Tech

Helluva weekend. Anytime there's lots of motorcycle carnage,sex, whiskey and writing, I'm all for it. Maybe it's Valentines Daycreeping up. Make a note. Here's the deal on the Sturgis Shovelhead. Sincethe engine was in and mounted I went to work on the exhaust system,then seat mounting, position and played with the bars. I made a […]

This is the second part of modifying the exhaust system on my 2004 Electra Glide. It started off with wanting to change the mufflers and I was so impressed with the Bassani Reverse Cone Megaphone mufflers that I decided to try their True Dual system as well. The benefit of this system over some of

Here's an update on the Shovelhead. I picked up the engine from Phil's Speed Shop in Anaheim. He rebuilt the battered heads and lifter stools, installed new JIMS lifters, S&S roller rockers and CCI Black Diamond Valves. He welded and repaired cracks and exhaust manifold threads. Old used Shovelheads can be fragile. I installed studs

The oiling system on overhead valve (OHV) big twin engines from 1936 through 1999 depends on an externally mounted, gear driven oil pump. The oil pump is located in the same spot on the rear, vertical face of the right-hand engine crankcase and as long as it is given a diet of clean motor oil,

A few installments back, I felt like I had run the gamut of topics for these Tech-Tips. I hit the bottom of the barrel with my highly informative, How to Tie a Doo- Rag tip, and figured the powers that be over at the mega-conglomerate motorcycle publishing empire in San Pedro would just cut me

This will begin the ongoing bike build for Kevin Baas’s 2005 Class Build here on Bikernet.com. I’ll be posting updates from Kevin so check back periodically for the progress and help out if you can by donating any old parts.CHOPPER CLASS WITH MR. BAAS 2005 The Kennedy Manufacturing Technology students atKennedy High school in Bloomington

We've developed a working relationship with S&S, and I was concerned about the 105-inch Shovelhead Richard Kranzler scored for my Sturgis Chop project. His motorcycle ran like a raped-ape, but the 105 tore the livin' shit out of his old school chassis. The mirrors became frisbies, the footpegs vibrated lose and ditched him at 125

First off is to go over all the tools and materials and where I found them. You’re going to need a good tubing bender and the best one I found was this one at Eastwood.Tube Bender From Eastwood They’ve got two different sizes and you’ll probably want them both if you like the hard line

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

I've been riding and wrenching on Panheads since 1972 when I got my first 1950 EL. In 2000, I picked up a brand new Harley EFI Road King. I still have my old trusty ‘50 Pan but felt I needed a trusty cruiser to get me where I had to go reliably. I swore I

After the success of the Hot Bike/S&S Cycle 124-inch VFI Challenge project, S&S President, Brett Smith, felt it was time to form an S&S specific sportsman class in the AHDRA. The Sunday after the shootout in Earlville, IA, on July 10th, Brett called Craig Tharpe and Colbert Seagraves of the AHDRA with a proposal. They

DO THE DOO I'll admit it, I've been writing tech tips for three years and I'm running thin on new interesting topics that aren't too esoteric. In the attempt to elaborate tech topics, I've even stretched my vocabulary to include the mind numbing word “circumlocution,” Which, by the way, created quite a debate among the

Hey, We receive very informed “Your Shot” responses from knowledgeable builders all over the world. It dawned on me one day to gather the good ones and archive them as if they were jewels discovered on a beach. Actually, for a rider who’s broke down they’re worth more than diamonds. I’m going to save hot,

Bad as Hell designer, Chris Hill.This is the craziest notion I’ve ever run across. It was developed by a madman, the only member of the Weasels to ever be ousted. Chris Hill designed the Hill Bars and tried to make a go of them for over a decade. People still inquire about the ugliest bars

The first step is nailing your pattern. The pattern for this seat, came from one of my “BAD ASS PANS”. Once your pattern is cut, you have to scribe your design on to the leather. This is done by casing the leather (wetting with water). Let it stand till the leather starts to dry a

Hang on. This is the last of the scintillating segments on building the Sturgis Shovel before I write the treacherous saga of the ride. Somewhere we will publish a feature on the bike in a mag and on the site. Oh, there’s one other tech that will come to pass—hard line assembly. I’m waiting for

Hey, here’s quick bit on George The Wild Brush who handled the Pin Striping on the 2005 Sturgis Shovel project. He’s pin striped several other bikes for me in his 47 years behind the brush. Born in Hanford, California, a miserable military town, in 1944, he kicked tumbleweed while his mom worked on a base.

Box of parts after teardown for powder. I’m not sure if I’m keeping everything in line. But this segment took us to Foremost Powder Coating in Gardena California. I was at that point when these shots were taken. I’ve had a Powder Coating Sponsor for years, Custom Powder Coating in Dallas. They’re good people and

This isn’t a difficult one but it takes slow time and effort. I handled this in two phases. First I cut the bars and drilled them, even taped the holes. Then I sent the bar to powder. Finally the assembly occurred and I got drunk. There’s something about an internal throttle assembly that’s bothersome. It’s

This is strange. I’m writing several Sturgis Chop Techs after I returned from Sturgis. I’ll try to remedy that in the future, but we were so damn busy trying to complete the bike and run Bikernet, we didn’t keep up on the techs. Many apologies.This piece covers the installation of the hot Speedster cap from

The first thing that pops into my head is Dave Mann’s “Ghost Cowboy” and then Berry Wardlaw dressed as a cowboy. What does that have to do with an article about the hottest engine to hit the motorcycle industry this year? Well hang on and you’ll see. Berry Wardlaw, of Accurate Engineering in Dothan Alabama,

This is one of Bob Le Pera's original Banana seats from the early '70s. He still makes them today. If you check out the spec sheets for custom bikes in about any mag, and you come upon the seat section, chances are you’ll find Le Pera listed as the manufacturer. Motorcycle seat = Le Pera,

Click to see morefrom Lucky Devil The old pipe to oil tank tab.My first move began with a correction. I removed the exhaust pipe tab welded to the oil bag. The oilcan is rubber mounted, the exhaust pipe generated severe heat and the pipe system needs to be solidly mounted. It had to go. Actually