The Harley Softail ® debuted in 1984… and seemed destined for a historic run. For the first time, H-D aficionados could have the rigid look without the rigid feel…or so it was advertised. As we all know, Harley has built countless models off of this product line and has made as much money as possible from it. The Softail ® was, for all intents and purposes, the most popular and best selling Harley until the Touring craze hit a couple of years ago. Never one to sit on its laurels and wait for the next big thing, Harley has developed the Dark Custom brood of two wheeled terror designed to invoke animal magnetism from the younger generation Y. While having a black bike stripped of all its chrome extras became the norm for the younger crowd, Harley decided to throw their hat in the ring offering a stripped down Softy that comes with a warranty; sounds interesting to say the least.

 

Craig Slovak, GM of Republic Harley Davidson, recently asked me to ride a couple of his bikes to give the reader’s of Bikernet a real look into an everyday ride review. I am not the guy who will bore you with details about the firing of which cylinder combined with the timing and ESFI, because frankly, I don’t understand that stuff all that much. I am the guy who jumps on a bike, starts the engine, and rides wherever I am going as fast as I can get there…period. Bottom line is Bandit wants real experiences with these bikes and Craig has given me the opportunity to ride a few of them. The latest has been the 2011 Harley Blackline ®.

 

 

This bike isn’t one that attracted me too much from the first pictures I saw online. Honestly, it looked a lot like a parts bin cleanout bike, removing all of Harley’s old swingarms and narrow frames and making a bike. Once I saw the Blackline in person, I have to admit I was surprised at how cool it was.

 

 

The model I was given already had a set of Vance and Hines blacked out shorty pipes to give the bike a little more rumble. It at least reminded me I was riding an H-D. The key was inserted into the ignition which is mounted in the grenade shaped ignition housing, which sits under the left side of the gas tank. I was laughing at the notion of turning on a grenade to start my “safe” mode of travel.

 

 

 Once I started the bike and let the engine warm up, I took a few minutes to learn the controls, as there are subtle changes to the hand controls and speedo on this model. The hand controls are a little different than years past because the buttons are not as thick, meaning they don’t protrude out as far. Also, the left hand control has a button for tripometer, so you don’t have to search under the dash for the button to check mileage, gas usage, or to use the tripometer.

 

 

The gauge cluster sits directly between the two handlebars, which fasten directly to the top tree. I thought these looked a little thin, but found them to be very comfortable on the ride.

 

 

The metal console that replaces the area that used to be covered by a dash REALLY made this bikes’ tank look completely different for me. The orange sunburst exploded in the sunlight and the contrast between the top and bottom of the tank made the “nostalgic” look seem even greater, especially when you compared it with the blond and black motor. It reminded me of an old Panhead in looks, but not so much in the ride. The fit and finish were quintessential Harley-Davidson. All the lines of this bike point directly in the direction of the current trend of bikes…if it was 2008. While H-D has always had a 5 year gap between what was hot and what they are producing, at least the gap has shrunk to 3 years. I know it’s a much more difficult task to take an idea from conception to the assembly line than it is for us to modify bikes in our garage, but seriously, this bike could’ve been put out at least 3 years ago. If Harley wants to attract the younger crowd, they need to lower the MSRP, 15-16K for this bike is insane, as it should be in the 11-12K range…EASY! Let’s break it down logically, comparing a few of the other bikes in the Dark Custom platform.

 

Let’s assume all these bikes are vivid black, (cheapest option), running order motorcycles right off the showroom floor. The Blackline Softail costs $15,499 , weighs 667 lbs, and makes around 70 hp, right? Well, the Street Bob costs $12,999, weighs 667, and makes the same hp. So you have a comparative HP of weight ration of around 9.5 to 1 vs. 9.7 to 1 favoring the Street Rod. So, I really do not understand why the Softail would cost $2500 more as there’s no performance gain, the seating position is very similar, and the accessory availability is about the same as well. Neither bike would ever be a touring machine without serious modification, so where’s the justification in price. For me, if I was shopping for a bike in the same price range and was insistent on getting a Harley, I’d go with the Sportster 48. Hell, it has an msrp of only 10,499, weighs 567 pounds, and makes around 80 hp. That’s a much more respectable 7 to 1 ratio. If I was too big for the Sporty, and still wanted to stay under the 15k range, shit, there’s no question I’d wrap into the nast V-Rod which weighs in at 14,699, weighing 676 lbs, making 120 hp for a scary 5.6 to 1 power to eight ratio! That’s ridiculous, but isn’t that the point of buying a stripped down black motorcycle? Guys buying the Backline aren’t going to be blinging the bikes out with stereos and saddlebags. They want the coolest bikes they can get and want to have something that performs as well as anything else comparable.

 

Back to the main issue at hand, which is what I thought of the Blackline, not Harley’s skewed view on pricing. With my previous statements holding true, and absolutely being stuck on a Harley, I’d recommend buying a used bike for 8-10K and dumping the other 5k in performance or accessory modifications. At the end of the day, you may not have a warranty, but you could easily have a one of a kind machine that would scare the hell out of “Dark Custom” yokels trying to impress people with their shiny new Blackline and new Dark Custom t-shirts. Hahahaha, I’m really getting off track with this one.

 

The Blackline on the road, and that’s what really counts, is actually a lot of fun to ride. No, I can’t ride it like a sportbike, but it reminds me of an older rigid framed bike in the ergonomics. The hands forward grabbing the spindly bars makes you believe you could be riding a very well put together garage build. The bike handles everything the road throws at it, but there’s just enough travel in the rear to prevent you from being paralyzed when hitting large bumps in the road, while still waking up every nerve in your spinal cord.

 

The bike really moves when you need it to, but the power bursts are low duration. The pipes were wonderful, but they unfortunately reminded me I was riding a stock bike as it seemed like there were times I was making a lot of noise, yet I wasn’t going very fast. I’d love to ride one of these with the 103” upgrade, some nasty cams, and a good tune downloaded onto a Screamin’ Eagle Pro Super Tuner.

 

 

One aspect that I was really impressed with were the brakes. The Blackline I rode had Harley’s wonderful anti-lock braking system and surprisingly, this bike stops much better than any Softail I’ve ever ridden.

 

 

I was surprised when I had to change lanes at the maneuverability and agility this bike exudes while sill retaining a stiffness that Harley’s are known for. I really liked the front end feel as it was very nimble without having a lot of flop or cumbersome heaviness. The newly designed trees are exceptional and accentuate the bikes profile as well as handling capabilities.

 

 

Overall I liked this bike as a whole, but sadly Harley’s missing their target audience by about 5K in price. It’s a very ice bike, but If I were in the market shopping for a bike with this price range, there are better bikes for the same money. Hopefully this isn’t my last test ride article ever, but I had to give you, the readers on Bikernet, my true opinion on the bike. Until next time…..

 

 

 

 

Pricing 1
MSRP
Vivid Black	$15,499
Color Option	N/A
Two-Tone Option	$15,998
Custom Color Option	N/A
Special Edition Color Option	N/A
Security Option	$370
Wheel Option	N/A
ABS Option	Only offered as part of Security Package
Reverse Option	N/A
Cruise Control Option	N/A
California Emissions	$200
Freight	$335
Power Pak™ (103 engine, Security, and ABS)	N/A
Security Package (Security and ABS)	$1,195
DIMENSIONS	U.S. Units
Length	93 in. 2362 mm
Seat Height
Laden 2	24 in. 610 mm
Unladen 2	26.1 in. 663 mm
Ground Clearance	5.25 in. 133 mm
Rake Steering Head	30 ° 30 °
Trail	4.84 in. 123 mm
Wheelbase	66.5 in. 1689 mm
Fuel Capacity	5 gal. 18.9 L
Oil Capacity	3 qt. 2.85 L
Weight
Dry Weight	638.5 lbs. 290 kg
Running Order	682.5 lbs. 310 kg
Luggage Capacity
Volume	N/A N/A
Weight	N/A N/A
POWERTRAIN
Engine 3	Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96B™ Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96B™
Displacement	96 cu. in. 1584 cc
Bore x Stroke	3.75 in. / 4.38 in. 95.3 mm / 111.1 mm
Engine Torque	J1349 J1349
Engine Torque 4	89 ft. lbs. @ 3250 rpm 121 Nm @ 3250 rpm
Fuel System 5	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Compression Ratio	9.2:1 9.2:1
Primary Drive	Chain, 34/46 ratio Chain, 34/46 ratio
Fuel Economy
Fuel Economy City 6	35 mpg 6.72 l/100km
Fuel Economy Hwy 6	54 mpg 4.36 l/100km
Gear Ratio (Overall)
1st	9.03 9.03
2nd	6.259 6.259
3rd	4.649 4.649
4th	3.764 3.764
5th	3.207 3.207
6th	2.706 2.706
WHEELS / TIRES
Wheels
Front 7	Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum
Wheel Option 7	N/A N/A
Rear 7	Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum
Tire Size
Front	MH90-21 54H MH90-21 54H
Rear	MU85B16 77H MU85B16 77H
ELECTRICAL
Instruments	Triple clamp-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, time-of-day clock on odometer, dual tripmeter, engine diagnostics readout, low fuel warning light and mileage countdown feature, low oil pressure indicator, 6-speed indicator, ABS indicator (optional), LED indicator lights Triple clamp-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, time-of-day clock on odometer, dual tripmeter, engine diagnostics readout, low fuel warning light and mileage countdown feature, low oil pressure indicator, 6-speed indicator, ABS indicator (optional), LED indicator lights
Indicator Lamps 8	High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, security system (optional), 6-speed, low fuel warnings High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, security system (optional), 6-speed, low fuel warnings
CHASSIS
Brakes	4-piston front and rear 4-piston front and rear
Parking Brake	N/A N/A
Lean Angle	24.4 / 25.9 ° 24.4 / 25.9 °
Exhaust System	Chrome, over/under shotgun exhaust with slash-cut mufflers Chrome, over/under shotgun exhaust with slash-cut mufflers
COLOR OPTIONS
Color Options	Vivid Black Cool Blue Pearl / Vivid Black Sedona Orange / Vivid Black Vivid Black Sedona Orange / Vivid Black

·                     1 Prices listed are the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices. Options such as color are available at additional cost. Prices exclude dealer setup, taxes, title and licensing and are subject to change. Dealer prices may vary.

·                     2 Measurement reflects 180 lb. (81.7 kg) operator weight.

·                     3 Recommended 91 octane or higher fuel (R+M)/2.

·                     4 Values shown are nominal. Performance may vary by country and region.

·                     5 Standard and optional fuel systems may vary by country.

·                     6 Estimated from fuel economy tests on a sample motorcycle from the corresponding family conducted by Harley-Davidson under ideal laboratory conditions. Not all motorcycle models undergo fuel economy testing. Fuel economy and mileage may vary among motorcycle models within a family. Your mileage may vary depending on your personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition and vehicle configuration and other conditions. Break-in mileage may vary.

·                     7 Standard and optional wheels may vary by country and region.

·                     8 North America security system includes immobilizer; outside North America the security system includes immobilizer and siren.

·                     9 See motorcycle owner’s manual for complete details.

Vehicles depicted may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. Specifications and prices listed may differ from specifications and prices of vehicles manufactured and delivered. All product descriptions (including depictions, specifications, dimensions, measurements, ratings and competitive comparisons) are based on available information at the time of publication. Although such descriptions are believed correct, errors and changes can occur and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Harley-Davidson may make changes at any time to prices and specifications, and may change or discontinue models, without notice and without incurring any obligation. Attention: Vehicles in the configurations shown and many of the accessories described in this catalog may not be available for sale or use in some locations. Please check with your dealer for complete product details and the latest information. All models feature 6-speed transmission (VRSC™ models and Sportster® models are 5-speed) and carbon fiber belt final drive; multi-plate clutch with diaphragm spring in oil bath; and 2-year unlimited mileage warranty.

© 2001 – 2011 H-D. All rights reserved.

“When I die I want to meet God and say, what the hell were you thinking, like what were you thinking?”
—Indian Larry

“Hold on to yourself Bartlett, you’re twenty feet short.”
—Steve McQueen
…from the movie THE GREAT ESCAPE

“…I’ll be right out…Nice coat…”
—Marv…a.k.a. Mickey Rourke
…from the movie SIN CITY

“If I had to describe him, I’d say he looked like Elvis Presley.”
—Lorenzo Lamas
…from the episode The King and I from the television series RENEGADE

BorderlandBiker@yahoo.com

IN ACT ONE/SCENE # 1: Lorenzo Lamas and Branscombe Richmond have been released from an underground minimum security facility in the Nevada desert. Supervisor Hanover, the head of the facility, has agreed to erase their records if they agree to search for diesel fuel and attempt to make contact with any others that may have survived an EMP attack on the United States. Thousands of hidden EMP devices, smuggled into our country by terrorists, have been set off destroying most everything electrical. Since then the facility where they have been kept has not been able to contact or hear from anyone. With the exception of a strange (a woman by the name of KWOP Kate has been playing Doo Wop music and asking if anyone is out there) broadcast from an AM radio station northwest of them near Bridgeport California, they’ve not heard from another person.

With only about two days of fuel remaining for the facility’s electrical generator, because it was underground its circuits were protected, Lorenzo and Branscombe along with a mechanic named Talbot head north to hopefully find more diesel fuel and make contact with KWOP Kate. Lorenzo and Branscombe are riding ahead on motorcycles scouting for a path through the abandoned vehicles; they’re finding more vehicles the further north they go.

For whatever reason nighttime shadows, maybe because of the effects the EMP devices had upon Earth’s magnetic lines of force, are suspected of being dangerous if not lethal and are to be avoided. Lorenzo and Branscombe are about to find out what other effects the EMP devices have had on the world around them.

At the end of Scene # 1 they’ve finally been able to find and fix an abandoned diesel tanker; Talbot is driving it back to the facility. Lorenzo and Branscombe are now on their way to where Kate is broadcasting from Spanky’s Café. Hanover was able find the café’s position by triangulating the AM station’s signal strength. They’re anxious to get to the café before the day ends.

FADE IN: Less than a minute later Branscombe and I were about a mile down the highway, shifting into our highest gear and heading north; two low flying canaries a.k.a. guinea pigs trying to catch the wind. For the rest of the day Branscombe’s big Indian set a fast pace, not into the triple digits, but fast enough to keep my Wide Glide in 6th gear most of the time. Clusters of abandoned cars and trucks would slow us down; one ten mile cluster for over an hour until we could find a way to wind our way through. When we finally turned off the two lane highway onto the road leading into the foothills and to where Hanover had marked Spanky’s Café on the map the shadows were beginning to lengthen.

Branscombe instead of pressing on suddenly pulled off onto the shoulder and stopped beside two abandoned cars.

“Abandoned vehicles are becoming fewer and farther between. I make a motion we top-off our tanks now on the chance these are the last vehicles we see before we get to Spanky’s Café. We’ve enough fuel to make the fifty or so miles to where Hanover marked it on the map, but on the chance Hanover was wrong…”

“But on the chance Hanover was wrong,” I added, seconding Branscombe’s motion, “we’ll at least have enough gas to make it back to these cars.”

The Toyota van closest to the center of the road was near empty; the Mustang closest to the guardrail was nearly full. Evening shadows had crept up and over the guardrail and were almost touching the Mustang’s rear wheel.

Our siphon consisted of a small battery powered pump that drained gas into a gallon plastic bag. It was another example of Talbot’s mechanical ingenuity, that and the fact he was able to get the diesel tanker repaired and running in less than an hour.

Branscombe had already filled six bags fueling our bikes. He was in the process of filling the last one that would allow me to top-off my Wide Glide when he yelled and pointed at the shadow he’d just stepped in, “Ouch, it’s gotta be as cold as cryogenic gas!”

Looking at where he was pointing, I could see the shadow that had once been touching the guardrail had now stretched across the road to where he was standing. We’d been in and out of isolated shadows throughout the day with no ill effects. The shadow that had touched Branscombe was uninterrupted, seemingly infinite and reached across the fields, the hills and on into the darkness of approaching dusk.

“Lorenzo, it numbs you legs; if you stayed in it for over a minute you’d be too numb to move.”

Taking the last gallon of gas Branscombe had siphoned I finished filling my Wide Glide; there was about a pint left in the plastic bag.

“Get on your bike, get ready to roll out of here; I’ve a theory about these shadows and I hope I’m wrong,” I’d already poured the remaining gas across the shadow, started my bike and had lit a match.

“If the flames from your fire travel up the fumes flowing down from that Mustang’s open tank we’re going to get more than our eyebrows singed”

“Not to worry, the wind’s in our favor,” I said throwing the match into the puddle of gas.

What happened next was more unexpected than having the Mustang explode. From where the shadow was touched by flames a dark layer of it retreated like a broken wave back down the beach, back over the guardrail. It was as if the darker layer had been riding piggyback on top of the normal shadow; but I had to be sure if my theory was correct. Risking the fumes from the open tank might at any moment be ignited with a change in the wind; I got off my bike, walked over to the where Branscombe had been standing and touched what, for want of a better word, would’ve been a normal shadow.

“It’s not cold. It’s as if there’s another layer to it; a dark opaque layer that rides along on top of the normal shadow. In fact you can see it; it’s the pure black part that’s moved off into the field, the part that retreated from the light of the burning gasoline…”

“…that’s moving closer now,” Branscombe completed what I was about to say, “that your fire’s dying down! What do you say we ‘not’ find out if that darker layer holds a grudge against you for setting it on fire; what do you say we figure this all out ‘after’ we get to Spanky’s Café.”

Our decision to top-off proved to be a good one; the Mustang we’d siphoned gas from would be the last car we’d see before climbing the foothills leading to the small valley where Hanover had marked the place where KWOP Kate broadcast her AM signal. Cresting the last hill we could just see Spanky’s about three miles away. Twilight had chased us to this valley; shadows were reaching across the road.

Since leaving Talbot, Talbot had elected to drive the diesel tanker truck back to Hanover at the facility, Branscombe and I had kept a near ninety mile an hour pace towards the northwest. Highway 6 and 95 had been crossed. Blocking the western sky the Sierra Nevada Mountains were always to our left; 10,000 foot Potato Peak had been to our right for the last half an hour. Bridgeport’s exit was passed; signs for the Twin Lakes turnoff were behind us.

We were in California, of that I was sure. The spot Hanover had made marking the location of Spanky’s Café was at the end of a valley entering the Hoover Wilderness. We’d been lucky in finding gas along the way and being able to weave our way through clusters of abandoned vehicles blocking the road. Had we been in a car we would’ve been stopped long ago.

Always in the back of our minds was the mystery surrounding nighttime shadows. Isolated daytime shadows, except for the shadow we found between the bus and the van seemed normal. It was Branscombe’s encounter with the edge of the nighttime shadow that was enough to make us ride as fast as we could, faster if we could’ve; Hayabusas would’ve helped. Whether it was the effects of the EMP detonations or the result of, according to Aleut Indian legend, the door to Hell being opened; it was nighttime we feared.

Spanky’s Café was a speck, barely insight. Covering the road, except for a path of light on the right, leading to the café was nighttime’s shadow; the sun was setting. Blackness was flowing down the Sierra’s flanks advancing eastward.

I’d pulled to a stop ahead of Branscombe when I turned to face him, “We’ve a strip of light maybe two feet wide between twilight’s shadow and where the pavement reaches the edge of the road and we’ve about three more miles to go until we reach Spanky’s. Even with us riding at top speed we’ll be threading a needle between nighttime and the road’s shoulder before we get to the cafe and that’s if we’re lucky. If luck’s not with us, we’ll run out of daylight.”

Having given my pep-talk, I twisted the throttle open and prayed the Wide Glide, as much as I loved Harleys, could’ve changed itself into a Yamaha Road Warrior. Praying it could change into a Hayabusa would’ve been too much.

The big Indian followed me to 115 mph; the Wide Glide might’ve made it to 120, maybe even higher. I backed off; I’d make it to the café with Branscombe or not at all, and then suddenly we were in shadow. We had a half a mile to go and we’d run out of daylight, and then our engines quit running. We could’ve coasted that last half mile had the road not been on an incline; we came to stop less than a quarter of a mile away from Spanky’s Café.

The change in temperature took our breath away. It was as if the two of us had been teleported to Siberia; we were moments from freezing.

“Get your bandana up around your face,” Branscombe had become a drill instructor and was yelling in my face, “and breathe through your nose. That’s an order Marine!”

He’d already stabbed a hole in his tank and was filling a plastic bag with leaking gas. He handed me a plastic bag and motioned for me to do the same to the Wide Glide.

“Hurry, catch as much gas as you can; we’ve got less than a minute. Any longer and we’ll be so numb it’ll be too late; it won’t make any difference.”

I was still trying to fill my plastic bag from the hole I’d punched in the Wide Glide’s gas tank when I realized I’d left my surfboard outside and that the afternoon sun would melt the wax…and that Sunset Beach would soon be breaking…

“Hey, Marine…no sleeping…follow me…NOW!

Branscombe had reached down into whatever reserve I’ve seen him reach into before and gotten me moving. I would’ve been asleep dreaming of Hawaii…forever…had he not awakened me.

Movement was already painful and we’d only gone about twenty five yards. Branscombe stopped abruptly; we’d been leaking gas from our plastic bags from where we’d left our bikes. His first match should’ve lit but it didn’t; his second didn’t either. I had a vision of us playing a weird version of Hans Christian Andersen’s LITTLE MATCH GIRL. His third match, but only after he’d held it against a Hawaiian tattoo at the base of his neck, finally burst into flame. Instead of throwing the burning match at the trail of gas Branscombe bent down and touched it to the fuel. Immediately following the whooshing sound all fuels make when they’re ignited was what I thought was the sound of a faint high pitch scream coming from the retreating shadow.

When the trail of flame reached our bikes the Wide Glide exploded first, the Indian a second later. Flaming gas coupled with bits and pieces of fenders and tanks were thrown outward creating a circle of light nearly a hundred feet wide. It was dumb luck Branscombe and I weren’t hit by the debris.

“Hurry!” came from a long away and from a tall woman standing in the doorway of Spanky’s Café.

“Better do what the lady says;” Branscombe was already running towards the café, “we’ve seconds of light.”

With less than a hundred feet to go it already felt we’d run miles and then with only fifty feet left our light disappeared. At the same time a burning roadside flare was thrown from the doorway in our direction. It would be our life preserver; we’d make it to Spanky’s Café.

ACT ONE/SCENE #3 WE MEET KATE

TO BE CONTINUED

“We are no other than a moving row
Of Magic Shadow-shapes that come and go
Round with the Sun-illumined Lantern held
In Midnight by the Master of the Show…”

By: Omar Khayyam…RUBAIYAT

Or go on to the next chapter here!

It’s May 23, 2011, about two months before we roll out to the Badlands. Every year takes on a different character. It’s sorta like the new kid on the block. We never know exactly the direction this kid it going to take. Sometimes we can guide him, and sometimes he takes the lead, good or bad. So this year, we seem to be facing a kid who has a pocket full of delaying tactics, and a waiting year seems to be unfolding before me.

I’m still waiting for the Harbor Department to build the park across the street. The ground breaking has been delayed from June until November. Damn. We are still waiting for the city to finish widening Harry Bridges Boulevard. It runs along the south side of the building. The completion date was recently pushed back from January 2012 to April 2012. And I’m finally wrapping up my Motorbooks Terry the Tramp book project. It was supposed to be released in June, now it’s November, but it’s already for sale on Amazon. And I’m still waiting on our City Council person to decide on my building grant.

My son asked the other day, “Have you made arrangements for lodging in Sturgis?” How can I make arrangements? I don’t have frames, front ends, handlebars, controls, you name it. If I was a tad closer on these bikes, I’d step up. But I can’t just yet. Ya never know. There has been progress, though. Hell, I’m still waiting for Frank to come up with his Mudflap girl mascot illustration.

Last week, I picked up my H-D Evo engine from Bennett’s performance. Let me take you through the process we put this bone stock puppy through to pump up the performance without messing with reliability.

I discovered two prime safety sources for keeping Evo engines alive. First, proper warm-up is essential for Evolution engines, because all the major components are aluminum and move around a lot during warm-up. That’s why the barrel gaskets tend to leak. Let ’em warm up slow and they love it. Number 2 relates to the warm-up period, new gaskets. Use only the finest H-D or Cometic gaskets on your Evo engine and it will save tons of headaches in the future.

We took the heads to Branch O’Keefe. Jerry Branch was recently inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame for his performance technology over 40 years in the motorcycle business. He is currently working with Dan Gurney on very fast cars.

Jerry sold his shop to long-time former employee John O’Keefe, and John has made a living keeping the Branch intake performance technology alive. They strip the heads completely, weld in and reshape the combustion chamber to allow for better flow, new larger valves, a slightly higher compression ratio (from 8.5:1 to 8.9.1), and 78cc flow from 84 stock. They also shave .050 off the head gasket surface.

They reshaped the heads through years of trial and error to allow for larger, better flowing valves, in the optimum position, since the stock heads didn’t burn all the fuel, impeding efficiency in the factory engines. The area around the valves became smaller, but they were able to speed up the velocity of the air passing through. In a smaller area, they were able to add more space around the valve.

John squeezed in a 1.94-inch intake into the combustion chamber, compared to the 1.85-inch stock valve. They were able to design in a larger valve with more functioning space around it. The crest in each port allows for more valve guide support and still enhances the port flow.

The exhaust valves are enlarged slightly from 1.608 to 1.612. The Branch team rebuilds heads in three performance levels, from mild for stock displacement engines to ultra wild with higher compression pistons.

John O’Keefe replaced the valve guides with bronze magnesium components. “I like these work hardened valves and guides because I can run a much tighter valve stem-to-guide tolerance,” John said. The tighter tolerance affords heat dissipation from the valve through the guide. The enhanced grain structure in the guides acts as a heat sync pulling blistering temps off the valves. All these elements make for a longer lasting valve train.

These amazing aerodynamic guides come with Vito seals built into the structure of the guides. They also run a thicker, more robust exhaust guide for additional heat dissipation.

For my heads, the Branch team installed one-piece stainless valves with chromed stems and stellite tops where the valve meets the rocker for additional hardened strength.

For twin cams and dressers, John recommends black nitrate valves with a Teflon coating.

“I use the stainless valves in Evos because the guys don’t lug them,” John said.

Their valve seats are nickel chromium and capable of running valves up to 2 inches. The biggest valve you can put on a stock seat is 1.90. The Branch O’Keefe seats are machined with an interference fit of .007-inch so they will never rattle in the heads or even fall out. Factory seats are only .0025-.003 larger than the hole in the head. He heats the heads to 300 degrees, and freezes the seats before assembly. The nickel chromium seat material will take any unleaded fuel and won’t pit.

Each valve seat is cut at 45-60-30 degrees, three angles. With porting, it is the equivalent to a 5-6-angle valve job. Each valve is ground to 45 degrees, and John uses a special carbide-honing bit to ream the guides. It is designed with a reverse spiral so it runs clockwise and it is set to slip fully into the guide before it begins cutting, for an absolute straight ream. Each bit costs over $200.

John and the Branch team hand-lap each head. “We can modify heads for any performance application,” John said. “It is no longer a one-size-fits-all world.”

The master in the clean room is Paul, a former Honda race tuner. “He’s great at tech support,” John said and I could tell he wanted to talk to the milling machine more than me.

“We like to find out what a guy rides, and how he rides,” Paul said. “It helps to find out what they have in their engine, what kind of intake, and carb.” Sometimes, they polish intakes and Paul can make recommendations on carbs and carb tuning.

Even their valve springs are top of the line. “We have a five-year track record,” John said, “of no failures or pressure drop.” They are shot-peened, stress-relieved and they test at 180 on the seat. “Some springs drop 20-30 pounds of pressure in a race bike after just 50 dyno pulls.” Their springs are refined and capable of .675 cam lift. He uses only chrome moly collars and retainers.

What the Branch O’Keefe crew does with heads is truly amazing. Their shop handles all the final assembly for STD heads. It’s the best bang for the buck for reliable performance. With the heads refined and completed, I headed back to Bennett’s to button up my engine.

We ordered a Cometic top end gasket kit from Biker’s Choice, the Andrews cam and adjustable pushrods from Branch O’Keefe, and a JIMS replacement breather gear with enhanced breather slot.

Eric’s first move was to discuss his Signal Hillbillies band’s gig at the Roland Sand’s grand opening gig Friday night. When Roland asked for a CD, Eric said, “We don’t have one.”

“How will I know you’re any good?” Roland asked.

“Am I going to step into the center stage in a room fulla my peers and make an ass of myself?” Eric retorted.

I was there and the Hillbillies rocked the joint. If we have a Pre-Love Ride party this year, they will be the headliners.

Then Eric grabbed his micrometers and measured the length of the cams. The stock cam was 3.080 inches to the Andrews cam at 3.020. So Eric dug out a .065 shim. He also had an S&S breather shim kit to use for spacing. He put assembly lube on all the bearing surfaces and slipped all the components into place in the cam case. Assembly lube is critical in any engine that hasn’t run. The time between first turning over and fully lubricated is critical to bearing surfaces.

“The manuals are whacky,” said Eric. “The H-D Evo manual calls for .010-.050 cam end play tolerance.” In comparison, the Shovelhead manual requires .004-.008 endplay.

Eric generally sets endplay from .006 to .012. He shoots for .010 endplay for the breather gear, then uses blue Loctite on the cam chest fasteners and snugs them to 120 inch-pounds of torque.

The Cometic head gaskets are MLS, or multi-layered with steel. Eric applied anti-seize under the headbolt head lip, and lightly on the threads to prevent galling and rust, since some cylinders allow breathing around the head bolts. This can lead to condensation collecting around bare metal and cause corrosion. The anti-seize affords the mechanic a more accurate torque setting. “A little goes a long way,” Eric said. “Always use anti-seize on sparkplugs.”

Eric tightened the headbolts in a different pattern than stock manuals call for, but one recommended by S&S. He started with a square/crossing pattern. If you’re facing the cone of the engine, Eric started with the close in, right headbolt and tightened it to 20 foot-pounds of torque, followed by the left fastener, then crossed to the right fastener in the back, and then the left. At 8 foot-pound intervals he worked up to 42 foot-pounds of torque. “Ya gotta bring them down gradually,” Eric said.

Here’s a sidebar of interest. You can imagine the pressure that builds up in the bottom end as the pistons slam toward bottom dead center. In the past, that pressure pushed air and oil into the gear case and vent cavity. That cavity below the breather gear was removed in 1996 and venting was handled through the top end, breathing into the air cleaner. Imagine if your engine sat for a while and oil sumped into the bottom end. It would fill your air cleaner with oil.

“S&S builds their cases with the cavity,” Eric said, “so the engine can breathe out the top or the bottom. You can modify the rocker boxes, and bore out the vent holes to ½ inch and replace the rocker boxes with later model units. I like the notion of more venting for a smoother running, less stressed engine.”

Eric used the stock rocker-arm rubberized-coated steel gasket and tightened the 5/16-inch fasteners down to 18-22 foot-pounds of torque, and the ¼-20 fasteners to 120 inch-pounds.

The Andrews adjustable lifters were installed with long units in the exhaust with the covers, and the short ones with the intake. Eric installed the intake pushrods first and just took up the lash. With the rear intake at its top position, he adjusted the front out 3.5 turns or 21 flats. He counted them out loud, so he didn’t lose his count. Then he let the engine bleed down and handled the rear intake adjustment.

“Solids are great for high performance, where you need the maximum out of each cam lobe,” Eric said.

Hydraulics have a cushion built in for easy running, less adjustment and less noise, but you lose some cam capacity. Eric noted that you need to be aware of the thread size on adjustable pushrods. Make sure to read the instruction, so you don’t over adjust your valves because of coarse threads.

We buttoned up the new stock Evo engine, but I will pull the ignition module and replace it with a Compu-Fire one-piece ignition module, and I’ll be good to go.

I have a Trock-modified CV carb for my bike and a 42 mm Mikuni for Frank’s with a Roger Goldhammer shapely air cleaner.

Okay, I made a mad run out to Spitfire with two Custom Chrome gas tanks. Both had too-narrow tunnels, but Paul’s associate told me that replacing the tunnels was not a problem. With my optimistic approach, I was sorta hoping to have my frames by the end of this week, but I believe it will take another week.

My 3-inch open primary arrived yesterday from BDL, and my risers arrived from Custom Cycle Engineering, along with their FXR swingarm axle and bearings. I still need to find the rubbermounts and diamond plates for the frame.

I also ordered Wire Plus wiring systems for both bikes. I’m the outlaw so I won’t run turn signals, but Frank will. And I need two stock Evo intake manifolds.

Biker’s Choice

JIMS

Spitfire

D&D

Bubs

Harley-Davidson

Rivera Primo Inc.

Belt Drive Unlimited

Metal Sport Wheels

Sponsored By:

Cycle Exchange
PO Box 275 – Hwy 51 South – Minocqua, WI 54548
Phone: (715) 356-7346    FAX: (715) 356-5896     Toll Free (877) 707-BIKE
© 2002 Cycle Exchange – All rights reserved

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One item of widespread confusion between the custom buyer andbuilder is an uncertainty as to exactly how long his extended fork will be. Itmay be close to what he needs, but a difference in two will be. It may be closeto what he needs, but a difference in two inches or so either way can make amajor change in the looks and performance of an otherwise carefully designedscoot.

Trying to decide what length of fork, size of wheel, and theamount of rake can be a pain in the neck, so we have compiled some figures foryou that should make it a little easier. With the rear wheel and tire you’regoing to use installed on the frame, remove the fork and block the bottom ofyour frame until you have the height you want. Then get out your tape measureand play with some numbers until you come up with the combination you like. Wehave included a chart below to show what lengths our springers are (size =length in inches). To determine what length of fork tube to use for a stocktubular fork, measure the stock fork with weight on it before removing. Forexample, if your stock fork is 20 inches from the bottom cup the center of theaxle, and if after playing around with tire sizes, height, and so forth, youdetermine that you need 29 inches between the cup and the axle, you would ordera 9 inches over stock set of tubes for your bike.

FORK OVER STOCK SPRINGER (inches)	FRAME CUP TO AXLE (inches)
3	23
6	26
9	29
12	32
15	35
18	38

 

TIRE SIZE	AXLE HEIGHT (inches)	TIRE DIAMETER (inches)
300×16	11	22
250×18	11 5/8	23 1/4
275×18	11 3/4	23 1/2
300×18	12	24
275×19	12 1/4	24 1/2
300×19	12 1/2	25
325×19	13	26
275×21	12 3/4	25 1/2
300×21	13	26
500×16	12 7/8	25 3/5
500×18	13	26
400×18	13 1/4	26 1/2
400×19	13 3/4	27 1/2

With the complexity of factory OEM fuel injection systems, Custom Chrome in partnership with Techlusion felt it was important to provide owners with a product that is easy to operate, install and understand while not upsetting the stock fuel curve, or timing. This new DFO Box (Digital Fuel Optimizer) is just that animal. By attaching itself to the injector trigger wires and controlling fuel delivery as the signal travels to each injector the DFO box allows all the stock sensors and inputs to function just as the factory designed, whether it faces late or early fuel injection systems. The DFO box operates like jet kits for carbureted engines, which normally change ranges of fuel at the main jet, needle or idle mixture. It allows you to make low rpm/cruise fuel changes as well as high rpm/ acceleration demand adjustments. The difference is that now an electrical signal changes the demand for fuel and not vacuum or pressure. The DFO Box also affords the rider quick and simple adjustments with the turn of a screwdriver. In addition the DFO Box allows for accelerator pump adjustments electronically to enhance throttle response. We watched as this unit was installed at the Joker Machine Dyno facility and tested. In addition a shop owner, Mike Ingle from Grease Lightening was there to witness the product being applied and tuned. He was in the process of installing Power Commander units and immediately put the DFO unit to work on a customer’s bike. Since then he has installed two more units. “There’s a couple of basic differences between the Power Commander units and the DFO box,” Mike said. The DFO unit is easy to install and inexpensive. It basically adds fuel to the mixture. The average guy can install this to a bike with basic modifications and tune it readily. It’s designed for any builder who changes pipes, air cleaners or makes minor mods to his engine. It does not mess with the timing.” “The Power commander units modify the timing and will add or subtract fuel for heavier modified bikes and massive-inch engines. They are more costly and require more time, equipment and expertise to install. You must have a current dyno and an exhaust gas analyzer to set up a Power Commander properly, said Mike.” Mike pointed out that the three maps supplied with the power commanders rarely work because the motorcycle must be modified exactly to fit the mapping. “The first DFO Box I installed was on a ’95-inch Twin Cam unit with stock compression. We were able to get 90 horses out of it with 105 pounds of torque. That’s not bad.” The DFO box has four simple adjustments and can be readily adjusted by the rider with test rides. Custom Chrome is the exclusive distributor of this unit which has become the RevTech answer to fuel injection mods. In the near future the past editor of Hot Rod Bikes, Frank Kaisler, will post his findings on this unit at the Joke Machine facility. Stay tuned for more info. –Wrench

Bandit uses only one type of risers on his bikes. At least that’s been his M.O. for the last 15 years. “I like the kick back to the bars without a pullback and the vibration isolation.” he said recently. Ya see, Custom Cycle Engineering has been building old-style dogbone risers for glides for some twenty years. Randy, the crazed designer, madman bike builder and long-distance rider knows how to build a product that stands the test of time. Unlike many products, these dogbone risers are built substantially, beefy and mechanically sound. No they’re not glitzy or high tech, except for the neoprene boot rubber they use. They’re just tough, long-lasting, and cool. This pile of misbegotten words describes another application for the famous CCE riser.   Generally this riser affords the rider about a two-inch pull back to any bar and they are designed to be simply bolted onto any wide glide or narrow glide tree. They come in several lengths from 2-inch rise to 8 inches of nastiness. Generally, it’s a matter of taking off the old riser and bolting these puppies on for a more custom appearance, a better rise for position. If you go with the tall babies, you may need to extend wires and/or cables. In this case, Bandit is taking a perfectly good and nearly bone stock 1948 Panhead and mounting dual 42mm Mikuni-adapted heads to the 61-inch barrels then changing the old push-type throttle to a quick throttle.                  At the same time he’s giving his lanky form a better position by powdercoating a set of 4-inch CCE risers for a sportier look with a set of narrower FXR type handlebars, which were also powdercoated. This was accomplished with a couple of 1/2-inch Allen bolts about 2.5 inches long with coarse threads. The hardened bolts were turned until they were a press fit into the legs of the springer. Then Bandit protected the threads with a couple of nuts jammed together and the bolts were driven into the rear legs with a brass hammer. Once in place 1/8-inch below the surface of the leg, Bandit brazed them into place. They could have been welded, but he’s a lousy TIG welder and a decent man with a torch. He felt that his studs were secure enough to call it quits, but for extra strength you could drill and tap a 1/8 hold in the side of the leg and run a small Allen set screw in for added safety. I mention that because Bandit and George were riding into the Valley one night in 1975 when Bandit looked over at George; one of George’s risers had come out of the springer on his flathead and he was hanging out there loose at 70 mph holding his bars while his bike rode along by itself. Oh, and when you drive the studs into place, make absolutely sure they are straight, and there’s no way to check except with the old eyeball routine. So check ’em, and check ’em again before you weld.            That just about does it, and since it’s happy hour at Bikernet World Headquarters, we need to shut the garage and walk down to the corner bar. We’ll crawl back later sit in the garage and discuss our next move until the sun comes up and we find a breakfast burrito. Keep watching. Over the next couple of months you’ll see the ’48 come back together. Then we’ll report on just how two carbs on a 61-inch Panhead perform. Should be interesting.  –Wrench

Let me lay out the background for this project. Scooter is anattorney. Maybe that makes him a yuppie, who the fuck cares? He’s acriminal attorney of the highest order, in fact recently herepresented a prostitute and we will have a full report on thatepisode. In this case, he was representing a jealous Bouncer from a stripclub whowas going after his girlfriend’s lover and was busted in route. Thecharges called for 20 strikes that would put him away for threelifetimes. As payment for Scooter’s courtroom talent he gave up thisbasket case. He ultimately received less than two years sentence andtwo strikes against his spotty record. He’ll have to be damn carefulin the future.

Scooter is a rider with a Dyna Glide, and a man who loves tolearn. He doesn’t stop at the surface of any project, but digs forall the knowledge he can muster to get the job handle properly. Thisis his first project bike which started out as a scattering ofassorted parts in boxes and strewn around the oily concrete floor,plus a rolling chassis which gave the rider a glimmer of hope.

It began life as a ’98 Softail Custom, but other than thesheet metal and wheels, not much of the original bike remained. Theframe was replaced with a Jammer 2-inch stretch with a 35 degreerake. The drivetrain kept the original H-D jugs, that were bored andhooked up to an S&S bottom end for 89-inches of pure power and aDelkron tranny. Rumor has it the engine work was done by Sonny atWestminster H-D before Scooter got the stuff, but it was expertlyassembled by Todd, who insisted on refitting with original H-D casecovers for a quality fit with (hopefully) no leaks. Before theengine could be mounted, the frame had to be heated and peened a tadto provide clearance for the rigid mount engine. It looked just alittle too tight when they did the mock-up, so they createdadditional vibration clearance. Also, the welds were rough andneeded some grinding and smoothing. We decided to paint the casesblack to match the cylinder fins.

The next step was to powder coat the frame to match the H-DLaser Red color on the stock sheet metal. The red they got wasbrighter and flatter, so we took it to a painter and got a niceclear coat to dress it up. Unfortunately, we now have to repaint thesheet metal to match the powder coat color, at least on the basecolor of the custom paint job. I spoke to Rock and Roll CustomPaintworks and Al Martinez about my paint scheme ideas, but haven’tcommitted yet. They both had some great looking airbrushed nudes onseveral tanks in the showroom which scooter drooled over, but wasconcerned about pulling up to courts and creating problems. Maybesome deep understated ghost flames instead.

Scooter was fortunate to hook up with a great custom bikeengineer named ScottLongnecker who currently builds custom bikes and just about everything elseat Kendon Industries. They manufacture a line of ‘stand up”trailers. Scott hooked Scooter up with a set of billet forwardcontrols and hand built a custom 2 into 1 pipe that’s currently at thechrome shop. The pipe is straight and clean, withthe collector running cleanly along the frame. The performance should bean improvement over the drag pipes that came with the basket, but thedownsideis they have no shields. Oh well, he can sometimes use the extraheat on his scrawnylegs when the temp drops and the cold wind blows. On the other hand,it’s not a problem to build a set of shields.

They’ve ordered up are the fat drag bars and stainlessbraided cables and hoses. The law says you gotta have front andrear turn signalsvisible from the sides and bright and big enough to be seen by everyonewithin your sphere of existence, but stock signals look … well…stock.Heopted to risk an uncomfortable discussion with the local constable byinstalling minimal lighting. Kuryaken has a new LED marking light/mirrorcombo that pairs a nice looking oval mirror and billet look stem with abright LED light mounted in the front side of the mirror housing. At about$180/pair they aren’t cheap, but may streamline the front end and stillprovide a degree of safety.

The rear lighting situation was confusing ashell, because everyone and his cousin makes a fender strut mounted markerlight. Scooter chose one that has a long, sleek housing that coversthe holes andhardware on the strut for a cleaner look. It also has a larger lens with adouble filament bulb and comes with both red and amber lenses. He’s alsohaving a tough decision with the pegs and grips. He really likes the lookandfeel of the Iso-pegs by Kuryaken, but… when I found out I couldn’t usethestock forward controls because the new frame wasn’t tapped for the rearmaster cylinder, he shifted to billet controls with an integralmaster cylinder.

The controls have billet pegs which are very custom, and don’t match theIso-pegs he already bought. Now he either is forced to find billetpegs and gripsthat come as close as possible to matching or live with mismatchedstuff (damn, he sounds like a chick picking out an outfit for ablind date!!) Ohwell, another installment with more photos when he drinks enoughvodka and gin mixed to makedecisions and move his jail house ass to the next phase.

-Nuttcase

Deacon, the master, taking a break. Photo by Chris T.

I ran across a master mechanic, in Oahu, Hawaii, at ProStreet, who recently produced the first Choppers Only Show in Wakiki.He explained the differences between the Evolution configuration andthe Shovelhead and how you can alter your Shovel for reliability andbetter performance. I was intrigued, grabbed my camera girl and wentafter the formula.

Note the heavier/thicker Shovel wheel.

First off the flywheels are 4 pounds lighter, saving 8pounds off the lower end. That’s 8 less pounds the engine is forcedto lug around.

“You can go either way with the flywheels,” Deaconsaid, “although it’s easier to just swap them. The new set willalready be correctly clearanced and have a better rod package. Setscan be ordered from S&S in this configuration.”

This shot shows a performance flat top job, a standardShovelhead piston and a Sportster unit. Imagine the spark trying toclimb over that Sportster piston dome.

Next, Evolutions use flat-top pistons for an immediateburn. Shovelheads are equipped with domed pistons and one spark plug.The flame must travel up and over the dome. That can be correctedwith two plugs, but a better way to go is to use the flat-top pistonconfiguration like Evolutions.

“Compression ratio is based on howthe bike will be ridden and how much HP is desired,” Deacon told me.”Use flat top pistons or J&E 30 degree entry pistons with S.T.Dbathtub chamber heads.”

Here’s a shot of the heavier Shovelhead valve on the right andthe lighter stem larger Evolution face for better flow.

The valve train in an Evolution is lighter with smallershaft diameter valves with a larger diameter face for better flow andvolume. “Use Kibblewhite or Manley thin stemmed valves,” Deaconmuttered and went back to work.

Keeper kit from Precision Machine.

A company called Precision Machine offers a conversion kitto use Evo valves in your Shovelhead. “The kit contains the keepersto use Shovel upper collars,” Deacon added. “Also use cast ironvalve guides from Rowe for your specific application.”

Here’s a goddamn stock Shovel valve, lifter and lifter block.An Evo unit will fit right in.

The hydraulic lifters in Shovels are weak and oil poorly.The Bolt pattern for Shovels and Evo lifter blocks are the same, soyou can replace the Shovel lifter blocks with Evo units and a muchlarger automotive type lifter to improve valve train operation.

Here’s the updated Evo valve train configuration. It will boltright in.

Deacon likes S&S oil pumps and doesn’t much care for JIMSreplacement lifters. “Yes, use an S&S oil pump,” Deacon snapped andraised a large torque wrench in my direction. “You will get morevolume for better top end oiling. With more volume you need morescavenging and the S&S pump delivers this as well. Also, Baisleyoffers an overdrive pump gear to provide even more pressure.

A comparison shot of a Shovelhead and Evo lifter.

With the above mods your Shovel won’t work so hard to spinthose heavy flywheels and the valve train will be lighter, moreproficient and flow more fuel, air and exhaust. The pistons will firemore efficiently and won’t be subject to as much heat. The onlyaspect of the Evolution that you might miss will be the flow abilityof the head design.

That’s it, build a Shovel that will last. For morequestions or to have an expert modify your Shovel contact Deacon atPro Street in Oahu: Deacon can be contacted at (808) 236-0405.

c/o The Hogpen
94-084 Leokane St. #B
Waipahu, Hi. 96797

Ride Forever,
–Bandit

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Wheel spacing is an important part of any ground-up bike building project.It also must be addressed when customizing an existing bike.With the vast selection of frames and wheels available today, there is noway any manufacturer can fit every different wheel combo to their frame andprovide exact fitting wheel spacers.

Some frame manufacturers provide a wheel spacer for the left side of thewheel, most of the time this spacer is longer than needed and the exactlength is left up to the bike builder to decide and cut to length. The mostcommon reason that the frame builder only provides the left side spacer is,because the rear caliper mount doubles as the right-side wheel spacer.Again, there are a number of different width caliper mounts, mainlydepending on the style of caliper you choose.

Another factor is especially true of the new crop of wide frames designed tofit the wide tires. Some frame builders widen or offset only theleft side of the frame for belt clearance. Mix in the different width ofcustom wheel hubs and the need for drivetrain offset. The next thing you knowyou are in wheel spacer hell.

Generally motorcycle wheels should track one directly in line with the other. That’s why motorcycles are called, in some circles, asingle-track vehicle; however, this is not always the case. Harley-Davidsonoffsets the rear wheel on some of their Softail models as much as a halfinch to the left, to move the center of gravity back towards the center ofthe motorcycle. As of this writing we know of three different offsets forthe Softails. The different offsets can be found in your service manual inthe chassis section, titled vehicle alignment (page 2-30 in the H-D servicemanual for 1997-1998 Softail models, H-D part number 99482-98). Be sure tocheck the correct service manual for your particular model.

If building a ground-up bike based on a Softail-styled chassis, then buy aservice manual that closely relates to what you’re constructing. Anotherpoint to keep in mind while your fitting a rear wheel to a new frame is, thelocation of the fender mounts. (If you’re building a rigid, it is simplefitting fender struts or a sissy bar to the frame to support the rearfender. Just center the wheel and go. Remember to build fender mounts that clear the disc rotor and the drive pulley or sprocket. Also make sure the tire can be moved for belt adjustment.)

On Softail-style frames, the fender mounts are usually drilled and tappedholes at the top of the frame, just under where the seat will sit. When wefit a wheel to a frame, we like to check first where the fender struts orrails will locate in relation to the wheel and tire combo.Sometimes offsetting the wheel is necessary to be centered in the fender and so you won’t have to carve up a set of custom fender rails. Again, this all depends on the way theframe was designed and built. By placing the wheel in the center of the fender rails you’ll be able to see if the frame is offset or not. If once it’s in the center of the frame rails, it’s not in the center of the swingarm, then it’s offset. Keep it in the center of the frame rails.

The above description may sound confusing and complex, but it really isn’t.With the aid of some photos and the loan of a frame, wheel and tire at MikePowers Customs in Burbank, CA, we can show an easy way to set-up, measure,and make new rear-wheel spacers to get you up and rolling.

The following procedure can be applied to almost any style of bike. One last note… ideally, wheel spacers should be square, meaning that each end of the spacer should be parallel. The optimum tool for making wheel spacers is a lathe; however, some patience with a hacksaw and file or grinder will get the job done.

01: At Mike Powers Customs in beautiful Burbank, CA we worked with a newground-up project bike. The frame is a Diamond 250series, Softail style chopper with six inches out and six inches up. Therear wheel is a Superior with a custom, wide hub laced to a 9-inch wide18-inch diameter rim. The tire is 250-40X18 Avon Venom.

02: First thing is to place the frame somewhere solid. Mike uses ascissors lift with the frame strapped to the lift. Now slide the axlethrough the swing arm and wheel. Push or pull the axle all the way forwardor back to insure the axle is parallel to the swing arm pivot shaft andperpendicular to the frame centerline.

03: To find the centerline of the frame, we used a piece of stringabout ten feet long.

04: A simple loop tied in one end of the string and looped over theframes neck-leave some slack in the loop.

05: Standing behind the wheel, pull the string tight and line it upover the center of the top frame tube.

06: Mark the centerline of the frame on the frame and the swingarmwith a Sharpie (marker) to make future sightings easier.

07: Measure the width of the tire and find the center of the tread.Do not rely on the seam of the tire, where the mold line is located. Measure to find the center and mark it.

08: The center of our tire is about a quarter-inch from the moldseparation line.

09: Mike slipped the rear drive belt over the pulley, aftermounting the rear pulley on the wheel hub. Once the wheel is located a lookdown the edge of the pulley will tell you if the pulley will needoffsetting.

10: Mike clamped two strips of metal to the fender rail mountsto simulate the fender rails. Now pull the string taut and align with yourcenterline marks and center the tire on the string.

11: With the tire centered on the frame centerline, check andmeasure the distance from the simulated fender struts to the edge of thetire. Also check the distance from the lower swing arm tubes to the tire,remembering that the tire will grow a little once it is up to operatingtemperature. A good rule of thumb to follow is the thickness of a fingerbetween any frame or swing arm tube and the closest part of the tire. Insure that the tire is in the center of the frame rails primarily.

12: Before you start measuring for the wheel spacers cast aneyeball down both sides of the rear drive belt to see how it lines up withthe swing arm and frame. This will give you an idea if a pulley spacer will be needed, something you will have to address once the wheel spacers aremade and installed.

13: When you are satisfied with the location of the wheel inrelation to the frame, swing arm and the fender rails, measure from theinside edge of the frame to the wheel bearing (2000 and later style wheel)or wheel bearing seal spacer and write the figure down.

14: On the right side of the wheel move the caliper mount out boardtill it touches the inside of the swing arm, try and do this without movingthe wheel. Now carefully measure the distance between the wheel bearing andthe inside of the caliper mount and write it down. Make sure there is some clearance at the brake stop, even just a 1/16-inch. Make sure the caliper mount is also parallel with the frame.

15: This photo shows the relationship of the caliper mount, whereit fits over the anchor mount, welded to the swing arm. Note the minimumamount of overlap of the caliper mount in relation to the anchor. This iswhen the caliper mount is flush against the wheel bearing.

16: With the caliper mount flush against the inside of the swingarm, there is more contact or over lap of the caliper mount with the anchortab.

17: Now is the time to make your new wheel spacers. Once the newspacers are completed, install them on the axle. We ended up with a spacerlength of 1.545 inches on the left. We made our spacers from 1.500 diametersteel with a .750 hole for the axle. We like the larger diameter materialbecause it gives a larger contact area against the swing arm and will notget cocked in the axle slot when you install them.

18: On the right side of the wheel, we ended up needing a spacerthat was .630 inches thick again, made from the 1.500 diameter stock.

19: Here is what the right side looks like with the new spacerinstalled. Since we moved the caliper mount .630 inches away from the wheelhub, we’ll have to make a disc rotor spacer the same thickness to properlylocate the disc to the caliper.

20: Here is the finished product. The wheel is where we want it andthe caliper mount has plenty of contact on the anchor mount.

21: The view from the back of the frame looks good. Next we’llcheck out pulley and disc rotor spacers. Remember to measure three times andcut once.

Sources:
Avon Tires
Diamond Frames
Superior Wheels
Mike Powers Customs.
818/5667836

The bike started out as a Sumax frame that was sitting around for years. I found an H-D Evo motor and tranny, fresh out of the box a few years back. We used Boyd’s Mid-Glide 41mm trees and fat boy lower legs turned down on the lathe. Top caps were made to match. A swap meet rotor and Rev Tech caliper were used on the front. The front axle was cut flush, drilled and tapped for custom washers. Jim traded chrome lower legs for an 18-inch front rim. Ness bars, plate welded in with milled slots, the speedo, mounted underneath, and some handle bar controls that were stashed at the bottom of a lost box finish up the front end. The air dam is just something that was thrown together late one night. I have no idea where the forward controls came from. The gas tanks are stock 4- gallon fat bobs extended. All tank mounts are hidden with a custom-made flush dash. The seat is by Keith’s Seats. The rear fender started as an 8-1/2 inch trailer fender. Jim put some sides on it and built in an LED light. The lower part of the rear fender started out the same, but with bolts to the swingarm. The swingarm has built-in axle covers like Jim used to make back in the days at Razorback Motor Works. The rear rotor was a little thing that Jim saw in the CCI catalog. He figuired since he wasn’t gonna be doing any road racing, it should work out fine. The rear rim is an Akron 18-by-5.5, laced up to a stock H-D hub by some guy in Florida for $50. He put some scoops in the oil tank. He got the idea from the chrome slots on the sides of old Mustang cars. Little chrome grills are recessed in the slots. There are small bits of fabrication everywhere on this bike, from the frenched-in front of the gas tanks to the built-in paneling around the primary and transmission. The paint color is one that I first painted on a friend’s bike in the Keys. The graphic idea was something I came up with six years ago. It seemed to fit well on this bike. The taillight and license plate mount were a few bits of billet that Jim machined and polished until he came up with what is seen here.> The rear fender running light is extra brilliant because Jim used a clear lens with the red bulbs. The bike has a polished look to it, but it was built to be ridden. -Crazyhorse