Tech

Shrunken FXR mid-controls by Giggie at Compu-Fire. Note: we need flat-headed Allens. Giggie our master machinist from Compu-Fire rolled up to the Bikernet Headquarters last Saturday. We haven’t seen him for months due in part to his work on new starting systems for the custom market. They are dancing through the final development stages of […]

Stuffing a big twin into a VL frame dates back to the days when the Knucklehead was a brand new, modern OHV engine, 1936. There were a lot of advantages to a conversion like this. VL frames were good for a 25 pound frame-weight reduction, versus its Knuck counterpart. The shallower VL rake made for

We've known Dewey Jelen for ten years. He designs and machines his own line of Custom Machined Aluminum Billet Footpegs, Billet Handgrips, “Heel Hammer” Shift Levers and Billet Aluminum “Rammer” Air Cleaner Covers all for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles.But recently he told us about his Porting Service, “The first thing I found out about my 2002 TC88

Big Twin Harleys were equipped with four-speed transmissions from 1936-86, 50 yearsin all. These are damn rugged transmissions, and can last forever when taken care of properly. The greatest source of trouble for four-speed transmissions are oil leaks. The idea of a bike marking its spot is bullshit. Oil is meant to be kept on

I've only got three pictures of the back of the bike, but here's the details. It's a '72 frame with round swing arm. The spread is the same as a square unit. I used a 160 tire on a 4 X16-inch rim, '73 up. I needed a 1/4-inch offset trans mount plate and a 1/4-inch

Click to see more from Lucky Devil Nicci (left) and Denise at Jack's in Austin waiting to Rigid Frame Richard to return from the Lucky Devil Shop. They're still smiling…I returned, this time, from my hometown of Houston. Kent at Lucky Devil Metal Works informed me earlier in the week that Bradley Da Polisher &

This was actually one of the easiest bikes I’ve ever wired. It’s not a bad notion to sketch out a wiring diagram with consideration for the placement of the components. Think about it long and hard, then take your time. Below this mess I ran the Hardcore Choppers basic wiring diagram and tips on wiring

It’s time to feature the 1928Shovelhead and American Iron said theywould take it on. They’re the only bookthat accepts antique bikes. I’ve writtenabout four features for them on rare, very coolhistoric models. No the ’28 Shovel doesn’t fallinto that catagory, but what the hell, it’sgot class. We needed to complete a couple ofdetail mods before

Jose I receive many e-mails about the Bikernet fiberglass seat tech. In reality we're working on bikes every single day, so I'll shoot stuff getting done. We make as much as possible, instead of buying parts, but in this case I asked someone to make a special part. Many of you have asked on Your

We’re getting right down to the bottom line. Harold Ponteralli, our painter called, “If I deliver the paint can you make it to the show.” I assembled bikes overnight for run deadlines in the past, so we went for it. We installed the new sheet metal, ran the oil lines and picked up a few

I was making a couple seat pans a few days ago, so I thought, what the hell, I'll share 'em with you. This is the first part, since there's some work left. I'll finish soon, so you won't have to wait too long.There's lot's of people who make their own seat pans. A lot are

Click to see more from Lucky Devil The bike is Lucky Devil 001, the first Chopper with a Lucky Devil VIN number.The Devil's crew is currently finishing-up the final steps to become a licensed Manufacturer.“We have no intentions of large production runs,” Kent said. “We just want toprovide our customers with the ability to purchase

I have been riding Harleys for 25 years with your basic hand-clutch and foot-shifter. Now due to all the bikes featured in the HORSE and a really clean bracket that Lucky Devil Metal Works created in Houston, I decided it was time for R.F.R. to move into the world of suicide clutches and jockey shifters.

We're starting another project at Bikernet, the Ultimate Chopper. I dediced that title was bullshit. I look at some of the bikes built nowaday and mine pale by comparison, so screw it. It's the Bandit/Sturgis 2005 Chop. It's been a couple of years since I built a bike for myself. Hell, I can't ride the

This tech is really, really simple, but as everything else in life, we just try to make things easier on ourselves and this will solve a big pain in the ass. Yes, I'm talking about the clips that hold the pipe flanges. I'm sure the devil had a pretty good agenda when he decided to

There are so many exhaust systems on the market you really have to do your homework to get what you want for performance, looks, quality and price. Like every one else I did some serious looking and shopping around and decided on a set of Bassani Reverse Cone Megaphone Slip-On Mufflers to give the new

I've learned a lot about building handmade exhaust systems for the last couple of months. I flat screwed up the first tech on tools, but returned to Home Depot, found the correct parts and went back to work. I picked up a couple of 4-inch C-clamps, and the proper diameter goofball plumbing clamp. I'm still

I couldn't bore you to death with only John's technical jargon. Here's a couple of his bikes and, of course, girls. We wouldn't have it any other way.Last week at a local watering hole, I overheard two Bikers debating whether to install a Single-Fire ignition on a new machine, that one of them was building

The stock tranny linkage cut to work as our brake linkage. A week ago I worked on the brake controls with some success. After fabricating a mastercylinder bracket and actually drilling the holes in the proper location, it wouldn’t work. I needed to turn the master cylinder upside down. I called Frank Kaisler to confirm

We're going to take you through this New BDL installation from start to finish. Generally belt drive installations are straight forward. There's a couple of key issues: The inner primary is your guide to a proper running, aligned belt drive. If it's square to the engine and tranny, all else is golden. This new drive

Laser Alignment-How it Came To BeThe following was written by Mil Blair, the co-founder of Easyriders, custom bike product designer since the '60s, Bonneville racer and now the designer of this alignment tool.Since '58, when I got my first real motorcycle, A '47 Knuckle I was amazed at how a bike worked. I lined up

David Covington's 103-inch Pan engine built by Berry Wardlow. The motorcycle show circuit has always been very competitive and it continues to be hot to the touch. The top builders in the country continue to show their new creations and young builders are building names for themselves. But we're not rowing that boat currently. We're

Illustration by Tim Conder. I'm attempting to build the ultimate handling chopper. It's not designed to be a show winning, bitchin looking, artistic masterpiece. I'm going another direction, attempting to build a righteous, old school, performance, handling, and reliable machine. No, it's not a Martin Bros job, and from an artistic standpoint I believe they