in my opinion, fulfill many facets of what motorcycle travel is all about. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for cracking the throttle wide open and just getting to where you are trying to get, but many of us, myself included, fall into the trap of making that the norm. At that point, we are simply passing through a landscape without actually experiencing it.

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Over the years, I have tried to find ways to force myself to slow down.

I’ve set a photography goal to take three nice photos per day. That makes me stop to really take in the landscape or an interesting roadside oddity. I’ve set mile caps, meaning that I would set a limit on how many miles I would ride that day. The mileage would be low enough that I would either get somewhere early or have an afternoon to explore a little town someplace or take all day to ride, let’s say 200 miles. That would force me to stop frequently and look at things I might have otherwise just passed by. The point is to back off the throttle, resist the white line fever, and get back to what this is all supposed to be about...Getting away from the hustle and bustle, away from the daily commitments of life, and simply existing in a space that brings peace.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve embarked on a ride only to find myself stressed out about how far I’ve gone or how fast I’m going. This is the opposite reason most of us do this in the first place. It’s taken me a long time to learn that, mostly because I’m stubborn. It’s also taken me a long time to realize that a motorcycle trip doesn’t have to be solely about riding motorcycles. At the end of the day, a motorcycle is simply a form of transportation, but its greatest gift is the ability to transport us to places we might not otherwise go. It is the motivator, the instigator, the bringer of adventure. It has the ability to open conversations with strangers and the ability to teach us about our limits.

The motorcycle often takes us out of our comfort zone, sets our nerves on high alert, and simultaneously brings an overwhelming sense of peace and calm. The motorcycle is many things, but most importantly, it is a door to many adventures far and wide; all we have to do is open that door. I don’t know about you, but I plan on blowing that door wide open this coming summer, and I hope you do too!

“Until you step into the unknown, you don’t know what you’re made of.” ― Roy T. Bennett

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SUPER-LITE “SPORT” FRONT FENDER KIT 19 FOR 2018-PRESENT LOW RIDER®-S & ST

This fender provides a killer “Sport” look. We wanted a fender to match the lines of our Black Stash Chin Spoiler and this does just that! Lightweight composite made especially for the performance-minded M8 Low Riders® customers!

“OEM” means that we’ve created an all-new shape that fits your stock front wheel and tire combination like a glove! Each kit comes with everything you’ll need to bolt on easily including our mounting system (2) Precision steel debris guards, plus all mounting and assembly hardware. Features: 3-D composite SUPER-LITE construction; Fits 19” OE tire 110/90B19; Performance “Wrap Around” Fender matches the Black Stach Chin Spoiler perfectly!; Prep & paint ready; Direct bolt-on replacement; Fits the innovative mounts for H-D inverted front ends; Made in the USA; Lifetime Warranty $445.95 https://baggernation. com/product/super-lite-sport-front-fender-kit-19-for-2018-present-low-rider-sst-includes-inverted-fork-adaptor/

DRAG SPECIALTIES COIL COVER

Complete the look of your bike with the Drag Specialties Coil Cover. This cover is constructed from smooth stamped steel with a gloss black finish.

Designed to fit most OEM-style coils found on 1999 to 2005 carbureted Dyna Glide models (replaces OEM #31644-99). Suggested retail price is $39.95. www.dragspecialties.com

DRAG SPECIALTIES BRAKE/MECHANICAL CLUTCH CONTROL KITS

Drag Specialties handlebar control kits let you customize this highly visible area of your bike. Master cylinders accept OEM-style rebuild kits and have clearance to work with all 1 ¼” diameter handlebars. The complete kits include a dual-disc master cylinder assembly along with a clutch lever assembly. Designed to work with stock and most custom switch housings that accept OEM switches and wires. Available in chrome or black for 21-23 FLHT/FLHX/FLHR models. MSRP $298.95. www.dragspecialties.com

Primary Chain Alignment Tool

Make Primary Chain alignment a breeze! This 9 Finger Fabrication Tool stabilizes the straight edge while making depth measurements consistent every time by keeping your caliper perpendicular to your primary. 2 different depth settings for all chain primaries from shovelhead to M8. Keep your chain alignment in spec when changing compensators, engine sprockets, clutch assemblies, transmissions and engines. $45.00 https://www.9fingerfabrication. com

SHARKNADO® FAIRING

DRAG SPECIALTIESABS BRAKE SENSORS

Replace your worn-out sensors with Drag Specialties ABS Brake Sensors. These sensors are high-quality replacements built to factory standards. They are a direct bolt-on replacement, no special tools are needed. Designed to fit all 18-23 Softail models. The front sensor replaces OEM #41100080, and the rear sensor replaces OEM #41100076. MSRP $79.95. www.dragspecialties.com

This unique, aggressively styled fairing can be adapted to just about any Harley-Davidson® model utilizing the patented Sharknado® EZ mount system. This integral mounting system makes simple bolt-on work out of any application! Each 3-D formed, hand-laid composite Sharknado® Fairing is finished inside and out and then shipped with a beautiful gelcoat finish ready for scuff and paint. Our billet Quad-Pods are a must-see option when choosing the Sharknado® Fairing. If you have an M8 Softail®, add the Digital Softail Gauge) in the fairing.

Select our Digital Gauge Plate option & the M8 Instrument Module Harness when ordering your Sharknado® Fairing, and the housing will be professionally installed at the factory for a clean, finished inner fairing look. Sharknado® Fairings are built by skilled Arizona Craftsmen at their Phoenix factory. All Sharknado® Fairings now come with your choice of the Klock Werks 9” Sport Flare™ windshield or the Klock Werks 11″ Pro-Touring Flare™ windshield. https://baggernation.com/product/sharknado-fairing-includes-a-klock-werks-flare-windshield/

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hirty-three-year-old Drew Skocelas from Muskegon, MI, is the epitome of a garage builder and the perfect subject for this Dennis Kirk Garage Build Feature. He pedals beer in the West Michigan area Monday through Friday, but Saturdays and Sundays are for wrenching.

Drew’s mom got him hooked on bikes at the young age of seven when Santa had Yamaha 90 under the Christmas tree. Way to go, Santa! Drew rode that sucker all over the snow, biding his time until it thawed and he could rip up the trails. Not only did his mom encourage him

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Article By: Heather Callen Photos By: Missi DeBord to ride, but she also rode a 97 Custom Softail. Seeing his mom on two wheels during his formative years, it only made sense that Drew would have the bug, too. His stepdad inspired his move from dirt to street.

However, he wasn’t overly thrilled with Drew’s first choice for a street bike, a 97 Suzuki Katana, and traded it within a week or so for something a little “cooler,” as the old man said.

Believe it or not, Drew’s first crack at building a motorcycle is the bike gracing these pages.

Apparently, Drew didn’t get the message that your first bike is usually an easy-peasy one!

How many guys start with a 3-cylinder Triumph Chopper?

Which is totally okay because he’s lucky enough to have a good friend and mentor in Bill Stevens. Bill has built his fair share of Yamaha and Honda choppers and didn’t mind passing on his knowledge to this youngster! Good on you, Bill!

While at Daytona Bike Week, the Chopper bug bit Skocelas right in the ass. From that point, he was on a mission.

When Drew decided it was time to try his hand at a custom motorcycle, he knew he wanted a chopper but didn’t want to do

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TRIDENT TECH SHEET Owner: Drew Skocelas City/State: Muskegon Michigan Builder: Drew Skocelas Year: 1973 Model: T150V Trident Value: Time: 1 year ENGINE Year: 1973 Model: T150V Builder: Dave Shotz Classic Cycles ltd.

Ignition: Tri-Spark Displacement: 750cc Pistons: hepolite 9:1 Heads: stock Carb: Amal Cam: stock Air Cleaner: velocity stacks Exhaust: Bill Stevens 9x12 customs Primary: stock TRANSMISSION Year: 1973 Make: Triumph Shifting:5-speed FRAME Year: 1973 Model: Stock modified Rake: 40° Stretch: some FORKS Builder: CCW Type: girder Triple Trees: Extension: 12” WHEELS Front Wheel: Spoke Size: 21 Tire: Avon Front Brake: none Rear Wheel:stock Size:16 Tire: shinko Rear Brake: Stock Drum PAINT Painter: Open Throttle Customs Color: Black Type: house of kolor kandy Graphics: variegated leafing Chroming: Gary Dubois ACCESSORIES Bars: Rabbit ears Risers: LA kings Hand Controls: stock Foot Controls: stock Gas Tank(s): wassel peanut Oil Tank: custom Front fender: None Rear Fender: 5in flat fender Seat: Legacy Canvas & Upholstery Headlight: Aries square flamethrowers Tail light: lowbrow square taillight Speedo: Photographer: Missi Debord

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a Harley because all his friends had Harley’s. He wanted to be a little different, and what better way to be different than a Trident chopper.

On his way home from Daytona that year, Drew found a basketcase donor bike in Buffalo, New York. He sent the motor off to Dave Shotz Classic Cycles Ltd. to be completely gone through and put back into solid running condition. Eric Malotke from Open Throttle Customs was charged with reviving the 70s survivor frame.

As with most basketcases, you never quite know what you’re

getting until you dig a little deeper.

While prepping the frame for paint, Malotke uncovered a mess. It turns out the frame was mostly Bondo covering failing welds. Being a standup guy, Eric was adamant that the bike wouldn’t leave his shop without correcting every failure and

possible failure point.

Drew’s mentor, Bill, handled the exhaust fabrication while his buddy Chris Gedman lent a hand with the wiring. If it weren’t for Chris’s help, Drew might still be on the phone to Australia trying to figure out the Tri Spark Electronic Ignition. All in all, it took about a year to get on the road and another six months working out the gremlins.

Skocelas says he rides it regularly and hopes to ride it on Michigan’s legendary all chopper Apocalypse Run and traversing the iconic Mackinaw Bridge.

With this being Drew’s first build, we look forward to seeing what he does with the 1960 Triumph TR Trophy chopper he’s currently working on.

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We are living in wild times if you try to stay up with the news. On the other hand, we are living in the best of times if you just ignore the media and politics. Check it out: Who’s Going to Pay for This? The old saying in Washington, D.C. is “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.” It is no secret that the Federal Government continues to spend more money than it takes in. Recently the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit held a hearing on just this topic. The hearing entitled “Running on Empty: The Highway Trust Fund” focused on the growing shortfall between money taken in to pay for roads and infrastructure and the money being spent by Congress on those projects.

The Highway Trust Fund is intended to function as a piggy bank.

Revenues from gasoline and diesel fuel taxes are collected and the money is dedicated to the construction of federal highways. However, over the last thirty (30) plus years the model has started to fall apart. The federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon has

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not been increased since 1993.

Surging inflation means that 18.4 cents per gallon does not go as far in 2023 as it did in 1993. Add to that the push for more fuel-efficient or electric cars and the result is less fuel sold and thus less money in the Highway Trust Fund.

In the last 15 years, the gap between money collected and money spent has reached $275 billion!

This shortfall results in government borrowing and further government debt. The current system is not working, and policymakers are searching for solutions.

The most discussed solution is transitioning away from motor fuel taxes to a fee, charging individual vehicles for their miles traveled, called a VMT fee. The most recent 2021 Highway Bill included a directive that the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Treasury conduct pilot programs in all fifty (50) states.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) understands the need to properly fund the construction, maintenance and repair of our roadways. However, we remain committed to protecting the interests of bikers. Any tax system must be fair and equitable for motorcyclists. It goes without saying that the weight of a motorcycle does far less damage to a roadway than much heavier vehicles. As such, any tax should consider the wear and tear caused by the vehicles being taxed.

Additionally, privacy concerns with any tracked miles are immense!

Tracking by outside parties using GPS or other technologies that collect and record where we ride, who we ride with, and how we ride is something the MRF takes extremely seriously. Both data recording and transportation taxes are two priorities that have been and will remain a part of the MRF legislative agenda.

The highway funding tab will eventually come due. The funding system for our roads is broken, but the MRF is committed to protecting and defending the interests of bikers no matter what solution is eventually agreed upon. -MRF Triumph To End Thruxton’s Production With New Final Edition - - Triumph celebrating 80th anniversary of the first Thruxton - Final Edition pays homage to the Thruxton of the 1960s - Based on the top-spec Thruxton RS Triumph has unveiled the new Final Edition of its iconic café racer, the Thruxton. As the name suggests, it

will mark the end of the motorcycle’s legendary run and celebrate the 80th anniversary of its first-ever iteration. https://www.msn.com A Freedom Fighter Alert Automakers finally blast Biden EPA plan to hike fuel efficiency rules – Would ‘boost avg vehicle price by $3,000…with absolutely no environmental or fuel savings benefits’ The Alliance for Automotive Innovation said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) proposal was unreasonable and requested significant revisions.

The industry group argued the plan would boost average vehicle prices by $3,000 by 2032 because of penalties automakers would face for not complying, adding the figure “exceeds reason and will increase costs to the American consumer with absolutely no environmental or fuel savings benefits.” - By Marc Morano, Climate Depot New From Honda - Honda has finally decided to bring its acclaimed Transalp in for another run at the U.S. Market.

Billed as a midsized ADV bike, the XL750 Transalp is coming to the U.S. market for the 2024 model year.

Originally introduced in 1986, the Transalp touts a rich heritage in the adventure category, where it is renowned for its ability to perform on the pavement and explore past the road’s end. Carrying this same ethos, the newgeneration Transalp has been a hit in the European market over the past few months, and now U.S. customers will be able to enjoy this versatile, middleweight ADV platform.

-DealerNews Harley-Davidson Factory Team Announced For 2024 Motoamerica

Misson King Of The Baggers Racing Series - The HarleyDavidson Screamin’ Eagle factory racing team will compete in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers roadracing series with team riders Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli.

Kyle Wyman won seven races during the 2023 King of the Baggers season and finished third in the season championship. Kyle is the winningest racer in MotoAmerica King of the Baggers history, with 12 total race wins in the 24 events since the start of the series in the

2021 season, plus the 2021 season championship to his credit. And yet he’s hungrier than ever after signing a new two-year contract with HarleyDavidson.

“Riding for the Harley-Davidson Factory Team has been a dream, and I’m excited to be given the opportunity

to continue for two more seasons,” said Kyle Wyman. “We’ve had a lot of success in the class, but we have come up short on the championship two years in a row. Our goal is to win back the title in 2024 and I look forward to getting started with testing in the coming months.”

James Rispoli, riding for Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson, won two races in the 2023 King of the Baggers season, plus he scored five second place finishes and three third place finishes for second overall in the championship. Rispoli, who was signed to a one-year contract with the factory team, has a long history of racing HarleyDavidson motorcycles dating back to racing an XR750 as a teenager, and earning the nickname “Hogspoli” after winning the American Flat Track Production Twins championship aboard a Latus Motors Racing HarleyDavidson XG750R in 2020.

He also won back-to-back AMA Pro Racing Supersport championships in 20112012. Rispoli fulfills a lifelong dream by joining the HarleyDavidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory racing team.

“I am stoked to have signed with Factory Harley Davidson.

It has been a dream of mine to be a factory rider ever since I was a little kid,” said James Rispoli. “Taking confidence and consistency paired with the backing of the factory, I know we are going to be a big threat in 2024. I am very excited to get to work.”

Rispoli replaces 2023 factory Harley-Davidson rider Travis Wyman. “I want to thank Travis Wyman for his three seasons aboard the factory Harley-Davidson Road Glide, and at all times being a consummate teammate,” said Jason Kehl, Harley-Davidson Director of Racing. “Travis joined this program mid-season in 2021 and has been invaluable in not only the development

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THE CYCLE SOURCE WORLD REPORT - POWERED BY BIKERNET.COM

of our motorcycle, but also in building a factory racing program. Travis has been one of the fastest riders to ever race a Harley-Davidson, and we look forward to his continued contributions to our brand and to this program. We welcome James to the factory team after earning his seat riding in the King of the Bagger series the past two seasons. James’ brings with him an unrelenting desire to win for Harley-Davidson. With James now aboard, we focus on Daytona in March of 2024, kicking off the largest, most demanding, and fastest King of the Baggers season to date.”

The King of the Baggers series offers exciting competition between American V-Twin touring motorcycles prepared for competition and equipped with a fairing/windscreen and saddlebags. The 2024 season will see the King of the Baggers series expanded to 16 races over eight double-header weekends held in conjunction with the MotoAmerica Superbike Series.

The Wait Is Over: Brough Superior Has Officially Launched in USA! Experience the timeless elegance of the Brough Superior SS 100 at its exclusive launch in California. Be among the first to own this motorcycle icon. Reserve yours today and become a part of history.

This legendary motorcycle, celebrated alongside Lawrence of Arabia, embodies luxury, beauty, and speed.

It’s a masterpiece handcrafted in Brough Superior’s French workshop, blending classic design with modern engineering.

Experience the thrill of riding a Super Sports 100. Its updated look and cutting-edge materials like a titanium chassis and quaddisc brakes ensure both style and performance.

Don’t miss the chance to own a piece of motorcycle history. Get behind the handlebars of the Brough Superior Super Sports 100 today!

Known as the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. The 1935 Brough Superior SS100 was one of the most powerful and luxurious motorcycles of its time, renowned for its exceptional performance. https:// broughsuperiormotorcycles.us/ NHTSA Looks At Fuel Standards

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- Soon, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will close its public comment period on proposed rule changes to the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) for cars and trucks. Under the proposal, the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard would rise from 49 mpg in 2026 to 58 mpg in 2032.

The key part of this is that under the CAFE standards, manufacturers get credit for each electric vehicle they sell in a model year, improving the average fuel economy of all the vehicles sold that year. By setting standards so high, NHTSA is knowingly pushing manufacturers to electric vehicles.

This action by NHTSA is the third in a string of maneuvers by the Biden Administration and its allies to eliminate the internal combustion engine. In April the MRF reported on

Environmental Protection Agency plans to limit tailpipe emissions, designed to ensure that all-electric cars make up as much as 67 percent of new passenger vehicles sold in the country by 2032. This is in addition to the plans in California, which will require all new cars sold in that state to be zero-emissions.

While motorcycles are not included in these proposed standards, the writing is on the wall. The attack on the internal combustion engine is underway. Go to MRF.org for the latest -MRF Congress Talks Right To Repair - Last week the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce held a legislative hearing to discuss several bills within its jurisdiction.

One of the bills on the agenda

was H.R. 906, the REPAIR Act. The REPAIR Act is one of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) key legislative priorities. The MRF believes the ability for consumers and aftermarket shops to have access to the parts, tools and information needed to repair products is critical to the motorcycling community.

The lead cosponsor of H.R. 906 is Representative Neal Dunn of Florida.

At the conclusion of the hearing, staff for Representative Dunn told the MRF, “The hearing could not have gone any better. We believe we have momentum on our side and a growing number of lawmakers understand the importance of Right to Repair.”

One key part of the strategy to pass H.R. 906 deals with ensuring equal support from both Democrats and Republicans. As you can see on the list of cosponsors, there are 21 from each party.

Smartly, Rep. Dunn is holding back publicly announcing cosponsors until he has a “match” from the other party. It appears that a handful of Democrats are lined up to join the bill and are just waiting for a partner Republican to announce their support.

If you haven’t yet, click here and contact your lawmaker to ask them to cosponsor H.R. 906!

Additionally, there are rumors that a Senate version of the REPAIR Act will be introduced soon. This bill would allow Senators a chance to show their support for Right to Repair and create a twotrack approach to passage. The path to changing federal law is a long one, but we are in the ballgame and moving forward! -MRF BMW Back In The Gas Powered Game - BMW ended their ban on gasoline motorcycle sales in US. BMW Motorrad lifted a stop-sale for their gasoline motorcycle inventory in North America. It meant the company would only sell electric-powered bikes.

Rumor had it, BMW couldn’t match severe restrictions without cheating, so they pulled out.

The BMW CE 04 was the company’s only electric model currently for sale in North America. The 31 kW (42 hp) bike is best classified as a maxiscooter.

THE CYCLE SOURCE WORLD REPORT - POWERED BY BIKERNET.COM It began production two years ago comprised of 13 members appointed submit applications to compete with the slim 75 mph (121 km/h) performance electric market.

The news comes at a time when an increasing number of legacy motorcycle companies are entering the electric motorcycle market. Harley-Davidson was an early entrant in 2018, with BMW now playing catchup and still other companies such as Kawasaki and Triumph working on electric models. -Micah Toll, Electric Motorcycles

Safety Matters - Department of Transportation Seeks New Members for Motorcyclist Advisory Council As roadway deaths continue to climb, the Motorcyclist Advisory Council is being reconstituted and the Department of Transportation is seeking new members.

The MAC is the voice of motorcycle manufacturers, riders, safety organizations, and government experts who advise Congress about safety issues confronting motorcyclists. The Federal Register stated that “the MAC shall be

by the Secretary of Transportation for a single term of up to 2 years. The

MAC seeks to have a fairly balanced membership with expertise in motorcycle and motorcyclist safety, highway engineering, and safety analysis.”

Those wishing to apply for membership should

to MotorcyclistAdvisoryCouncil@dot. gov. For further information, contact Director John W. Marshall, Office of Safety Programs, Office of Research and Program Development, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation: john.marshall@ dot.gov or (202) 366–3803.

The MIC and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation had urged members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to call on the DOT to reconstitute the MAC. -MIC We Can’t Ever Give Up Or Give In - If I was confident about anything it’s in the truth and freedom. I know you’re busy, but get involved and stay informed.

If you need a shot of the news more often, slip over to Bikernet. com for a weekly report. -Bandit

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ADVERTISERS INDEX 5 Ball Racing Leather.............95 AMCA......................................69 Battery Outlet.........................97 BikerNet.com..........................18 Cycle Stop USA.......................48 DB Custom Leather................94 Deadwood Custom Cycles....27 Dennis Kirk.............................99 Denver’s Choppers................36 Drag Specialties.......................9 Drag Specialties Seats...........15 Dutchman...............................97 Feuling....................................95 Full Throttle Bike Show..........85 Garage Built Podcast.............48 Grease & Gears TV................55 Hardcore Cycles.....................43 Hijinx Apparel........................95 Kiwi Indian...............................43 Klock Werks............................65 Law Tigers................................2 Led Sled..................................55 MC Creations..........................97 Mikuni......................................29 No School Choppers..............69 Pandemonium.........................17 Paughco.............................13,79 Progressive Insurance.............5 Kiwi Indian..............................43 Klock Werks...........................65 S&S Cycle.............................100 SmokeOut................................3 SpeedKing..............................97 Spectro Oils............................25 Sturgis Motorcycle Museum..45 Tech Cycles............................43 Twin Power................................4 Twisted Choppers...................19 Veritas Vintage Motors...........43

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A

man walks up to a woman in his office each day, stands very close to her, draws in a large breath of air and tells her that her hair smells nice.

After a week of this she can’t stand it any longer! The woman goes into her supervisor’s office and tells him that she wants to file a sexual harassment suit against the man and explains why. The supervisor is puzzled by this and says what’s wrong with the co-worker telling you your hair smells nice? The woman replies, “He’s a midget”!

Heard A Good One Lately ?

Then Send It Along To Us At: 119 Dellenbaugh Rd. Tarentum, PA 15084 Or E-mail To cyclesourcemain@comcast.net

Johnny

A A

cowboy who just moved to Wyoming from Texas walks into a bar and orders three mugs of Bud. He sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn.

After finishing them, he returns to the bar and orders three more. The bartender approaches and tells the cowboy, “You know, a mug goes flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you bought one at a time.” The cowboy replies, “Well, I have two brothers. One is in Arizona, the other is in Colorado. When we all left our home in Texas, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days when we drank together.

So I’m drinking one beer for each of my brothers and one for myself.”

The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there. The cowboy becomes a regular in the bar and always drinks the same way. He orders three mugs and drinks them in turn. One day, he comes in and only orders two mugs. All the regulars take notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss.” The cowboy looks entirely puzzled for a moment, then a light dawns in his eyes, and he laughs.

“Oh, no, everybody’s just fine,” he explains, “It’s just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church, and I had to quit drinking.” “Hasn’t affected my brothers, though.”

Chuck

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H

er Diary: Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn’t flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk.

He agreed, but he didn’t say much. I asked him what was wrong; He said, ‘Nothing.’ I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn’t upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can’t explain his behavior I don’t know why he didn’t say, ‘I love you, too.’ When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I cried. I don’t know what to do. I’m almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

His Diary: Motorcycle won’t start… can’t figure out why.

Mac

foursome of guys is waiting at the men’s’ tee while a foursome of women is hitting from the ladies’ tee. The ladies are taking their time.

When the final lady is ready to hit her ball, she hacks it 10 feet. Then she goes over and whiffs it completely.

Then she hacks it another ten feet and finally hacks it another five feet.

She looks up at the patiently waiting men and says apologetically, “I guess all those f*&king lessons I took over the winter didn’t help.” One of the men immediately responds, “Well, there you have it. You should have taken golf lessons instead!” He never even had a chance to duck.

Tom

A

man is out shopping and discovers a new brand of Olympic condoms.

Clearly impressed, he buys a pack.

Upon getting home he shows his wife the purchase he just made. “Olympic condoms?” she blurts, “What makes them so special?” “They’re in three colors”, he replies, “Gold, Silver and Bronze.””What color are you going to wear tonight?” she asks cheekily.

“Gold of course”, says the man proudly!The wife responds wryly, “Why don’t you wear Silver, it would be nice if you came second for a change!”

Karen

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