Cycle Source Magazine -September 2019

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September ‘10 CYCLE SOURCE

CYCLE SOURCE September ‘19

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BIKES Godlen Pan

Hugo's 1959 Panhead ......................................................................................... 20

Zee Sex Panzer

Choppaheads Take On A Classic Chopper ............................................. 36

Soda Pop

Dodge's Blinged Out Dyna ............................................................................... 50

Race Ready

Led Sled Builds A Bike For His Favorite Niece ...................................... 62

Digger Please

Rick's Cycle Parts TMMR Slabside Shovel ............................................. 76

FEATURES Texas Vintage Fandango

Foolish Fun On Two Wheels ..............................................................................10

First Ride On The Kawasaki Vaquero

Over 1100 Miles In 19 Hours Of Straight Riding ..................................... 30

Bikes At The Brewery

Bikes And Beer In The Home State Of Both ............................................. 34

Motorcyclepedia Museum

Preserving The Past ............................................................................................ 44

Dickie's Gear Review

Ken Checks Out Their New Moto Gear ........................................................ 48

#4CornersFatBob

A Street Screamer That Could Be Yours .................................................. 66

InSlide Line

The Man Behind The Mayhem ......................................................................... 84

50

TECH

99 Problems

Fixes For The Little ThingsThat Make A Big Difference ....................... 16

Put Your Touring Ride In Reverse

Yelvington Reverse Install With Bandit .................................................... 26

Lowdown With Lowbrow

Installing The Lowbrow Sportster Hardtail ............................................. 70

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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 Will Ramsey - Tech Editor - will@faithforgotten.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 J. Ken Conte - Test Ride Editor - kenconte@gmail.com

STAFF WRITERS

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Chris Callen, Milwaukee Mike, Jack Schit, Pat Jansen, Will Ramsey, Xavier Muriel, Charlie Weisel, Mitch Bodine, Mark Velazquez, Amelia Rose, Daniel Donley, Joshua Elzey, Jimmy Frizzell, Roadside Marty, Scotty Kerekes, Heather Callen, Rebecca Cunningham, Dan Venditto, George The Painter, Tyler Porter

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Mad Stork Ken, Mark Velazquez, Twila Knight, Rebecca Cunningham, Dan Venditto, Melissa Shoemaker, George The Painter

CONTRIBUTORS

Patrick Garvin, Deb Fitch, Steve Klein, Lowbrow Customs

STAFF ARTISTS

Jimmy Frizzell, Chris Callen, George The Painter

ADVERTISING

Ken Conte- Sales Manager - ken@riseaboveconsulting.com

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CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Heather Callen - 724-226-2867

Product Spotlight

COPY EDITOR Judy Duggan

Word Of Mouth On Some Of The Good Stuff Out There ......................... 48

LEGAL COUNSEL

In The News

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

The World Report Powered by BikerNet.com ......................................... 86

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From The Editor’s Desk .................................................... 8

Chopper Charlie .............................................................. 56

ABOUT THE COVER

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Endless Highway .............................................................. 72 On The Road With X ......................................................... 82 The Edge With Jimmy Frizzell .................................... 90 Gut Busters ........................................................................ 98

The Cycle Source Magazine® (ISSN 1935-0287) is published 12 times a year by The Cycle Source Magazine with Offices at 119 Dellenbaugh Road Tarentum, PA 15084, 724-226-2867, www.cyclesource.com. U.S. Subscription rate is $25.00 for 12 issues. Canadian Subscription rate is $45.00 for 12 issues. Back Issues, when available, are $6.00 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® September be re-printed in whole or part without the express written consent of the publishers. Copyright ® 2019. 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™ are registered trade marks.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle Source Magazine 119 Dellenbaugh RD. Tarentum, PA 15084

Pin-Up Of The Month ....................................................... 42 Photo Hunt ........................................................................... 43

DISTRIBUTION

Coast to Coast Newsstand Services Partnership 5230 Finch Ave. E., Ste. 1, Toronto, ON, M1S 4Z9 Cycle Source - Dealership Direct Distribution 724-226-2867

SPARE PARTS

DEPARTMENTS

GRAPHIC ARTISTS

Chris Callen, Heather Callen, Amelia Rose

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The builder of this month's cover bike, Bill Dodge, is a hustler. At this point in his career he has overcome relocation, the devastation of Erma and all the ups and downs the motorcycle business could throw at him. To me this makes him a survivor, a man whom long after the trends and fortune of this thing fade will still make bikes and parts one at a time, by hand!

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can still remember the first time someone used the words “Slightly Trashy” to describe my magazine. It was during my first year of publishing Cycle Source, maybe the second but either way it was still very new. At the time I was still so impressed that we learned how to use a computer enough to make this all happen that there was no way that it would have anything other than an honest and natural voice. We didn’t know anything else. Lucky for us that formula has lasted two decades, three cultural changes, and as many generational trends.

Anyway, back to the point. The person who branded us with that was one of my early advertisers, Bill Bomberger from New Castle Harley-Davidson and in his own way he wasn’t dogging us for the magazine, but he truly supported it because it didn’t have the cleanedup version of what was then just the beginning of what goes on today. You see, even as short as twenty years ago the motorcycle industry looked a lot different. No, I don’t mean the superficial satanic seventies adaptation that some of the hipsters get from the old B rate movies. Back then, bikers were still a little on the fringe of society, and the whole craze that came in with the Evolution motor was really just getting started. GTP said it best; “The whole thing started to go downhill when they ended the cast-iron cylinders.” Mostly, they were all good people, but there was, and God I miss this from time to time, an element of danger to the scene. It kept it honest, and it made people think about

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what they did or said. Obviously, this was waaaaay before social media, but I digress. When that cat first laid the term “Slightly Trashy” on me, I was offended, but quickly I began to warm up to it. I pondered the idea that if what I was doing through the pages of the magazine appeared that way it was only because that was what the scene looked like, at least the scene I was in and around, and that was good enough for me.

Back then the tag line under the words Cycle Source was “Your Local Motorcycle Information Guide,” and we focused on the whole thing, not just the dealers, not just the choppers, but as much as we could get into whatever pages we could afford at the time. As the years went on and our editorial prowess grew, we homed in on that distinct part of the culture whom many today refer to as the core. While there were many other publications that catered to one segment or another, we stayed the course of where we came in and ultimately settled on “A Grass Roots Motorcycle Publication.” That was March of 2005, and it fit perfectly then and still does today.

I’ve watched the positioning of so much of our beloved industry these past few years as they scramble to replace the cash flow that’s been leaving of the Baby Boomers with anything they can.

To many, they believe that the core is an unfortunate part of this whole deal that only means going back to a time when there was way less money in the game.

While that is true in part, the point of it being “The Core” is that it has never

gone away and YES, it looks slightly trashy. You see, when most of us got into this it wasn’t because someone sat down and said “Hey kid, how would you like to overburden yourself with debt, join a group that will judge you based on what you look like, what you say and how well you fit in with their idea of the perfect photo. Learn quickly to judge other people by gauging your friends and the big company’s portrayal of what that perfect photo suggests, and ultimately walk away gratified that you survived the whole ordeal without being ostracized...?”

WTF did I just type. I wish I could say it was a joke, but it’s true. No, I got into this because I didn’t fit in, didn’t want to and didn’t care. I didn’t have a lot of money, so any shitbox I could get to roll was fine with me and accepted by those I rode with and if not, a middle finger usually described my position to them. I went to insane parties with scantily clad women and rough dangerous men. Sometimes there were fights, sometime just drunken yelling and laughing, sometimes people rode through tents. We slept in the mud, we ate some shit burnt to a crisp that was cooked over a fire pit, went to work the next week to have enough money to do it all over again. Yes, it was slightly trashy and if you look past the advertising agencies idea of what this should be today, it’s still quite the same at the core... And God, I love that they still can’t wash that part away with money.

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he Classic Motorcycling Sport is certainly very diverse.

One may simply own and ride any old motorcycle you enjoy, or you may buy and sell parts, do restorations or rustorations, or focus on racing or perhaps collecting vintage art, c l o t h i n g , literature, or memorabilia.

From 1895 to WWI a total of 208 American “moto-cycle” manufacturers actually existed.

By the end of WWI, the remaining Big Four were Harley Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Reading Standard.

Each of these incredible machines that survived already had a heartbeat, a soul and a history well before this current generation of enthusiasts found/resurrected and cared for them until the

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next generation takes over preserving their grand history for future generations to learn from, appreciate and enjoy.

this history should be preserved, shared, and made. With over 250+ members throughout the USA and several foreign countries, the non-profit Cherokee Club is often considered the most dynamic and energetic AMCA Chapter worldwide.

Fandango is a Cherokee Event put on by it’s all volunteer work of its members.

BF- Before Fandango.

The Cherokee Chapter of the AMCA is a great example of how

Motorcycle e v e n t s , however, are “History Still Being Made.”

And for the lucky few thousand attendees at The Inaugural T e x a s Fandango, you had a hand in making this history.

So how can one talk about the past when only one Fandango has ever occurred? Well, living in Texas is not without its geographic

Article By Steve Klein & Rebecca Cunningam Photos By: Rebecca Cunningham

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challenges. Texas is a damn large place measuring 790 miles tall with a waistline of 660 miles. For Texan Motorcycle Enthusiasts to attend great vintage motorcycle venues such as Sturgis, Black Hawk (Davenport IA), Wauseon Meet (Ohio), Oley Meet (PA), and Sunshine and Eustis Meets near Daytona we have to travel 800 –1,400 miles, Recognizing the need for a Classic Motorcycle Venue in the Central South has been a Cherokee goal for the past eight years. It just makes sense to have a venue where enthusiasts can enjoy these old bikes without traveling way North or to the East or West Coasts. Or better yet for the Midwest & East & West coast enthusiasts to converge here in The Middle Coast.

If you look up the meaning of the word “Fandango” and skip past the dancing, to meaning #2, you get to the heart of the Texas Fandango: “A foolish or useless act or thing.”

While everyone in the motorcycle industry is scrambling to keep their businesses alive, a small group of people who just LOVE motorcycles are working hard to keep motorcycles fun for all of us.

How did one lanky, easy-going guy and a handful of his friends create what is going to be one of the Premier motorcycle events of Texas? Of course, I had to go straight to Greg McFarland, President of the AMCA Cherokee Chapter, to find out.

“The main thing I wanted people to come out of there with is just have fun. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t slick; it was just good old-fashioned fun. And having it at the oldest fairgrounds in Texas makes it even that much more special.” - Rebecca Cunningham.

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The Pate Swap Meet, Fort Worth TX was a test location for three years, but Cherokee soon found out that without control of the event, it just could not flourish. Plus, Pate Swap Meet managers are car people and car people just do not understand motorcycle people and events regardless of how much they believe they do. So, Cherokee went back to planning their own venue and tried negotiating with Texas Motor Speedway (NASCAR facility in Dallas/Fort Worth) whom simply did not take us seriously. Cherokee - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

also took time to consult vendors, racers, the current management at Davenport, Wauseon, and many other long-term players on how to do an event right. After two intensive years of planning all the details, the decision was made to lease the Oldest County Fairgrounds in Texas, located in the Historic Germanic Settlement of Fredericksburg TX. This fairground emulates Davenport and Wauseon for character, plus it has a 5/8-mile horse track with huge grandstand and plenty of room for future growth. Fredericksburg is located 70 miles north of San Antonio & 78 miles West of Austin in the Texas Hill Country and has no shortage of personal choices for hotels, B&B’s, culinary establishments, wineries, breweries, distilleries, shopping, museums, and history.

It was important that a location

was selected that would appeal to all ages, interests, and all family members. RV camping is also available on-site with plenty of other campgrounds nearby. Fandango’s first-year results were significant, to say the least.

“I am always amazed at the way we can all come together with only three basic things in common – 2 wheels and an engine. The easygoing attitude and camaraderie of the Cherokee Chapter is infectious. It really doesn’t matter how stressed you think you ought to be; you will have a good time.” Rebecca Cunningham The Cycle Source Bike Show had over 135 machines representing every single moto era from preteens to the early 80’s, held in a massive building allowing the public September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 13

to get out of the sun, enjoy a Meet and Greet Lounge Area, Coffee Bar & numerous scheduled How-ToSeminars. Over a dozen Cannonball Coast to Coast Endurance Racers were on display.

American, British, German, & Asian marques were all very well represented. Drag Bikes, Flat Trackers, Road Racers, Off Road, Trials, Café Racers, Choppers, Bobbers, Baggers, and Original Paint through perfection restorations all stood side by side proudly. How often does one see a Flying Merkel or a beautifully handcrafted oneoff V-6 Henderson with side hack? Bike Show Chairwoman Lecil Morgan has the space to handle 250+ machines indoors in 2020 so bring your scoot!

Swap Meet – To get quality vendors to travel long distances and gamble financially on attending any first-year event is challenging, but Cherokee has a reputation for delivering results.

Year one netted a respectable 101 vendors & 178 vending spots. Swap Meet Coordinator, Ed Hazzard, has room for 300 spaces, many of which are under roof, for 2020 with additional growth space beyond this being planned.

Pro & Vintage Racing – Cherokee Pres.

Greg McFarland’s years of personal research and planning nationwide before waving the starting flag at Fandango paid off.

I remember meeting with John Parham and Greg many years ago at Davenport where John was instrumental in starting the race program there.

John certainly gave us good advice to avoid any unnecessary pitfalls of the learning curve. Greg’s astute leadership simply brought all

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the best resources together with VDTRA as Pro Race promoter, along with his relationships with a veteran TX track builder, Texas Outlaw Mini-Bike Racing (TOMB),

establishing Chopper Drags, and even allowing some 100+-year-old machines to exhibition race. Few spectators ever get to witness preteen motorcycles in person or see them run, much less race at full speed.

“My personal favorite moment wasn’t even part of a race, but it certainly fulfilled the goal of the Texas Fandango with frivolous fun.

And that was what you asked?

When I watched Danger Dan & Oliver Peck do side by side minibike dirt burnouts. Frivolous fun, remember? They made sure it was happening.” - Rebecca Cunningham Three Fandango filled Days, and I never saw a single person unhappy. Having an early Spring event allows a large number of enthusiasts from the colder Northern climates to get their machines out and ride them in the warm South before their own riding season up North even occurs. Many of the best motorcycle riding roads in Texas are in the immediate region.

Springtime riding through prolific displays of Texas Bluebonnets, Indian Paint Brushes, and other Texas wildflowers blanketed landscape should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Day rides from 50–300 milers from Fandango will not disappoint.

The now well-known hospitality of Cherokee, Fredericksburg & Luckenbach made it all possible. You can bet this venue will continue to increase in size, quality, and the overall experience received to attendees for many years to come. Mark your calendars now for The Texas Fandango, April 3-5, 2020 or follow on Facebook-Texas Vintage Motorcycle Fandango for Vendor, Bike Show and Racing Registration.

Everyone you know will be there!

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Article And Photos By: Daniel Donley

www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com

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ver the previous months, I have been reaching out to you readers and industry professionals seeking a problem or situation and its fix.

So, here are some of the problems, from being broke down on the side of the road. To some situations in the shop like Fabrication, painting, electrical, troubleshooting, etc.

Problem #1 “MOUNTING A TUBELESS TIRE” - Joe Kilburn Led Sled Customs.

Joe told me about this situation that he ran into a while back that he could not get the bead to set on a tubeless rim. With the tire Vertical, The rim was lying to the bottom side of the tire allowing air to escape from the top so trying to put air into it and set

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what happens here is over time brake dust and heat cause the piston seals in the brake caliper to become dry, not allowing the pistons to move freely as they should. Creating a

the bead, would not happen…

The Fix #1 By laying the rim on its side horizontal, this centers the tire on the rim allowing the bead to set and

inflate.

Problem #2 “SPONGY BRAKES” - Jimmy Price - Dead End Cycles.

Jimmy Taught me this good one a long time ago; he used to be a wrench for a NASCAR Crew. So,

spongy feeling brake pedal or lever.

The Fix #2 The fix is pretty simple and provides dramatic results. Removing the brake caliper cleaning all the brake dust and grime from around the pistons with brake cleaner and a small soft brush works great along with compressed air. With everything clean, apply a small amount of light oil, using a small paintbrush. To the piston surface, work the pistons in and out a couple times, be careful not to extend them too far as they may fall out. This back and forth motion will lube the seals and will dramatically

improve your braking performance.

Problem #3 “SQUARE” Casey Merillat - Defiance Trailer Sales Doing large fabrication such as building a workbench or even building a new shop, this next trick can apply to many different applications. Casey showed me this cool trick 3-4-5 a couple months ago. This will also work in a situation where you do not have a square.

The Fix #3 From the corner measure out 3 this can be foot, inches whatever.

From that same corner in the other direction, measure out 4. Next, lay your tape at the 4 and 3 measurement diagonally, and that will be 5. When it is perfectly square. ( Side note: you can also do 6 -8-10 and 9-12-15 and so on for larger squaring applications.

Problem #4 “SOFT STRAP” - Hugh Owings - Hugh’s Handbuilt Ratchet strap hooks can scratch surfaces. That’s a problem! Hugh

showed me this quite a few years ago. I have been trying to pass it along ever since.

Fix #4 Using your index finger push the strap through the eye of the hole and wrap back around the hook with

this loop. Pull tight. This keeps those pesky scratching hooks away from

any delicate surface.

Problem #5 “THREAD CLEANER/ CHASER” - Dale Miller - Miller Racing.

I have seen a lot of damaged threaded holes… because they were not cleaned properly. From gasket material, grease and oil even silicone. Can be packed in the thread hole. Dale showed me this cool trick some time ago of how to make your own thread cleaner/ thread chaser.

This also will straighten up light cross

threading in most situations.

The Fix #5 So, the thread size is what it is, and you know that. Take a bolt with threads in great condition using a cutoff wheel, cut a groove lengthwise in the threads. When the grooved bolt is threaded into the hole, the groove will remove any trash that may be in the threaded hole. A cleaner and compressed air also help out here.

Problem #6 “SURFACE FLATTENING” By nature, the toys we typically play with are old and a little rough around the edges. You know that gasket mating surface that someone

decided to clean off with a flat blade screwdriver and gouged the hell out of it. This fix has been with me for a long time can’t really remember

where it came from.

The Fix #6 On a piece of glass or a known flat surface, you can apply light grit sandpaper {The sticky back kind works great} Along with the use of some light oil as lubricant. Lay the affected part on the lubricated sandpaper and move in a figure 8 pattern until the surface is smooth and gouge free. Work in small increments here and check your

work often. Don’t overdo it.

Problem #7 “STRAIGHT CUT” Leo Donley My Dad showed me this basic fabricating trick long ago, and its always stuck with me. Marking tubing to achieve a straight cut. For instance, you mark a piece of tubing, and you think the mark is straight, and it really isn’t. This helps make sure you are getting a straight line.

The Fix #7 Sandpaper roll material or wide September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 17

masking tape work the best to wrap around the tubing making sure when you overlap, they are matching and inline. This will give you a perfectly straight line to mark with a sharpie

and cut.

Problem #8 “DE-BURR TOOL” - Erie Hull.

We all know good quality fabrication consists of properly smoothed edges and chamfered holes. Erie made me one of these De Burring tools earlier this year. I find myself using

it regularly.

The Fix #8 Old screwdriver handle, chamfering bit and a little bit of super glue makes

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a great handheld De Burring tool.

Problem #9 “INTERNAL WIRING” In the custom motorcycle world, internal wiring has a nice clean look.

But when trying to shove a wire from point A to point B can sometimes be difficult… I have internally wired many frames and handlebars, and these are some of the methods that

I use.

The Fix #9 I like to use a pull wire such as MIG welding wire or an old choke cable.

I have also been in some situations where you can use compressed air to blow a string through the internal area, or even suck it through with a vacuum cleaner.

Calling all readers and industry professionals……….Submit problems WITH fixes and pics to the email below (Bikes, Shop Equipment, Paint, Tools, Etc.) If there is something that you would like to see a Tech article on? Please call me or email me with your idea!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at the shop anytime 419-576-6812 Daniel Donley Pandemonium Custom Choppers Facebook- Pandemonium Custom Choppers Instagram – pandemoniumc2 info@ pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com www.pandemoniumcustomchoppers. com

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first saw this bike in Daytona back in March at Chopper Time and it blew me away with its clean lines and attention to detail. As usual, I got distracted during the show, and I didn’t get to talk with Hugo Betzweiser the man who holds the paper to this fine chopper. As luck would have it, Chris and Heather marked it as a must-have feature, so I was finally able to get the lowdown from the man himself. As with many people with bikes like this

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Hugo’s been riding for a while.

He started riding back in 1974 on a ‘69 Triumph Thunderbird.

After riding that for a bit, he moved up to a real beast of a bike for his first H-D, a ‘65 XLCH which he totally customized to the trends of that era. Hugo said that although bike was a lot of fun, he sold it to buy an engagement ring for his wife.

For the next thirty years was a dedicated family man and husband.

When Betzweiser was ready

he picked up a Yamaha V Star to get his feet wet again.

After a few years of and a few other bikes he stepped up and got into Harleys again. Hugo will freely admit to having an eBay addiction, so when he found this bike online, he didn’t hesitate to pick it up. Now when I say bike, I’m using that term loosely because Hugo had to tear the bike down completely to correct the previous owner’s mistakes. Fortunately, there was a silver lining, some of the

Article By: Roadside Marty Photos By: Melissa Shoemaker

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parts like the frame, tank and rear fender that were flawless as they had already painted by Danny “Chawps” Garcia out in Phoenix AZ. The Paughco frame was kept in place, it had a great stance with the stock dimensions.

Unfortunately, some other pieces needed some attention like the Mid USA chrome springer; it was mounted incorrectly and needed a total rebuild. The ape hangers also came with the original purchase and Hugo says they are a perfect fit and bend to his riding position, so he left them alone and he swears by the Biltwell grips.

The spool front wheel looked good to go except when Hugo went to tighten it down it put the wheel into a bind because someone had removed the wheel spacer. He made the correct one and locked it in place. The motor was a titled 1959 FLH with a cherry set of OEM cases and a cracked set of heads which he replaced with a set of reproductions from V-Twin.

Hugo turned to his engine man, Willie Hershberger, for the full rebuild on the motor and transmission. Willie didn’t hot rod the motor as per

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Hugo’s specs, so it was basically a stock rebuild except for the S&S rods that came with the motor.

He did replace the S&S oil pump with a Sifton from V-Twin because of over oiling. An auto advance distributor was used to upgrade the timing duties. A Super E carb was used along with an air cleaner from Lowbrow Customs and handles acceleration duties just fine. The transmission looked great, so it was freshened up, and a speedometer drive was added for the mini speedometer that’s mounted on the stainless apes.

The oil tank came with the bike, and Hugo believes it to be a V-Twin piece as well. He ended up having to remount the rear fender to give it a closer fit to the rear wheel. Hugo didn’t want a primary chain setup, so he ended up using a BDL 1 1/2’ belt drive inside the tin primaries.

He also ended up using a set of BDL forward controls after he tried mounting the forwards that came with the original purchase. Hugo said the BDL parts were affordable and fit well. The solo seat is a production La Rosa model that Hugo swears by. The headlight and taillight are both eBay items that Betzweiser ended up using after the previous headlight took a hike while he was out riding.

The funky upsweep pipes came

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the golden pan shovelTech Sheet Owner: Hugo Betzwieser City/State: Sebring, Fl Builder: Owner Year: 1959 Model: FLH Value: $20k Time: 4 Months Engine Year: 1959 Model: FLH Builder: Willie Herschberger Ignition: Auto Advance Point Displacement: 74 Cu In Pistons: Stock Heads: V-Twin Stock Reproduction Carb: S&S Super E Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: S&S Exhaust: Cocktail Shaker Mufflers Primary: BDL Belt Drive Transmission Year: 1959 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: 4 Speed Frame Year: Rigid Model: Paughco Rake: Stock Stretch: Forks Builder: Mid Usa Type: Springer Triple Trees: Extension: Stock Wheels Front Wheel: Black Wheel Size: 21” Tire: Avon 3.00-21 Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Stock Size: 16” Tire: Shinko Rear Brake: GMA Paint Painter: Danny “Chawps” Garcia Color: Gold Flame/Pearl White Type: Graphics: Danny “Chawps” Garcia Chroming: Accessories Bars: Stainless Mini Apes Risers: Cycle Standard Hand Controls: Foot Controls: GMA Gas Tank(S): Alien Egg Axed “Wasp” Oil Tank: V-Twin Stock Type Front Fender: None Rear Fender: Custom Triumph Style Seat: Larosa Headlight: Custom Tail Light: Custom Speedo: Mini Custom Chrome Photographer: Melissa Shoemaker

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with the bike, and as much as Hugo liked the cocktail shaker mufflers, they were interfering with the way the bike ran so he took them off and realized the baffles were inadequate so he replaced them with some longer ones and now it runs like it’s supposed to

according to Hugo.

The build time was around 3 to 4 months, and Hugo couldn’t be happier with his Pan. Thanks for sharing it with our readers!!! Roadside Marty

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Article And Photos By: Keith Ball www.bikernet.com

t

he Yelvington reverse was designed for 2009 and later Harley-Davidson touring models and is a lifesaver for many older, shorter, injured, etc people that still want to stay in the wind. Here, the folks at Bennett’s Performance will take us through the steps on installing this fantastic unit from Yelvington on a 2015 Road Glide.

Before you tear into the box of ultra-cool components from Yelvington ensure that your bike has an auxiliary accessory switch and wiring system. You will also need a late model rear belt drive system.

Remove the seat and disconnect the battery.

Remove the rear shocks, rear axle, rear drive pulley, rear brake caliper and bracket.

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casting over the wheel bearing and then position the cushions in place.

Jasmine’s stock rear drive pulley was replaced with this Yelvington drive unit, which has exactly the same tooth count as the stock pulley. The inner face of the Yelvington pulley holds the cush drive interface from the stock pulley, with slight mods.

Cut away the center of the cush drive rubber

Position the Yelvington unit onto the rear wheel exactly like the stock pulley with the flanges engaged with the stock cush drive system.

Align the outer bearing and shuttle gear using your finger. Use the supplied Yelvington axle to

align the outer bearing. Put a skin coat of antiseize on the axle. No left axle spacer is used with the Yelvington reverse/pulley unit.

while holding it fully forward in its slot, so the actuator can slide into the reverse unit and click into place, in the notch, in the shuttle gear. Use a plastic mallet to gently tap the axle into the wheel until it bottomed out.

Thread on the stock axle nut, leave it finger-tight.

With all the axle holes lined up, slide the axle into the swingarm, Yelvington rear pulley, and partway into the rear wheel.

Note: The actuator in the axle was faced to the rear and is fully forward in its slot. This is critical to ensure the axle will glide through the wheel hub.

With the bike jacked up position the rear belt on the belt top of the reverse/pulley unit and rotate the tire as pushed the belt onto the pulley.

Slip the same narrow tool into the right side of the axle to move the actuator to the left, which shifted the Yelvington unit into reverse. Rotate the pulley to ensure the wheel turned in reverse.

Note: If the actuator doesn’t move the full distance it will not engage. Second, the special Yelvington tool must remain with the motorcycle, so any tech will have access to it for removing the rear wheel for any service work.

With the axle protruding from the right side of the wheel hub about 1 inch and the fully forward axle actuator exposed on the left side, install the stock ABS sensor with its tab engaged with the notch on the wheel hub.

Install the left torque restraint assembly onto the swingarm’s left axle slot. Lightly tap the assembly into using a plastic mallet. Position the wheel to find smooth alignment. Reinstall the shocks.

Torque the bolts to 35-40 ft-lbs. Set the rear belt tension and align the rear wheel with the frame then check the belt tension again.

Using the cam plate on the right side of the axle, space the axle the same distance from the swingarm pivot shaft on both sides of the bike.

Now you can snug the axle nut.

Next slip the right-side torque restraint into the front half of the swingarm’s axle slot. Lightly tap it into place using a flat-bladed screwdriver and a plastic hammer, and/or drop or lift the bike a little to take pressure off the rear axle.

After the stock brake caliper bracket is on the axle engage it with its mounting tab on the swingarm.

You will need to angle the front of the wheel to the left to allow the bracket to slip onto its mounting tab.

Using the supplied tool, depress the actuator

Now, slip the supplied axle adjuster, which replaces the stock unit, onto the right end of the axle.

Slip the actuator spring into the center of the axle and install the large washer onto the axle bolt.

Before applying the Red Loctite, be sure to test the unit. Ultimately, torque the bolt to 40 ft-lbs.

Torque the stock right axle nut to 95-105 ft-lbs.

Pop the stock axle E-clip onto the end of the axle.

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With red Loctite on all three torque restraint assembly’s setscrews, torque the rear axle set screw to 100 in-lbs. Now you can torque the rearmost of the two lower torque restraint assembly setscrews to 100 in-lbs. and lock it down. Snugg the front lower setscrew and lock it. We could now reinstall the stock brake caliper using the stock hardware. Torque these bolts to 43-48 ft-lbs.

We installed the Teflon-wrapped airline fitting into the right end of the axle. The final position of the fitting should be between 2 and 3 o’clock.

Attached the new switch with two screws and ran the accessory harness to where it connected to the wiring system that allows a connector for the Yelvington harness.

Remove the fuse block mounting base, feed H-D accessory harness between the bar frame and plastic base into the area above the battery and reattach the fuse block mounting base. Be careful not to pinch the harness.

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Route the Yelvington main wiring harness assembly (red, black & blue wire harness with plug end) into H-D accessory plug.

Remove neutral-switch boot connectors from posts and plug white or tan wired boot into the threaded brass post with white/silver marking.

Then plug the black wired boot into the other threaded brass post. Tuck wires back behind starter motor.

Plug the Yelvington boot connectors in the same manner as the factory connectors to the neutral switch posts. Connect the light-blue spade connectors together.

Drill two 3/8-inch holes along the inside of the right saddlebag, (roughly 1 inch apart and 1 inch from the bottom along the flared-out section of the saddlebag. Insert black grommets using silicone spray lubricant for easier installation.

Place the air compressor assembly inside the saddlebag and feed the wires out through the upper grommet. Feed the airline through the lower grommet and firmly connect it to the brass fitting of the air compressor assembly.

To ease installation through the grommets, apply spray silicone lubricant to the wires and airline.

Affix the hook-side of the Velcro adhesive to the top and bottom flanges of the compressor housing then connect the Velcro stickers together, remove the adhesive cover, and firmly press onto the lower back wall of saddlebag.

Installed the supplied Deutsch connectors to the terminal ends of the wiring harness and pump wires. Be sure to arrange the wires as follows: red to A, black to B, and blue to C. Using the supplied wire-ties, connect the Yelvington harness. Be sure to curve the wire above and around the shock area to avoid wire damage from shock contact.

Position the saddlebag on the lower support bar, and firmly connect the airline to the axle fitting, and connected the Deutsch connectors.

Adjust the airline for proper fit, making sure the airline and wiring are clear of moving parts.

Excess wiring and airline can be snugged into the saddlebag. The airline can be trimmed if needed.

FEATURES: For 2009 touring bikes and later 2-year and unlimited miles warranty Made in the USA! Technical Support YelvingtonUSA.com

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love taking a bike and using it for an unintended purpose, like riding a non-touring bike long distance.

That is what attracted me to rigid custom bikes from the start. As a matter of fact, the first time I met Chris was on the Salt Flats 15 years ago when I was riding a Santee wishbone Evo rigid that Jeff Cochran built across the west in search of adventure and stories. Some might argue that the Vaquero is a touring bike, it is definitely a bagger, but Kawasaki considers the Voyager ABS more of their top of the line touring bike because of its tour pack, gas tank size, full-fairing replete with lowers, tall windshield and list of touring accessories. The funny thing is that they are both based on the Vulcan chassis, and 52-degree 1700 cc V-twin engine which equates to 104 cubic inches and a claimed 107 foot-pounds of torque with an 844 wet weight and a seat height of 28.7 inches all driven with 6 speeds. When you look at the tiny windscreen and lack of real back support, it becomes obvious that the Vaquero could easily be outfitted for touring for a few hundred dollars.

There is no way to talk about this bike without mentioning the Harley-Davidson Road Glide, because of

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the fixed fairing and comparable specs. The Road Glide does have a lower seat height, lighter weight, and more tech built in like the new BOOM! Box infotainment system.

Which is better? That would be hard to say because the Vaquero is almost $5000 less. Granted you don’t get the fit and finish that you do with a Harley but if money is a deciding factor and you have to have a new bike the Vaquero is one to be considered.

I have a history with Kawasaki Vulcans leading back over 15 years. I bought a used one for my wife, and she used to ride it to work until she got pregnant, after that she has never swung a leg over as a rider.

What I knew about the bike was that it got the job done, had a fairly good aesthetic, and didn’t have a ton of bells and whistles.

The Vaquero is that but is more refined in some areas. The most noticeable aspect is the stylish fairing and paint scheme. It looks like a custom, and I was on the bike less than 5 miles before someone commented on how good it looked. The fairing provides wind buffering but upon further inspection lacks the fit and finish that its American counterpart has as well as the touch screen system. The system on the Vaquero was dated but worked. It has a radio and a way to sync a phone (via a strange connector), but I rarely used it. The ABS system

Article By: J Ken Conte Photos: J Ken Conte & Layla Conte

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performed flawlessly, and I did notice the distribution for braking when braking hard. The minimal creature comforts for a long-distance trip are apparent with electronic cruise control (that maxed out at 85 mph) 10 gallons of luggage storage and small lockable glove boxes on either side of the fairing. Even with the slight windshield, the frame mounted fairing cut the wind well.

The luggage and gloves boxes created a bit of a conundrum for me, not because they were bad but just because I wasn’t used to the setup. The key has to be

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inserted to open or close the saddlebags or the gloveboxes. This is not a huge issue, but in a day and age when keys are somewhat passé, it seems like that might be something addressed in the next iteration of the Vaquero.

After putting 1100 miles back to back on two different motorcycles, I can say that the Kawasaki can handle itself. Whether it was on the highway, in the twisties and even around town the bike was at home.

It comes with a 36-month limited warranty and if having that warranty on a budget is something you crave; this might just

be the bike for you. There are two colorways, black and gold or black and green, so selection is easy. There are also numerous accessories available through Kawasaki and a lot of aftermarket parts to customize the Vaquero to fit you and your personality. Although it was intended as a custom bagger the Vaquero hits the mark as a touring bike that can be ridden 19 hours in a day. You can see more at www.Kawasaki.com

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Article And Photos By: Savannah Rose

w

isconsin is known for three things, Number1 : Motorcycles‌ It Is the home of HarleyDavidson, Number 2 and 3 pretty much go together: beer and cheese.

Rounding up two of the three is the Bikes At The Brewery show, in La Crosse, WI. LaCrosse is a town that has more bars per capita than any other city in America - the Pearl Street Brewery is located in a large brick warehouse and is the perfect setting for a grassroots bike show. This years show was held on March 2, 2019 and was the perfect cure for a bad case of winter doldrums. And if seeing some killer bikes in a small and enjoyble setting isnt enough reason to get you out on a chilly pre-spring day, you need to know that all proceeds of the

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show go to the Sprouts for kids Foundation.

The first floor is the home to the brewery. You can stop in and get a “Downtown Brown Ale” or even a “Shitty Lyte” beer. If you head up the stairs to the third floor, you hit the bike show. There, you will be greeted by a small, but worthy gathering of bikes ranging from long choppers to Japanese standards, and there was even an Indian Bicycle! Various small shops from locations around Wisconsin brought out their bikes to show off- There was Cabana Dan’s Peashooter and Wisco Speed Shop’s killer knucklehead.

A bright blue H-D Hummer sat alongside some vintage Whizzer bikes. From there you could wander past the Honda Dreams and up to Breakneck Cycles’ long orange Ironhead that featured a tank painted with the Miller High Life girl!

The bike selection at the show always varies. This year there was even an appearance by a cone-shovel full dresser, complete with leather fringe sweeping along the hardwood floor of the warehouse. I even brought out my mini-chopper, just to mix things up a bit!

Next year if the winter sludge is getting the best of you be sure not to miss the Bikes in the Brewery 2020 offering. If you’re not into the super packed shows where you can’t get near the bikes to check them out, grassroots events like Bikes At The Brewery are a perfect option to grab a cold one and drool over some vintage machinery!

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k

nown for the great work done in the Triumph world it would only figure that when I finally got the chance to meet Choppahead founder Big Truth at “Let The Good Times Roll,” hosted by my buddy Vander in Greenpoint, Brooklyn he would be sporting a killer ’56 Pan Shovel!

Being a closet Triumph fan myself and owning an ’03 Speedmaster, and my girl riding a 2016 Street Twin, I had to make my way over

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and be a fan.

Founded in 2000 (and yes, I am stealing this from their very cool web site) by Big Truth along with his partner Jay, together they have a 15-year bond that is gritty, raw, and badass. Both from the world of Punk bands, their builds truly reflect the reckless world which they allowed to spill over to all their builds. Just like they say. Gritty, loud, and fast, with a splash of danger.

So, I asked Truth to give me the lowdown on this ride. He told me he had always wanted to build a 60’s style outlaw club chopper, 66-70 style – that was his favorite era of customs. Wanting to keep it timeless, Truth wanted nothing groundbreaking. Classic styling that would always remain cool.

The basic rundown of how things came to be, started with the pickup of a 1956 Pan Shovel rolling

Article And Photos By: Mark Velazquez

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project from a guy in Texas. Once in hand, the motor, transmission, and rear wheel were taken off, and the rest was sold off. The motor is a 56 Panhead bottom end, with old House of Horsepower cases.

Wanting a loop style rigid frame, Truth teamed up with his old friend Wayne over at Acme Choppers to build one to his personal specs.

The front end came from another buddy, Tim, it’s a Big Twin inline springer. The 21” wheel came from Chica when he was still making them. The bars and sissy bar made by Truth himself. The rear fender is a fancy old Zephyr spare tire cover.

While in Japan back in 2005, the guys at Mooneyes gave Truth the taillight you see, and the plate bracket was made back home. Like most shops, the headlight is a cool little thing of unknown origin that was taken off an old chopper front end that was just hanging around. Chopper Dave made the air cleaner, and the exhaust is Paughco.

The cocktail shakers are original old MCM, they were made to mount on the other side

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of the bike, so the original mounts were cut off, and new ones were made and re-chromed. A Fab Kevin seat pan which Truth had for some time was added, and Jay Fortin anther good friend wrapped it in leather he handtooled. Primer and flake were done in house at Choppahead by his old biz partner Jay, and my homie Chicago Chris hooked up all the candy and clear.

When it’s all said and done what you see before you is a ride that shows that basic is never simple yet can be so perfect. And now knowing Truth, I can now see that the bike reflects who he is and where he has come from to get where he is today. Stepping outside the lines and doing what most do not expect is where the mad respect comes in for me. I think in the end that’s half the fun, to challenge yourself and end up with such results that show what a true craftsman this guy really is.

Still a Triumph killer, but don’t be fooled! Truth and Choppahead do it all and are second to none. In a world of would-be insta-famers and not so good stock bikes rolling

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ZEE SEX PANZER TECH SHEET Owner: Big Truth City/State: Freetown, MA Fab. By: Big Truth Year: 1956 Model: Panhead Shovel Value: Many Rubles Time: Few Months Between Shop Builds Engine Year: 56 PanBottom End / 75 Shovel Top End Builder: Harley-Davidson Ignition: points Displacement: 74” Carb: S&S Super E Air Cleaner: Chopper Dave’s Exhaust: Paughco Pipes/OG MCM Cocktails Primary: Panhead Transmission Make: Harley 4-Speed Frame Year: 2007 Make: Acme Choppers Rigid Loop Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks Type: OG Harley Big Twin Inline Springer Extension: Stock Wheels, Tires, Brakes Front Wheel: Chica Invader Size: 21” Front Tire: Avon Speedmaster Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: OG Invader Size: 16” Rear Tire: Avon Rear Brake: Harley Juice Drum Painting Painter: Choppahead Flake, Candies & Clear By Chicago Chris Color: Blues, Greens, Silver Chroming: Brownell’s Accessories Bars: Choppahead Fuel Tanks: Frisco Sporty Front Fender: None Rear Fender: OG Zephyr Spare Tire Cover Seat: Fab Kevin Pan, Tooled By Jay Fortin Foot Controls: Forwards Oil Tank: Horseshoe Headlight: Weird Little One Taillight: Mooneyes Rat Fink, Choppahead Plate Bracket Photographer: Mark Velazquez

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off the line with no personality there are still a few who can rip em down and build em your way. To have a ride that is timeless and classic yet still badass is just where you want the journey to begin and for Truth, I think that journey started long ago with no end in sight.

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1. Extra Scallop On Fuel Tank. 2. Missing Bolt On Rear Rocker Box. 3. Missing Stitching On Seat. 4. Larger Plate Light. 5. Random Sized Bolts On Pressure Plate. 6. Extra Numbers On Back Of Belt Drive. 7. Longer Foot Peg. 8. Extra Cable Clamp On Down Tube Of Frame. 9. Missing Spoke On Front Wheel. 10.

Custom VIN Number On Engine.

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

Article And Photos By: Shadow

I

n April 2011, the city of Newburgh, New York, welcomed Motorcyclepedia Museum as it opened its doors to the public.

Museum founders Gerald and Ted Doering have amassed a huge collection of HarleyDavidson and Indian motorcycles as well as a fascinating assortment of motorcycling memorabilia.

Motorcyclepedia fits right into Newburgh’s goals of promoting its rich and fascinating heritage, which includes serving as the site of General George Washington’s headquarters during the War of Independence in the 1780s. The city also features many examples of beautiful, historic architecture that the city has taken great care to preserve.

You may recognize the names of Jerry and Ted Doering as the founders of V-Twin Manufacturing, the wellknown Harley-Davidson aftermarket parts company that’s been operating

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since 1969. Jerry, who raced Indians in the 1940s, began his Indian collection in 1949. This collection has resulted in the museum’s most prominent exhibit, the Indian Motorcycle timeline which represents every Springfield-manufactured model from 1901 through 1953.

Motorcyclepedia not only houses over 500 motorcycles and memorabilia but as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, its goal is to preserve and restore motorcycles and their history.

The museum also serves as a meeting place for various local motorcycle clubs and also holds a number of events throughout the year.

The 85,000-square-foot exhibit area spread across two floors is home to not only the Indian Motorcycle timeline but about a dozen other collections. Chopper City includes 1960s and 1970s bikes built by the late, great Arlen Ness and Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Ron Finch, and other top builders from that era.

The Circa Gallery contains motorcycles from the late 19th century forward, with long-obsolete but iconic brands such as Flying Merkel, Pope, Ace, Thor, Reading Standard, Columbia, Pierce, and many more. The piece de resistance is the Doering’s 1897 De Dion-Bouton, believed to be the oldest

running motorcycle in the world!

The museum is the permanent home of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America’s exhibit which can be found in the Ed Youngblood Hall. It is curated by the Antique Motorcycle Foundation and features vintage motorcycles that have received the highest scoring as ranked by AMCA judges, thereby qualifying them for the distinguished Winner’s Circle designation. Ed Youngblood is a living legend in the antique motorcycle world, having served in leadership roles for the American Motorcyclist Association and helping to bring the antique motorcycle world to the forefront of American culture.

There’s a police and military gallery, displays of Harley-Davidsons and H-D motors from every decade of the Motor Company’s existence, and you can find antique race bikes of all persuasions in the Fast from the Past exhibit. The walls are adorned with movie posters, record and comic book covers, and other memorabilia illustrating the extent that motorcycles permeate pop culture. In fact, on display are several motorcycles used in movies such as The Great Escape, Saving Private Ryan, and even a police motorcycle ridden

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in President Kennedy’s motorcade the day he was assassinated. There are some rare and unique vehicles as well—for starters, an Excelsior rigged to run on railroad tracks, a 1918 Harley-Davidson “Motor Bob” snowmobile on wooden sled runners, and a fantastical trio of HarleyDavidson dressers festooned with scores of lights and hand-fabbed bits and pieces, making these bikes weigh more than a thousand pounds each.

The first thing you’ll see even before you pull into the museum’s parking lot is a Wall of Death once owned by Thunder Klunder, former stunt rider and racer. This particular wall hasn’t been used in quite some time. Two more motordromes, the Steilwand Show and the Mikro wall, shipped from Germany and reconstructed by owner “Kamikaze” Pit Lengner, can be found in the lower level of the museum. Pit is a longtime Wall of Death rider and periodically visits Motorcyclepedia to put on shows as well as conducting classes on how to ride the wall! Pit also builds Mikro Bikes, one of which holds the Guinness World Record for smallest Wall of Death motorcycle in the world. It’s a little over 30: long, with the 29cc motor creating 5 hp; top speed is over 43 mph in the tiny Motorcyclepedia Mikro motordrome.

Several years ago I saw Pit ride the larger wall as well as demonstrate riding his Mikro bikes across the museum floor. It’s hard to believe a bike that tiny can actually be ridden, but Pit graciously offered several spectators the opportunity to ride the bike. After watching several hilarious attempts, it proved to be as difficult as it looks!

One exhibit that is near and dear to Ted’s heart is the permanent Indian Larry exhibit, created in honor of Indian Larry who grew up with Ted. Larry and Ted attended the same Windsor, New York grade school, which was the start of a lifelong friendship between the two motorcycle enthusiasts. It just so happened that our most recent visit on April 28 coincided with the annual Remembering Indian Larry event that commemorates the birthday of Ted’s old friend. Larry’s family and friends were all in attendance. It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since his passing.

Some of the other regularlyscheduled events hosted at Motorcyclepedia include indoor

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swap meets, V-Twin Manufacturing trade shows, the annual Newburgh Illuminated Motorcyclepedia Bike Run, guided museum tours, the annual Founder’s Birthday Celebration, and many more, some of which involve other community and motorcycle clubs and organizations.

New in 2018, was the opening of a Motorcyclepedia Museum extension, the Velocipede Museum just a mile down the road. It features velocipedes, bicycles, and tricycles from the 1860s through the 1960s, as well as related memorabilia.

The Motorcyclepedia and Velocipede Museums are open yearround, Friday through Sunday, and the $15 admission (children, seniors, and military enter for reduced rates, with kids under 6 free) covers entry to both. And by becoming a museum member, admission is always free. If you’re interested in motorcycling history, taking a ride to Motorcyclepedia is time well spent.

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DICKIES Moto Yogi checks out the moto gear for summer. With a relaxed fit, they feel great on the bike and knowing that there is added protection with the anti-abrasion IRONCLOTH 12 oz. canvas helps ease the mind. The one thing that is interesting is that they say to wear them hard for nine months and then wash them. I’m not sure about you, but if I did that, I wouldn’t be allowed in the house.

An alternative is to wash them in cold and tumble dry low.

Article By: J. Ken Conte

I

first heard about Dickies Moto on the web…can’t even remember where but I knew our readers would be interested. I feel like I am the average reader and, even though I am the test-ride editor, I look around at events, and I see a lot of guys my age and we all wear essentially the same thing. It undoubtedly consists of Dickies, so a moto version makes sense.

Eisenhower jacket, I knew it would be a favorite for the summer months.

It is made with 12 oz. canvas with their anti-abrasion IRONCLOTH for added protection. It has several easy to access pockets, zippered cuffs, and magnetic collar stays. The fit is snug and meant for an easy cruising summer day where you want some protection but also want a packable easy light jacket.

Dickies Moto Long-Sleeved Work Shirt MSRP $89.99 Dickies Moto hit a home run with the long-sleeved work shirt. It has the anti-abrasion IRONCLOTH but is made out of twill and it’s lined, so it is comfortable with or without an undershirt. This is my new goto shirt, and I wear it every week on ShopTalk. The best feature, the side pockets. This is the shirt I will be wearing on my long rides this summer and wore it during Daytona and was very pleased.

Dickies Moto Eisenhower Jacket MSRP $129.99 When I received the medium sized

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Dickies Moto Rider Relaxed Fit Chinos MSRP $79.99 These are the perfect riding pants

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i

t’s been a long time since I wrote my first article on a Bill Dodge custom build. In fact, we were both young men at the time and even though Bill had already been in the bright lights of this game, he was always down to earth man with me.

That first bike was one from when he first moved to the East Coast and his stuff at the time was raw and edgy, and he was doing things that nobody in the high dollar chopper arena would dream of. He was, to them at least, a little trashy, and somewhat dangerous. That made us fast friends, and to this day, we have both remained both of those descriptions.

While we have also matured, Bill and

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Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Michael Lichter I have cleaned up our act a little bit and although his bikes were always built for the real road, for real riders, this particular build really shows how far to the meticulous end of the precision custom built bike thing he can go.

It actually starts with a bike that was Bill’s personal ride, a 2004 Dyna that he rode all over hell’s half acre and was a hot rod before people started doing that to this model. It had nearly 90 thousand miles on it in a rigid frame before he passed it on.

That bike bounced around between a few people that Bill knew until not that long ago when he got the chance to get it back. He did, of course, and he

put it up on the shelf in his Daytona shop where it would wait for another round of refurbishing. It was right around then, October of 2017 to be exact, when Hurricane Erma flamed the shores of Daytona and almost destroyed Bill’s shop. He calls that Hurricane the famous bitch. When the water went down, Bill started to rebuild his shop with the help of friends from around the country. I know you probably heard this story, but it needs mentioned here because so many of the bikes that were in that shop were damaged, but this one was spared. While the task of replacing tools, rebuilding bikes and sifting through the remains of both

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went on, Dodge had a customer approach him about building a Hot Rod Dyna. In the beginning, he just wanted a raw Dyna that ripped. Bill knew the perfect donor for that project but since it sat at 95 inches, the first step was to pull the motor out and call Zack Johnson. Zack went at it with new cases, new everything and came out with a 106-inch monster that ran in the high elevens. Now, this was a crucial point. The owner is used to racing KTMs and Porches on road race courses, that being said, the performance end would be of the utmost importance. Needless to say, that cat is diggin’ the eleven-second mile, and Bill said he’s still learning the bike, just wait until he really starts to use all of the 130 rear wheel HP. As the build went on, the idea of a raw basic Dyna was fading as the customer was adding more and more to the build sheet. That was fine with Bill since he truly handmakes a motorcycle, from front to back it’s all Bling’s. Handmade steel tank, rear fender, the foot controls, and even the stainless steel exhaust. But wait, even the muffler is hand made

by Dodge, a cone that he shaped specifically for this bike. He said he

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was tired of people just assuming that the exhaust he toiled over was a Cone Engineering slip-on so he did it himself. One detail to consider while you’re gawking at this bitch is that there isn’t a single shiny metal part that isn’t either stainless or aluminum. Dodge takes so much pride in his work that rather than using someone else’s brake bracket, he makes the part himself. This one is from stainless and polished to a precision finish.

The build was going along well when the customer came in and described his idea for the paint, as you see here, it was extravagant. Now, typically you want to match what you’re doing all the way through a build with that final coating of the sheet metal. Bill loved the idea, and the painter was down, but the bike was done, except paint.

To accommodate the guy whose bike this would be Dodge went back, pulled everything apart and took it all a step further so it would be ready to carry a paint job like this. In the end, it would be well worth the extra effort as like most of his special work, Bill waited until Willie’s Chopper Time to show this build to the world. It took Willie’s Choice, which anyone who

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SODA POP TECH SHEET Owner: Jay City/State: Orlando FL Builder: Blings Cycles Year: 2004 Model: Dyna Value: Hummm Time: 1 Year ENGINE Twin Cam Year: 2004 Model: T/C A Builder: Kendall Johnson Customs Ignition: Altman Displacement: 106 Pistons: S&S Heads: Harley-Davidson Carb: S&S G Cam: 575 Air Cleaner: Blings Exhaust: Blings Primary: Tech Cycles TRANSMISSION Year: 2017 Make: Baker Shifting: Foot FRAME Year: 2014 Model: Chopper Killer Rake: 35° Stretch: 1” Forks: Ohlins Builder: Blings Type: Inverted Triple Trees: Blings/ Revolution Extension: 0 WHEELS Front Wheel: Blings R9 Size: 23x3.250 Tire: Pirelli Front Brake: Brembo Rear Wheel: Blings R9 Size: 18x5.5 Tire: Pirelli Rear Brake: Brembo PAINT Painter: Willie Nieves Color: Candy Orange/Rootbeer Type: Graphics:Willie Chroming: None All Stainless ACCESSORIES Bars: Pro Taper Risers: Blings Hand Controls: Magura Foot Controls: Blings Gas Tank(S):Blings Oil Tank: Harley-Davidson Front Fender: None Rear Fender: Blings Seat: Blings/Rich Phillips Headlight: Hella Tail Light: Blings Speedo: None Photographer: Michael Lichter

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knows this show, knows is actually the Best of Show. When the boss picks your sled, it’s the best one on the property… Period!

In the end, all the accolades aside Bill said the best part of this whole build was the fact that this was a bike that he’s had in service since 2005. It’s gone through several friends and customers and it’s out there again in a different configuration but still kicking. If you want to see it up close and in person, during the Sturgis Rally it will be at the “Hand Made Lot” in the front of the Steel Pony Campground. Don’t know what that is? Well, then you must come see it for yourself my rabid readers! I’ll just say it’s gonna be the place in Sturgis where the cool bikes are….

Always.

In closing I want to thank Bill for letting us feature this bike, being a special part of his time in this makes it a special part of ours.

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t

he clock tower clanged four times in the distance as I peered into the empty streets of downtown Salt Lake City, only myself and the varmints were awake at this hour. My caffeine intake began coursing through my veins, ratcheting open the shutters of my eyes, as I cranked Black Sabbath up to volume 11 and hit the road like a bat out of Hell. I don’t typically listen to Black Sabbath, but this felt like an appropriate time. It was dark, but my excessively bright headlight pierced the sky with ease, my speedometer quickly found triple digits. At a steady speed of 100 mph, I passed semitrucks as if they were standing still.

It was just them and me at this time of morning.

Simultaneously, Bob Marshall was doing the same thing from Azusa, California. This was the beginning of our 1000 mile race, and

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Article And Photos By: Charlie Weisel we were both out for blood. Neither one of us is short on competitive spirit, so when Bob approached me with this idea of racing each other, I couldn’t say no.

When it came to this race, there were very few rules. They were as follows: Hardtails only, no rubber mount motors, no hard saddlebags, no windshields, and no chase vehicles. It would be just some bare-boned, flat out, questionably legal, long distance chopper racing. In an effort to even the playing field we discussed in detail each other’s routes. To keep them fair we recruited Curtis from Ride 1k in a Day to oversee the event. You definitely need to follow @ride1kinaday on Instagram to follow what Curtis has going on; he has inspired a ton of people to push themselves to the limit and see what they are made of. The chosen finish

line would be in Coos Bay, Oregon where the Orygun Run was kicking off the first night of its 3-day gypsy tour.

Adam is the brains behind the Orygun Run, an event that to date, is one of the best I’ve attended and look forward to taking part in again in the future. With all of the details in place, there was nothing left to do but strategize and find every advantage possible. I opted to add a 5-gallon auxiliary fuel tank to increase my range to 350 miles and also chose to utilize a urination system that is used in automotive racing, a condom catheter. With these two key elements, I managed to complete the 1000 miles with only three stops!!

Those three stops each comprised of fueling, pissing, and slamming a canned espresso I had stocked in my tank bag...all at the same time. My fuel stops took a total of 6 minutes each, that’s from the time I turned off the highway to the time I reentered it.

This all may sound extreme, but let’s not forget, this was a race.

I was well on my way now, still cruising at 100 mph and halfway to Reno where I knew Bob and I would converge onto the same route. I knew this going into it and had already decided in my head that it would

come down to who got through Reno first. From that point on we would be primarily on mountainous secondary roads and the idea of catching someone through that stretch seemed unlikely. My goal was to hit the I-80/ US 395 interchange by 10:30 am at the latest; I got there at 8:45 am.

Taking into account the time change that meant I had just covered the first 520 miles in 5 hours and 45 minutes, I was feeling strong, so I kept the hammer down. The roads quickly began to tighten, and tourist traffic was becoming an issue. For the next 480 miles, I would hold the throttle somewhere between 90-100 mph until I ran up the bumper of a car, a quick glance around it and off I would go again until the next car sat in my way. I must’ve passed 500 wide-eyed passengers as I barreled through the Cascades at an excessive rate of speed, catching only glimpses of the natural beauty around me. White line fever had well set in at this point.

At this point I had no idea where Bob was as we were both maintaining radio silence. For all I knew he was already at the finish line sipping a frothy beverage, getting his feet rubbed and telling tall tales. All I knew

for sure was that I was looking at completing this race nearly two hours faster than I had hoped for. I glanced at the Casio digital watch I had strapped to my handlebar, calculated time and distances in my head and began to anticipate my finishing time.

In the back of my head, I kept trying to remember what Curtis had told me the record time was, but I just couldn’t remember. Was it 13 hours something? Or 12 hours something?

I just couldn’t recall exactly so I kept pushing as hard as I could. I was starting to think that beating the record could be a possibility, unlikely, but still a possibility. I screamed through the last 12 miles, hurling myself around every curve, counting down the miles.

With only 6 miles to go, I turned sharply onto a one lane, barely paved road that would be my final stretch.

I’m not sure I’ve ever abused my motorcycle in this way; as I gave zero regard to potholes, rocks or branches in the road. If it was in my way, I was going through it or over it as fast as I could. I roared up the narrow road, upsetting every unsuspecting rocking chair dweller in the process, until I saw the address I was looking for...as I was passing it. In a panic, I slammed

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on the brakes, did a 6 point turn since my long bike barely fit length wise in the road, turned into the driveway and brought my bike to a stop in the grassy camping area. 13:16… That was my time. I had just ridden 1003 miles, to be exact, in 13 hours and 16 minutes.

I couldn’t have been happier. I looked around for Bob, he was nowhere in sight. I just sat there, engine off but still in the saddle. My head buzzed from the sudden quiet, the lack of wind motor noise was glorious. The reality of what I had just done began to sink in as a smile washed over my face. I pulled my helmet off, let it drop to the ground and just enjoyed the moment. I had won this race and a few hours later, I would learn that I had broken the record by a mere two minutes. It was three hours and four minutes later that Bob would arrive, blurry eyed and road worn. I was happy to see him arrive in one piece and knew that his time of 16 hours and 20 minutes was nothing to sneeze at.

I think the beauty of us racing each other is that neither one of us really knew what the other had in him. I had been nervous for weeks, planning and strategizing every detail of what I would have to do to win. I had no idea what sort of time Bob could put down, so that inspired me to go for my personal best. I think that is what I took away from this the most, I learned what I had in me. I’ve always loved pushing the limits of what’s possible, racing has been in my blood for years in one form or another, but this was my first time harnessing that love on a motorcycle. I truly need to thank Bob Marshall aka American Road Runner for proposing the idea as well as @ride1kinaday and the Orygun Run for making this event that much better. Lastly and most importantly, a big thank you to my beautiful wife for putting up with my endless talking about the race and countless hours in the garage preparing. Will this race happen again? Will there be a “next year”? There’s a strong possibility.

All I can say is this, start building your rigid race bike now because who knows what the future holds.

For more photos of this event as well as previous adventures, be sure to follow me on Instagram @ charlietravelingchopper.

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t

he taste of your life will always be influenced by your family. Either by blood or by bond your family dictates many of the likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests and traditions that has been established over the years.

Now this won’t make a much of a difference at all when building your bike if your family consists of tax accountants and real estate agents. The reach of such professions is limited

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to the mechanical world but if, let’s say, an Uncle is in the bike game then more than likely the influence will be carried through.

This is the case with “Rad” Chad Fording. You see Chads uncle is Pat Patterson of Led Sled Customs. And much of Chads time has been spent hangin’ around the Led Sled’s shop and racing dirt bikes with his family. With influences like that they will inevitably end up

guiding your path on a build.

This build went one step further.

Chad had picked up a 1993 Sporty a while back to go under the knife at Led Sled. Chad left the build up to Uncle Pat with just a few parameters for Pat to follow, but not many. Fording wanted the bike to handle well and have a ‘race’ feel. He knew he had to have his racing number, 40, somewhere on the tins and he wanted the art done

by Darren at Liquid Illusions.

Article By: George The Painter Photos By: Mikey Revolt

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The rest, as they say, was all in Pat’s hands.

Starting with a Led Sled hardtail frame configured to 2” up and a 32-degree rake was mated to a 4” over Led Sled narrow springer to set the initial stance.

The running stock up front is a Led Sled race Invader 21” wheel donning a Firestone front tire and a matching 18” rear wheel/ tire combo with a perimeter style rear brake.

Now, keep in mind that all this was happening behind locked doors without Chad being able to see its progress. It was decided that he would only be able to see the final product when it was shown to him in Sturgis.

The motor was warmed over at Led Sleds and sprinkled with accessories from the Led Sled catalogue. The exact specifications have to go undisclosed as information on much of this bike is apparently a big secret. Peering at the motor

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you will see many of the Led Sled products from their catalog, I guess you’ll need to look them up.

The sheet metal (also from Led Sled) was sent to Darren at Liquid Illusions for his artwork and final painting. Chad is really happy with the paint and would really like to thank Darren for adding the crowning jewel to this build.

Chad went to the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis and was greeted by his Uncles and family. When they unveiled the bike, Chad was blown away by what he saw. The money green race themed bike before you was what awaited him.

The break in miles were done in and around Sturgis and performed flawlessly, but then again, it’s an Evo Sporty and they always run well.

Since Chad returned from Sturgis, he has continuously ridden the bike and it’s been a trouble free ride, low enough to look good but tall enough for the twisties. Having family in the

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RACE READY TECH SHEET Owner: Chad Fording City/State: Dayton, OH Builder: Led Sled Customs Year: 2018 Model: Value: Time: ENGINE Year: 1996 Model: Sportster Builder: Led Sled Customs Ignition: Harley-Davidson Displacement: 1200 Pistons: Wiseco Heads: Buell Carb: Mikuni Cam: Andrews air cleaner: Led Sled Customs Exhaust: Led Sled Customs Primary: Harley-Davidson TRANSMISSION Year: 1996 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: FRAME Year: 2019 Model: Rake: 32° Stretch: 2” FORKS Builder: Led Sled Customs Type: Springer Triple Trees: Extension: 4” Over WHEELS Front Wheel: Led Sled Invader Size: 21” Tire: Firestone Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Led Sled Invader Size: 18” Tire: Firestone Rear Brake: PAINT Painter: Liquid Illusions Color: Black / Green Type: Chroming: ACCESSORIES Bars: Led Sled Customs Risers: Led Sled Customs Hand Controls: Led Sled Customs Foot Controls: Led Sled Customs Gas Tank(s): Led Sled Customs Oil Tank: Led Sled Customs Front fender: None Rear Fender:Led Sled Customs Seat: Led Sled Customs Headlight:Led Sled Customs Tail light: Led Sled Customs Speedo: None Photographer: Mikey Revolt

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business has not only come through for Chad but has really influenced the interests in his bike.

Chad would like to thank Pat and his Uncle Jeff for this build and says choppers will always be part of his life. With his lineage you can definitely see why… ”GTP”

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Article By: J. Ken Conte - Photos By: Justin George

Y

ou Could Win This 2019 Custom Harley-Davidson Fat Bob! Speed-Kings Cycle Supply builds a beauty for Skye Ute Casino Resort to giveaway at the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally.

For anyone who has ridden the new Milwaukee Eight Softails you know that they are hard to improve on. We have done several test rides and have nothing but great things to say about them, except maybe the price. Well here is a chance to win one for free. John Oakes of the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally

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loves to give away motorcycles… not just any motorcycle but cool motorcycles. Four Corners Motorcycle Rally bills itself as the best riding rally in the USA, which meant they had to build a bike that could handle the terrain in and around Durango Colorado.

“When I acquired Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, I wanted to elevate the event, and part of that was giving away great bikes. I try to give guidance but let builders do what they do best, and Speed-Kings Cycle Supply, who are known for their performance inspired builds, knocked this Fat Bob out of the park. I can’t wait

to see the reaction of the person who wins it.” said John Oakes, Four Corners Motorcycle Rally This Fat Bob started off life on the showroom floor of Durango Harley-Davidson when the Skye Ute Casino Resort and Four Corners Motorcycle Rally bought it and shipped it to Speed-King Cycle Supply so they could go to work on it to transform it into a one-off Fat Bob like no other.

The Speed-Kings Cycle Supply overhaul includes custom paint from Valley Kustoms that has a pearl white base with silver leaf accents to help it meld perfectly and pop with the black and

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FOUR CORNERS FAT BOB TECH SHEET Owner: Four Corners Motorcycle Rally City/State: Durango, Colorado Builder: Speed-Kings Cycle Supply Year: 2019 Make: Harley-Davidson Model: Fatbob Value: $30k + Time: ~2 Months

ENGINE Year: 2019 Model: Milwaukee-Eight 107 Builder: Harley-Davidson Ignition: Stock Displacement:1750cc Pistons: Stock Heads: Stock Carb: Stock Cam: Stock Air Cleaner: S&S Stealth Exhaust: Custom Fab 28 Industries Primary: Stock

TRANSMISSION Year: 2019 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: Standard

FRAME Year: 2019 Model: Fatbob Softail Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock

Forks Builder: Type: Stock Triple Trees: Extension:

WHEELS Front Wheel: Stock Size: Stock Tire: Stock Front Brake: Stock Rear Wheel: Stock Size:Stock Tire: Stock Rear Brake: Stock

PAINT Painter: Valley Kustoms Color: Pearl White Type: Graphics: Silver Leaf With Pin Stripe Chroming:

ACCESSORIES Bars: Speed-Kings Straight Blade 12” Bars Risers: Hand Controls: Stock Foot Controls: Speed Merchant Mid Controls / Biltwell Mushman Pegs Gas Tank(S): Stock Oil Tank: Stock Front Fender: Stock Rear Fender: Stock Seat: Saddlemen Custom Seat Headlight: Speed-Kings Sunlight Creator Tail Light: Cycle Visions Speedo: Stock

Photographer: Justin George

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chrome colorway on the drivetrain frame and rest of the bike. Fab 28 Industries was charged with building a unique but capable exhaust that could wrap around the Speed Merchant #FXFB mid-controls that were accented with Biltwell Mushman pegs. The Speed-Kings Cycle Supply 12” straight blade bars were matched with white Biltwell Alumicore Grips and help carry the colorway through the handlebars and also allows for a comfortable grip. Russ Wernimont Designs RS-1 monoshock was added raising the bike 2 inches, which gives the Fat Bob additional lean angle.

The RWD RS1 monoshock also offers a 16 click adjustment and is made by Walker Evans offroad right here in the USA, so you know that it is going to offer a quality ride. SpeedKings Cycle Supply also bolted on a RWD TXR audio ready fairing to give a little protection from the wind and give the new owner the option of adding audio. To help the bike breathe a bit better, they added an S&S Cycle blacked out mini-teardrop

air cleaner. They matched the paint on the great looking Speed Merchant skid plate that seems to give every bike I’ve seen with one, some serious attitude. The Saddleman Step-Up custom white on black seat sets it apart and then Speed-Kings Cycle Supply added a few more goodies including the “9 Spoke” chain drive conversion kit and the Sunlight Creator Headlight.

When I look at this overall build, all I can think is, How do I win this bike? It looks like a ripper, and I can only hope that the person that wins it will ride the heck out of it!

To win this bike show up at the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally and go to the Skye Ute Casino Resort where you can enter up to 5 times.

Winner to be announced on Sunday, September 1st at 5 PM MST…must be present to win! Good luck and go enjoy the best riding rally in the USA. You can see more at www.

FourCornersMotorcycleRally.com

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Article And Photos By: Low Brow Customs www.lowbrowcustoms.com

I

n this step by step how-to tutorial, we will walk you through how easy it is to install our Lowbrow Customs Hardtail section for 198203 Harley-Davidson Sportsters.

In an afternoon in your garage you can change the entire look of your Sportster and give yourself a good canvas to start your killer chopper or bobber project. Let’s get after it!

Remove parts, including rear chain, so the motorcycle is just a rolling chassis. You can remove the front end and rear wheel to make it easier to move the frame around when finish welding, but this is not necessary.

(Digram Above) Prepare to remove the engine from the frame. All motor mounts need to be unbolted. The top motor mount, front upper mount and front lower mount can be unbolted and completely removed. The four bolts

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holding the rear of the motor to the frame can also be removed. The engine will sit steady even with the bolts removed as the sleeves that sit proud of the rear motor mount plate on the frame will still be engaged with the holes on the engine’s rear mount.

Have a block of wood and a clear surface ready to set the engine on before removing it from the frame.

The block of wood can be used at the front of the engine to keep it from falling over. The engine should be removed from the right side of the bike. Slide the engine slightly forward, tilt the front downward slightly and tilt it out toward you and it will pull clear of the frame. Note that the sump section at the bottom of the engine sits down in the frame rails, so as it is tilted towards you, lift it up and out of the lower frame rails.

Scribe marks on your stock frame and prepare to cut and remove the rear section of the stock frame. Mark both lower frame rails at 6” from the face of the lower sleeves on the frame’s rear motor mount plate. Use a square, keeping it level with the lower frame rail and having the vertical arm of the square butted against the face of this lower sleeve. Scribe a mark at 6”.

The proper measurement for the backbone is 9/16” back from the back edge of the top motor mount bracket.

Using a small ruler held parallel to the backbone, scribe a mark at 9/16”.

Ensure that the slug at the end of each hardtail rail will slide smoothly and completely into the stock frame and that there are no restrictions.

Cut the stock frame. Using a sawzall, hacksaw or grinder with a cut-off wheel, cut through the backbone and lower frame rails at the scribe marks. Try and cut perpendicular to the frame rails so the cuts are nice and square.

Prepare the stock frame for welding.

If the cut ends of the frame tubing aren’t square, go ahead and square them off with a file or grinder, etc.

Using a grinder, bevel the outside edges of the tubing. This will allow extra clearance to assure the weld penetrates while installing the hardtail section. Center-punch a mark ½” from the end of each lower frame rail and the backbone. At these center punch marks, drill 5/16” holes for rosette welds. The hardtail backbone has a piece of tubing sleeve rosette welded in place. This tubing allows internal wiring to be run through the backbone if desired. The lower frame rails have machined, stepped, solid steel slugs located and rosette welded.

Remove paint from the outside edge of the frame tubing in preparation for welding. The inside of the stock frame tubing is often crusty and rusty.

Clean this up using a small sanding barrel on a Dremel or die grinder.

welding and penetration of all three pieces of material: both frame tubes and the slug. Once the engine is in place and everything looks good, go ahead and place several heavy tack welds on each tubing joint. After tack welds are complete the frame can be welded as much as possible before removing the engine and finishwelding the remaining bits. Once the engine is removed the frame can be tilted or flipped as necessary to completely finish weld all tubing joints and rosette welds.

Clean the hardtail slugs and stock frame rails in preparation for welding.

Do not use oil or lubricant to help slide the hardtail frame section in place as it needs to be clean for welding. If needed, use a rubber mallet to tap it into place at the back of the rear motor mount. Sometimes, the stock lower frame rails spring open a bit wider than the hardtail rails. If this is the case, use a clamp to gently bring them in until it aligns and slides into place.

That’s it! The frame is done, and the engine can be installed if desired as the rest of the build is completed.

Do NOT get excited and weld the hardtail in place without bolting the engine completely back in place. The engine serves as a jig for the frame and will ensure it is perfectly aligned.

With the hardtail slid in place, reinstall the engine in the frame, simply reversing the process of removing it.

Bolt all motor mounts in place using all hardware and tighten properly.

With the engine torqued in place final fitment can be checked. It is fine to have a gap between the hardtail and stock frame rails, exposing some of the frame slug. A ‘perfect’ gap would be around 1/8”, as this allows for easy

See This Tech In Video: https://youtu.be/mvotWLWEOIs

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e

arly May sunshine gently warmed the springtime pavement as I relaxed into the finely forested scenery that lined either roadside as the old Electra Glide made its faithful way along the small, secondary, South Carolina highway. Winter always holds this motorcycle drifter to the far south, and I never start the northern migration until early May. This year the summer’s travels would begin with the Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Rally in South Carolina. I’d arrive within the hour.

Experience had taught me that even a drifter must occasionally work hard to build his capital then he can stretch that money across the months of travel and leisure that lay ahead. I’d learned early on, to work for the vendors that permeate various motorcycle rallies.

Funds were slim now, and work was again necessary. Fortunately, I was scheduled to work the Metzeler motorcycle tire truck. This custom built, two-story semi-truck had been

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Article By: Scooter Tramp Scotty outfitted as a rolling tire shop that traveled the country to sell and install the new rubber purchased by rally attendees. They needed mechanics, and the many years of repairing my own motorcycles had qualified me. It was a job I looked forward to, and the pay was very good. Work meant I’d miss the party, but little did I suspect that nothing could equal the time I’d soon spend among the crazy Metzeler crew.

The terminally touristy beach town of Myrtle Beach stretches along the eastern coastline. Murrell’s Inlet resides at its south end. I arrived about 11 am on a Thursday. By Saturday this world would be filled with blurs of chrome and the roar of engines. But for now, the calm scene revealed only the recently erected vendor tents and the efforts of those who still worked to set more up. It was the calm before the storm.

After pulling to the curb, I called my boss Easy Eddie. Wanting to settle in and enjoy the rally for a few days

before hell week began, I agreed to start work on Sunday morning.

The next order of business was to find accommodations. Just past the southern end of town, a small and seldom used church sets some distance back from a tiny side road.

Behind it, a private plot lay nestled among tall trees. I’d make camp there. Farther into town a country club offered hot tub, pool, weight room, and showers. I soon struck a deal that allowed me access to this facility.

Bikes began to arrive, and the days passed in a blur of bars, restaurants, and the pleasure of old friends and new. It was Sunday morning when I pulled the loaded down Harley onto one of the many huge parking lots recently converted into a shantytown of large vending tents. Set some distance back, and parked parallel to the highway, the Metzeler truck was nestled among the others. A large awning stretched from its side to provide shade for six motorcycle lifts. Inside the trailer would be two

pneumatic motorcycle tire changing machines, and two spin balancers.

Although I’d worked this truck at other rallies, I’d never met this particular crew before. Parked in a single row near our working area, their bikes were in distinct contrast to the usual brand of new and highly accessorized rides littering the lot. Most were older, worn, and apparent products of home repair by the hands that loved them.

I backed the old FL beside a rusty 1964 Sportster and leaned her onto the kickstand. After locking the ignition, I strode through the light crowd then stood a moment to eye the men I’d be working with. They were all young men. At 47, I’d be the grandpa here. I met my new boss. Easy Eddie was slightly tall, thin, heavily tattooed, and sported a big belly below long black hair and goatee speckled with gray. After introductions, he said to grab any lift I wanted. I retrieved the tools from my saddlebag and took my position. It was still early in the week, and work was slow today. This job pays by the tire rather than hour.

When it’s slow we simply relax, drink sodas, bullshit, and get to know each other. Ray and his wife were familiar since they live aboard the truck. Once their destination is reached a shop owner local to that area is contracted to bring his guys to work the rally.

Different state = different crew. That’s how it works. Ray would BBQ us lunch every day. Ken, Eddie’s lead mechanic, was young, handsome, friendly, talented, demented, and the owner of the 64-Sportster. There was K-2 (another Ken). Although a factory certified tech, K-2 made his living as a house painter. He was here for the fun and extra money. Bear, another Sportster rider, was closer to my age.

Tammy, his red-headed squeeze, would tend the cash register. Zorro was simply young, fat, and rode a crotch rocket. Minnow, just 19 years old, would stay in the truck to mount new tires on the wheels we pulled. He was the equivalent of “Radar” from the old TV series M*A*S*H. And everyone kinda looked out for him. Toby was a salesman. A natural bullshitter by trade, this guy was fun. He’d ridden motorcycles over much of the world, and we’d swapped many stories.

With all the characters in place, time passed easily.

Although Eddie and his wife Judy stayed elsewhere, they’d rented a house for the crew, and I was invited to crash there. At day’s end, I followed Bear home. The two-story pad’s

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upstairs offered a large, wrap-around deck with hot tub below. Everyone settled in. The beer, and loose talk flowed as easily as the laughter.

Guys I’d not seen before showed up, and I learned that Eddie had a second mobile mechanic’s tent set at a more northern location. These new faces worked there. Sheila, operator of Eddie’s northern cash register, was hot, compact, and extremely extraverted. The rusty Sportster was soon wheeled inside so Sheila could brazenly strip for an amateur photo shoot.

Although it may seem strange, I’d lived in camps for so long that rooms now felt like claustrophobic boxes. I made camp in the yard.

The workweek rolled on as bikes pounded us. At days end, the boys would often load our best “take off” tires into a truck for transport to the northern sight. There was constant talk of the great fun up there, and almost every night the boys rode up to raise a little hell. But they were young, and I was tired by day’s end.

As the week wore on, however, work at the Metzeler Truck relaxed some and I decided to visit the northern spot.

It was full dark as I pulled into the vast lot. Eddie’s place sat among many others. There, before his big 40-foot motor home, two lifts, tools, a supply trailer, and chairs rested in the dim gloom. Some distance off a drunken crowd gathered around a large burnout pit. I parked.

Eddie sat shirtless across from his wife Judy. Beside them, a tall, well built young man—his greasy shorts exposing one prosthetic leg—manhandled equipment as he mounted one of our used, take-off, tires to his bike. I’d not seen him before. Judy said to scoot inside the RV for food and homemade ice cream. I did.

Before long Ken and K-2 grabbed me for a brisk walk to the burnout pit, they said the peg-legged dude was a crowd pleaser, and we didn’t wanna miss his show. Sure, put the front wheel against a wall then burn the rear tire off. I’d seen it a hundred times. Big deal.

After pushing through the heavy, crowd, I saw the enormous burnout pit. Bits of charred rubber coated the asphalt. The restless mob huddled close. I waited. The sea of bodies parted, and Mr. Peg Leg emerged with engine revs bouncing off the limiter. I yawned. But rather than

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against the wall, Peg Leg positioned his bike at ring center and dropped the hammer. The back tire began to trail smoke. Stunts came next. Smoke flying everywhere, Erik dropped into a right-handed burrodi. After a few circles, he dismounted to walk beside the bike as it continued to spin in small circles. Moving around the ring, he performed one trick after another as the great plumes of smoke continued to bellow. Eventually, the tire blew, the crowd cheered, and Peg Leg took

his bow. Erik was one of Eddie’s best mechanics.

Next up was Easy Eddie on his twincam bagger. While in mid burnout

against a wall, Eddie called me to come check the speedometer…110 mph.

On the return walk to the RV, I bought a couple cigars. As the RV neared, I watched some big dude spin my boss over his head then set him easily on the ground. I decided to sit and light a stogie. I endured the remainder of the night’s insanity with some semblance of serenity.

It was late when we started for home. In the lane to my right sat Ken aboard the rusty Sporty, while Boeberry brought up the rear on his Road King.

The sound of scraping metal stirred me to check the rearview and I saw a meteor of sparks sliding rapidly up from behind. I hammered the throttle to avoid being hit.

Eventually, the hunk of steel slowed to a stop, and we pulled over. The broken Softail lay on its side in the left lane with most of its fancy chrome scratched or bent. We lifted the bike and pushed it off the road.

Its rider soon staggered from the bushes where he’d been thrown.

Of course, he was drunk, his jacket was scuffed and Levi’s torn. A crowd gathered, and the cops had been called. The Softail guy immediately jumped on his bike, grabbed bent bars, started the engine, and was gone. Guess he figured a busted bike was bad enough. Why add jail time?

Eventually, the workweek rolled to an end—and the traditional end of rally dinner was set. It would be a super fancy restaurant event. We were such a ragged crew in such a fine establishment. Hmm. Aged beef and lobster for me. The final bill neared $700 — Boss’s treat.

After dinner, my wages were paid.

Work would not again be necessary for months to come.

My bike had been running like hell. Its problems would later prove somewhat severe. Easy Eddie’s HD shop was in Huntersville North Carolina, and I asked if he’d mind my making repairs there. “Here’s the address. See you there,” was his answer.

Everyone filed out of the big house leaving only Minnow, K-2 and myself to enjoy the beachside pad for two quiet days more. Afterward, I again began the slow migration north.

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Article By: Heather Callen

r

icky Lewis started accumulating parts for what turned out to be the motorcycle on these pages a couple of years ago. He scored the frame off of an old swap meet buddy at the Bama Swap & Drag that he and his son host twice a year.

The man Ricky scored the frame from had owned it since it was wrecked in 1990. The neck was warped pretty good and needed a good bit of TLC to get it roadworthy.

The Slab Side Shovel showed up on Craigslist and happened to hitch a ride home with Lewis after he went to look at it. Once Ricky got the powerplant back to the shop, he gave it a good going through and declared it a solid runner.

Due to Ricky’s years of swapping and being the proprietor of Rick’s Cycle Parts, he knew he had the rest of the parts stashed, or “hidden” around his warehouse. He had

Photos By: Missi Shoemaker

parts from past builds and of course from years of finding good old-fashioned swap meet gold.

Ricky had been kicking around the idea of finishing the bike up for quite some time.

Every now and then he’d throw parts at it and on it. All the while he was brainstorming what the final direction would be. He wasn’t in any hurry.

Early one summer morning Lewis received a phone call from Bill Dodge inviting him

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to be a part of the BC Moto invitational, at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in October 2018. Once the invite was accepted, Ricky had just the style of bike in mind that would best represent the shop and make sure he held his own in a very talented and close-knit group of builders.

Lewis drafted the help of his son Michael, owner of Violent Choppers.

Michael would handle all the fab work which included building the stainless pipes, mounting and paneling the tunnel of the gas tank and building a custom stainless bracket to mount the double headlights on.

After the fab work and dry fit was wrapped up, Ricky brought the frame and sheet metal over

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to Luke Leatherwood, and his crew over at Leatherwood MC works in the heart of Memphis for some of that Memphis soul that they are known for.

The seat pan was scooped up and covered by one of Rick’s Cycle Parts customers, by the name of Dd Bug. Believe it or not- it was her first seat!

The custom foot pegs were machined by Ross “DaBoss” Lenoir out of Birmingham and were one of the final pieces to go on.

Being a Lewis, and building bikes since 1975, Ricky has always liked to challenge himself as well as those around him, and this build was no exception. He didn’t give himself a whole lot of time on

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DIGGER PLEASE TECH SHEET Owner: Ricky Lewis City/State: Rainsville, AL Builder: Rick’s Cycle Parts Year: 1969 Model: Shovelhead Digger Value: What Ya Got??

Time: 6 Weeks ENGINE Year: 1969 Model: Slabside Shovel Builder: Rick’s Cycle Parts Ignition: Mallory Displacement: 80ci Pistons: 2/Big Heads: Stock Carb: Mikuni Cam: One Air Cleaner: Cheap Exhaust: Voilent Choppers Primary: Belt Drive TRANSMISSION Year: 1969 Make: Harley-Davidson Shifting: Backwards FRAME Year: Model: Santee Rake: Stretch: Forks Builder: Frankie Hernandez Type: Springer Triple Trees: Extension: +2 WHEELS Front Wheel: Invader Size: 21” Tire: Avon Speedmaster Front Brake: None Rear Wheel: Invader Size: 16” Tire: MKII Avon Rear Brake: Hydraulic Drum PAINT Painter: Leatherwood Motorcycle Works Color: Shiney Shiney Red Type: Slick Graphics: Gold Leaf Chroming: Nada ACCESSORIES Bars: Violent Choppers Risers: Hand Controls: Internal Throttle Foot Controls: H-D Superglide Gas Tank(s):Prism/Santee/Arlen Ness Oil Tank: Santee Front fender: Rear Fender: Short Seat: DD Bag Headlight: Tiny Tail light: Stock Speedo: None Photographer: Missi Shoemaker

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this project. Once Lewis got the ball rolling, he realized that he had just six weeks until his deadline. And by damn, he did it!

Ricky says that he knows he left out some other cool bits, but all in all, this was a quick fun little build for him.

He also says he’ll cherish

the memories for years to come because this was first full build that he and his son had been able to work on together in over fifteen years.

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Article By: Xavier Muriel

h

ello Again, My Dear Friends out there in motorcycle land.

I hope this month’s Column finds you all well and enjoying the wind in your face...I’m fresh off Laconia Bike Week in which I was honored to be asked again this year to be the Grand Marshall for the annual C.H.A.D Foundation Charity Ride.

All proceeds from the ride go to the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.

This is the second year I’ve done it, and it’s so AMAZING to be a part of something that’s all about giving back. It takes a whole lot of people that put their time and effort into creating such an amazing event that helps children, and their families to get through some rough times. I was so a Blessed to meet one such family. Casey and her son Parker, who is a Heart transplant recipient, were on hand to send us off on the ride through the beautiful NH mountains. You would

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never know when looking at Parker what that little GIANT has been through. His smile and laughter were infectious, and his only concern was finishing that huge ice cream cone before the sun melted it. As I watched him react with his mom Casey and

officer Christopher Heney, who has become somewhat of a mentor to Lil Parker. Officer Heney was once a patient at the Hospital at one

time himself and was part of the motorcade that led us safely on our journey. I was absolutely amazed at the courage and strength of this child. He taught me some very valuable lessons that, as of late, I had forgotten... He reminded me to live each day with passion and to be kind and help others, such wisdom from a 10-yearold. Parker and I share the gift of being a Donor.

After having COPD for many years, in 2010 my Father was a dual lung transplant recipient. His transplant gave us a few more years with him before Cancer took him.

For the family that lost so that we could have, I will forever be Grateful. I, along with many families, know the battle that takes place when something like this happens in your back yard. I also know firsthand the Absolute Joy that happens when a Donor and patient are a match. Being asked to be a part of the C.H.A.D foundation is not only

an Honor but a privilege. I think my ol man would be proud that I carry on the message of giving back. So, if you haven’t looked into becoming a Donor, I highly encourage it, do the research see if it’s right for you...

Also, at this year’s rally I was asked to Raffle off one of my builds for the charity. Last year they did a stock Indian and this year they wanted to spice it up a bit. The lucky Misty Asermely won the bike so Congrats to her... After Laconia, I bounced over to Daytona to help out Mr. Lane who was moving Choppers Inc. from Florida, where it’s been since its creation to Columbia Tennessee; which is just outside Nashville. While there I was fortunate to be able to work on his personal 1935 Crocker 500cc alcohol Speedway single.

Now nothing will make your “you know what” shrink when he says to you” cut this here, here and here, then weld this on”…Uh yeah ok Billy... Working on one of 25 left in the world was crazy but really satisfying.

We finished it in time for it to head to Michael Lichter’s yearly exhibit held at the Buffalo Chip during Sturgis.

Again, I’m grateful to be able to lend a hand when needed.

I’ve heard the saying “No Man is his own island’’ and as I get older those sayings become more and more true. Wasn’t it The Beatles that said: “I get by with a lil help from my friends”? I’m definitely a firm believer in that cuz I wouldn’t be anywhere without mine, THATS for DAM SURE!!!!!!!! So be kind to one another, be a friend, give back and God Bless. X

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Article By: Tyler Porter Photos By Savannah Rose

p

ay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” is one of the more famous quotes from the classic movie “The Wizard of Oz.” We all know it. For nearly any place of business, for every cool event, for most every motorcycle built, there’s always that “behind the scenes” person. Maybe they have chosen to remain behind the scenes, or maybe they just don’t have time for gaudy self-promotion. Whatever it may be, without that person, things don’t get done. It’s time to put the spotlight on someone who is happiest working hard to pull off some crazy ideas from one of the most popular brands in motorcycling today.

His name is Cameron Brewer. You might know him from his Instagram handle @brewsed, or that heavily mustachioed man in the background of pictures and TV screens when something is going on that involves Roland Sands Design. While Cameron’s title at Roland Sand’s Design is “Project Manager” somedays I think he probably feels more like ringleader. I think the slang term would be “Roland’s righthand man,” but is that truly fair? These days, Roland Sands Design is in a bit of an identity crisis. While that may seem like a backhanded compliment, in this current world of online

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attention deficit disorder, it may be exactly what we need. Are they a custom builder?

Are they a custom parts supplier? Are they a clothing company? Are they an event promotions group? The answer is simply, “Yes.”

Where does a man at the epicenter of all things that are currently cool come from? At any moment in the day, Cameron could be on the phone with anybody from Brad Pitt’s assistant to a tap and die shop looking for a hard to find tool. Just like you and me, however, he comes from some incredibly humble roots. At the age of 12, he discovered

motorcycling, and in a few short years, he was hooked into desert racing. By the age of 20 he won the amateur division of the AMA National Hare and Hound series and after battling severe neck and back injuries, made a comeback and raced in the expert class in 2002 where he earned his national number. Injuries crept back into the picture, so he pushed the bikes aside to race buggies and trophy trucks. After working with some desert racing teams and at other motorcycle companies Cameron started with Roland Sands Design back in 2008. Quickly, his hard work and organizational skills led him into taking on increasingly difficult tasks. At one time, the RSD crew was building nearly 40 custom bikes a year!

Today though, they are best known for the Super Hooligan Racing Series that makes stops across the nation nearly all year long.

How did Roland Sands Design become so involved in flat track racing? Truth be told, it all centered around the birthplace of hooligan racing, Costa Mesa Speedway.

When he was a kid, Cameron’s family took him to a lot of races in Costa Mesa. He also attended the now defunct Del Mar Mile in the 90’s. This guy even visited the legendary Ken Maeley’s ranch to ride monkey on a speedway

sidecar. But the magic actually happened when Cameron and his crew from RSD were attending Costa Mesa’s infamous “Harley Night” in 2009. While the standard was for random dudes in the crowd to put down their beers and race whatever bike they had in the parking lot at half time, the RSD crew figured out that they could get around pretty good on some of their more flat track themed builds.

The next year, more people showed up with even more “proper” street tracker type bikes, and eventually, the speedway gave them their own class. Hooligan racing as we know it today was born.

Cameron likes all sides of flat track, from Hooligan to AFT. Heck, he was my mechanic in 2014 at the Daytona Short Track. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he saw me putting a half-link into my chain to keep the wheelbase where I wanted it after a gearing change. He had never even seen anybody use multiple master links! He was also shocked at how close everybody’s times were. I could tell then that he was hooked. By this time, he already had a Honda CRF450 sitting in his garage that he was taking to Perris Speedway on the weekends. Cameron is a tinkerer, always looking for a way to make anything he’s involved in a little bit better.

He’d call about his bike, where the foot pegs needed to be, wheelbase set up, fork height. I was certainly no expert on the subject, but he was always looking to learn anything he could to make his experience better.

Many of you saw Cameron on TV during the Evel Live broadcasts. He was there for both the original with Travis Pastrana and the most recent installment with Vicki Golden.

Both times Indian Motorcycles were used, Travis jumped a FTR750 and Vicki was on an FTR1200. Each bike was tested and tuned by Cameron. “We seriously broke some things in testing that could have been catastrophic for Travis,” Cameron told me. “When you see Travis with his wife and two young daughters after the event, and he tells you, “Thanks for keeping me alive.” It all gets pretty serious.”

But the Super Hooligan series that Cameron plays crew chief for isn’t quite as serious.

“Everyone helps everyone because they all want to race each other. Event production can be a bit stressful, but nothing in comparison to twisting wrenches for Travis to jump a bike with 4 inches of wheel travel over 52 crushed cars, 16 Greyhound buses & Caesar’s Palace Fountain on live TV. I do really enjoy working under pressure when everything is critical, so it’s all fun.” Fun. It’s all Fun. Cameron tells me that his favorite Super Hooligan events tend to be the ones they put on in “downtown” venues like Austin, Huntington Beach, and Tulsa, though the Moto Stampede at the Buffalo Chip will be his favorite event of all time. It took a few years of talking about the idea of building a racetrack in the middle of a concert venue with Rod

Woodruff; then it came together. Now Super Hooligan and AFT pro racing is an annual thriving event at The Chip. Racing is alive and well at the biggest biker rally in the world, just like it started in the beginning of 1938.”

Where does a busy bee go from here?

The Super Hooligan series shows no signs of stopping, and the crew at RSD are welcoming the growth. Everything from additional classes for smaller displacement bikes and electric bikes, to more events in urban areas, are on the table. Cameron’s advice is pretty simple for the people coming into the racing fold. Buy a quality helmet, buy some 19” wheels, don’t stress if your race bike isn’t also a show bike, and have the right attitude about competition.

Basically, chill out, and have a good time.

The next time you see anything from the RSD crew, just remember that there’s a man behind the scene, wearing a caterpillar on his lip, and having the time of his life making sure everyone else is having theirs. God Bless the Working Man. September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 85

agenda.

Gov. Parson has voted in favor of this issue in the past, and according to the St. Joseph Post newspaper, “nearly all stakeholders expect him to sign it.” --Bill Bish, NCOM Sturgis Hall Of Fame Highlights Hall of Fame Highlight - Class of 2019

Hey, Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. There’s so much political talk going around, but there’s only one thing that counts, your vote. It pisses me off to have a long political discussion with a brother, only to find out he doesn’t vote. “Fuck that,” he says.

“Bullshit,” I say. It is critical that every brother and sister signs up to vote in the upcoming elections. Remember, if you don’t vote for Freedom you may not have any in the future. Let’s hit the news: Missouri Helmet Law A Signature Away From Repeal -The Show-Me State may soon grant adult motorcycle riders the freedom to choose whether or not to wear helmets, as legislation to repeal their mandatory motorcycle helmet law for those 18 and older who carry qualifying medical insurance is currently sitting on the desk of Governor Mike Parson (R) awaiting his signature.

Parson previously supported repeal as a member of the state legislature.

Senate Bill 147 passed the Senate 21-12 on Thursday, May 16 and the House voted 94-46 the following day to advance the omnibus transportation package to the governor.

Missouri is currently in the minority

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among states, as only 19 states and the District of Columbia mandate the wearing of motorcycle helmets by all riders. Repeal efforts have been debated in the General Assembly for decades, and twice before lawmakers had passed helmet law repeal bills, in both 1999 and 2009, but couldn’t overcome gubernatorial vetoes.

But now, with Republicans holding hyper-majorities in both chambers and the governorship, riders’ rights groups like ABATE for Missouri and Freedom of Road Riders of Missouri took advantage of the “perfect storm” to navigate their bill through the Conservative-controlled legislative

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is featuring Hall of Fame Highlights of this year’s outstanding new group of inductees. Here is a glimpse at what they had to say. For the full story join us at the 2019 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (tickets available below). Congratulations and welcome Terry Rymer.

Born September 1960 in Aberdeen SD and raised in a single parent home with his mother and two younger sisters, motorcycles were never on Terry Rymer’s radar. At the age of 17 Terry purchased a new 1977 Yamaha IT175 it served as both a race and road bike. That purchase made Terry a staple at the local Yamaha shop, which turned a free time hangout into a fulltime job in 1978.

Learning motorcycle sales, parts sales, promotions, marketing, but mainly, improving great customer interaction and experiences, all of which proved to be a valuable tool for the future.

Then at the age of 24, wanting more of a motorcycle racing scene, Terry

packed up everything and moved to Rapid City. In 1986 things started to accelerate with Harley-Davidson and the annual Sturgis Rally. Terry’s dream was realized in 2010, after 25 years with Black Hills Harley-Davidson, from parts counter to general manager, Terry’s lifelong commitment to the dealership paid off, as his dream came true when he was made partner of Black Hills Harley-Davidson.

Motorcycle racing was, and still is Terry’s passion. Particularly Flat Track.

Terry has promoted or co-promoted many races throughout his career and presently owns a race team that sponsors local Sturgis rider Dawson Schieffer campaigning in the American Flat Track series. -Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Michelin Launch Design Your Motorcycle 2019 Competition - Michelin has launched a custom bike building competition open to professional and amateur motorcycle builders alike. MICHELIN has launched a worldwide custom motorcycle competition to find the best amateur or pro bike builder on the planet.

Called ‘Design Your Motorcycle 2019’ (yeah, snappy name!) the competition covers three classes, cruiser, scrambler and bike to the future – for those that think they might just have built the bike of tomorrow!

Interested parties need to register by the 19th June, with all accepted entries being notified of inclusion in the event by 26th August. Voting will then begin in two phases, a public vote via Facebook and later, a specialist jury will choose their favourite builds.

The winner of each category of the build-off with by announced on 5th November at the EICMA show in Milan. For more information on how to vote, or to submit your bike, head to designyourmotorcycle.michelin.co.uk – Simon Hancocks, Visor Down Harley-Davidson

Battle

of

The

Kings Round 3 - The Challenge is to partner with local trade school students from across the country, to take a standard Harley-Davidson model and turn it into something unique. Over 40 dealers from across the nation compete to create a custom model in either dirt, track or chop, using HarleyDavidson parts and accessories, with a budget no bigger than half the cost of the original model. TWho decides the winner of the Battle of the Kings?

You do. This is a public vote to find America’s favorite custom bike. Every vote counts, but you can only vote once per bike. The journey doesn’t stop there, the winners of the public vote, People’s Choice Winners, will go onto compete in front of a panel of Harley-Davidson judges, narrowing it down to three category winners.

These top bikes will then be voted on by Harley-Davidson dealers during this year’s Annual Dealer Meeting in Milwaukee. The U.S. Custom King Champion will be crowned and travel to Italy to compete for the World Champion crown.

The final is held at EICMA, as a panel of experts then pick the World Champion of Battle of the Kings.

The results have been tallied and these are the winners to move on to compete at the Dealer meeting in August.

Race: Laidlaw’s Chop: Bergen County Dirt: Yellowstone

These three finalists will go on to compete for the title of United States Battle of the Kings Champion at Harley-Davidson’s Dealer Meeting in August.

Ride1K Chopper Race – THE RESULTS ARE IN‼️from the Ride1k chopper race to first night camp on @orygunrun... and its going to blow your mind! @flyingmarshallracing @ charlietravelingchopper • Bob started from the LA area (F), and Charlie from SLC (A). Their routes converged in Reno (D), and they finished in Coos Bay OR (C). They both started at the exact same time, technically, because they began in different time zones.

3am for Bob and 4am for Charlie.

Bob finished in 16:20, but Charlie pulled in 3:04 sooner than that... and therefore establishing A NEW TIME RECORD of 13:16 beating the previous record by just 2 minutes. Did I mention they were both on RIGID CHOPPERS?!

Oh yea...they were both on RIGID CHOPPERS!! Charlies being a full rigid, front and rear. I wasnt expecting to see them at camp so soon, but as I rolled in I immediately saw them both sitting at the campfire and snapped this pic.

The Ride1k chopper race trophy to @orygunrun officially goes to Charlie, while Bob takes second AND honorable mention for making this possible in the first place. Although, knowing how competitive he is, he may be regretting that now! Charlie may have picked up some tips from Bobs book @ americanroadrunner. So great to have you both in the race, Ride1k ranks, and on @orygunrun. Thank you! - @ ride1k_inaday World of X Games July 2019 Lineup - Harley-Davidson Hooligan Racing Qualifier - More than 100 riders from across the country were invited to compete in the Harley-Davidson Hooligan Qualifier in Industry Hills, California. The top 48 qualifiers September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 87

THE CYCLE SOURCE WORLD REPORT - POWERED BY BIKERNET.COM

received an invite to X Games Minneapolis 2019, including two sets of father and son and another pair of brothers.

The World of X Games features a variety of X Games and athletefocused content. For the most updated schedule and information on World of X Games, go to www.xgames.com.

Wendy Crockett Becomes First Female Iron Butt Rally Winner – One of those “firsts” is THE “first” and must be celebrated without further delay: Wendy Crockett has become the first woman to ever win the Iron Butt Rally. And the first Mom to ever win the IBR. Huge congratulations to Wendy on a masterfully planned rally with perfect execution!

On June 17th, 102 bikes, including 7 pillions, rolled out of the parking lot on a great adventure with optimistic expectations. During the past 11 days, riders covered over 828,000 miles all over North America. - Iron Butt Association Top 10 Reasons To Fight Against Road Diets In Your Community -You just learned that your city intends to install a road diet on an arterial route you take every day. You are not alone—this now happens regularly all over the country. Here are 10 excellent arguments to combat road diets in your city council or county commission.

Road diets can cause more accidents. When traffic does not flow, more accidents occur. Vulnerable road users sometimes have the mistaken belief that the road is safer. In reality, all users of the road need to remain vigilant and responsible.

There are better and less expensive ways to make a street safer: Better crosswalks, improved stoplights, and bikeways placed on non-arterial streets. Emergency vehicles such as large fire ladder trucks cannot always navigate corners on streets that have been reduced, which could violate fire codes. Blocked egress during mass evacuations can cause injury and death. Loss of parking can cause business districts to be decimated with job losses and business closures.

Gridlocked boulevards will divert traffic to residential streets which are not intended to handle that load.

Due to the increased gridlock, there is more individual vehicle wear and tear, greater overall street noise, and increased vehicle emissions. Many times, a road diet may cause violations

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of the Americans with Disability Act due to difficult curb cuts and the loss of handicapped parking. Road diets can present already underfunded local and county street departments with more street elements to maintain, stretching their budgets and liability exposure even further. Road diets can create animosity between neighbors in the area. Residents and business owners can have increased distrust of government if the process is forced and not transparent.

If you would like to become more involved in defeating road diets in your city, contact the NMA today at nma@ motorists.org. - Shelia Dunn, NMA Communications Director US Cities Are Joining Forces To Figure Out What The Hell To Do With All These Scooters - After being caught flat-footed, cities are pushing back against scooter companies

Scooter sharing caught cities flatfooted. This is not in dispute. But now cities are pushing back and trying to get organized, banding together to form a new coalition to figure out what the hell to do with all these electric doohickeys littered across their streets.

The Open Mobility Foundation, which is what the coalition is called, already has a long list of goals: improving safety; making sure dockless vehicles

are equitably distributed across cities; ensuring scooters aren’t blocking the sidewalks or generally effecting the quality of life in cities; analyzing terabytes of data produced by scooters; and guaranteeing the privacy of scooter riders is protected.

That last one is going to be a bit sticky, given the agency spearheading this new foundation is the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

In case you don’t remember, LADOT created a digital tool called the Mobility Data Specification (MDS), to help cities manage all the scooter and bikeshare companies hitting their streets. It uses location data from scooters and bikes to inform transportation policy, such as where to place bike lanes, as well as enforcement actions, like which company’s customers aren’t following the rules of the road. Reportedly, the data would not be shared with police without a warrant, would not contain personal identifiers, and would not be subject to public records requests.

“IT’S GOING TO BE A SCOOTER, IT’S GOING TO BE A POD, IT’S GOING TO BE A JETPACK” Unsurprisingly, cities love MDS — it has since spread to 50 cities across the US and a dozen around the globe — but the scooter and bike companies weren’t thrilled. Uber, which owns the dockless scooter and bike company Jump, said it would lead to “an unprecedented level of surveillance” and vowed to stop it. (A state bill that would preempt cities from regulating micro mobility companies, blocking the use of MDS, is currently being debated in the California state legislature.)

MDS is the brainchild of Seleta Reynolds, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s general manager.

As more cities adopt MDS as a crucial tool in managing micro mobility companies, the foundation can help create some consistency around its use — because today’s scooters can quickly turn into tomorrow’s somethingelse-entirely. - Andrew J. Hawkins And That’s Not All—Don’t forget to join a motorcycle rights organization and keep up on our fight to remain in the Wind forever.

Ride Fast and Free Forever, -Bandit

September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 89

TODAY WE DINE IN HELL...

i

don’t give a shit if you feel obligated to set your face on fire while bombing the wrong way down the freeway just shy of ninety miles an hour while in your mind you’re perilously teetering between life and death….

Until you’ve traversed the unbridled chaos of a Walmart parking lot an hour shy of high noon on a Saturday morning you haven’t truly felt the warm lips of death. And that “cheat death” t-shirt you wear like a badge of honor at your family picnic for all intents and purposes is a pack of hollow shameless lies. I live my life on the fringe of society in a culture where rules and a common regard for self-preservation is a daunting afterthought. It’s a culture if instant gratification nestled inside a stadium-sized megastore where a man can pick up his cat’s antidepressants, grab forty pounds of vegan-friendly goldfinch seed, impulse buy season three of Jake and the Fatman, load up on shotguns, and top of your dwindling supply of pretzels glazed in cheese powder. We are spoiled, fat and lazy human flesh bags harboring fistsized time bombs palpitating blood through cholesterol strangled arteries allowing our god given right to update digital statuses until the sweet hand of death takes us away.

With my bike standing guard halfway between the handicap van parking and the cart return I found myself power walking, head down, past a herd of

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over cuddling mothers spoiling their little bundles of annoyance with flame retardant Paw Patrol tracksuits. I was already in a road trip head space and yet three aisles later I could sense the smell of crushed cheerleader dreams and homebody disappointment wafting off my boot heels. I walked past arts and crafts, electronics, and the pedophile manning the photo station adorned in his best Canadian Tuxedo half petrified yet fully amused by the social Petri dish I was slumming in. This place reeked like short bus motion sickness on one fine summers’ afternoon. Somewhere past the pet food, I found my heel snapping in stride as something organic and extremely sticky found a home on my foot. The constant glue and tearing with every step started to mute as hair and dust dulled its tackiness, and suddenly my short-lived sense of purpose was somehow lost. Within my grasp was my momentary life goal, a cheap tin like coffee percolator that resembled the one my old man had when we camped as kids, it wasn’t perfection, but it was just under six bucks so it would have to do.

I plotted my course in a direct route to the cashiers at the front of the store and those fourteen lanes stacked like the entrance to the gates of hell. Visions of my wife back at camp waiting by a campfire shaking from caffeine withdrawal was my driving force.

Of the fourteen check-out lanes, only three were manned by possibly the smartest individuals the circus could afford to donate that particular day. Each lane was polluted with a waiting line

of the gene pools finest swimmers six to seven deep all armed with an abundance of annoying ticks and malformities (I may have made that word up). With all good intentions, the hunchback at the far corner lifted it’s knuckles off the floor and began to wave me towards self check out. I live by a set of simple rules, somewhere between “never wipe forward” and “never use self check out because it’s the beginning of Skynet” it’s my cardinal “never insult a hunchback after they’ve wiped the drool from their chin” rule, which in turn found me face to face with the first offensive of total replacement of the human workforce. I fought the good fight, waving a torn UPC tag in front of it’s Cylon like eye we danced until eventually, I fed it a plastic debit

sacrifice and once again I was allowed to find my sanity. Past the first set of grinding automatic doors, I was met by tropic-like humidity in a final chasm of candy machines and picnic umbrellas only making my return to sunlight that much more of a victory, I had survived, possibly regressed but none the less, I had made it..

No greater lesson could be learned this day than to remember that coffee does not brew on hopes and wishes alone.

The fleeting thought had earlier crossed my mind to grab some stale caffeinated mud wallowing in some burnt vat of filth hidden in the confines of a conveyance store where the lacking smell of sanitation is cloaked by the abundance of pink chrome 9mm cigarette lighters and crack pipes

with little roses gently tucked inside. But behind this rugged exterior lies the bowels of a ninemonth-old child and shitty coffee is no way to start a day of devouring miles. Instead, I filled my new-found coffee luxury, made by the hands of Vietnam’s finest craftsmen with the spring water of Pennsylvania’s hidden mountain reserve.

The fine grounds of Folgers now fell from the Ziplok bag, and upon our campfire grate, it was perched.

Instant gratification has polluted our souls. We find no satisfaction in the process, only disdain when results don’t arrive in a timely fashion. Rituals and the appreciation for the efforts they entail are far too often forgotten.

And as I sat with my wife, asses numb from a weeks worth of time on the road, staring

at last nights embers reigniting the morning fire I found a new respect for my automatic coffee machine at home that has my coffee ready when I wake up so I don’t have to go through all this bullshit just so I can feel my eyes dry out by campfire smoke that no matter where I sit is always in my face.

At least if I stopped at some disgusting crack dump store I would have had a cup to put the god damned coffee in after the nine or ten hours it takes to brew, but nooooooo I forgot cups too… just pour the shit in my hands so I can die already. There’s a road out there and none of this matters

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OFFICIAL POWDERCOATER OF FLAT BROKE CHOPS & RODS

September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 95

ADVERTISERS INDEX 5 Ball Racing Leather................... 92 Baker Drivetrain...........................32 Bare Bones Leather......................95 Battery Outlet..............................97 BikerNet.com..................................97 Bikers Choice..................................2 Chop Cult......................................95 Chopper Time................................81 Cycle Source Gear...........................4 Dennis Kirk...................................15 Denver’s Choppers........................57 Dlubak Powder Coating.................95 Drag Specialties...............................9 Dutchman.....................................94 Faith Forgotten Choppers.............89 Feuling..........................................94 Four Corners Rally........................41 GEICO............................................25 Harbor Freight...............................29 Hardtail Choppers.........................95 Hijinx Apparel................................57 Hot Leathers...................................91 I Draw Flies...................................92 Iron Horse Saloon.........................81 Inferno Art.....................................93 Kiwi Indian....................................49 Las Vegas Bikefest........................65 Lone Star Rally..............................49 Lowbrow Customs...........................5 J&P Cycles.....................................55 Laconia Roadhouse.......................41 Lutz Leather..................................97 MC Creations.................................97 Metzeler.........................................59 Mikuni...........................................47 Motion Pro.....................................85 Mountainfest.................................71 National Motorcycle Museum........97 No School Choppers.......................93 Pandemonium................................93 Paughco......................................13,75 Progressive Insurance.....................3 Russ Brown...................................33 S&S Cycle.....................................100 S100 .............................................83 SpeedKing.....................................18 Sporty Parts...................................97 Steel City H-D..............................99 Tech Cycles....................................47 TNMMR..........................................45 Thermo Tech..................................47 Twisted Choppers..........................19 Zipper’s Performance.....................69

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September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 97

wish.” The man thought for a second, reached into his pocket, pulled out a map of the world, pointed to the Middle East, and replied: “I want you to bring peace to this area.” “Ooooh....I’m so sorry, that’s impossible,” said the genie. “There’s absolutely no way I could accomplish such a great feat, so you’ll have to choose another wish.” The man then said, “Well, then how about having my wife give me oral-sex voluntarily?” The genie thought for a minute, then said: “Can I see that map again?”

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Ralph

A D

ear Abby, I’ve never written to you before, but I really need your advice on what could be a crucial decision. I’ve suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. The usual signs... phone rings, but if I answer, the caller hangs up. My wife has been going out with the girls a lot recently, although when I ask their names, she always says, “Just some friends from work, you don’t know them.” I sometimes stay awake to look out for her cab coming home, but she always comes walking up the drive as I hear the sound of a car leaving, around the corner, as if she has gotten out and walked the rest of the way. Why? Maybe she wasn’t in a taxi at all? I once picked up her cell phone, just to see what time it was.

This caused her to go completely berserk. She quickly snatched the phone out of my hand and cursed me hysterically, screaming that I should never touch her personal property, then accused me of trying to spy on her. Anyway, I have never broached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn’t want to know the truth, but last night she went out again, and I decided to really check on her. I decided I was going to park my Harley Davidson Lowrider next to the garage and then hide behind it so I could get a good view of the street around the corner when she came home. It was at that moment, crouching behind my motorcycle that I noticed a small amount of motor oil leaking through the gasket between

98 September ‘19

- CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE

the rear head and rocker arm cover.

So...is this something I can easily repair myself or do you think I should take it back to the dealer?

A

Ollie

young man goes into a drug store to buy condoms. The pharmacist says the condoms come in packs of 3, 9 or 12 and asks which the young man wants. “Well,” he said, “I’ve been seeing this girl for a while, and she’s really hot. I want the condoms because I think tonight’s “the” night.

We’re having dinner with her parents, and then we’re going out. And I’ve got a feeling I’m gonna get lucky after that.” “Once she’s had me, she’ll want me all the time, so you’d better give me the 12 pack.” The young man makes his purchase and leaves.

Later that evening, he sits down to dinner with his girlfriend and her parents. He asks if he might give the blessing and they agree. He begins the prayer but continues praying for several minutes. The girl leans over to him and says, “You never told me that you were such a religious person.” The boy leans over to her and whispers, “You never told me that your father is a pharmacist.”

A

Kristen

man was digging a ditch when he uncovered a lamp. When he brushed it off, a genie popped out, and said: “To show my gratitude for releasing me, I’ll grant you one

sixteen-year-old boy came home with Harley-Davidson Panhead. His parents began to yell and scream, “Where did you get that motorcycle?” He calmly told them, “I bought it today.” “With what money?” demanded his parents. They knew what a Panhead cost. “Well,” said the boy, “this one cost me just $15.”

So, the parents began to yell even louder. “Who would sell a bike like that for $15?” they said. “It was the lady up the street,” said the boy.

I don’t know her name - they just moved in. She saw me ride past on my bike and asked me if I wanted to buy a Harley-Davidson for $15.” “Oh, my Goodness!” moaned the mother, “she must be a child abuser. Who knows what she will do next? John, you go right up there and see what’s going on.” So, the boy’s father walked up the street to the house where the lady lived and found her out in the yard calmly planting petunias.

He introduced himself as the father of the boy to whom she had sold a motorcycle to for $15 and demanded to know why she did it. “Well,” she said, “this morning I got a phone call from my husband. I thought he was on a business trip but learned from a friend he had run off to Hawaii with his mistress and doesn’t intend to come back. He claimed he was stranded and needed cash; he asked me to sell his Harley-Davidson Panhead and send him the money. So, I did.”

Joey

September ‘19 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE 99