Moving to the rear of the bike, I am using Buell parts again to save some green. I'll be using the Buell 5 x 17-inch rim and the caliper. I planned on using the rear axle but it ends up being a good inch too short. You can get a nut on it, but no lock washers or anything else. NO bueno. I'll get a new one or make it later. Right now I'm still mocking up the bike so the Buell parts work ok.

First off the bike needs to be on a lift or something similar while the rear wheel is centered. I started out just using a 4X6 but after I got my lift from Kregens for $48 I was living the good life.

To get the rear tire centered I first popped it into the frame with just the axle going through. This allowed me to move the wheel back and forth to get it centered. I located the center of the rear wheel and marked it with a piece of masking tape. 

I used my digital camera as a site and lined the mark I made up with the back bone of the frame. I could see the down tubes on either side and between them I was able to ensure the mark was exactly on the centerline. 

After this I measured the distance from the inside of the swing arm to the brake rotor. The caliper hanger rides directly against this.

I needed to move the wheel over to center it. Here I measured the gap so we can machine the brake hanger.

The brake hanger had some extra meat so Joel from J&T CNC took it to the shop for me and wacked off the extra. Since we took some off the left side I'll have to make a new spacer for the right side.

Has anyone ever mentioned the gremlins come out when you try to do something custom? Well the output pulley on a Buell isn't in the same place as a Sportster. I don't have the exact number but it's closer to the transmission. I know that because after lining up the rim with the frame center line the pulley's are NOT in line. Ok, that's not a big deal. Just get a new spacer for the pulley right? Well I can't answer that for you. I changed my plans again. See the Atlas frame requires a special 1 1/8-inch, 136-tooth belt. They sell them and I found another source for a bit less money. I was all set to order one when I started thinking. What happens if I'm in BFE and the belt goes? Oh shit! Not a stocked part anyfuckingwhere.

I decided to go with a chain drive instead. No matter where you are a chain is somewhere close. I used the output shaft spacer from a 1991 Sportster to get the front sprocket where is should be, a 520 chain and 21 front sprocket, 48 rear. I called my buddy Fread Finnerty to get the part numbers. In case you forgot who Fread is he rides the Buell's for San Diego H-D's race team. Since they needed to be able to change gearing they of course used chains. Fread has been through all this so he knew the numbers off the top of his head. Drop in and see him sometime at the new San Diego H-D location in downtown San Diego.

Using the Buell rear wheel makes things a bit different. The sprocket that fits a H-D wheel will not fit the Buell one. The hub that the sprocket fits over is slightly larger than the H-D. I ordered the correct sprocket from American Sport Bike. They are just up the road in San Marcos. I ordered it on Saturday and it was in my hands Tuesday night. Nuff said.

Now just because you don't have the best tools is no excuse to not use a torque wrench. I know micrometer wrenchs are cheap these days, but it's still better than nothing.

There's one place I don't mind it getting toothie. Like I said, I'm using a 520 chain instead of a 530. That's strictly to save on weight. You can use the 530 if you think you need it. If you change your chain when you should it shouldn't become a problem. They're only $45. I still need to change the front pulley over. I've got the sprocket, just not the 2-inch socket.

The Buell axle is 1-inch diameter instead of the normal ¾-inch for H-D. The stock Buell axle adjusters won't work so that meant another custom part. I talked to Joel and he said he could make something for me, but before we got started Atlas came to the rescue again. They added a set of adjusters that were available for 1ä axles to their catalog. I ordered them on Sunday and they were in my hand by Wednesday the next week. I just can't say enough about businesses that deliver on time. Who the fuck wants to wait three weeks for something that can be there in three days.

The last thing I needed to do was take care of mounting the rear fender. I bought the curved fender struts and to keep things smooth I ordered them with blind mounting. What that means they drill a hole on the inside that doesn't go all the way though. Then you figure out where the fender needs to be, mark it carefully and drill holes in the fender. Studs screw into the blind holes in the struts, through the fender. Then you use lock nuts from the inside. 

What I did was mount the struts and then place the fender between them. It holds well enough to take some measurements and make sure the fender is located properly. Make sure when you do this that the fender has some clearance when the suspension is bottomed out. The last thing you want is the crown of the tire rubbing when the old lady wants to putt.

After locating the fender I marked the outline of the struts directly on the fender. Use grease pen or whatever you have. You'll be painting over this so don't worry. With the strut outline on the fender I removed it and made a template of the struts themselves. I made it out of a junk piece of cardboard and put the holes where the blind fasteners would go. From here I just lined the template up with the outline on the fender and marked then drilled the holes.

Then it's a simple matter of holding the struts up to the fenders, installing the studs and bolting the fenders to the struts with the included hardware. I found this a lot easier than putting the struts on the frame first because everything tends to move around. After the struts and fender "were one" I just bolted the struts to the frame.

Now that the frame was a roller I went back to the "doaner bike" and started grabbing more parts. I striped the wiring harness out first. This was going to supply me with most of my new wiring. I've been doing electronics, including a short stint as a union electrician for about 25 years. This is something I understand. I put the harness aside for future use and finished disconnecting everything keeping my motor from me.

If you've never taken a close look at a Buell do. They are cool H-D derived bikes and the frame is bolted to the top of the motor sort of. After freeing the motor from the frame I lifted the frame off the motor. Funny, it was heavier than it looked. Now my once mighty Buell M2 was reduced to a pile of leftovers. They are all for sale if anyone is interested.  

At this point I just couldn't resist the temptation of dropping the motor into the frame to see how things would look. It's really getting to the point that I'll start finish-fitting things. I'll include a copy of a generic wiring diagram I've been working on. It has most of what you'll need to use all the modern electronics. Electronic ignition module, equalized blinker module, electronic Speedo and the minimalists form of switches and shit like that.

The brakes are not yet completely installed. I still need to measure for and buy some brake lines. The brake light switch from the Buell will be reused. The rear caliper is hung but there isnāt anything to keep it from rotating. The Atlas frame comes with a tab that needs to be welded into place. I could have sent the rim and brake parts up to Atlas and they would have welded it for me. As it turns out I think itās better I didn't.

The new tank is one I purchased a while ago at a "yard sale" San Diego H-D had. When I ordered the frame I asked the folks at Atlas to set it up for a Evo style Sportster tank. No big deal they can weld just about any mounts you need to the frame. Just make sure you talk to them when you are placing the order. Like any good frame manufacturer they will have a few questions when you call. Don't sweat it, they can walk you through things but you HAVE to get it right. Cutting shit off your brand new frame because you thought you knew what you were doing is not the way to build a bike. ASK first then build or order. It pays off plenty.

So anyway, back to the tank. It was a simple drop-in really. I went up to San Diego H-D and bought the screws and nuts for a standard Sportster. I like Pingel petcocks so I bought one over the internet. Fits exactly like it should and if the need ever arises you can rebuild them. It may be a simple sounding part but you have to get gas in the carb to make it go.

The Atlas frames are setup for the 1999 and down Softail style of parts. That includes the seat. You can buy anything you want so long as it fits a 1999 and down. Atlas has a nice seat made for them by Danny Grey. You might have heard of him. I ordered mine with the Atlas name embroidered, at no cost of course. Since it mounts to the fender I'll have to supply some hardware and drill a hole. Atlas doesn't know what you have planned so the fenders do not have holes you weren't going to use. I'm going to mount a bolt in the fender and use a chrome acorn nut to retain the seat. After the mount gizmo started turning in the keyed hole in my Sportster I went to this setup and never looked back.

All that's really left is the wiring and plumbing. I ordered a set of forward controls from Steel Thunder Custom Cycles. They were only $372, with free shipping. The things are beautiful. The polish job is perfect and the machine work is really first class. They bolt right on with no problems at all.

Next article will be the final mock-up. I'll go over the electrically system, show you where I stashed everything and give you some part numbers.

This project is rapidly becoming a scooter. I just hope I can bring myself to tear it down for paint!  

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