Up until the early 1960s, BSA was the largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The 1950s had been a good decade for the marque, with the success of the Gold Star as well as the development of two well-respected pre-unit (separate gearbox and engine), vertical twin-engine series: the A7 and A10. Not only was BSA a giant in producing motorcycles, the company also manufactured other goods such as buses, agricultural equipment, bicycles and, of course, weapons. Flush with cash generated from this diversified business, BSA also bought up other motorcycle marques—Triumph and Ariel, among others—making it a true empire.

For any business to survive it needs to be constantly ahead of the competition, on the look-out for the next big thing to make its product stand out. When the early 1960s arrived, the design trend in motorcycles had shifted to a more simplified and enclosed look, more akin to automotive design. BSA was, however, fairly conservative with its design philosophy, and only for the 1966 BSA A65 Lightning did the company shows initial leanings toward more simplified design choices. Holding onto the success of its 1950s machines, BSA perhaps felt that totally reimagining the bike might alienate its loyal audience. These mid-1960s BSAs are great examples of the transition between the more established British bike look and a more forward-looking 1970s style.





The BSA Lightning appeared in film and television on a few occasions, the most notable being the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball. SPECTRE agent Fiona Volpe, played by Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi, rides a fully-faired gold Lightning armed with rocket launchers. In the famous scene, Volpe uses the rockets to blow up a black car chasing Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, a scene that is etched into many people’s minds. Filmed at Silverstone, the Lightning was actually ridden on track by motorcycle champion Bill Ivy—in a blonde wig!
Designed as an all-round sports machine, the Lightning was one of various A65 models designed be sold predominantly in the U.S. market, such as the Thunderbolt, Rocket, Spitfire, and Hornet models, along with sub variants such as the Lightning Rocket and Lightning Clubman. The Lightning was made between 1965 and 1972, and the bike illustrated here is from the early end of that spectrum. At the time it was a top-of-the-range machine, and the first to use 12-volt electrics. BSA had developed it to compete with the Triumph Bonneville. Some say it was the styling of the Lightning versus the Bonneville that let it down; the former’s performance and handling were certainly competitive.

As mentioned, our main A65 illustration showcases a few design elements that are distinctly traditional, namely the front and rear ends, but even the fuel tank to a certain extent is not too radically different from that of the earlier BSA A10 from which the Lightning evolved. It is the design of the engine and the oil tank that distinguish this machine from its forerunner.





In the late 1950s, Lucas switched its production of electronic motorcycle components from magneto and dynamo to alternator and coil systems. This change instigated a major change in British motorcycle engine design. BSA and Triumph (at this time owned by BSA) took the opportunity to completely redesign its engine ranges, moving away from pre-unit and semi-unit construction to full-unit construction. Full-unit construction meant combining the engine and gearbox into one complete unit. The A65 was one such engine, the product of lessons learned from the A10 engine that BSA Managing Director and General Manager Bob Fearon worked on with Bert Perrigo, Chief Development Engineer, to create the new vertical twins.

When it came to the unit construction of the A65, the outer cases were minimal in their sculpting, shaped into simple domed ovals; this became known as “The Power Egg.” Due to the investment in redesigning, tooling, and producing this new construction, “The Power Egg” stuck with BSA until the brand’s demise in 1973.

The A65 engine was designed to be quieter, more reliable, and less prone to oil leaks than its predecessors. When you take into account that, by 1969, 80 percent of BSAs production was going to the States, these were sensible goals. In America, reliability over longer distances and quieter running in urban environments were key selling points, favored by civilian customers and authorities alike. Later styling changes to the Lightning range—such as high rise handlebars and more streamlined fuel tanks—also targeted the American market in an effort to drive sales.

The A65 and its smaller variant, the A50, ultimately proved to be good engines. Both were continually developed throughout the late 1960s, and some say the peak of the A65 series was the 1970 model. Various problems during this time included oil pump issues, and oiling in general; BSA never fully resolved these issues, however with modern solutions these engines are still considered very usable within the classic motorcycle world.

The Lightning received a slightly modified version of the A65 engine, featuring a close-ratio gear box and a high-lift camshaft. This yielded lively acceleration characteristics and solid performance at higher rpm, though the close-ratio ‘box with its tall first gear meant that the rider would have to slip the clutch up to 10 mph.
With BSA back in the news and eyeing a 2021 comeback, there’s never been a better time to celebrate the classic British brand and its beloved machines.

This is too strange. I bought a house in Deadwood in the historic President’s district. It’s about 100 years old and so are the streets and retaining walls. Recently contacted by the Historic Society about my retaining wall, the boss asked. “Do you know about this article and how we can get in touch with the photographer?”

I asked to see what he found and he sent me shots of the pages. It was written by Billy Tinney. Billy was once a Bandido for a short period and a constantly traveling photographer for Easyriders magazine for over 50 years. He’s currently trying for pull photography from his massive archives for the next issue of Choppers Magazine. So, he said he would look for the brothel file from 1981.

 Billy used stringers to cover various events and action. When I reached out to him he mentioned that Pam photographed the whorehouse in Deadwood. Billy, who rarely came to the ER offices, tried to work his event coverage empire from a constantly moving motorhome with his very beautiful and organized wife, Tami.

As is turned out, Pam was the boss of the whorehouse and she fought the city over her business and the rally.

A drunk local smoking a cigar in the basement of Deadwood Cigars, while listening to the live blues band turned to me and asked which house was mine. I told him. Sorta cross-eyed and fading in the smoke-filled room, he looked hard at me and said, “What?”

I repeated my address and his eyes brightened, as if awakened by brilliant morning daylight. “You’re kidding,” he said. “The lot behind your house is where Wild Bill was originally buried!”

The Deadwood mysteries continue on several fronts.

–Bandit

I have 2019 Street Glide Special, I love the look of stock OEM short windshield but it was not functional for my ride height. I did a test with a 7-inch Wave windshield, and it still was not doing the trick. It was time to quit screwing around and go the source of the original flare windshield.

 

 

Sizing for the windshield is easy, but sizes are different for all riders based on their seat, their height and how they sit on their bike. Klock Werks offer 4 to11.5-inch windshields for Street Glides and 6 to 15-inch for Road Glides.

 

Streetglide Windshield Heights

 

 

Roadglide Windshield Heights

 

I initially picked the dark smoke 10.5 windshield for looks but the Klock Werks team got back to me. They do not recommend dark smoke at the height. They were willing to let me have it but suggested clear or tint. As long as you are a solid rider and know your bike, it would probably be okay, but night time the dark smoke sounds like it will be just a too dark, when needing to glance through at times. I went with their recommendation as they are a solid crew. They go out of their way to help customers.

 

Removal

 

 

2.            Raise and remove the windshield.

Installation

1.            Place the windshield into position between the inner and outer fairings engaging the slotted holes in the windshield with the threaded bosses on the inner fairing.

2.            Tighten three screws (1) to 2.8–3.4 N·m (25–30 in-lbs).

 

 

 

Now ride, and enjoy with the best windshield you will ever experience.

 

 

It was night and day difference for me riding with Klock Werks, I also noticed a little more stability and smoother ride at higher speeds. I was also able to listen to my Boom GTS at highway speeds as the bonus as hoped for. I’m 5’11″ and the air stream seemed to slide over me just at the top of my helmet or slightly above it.

“The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally brings hundreds of bikers through Mitchell, and we want to welcome them with open arms,” said Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau Director, Sonya Moller. “Mitchell is home to several well-known and respected custom bike entities. Many riders have made a tradition of stopping in Mitchell on their way to Sturgis. We want to continue to build on Mitchell’s reputation for being a biker-friendly city.”

Community members and motorcyclists from across the nation are invited to a night fun with food vendors and live music. North Main Street from 4th Ave to 7th Ave. will be closed for the evening’s events. Bike only parking will be available at the south end of 4th Ave and Main. Food vendors and a beverage garden will be available 5-10 p.m.

Brian Klock, Klock Werks President & Visionary adds, “Mitchell is looking forward to welcoming the riders to our community and showcasing our unique specialty shops, museums, and the pride of over 15,000 residents who believe in hard work, growth, community and family. This is an event for all-ages, so bring the family and enjoy local food vendors, live music, and more!”

If you are going to Sturgis, Klock Werks will be at Black Hills H-D in Rapid City. Stop by and try out one of their windshields

-Misled

  I installed LITHIUM Batteries in a lot of motorcycles for other guys, and everyone has had good things to say about them, so now it’s my turn.

 Like everyone else I am looking for long life and powerful cranking amps.

 The Harley Davidson LITHIUM Battery promises that. They offer 2-times longer battery life and more cranking amps than standard AGM batteries.

They weigh much less, have quality machined brass terminals and a built- in tester so you can tell how much charge is in it.

There is a lot of technical stuff about these type batteries, and if you really want to know about the background information it’s readily available. We watched the lithium battery technology start, stumble, and dial in the product line. You know it’s cool, when the factory embraces it.

The battery comes with a complete set of instruction, and I recommend you read them before installing the battery, or just ride your bike to the dealership and have them do it.

Installation will vary slightly depending what motorcycle the battery is being installed. In this case it is a 2009 FLHTC. The current battery is 3 years old, and I just felt more comfortable replacing it before my ride to Sturgis this year.

The battery comes charged, but I started off by checking its voltage with a volt meter. It should be 13.4 Volts, my meter showed 13.14, not much difference but still not full charge and I had time to boost it as I worked on other things.

I hooked up the Selectable 800 MA Dual Mode Battery Tender to make sure that it was fully charged before putting in the motorcycle.

While the battery was being topped off, I removing the seat and side panel, I like removing the main fuse when working on the battery, it also gives me the opportunity to clean the fuses while the cover is off.

I released the engine control module and using a Number 40 Torex I removed the battery hold down.

 I do have a couple of 10mm battery tools. I insulated one with some heat shrink should I accidently hit metal while loosening or tightening the cables.

Always Remove The Ground (-) Cable First and Install Last

The new battery comes in a caddy that fits into the place where the older heavier battery was.

When it was in place, I lightly added dielectric grease to the cables. I inserted the bolt and torqued to 50-60 inch pounds.

It started what seemed quicker than usual and charging was in specifications.

 I am liking this new battery and I suspect that to continue.

So, when you get ready for your new battery consider upgrading to a LITHIUM.

 

This is a gear-grinding, shock stretching, chassis flexing, pushrod pounding (in the case of the Challenger, tappet tapping) first in many respects. No one ever expected baggers to battle it out in an official AMA, MotoAmerica road race scenario on an historic championship road racetrack. But it’s happening this year supported by industry leaders such as S&S, Barnett, Saddlemen and Drag Specialties.

Fourteen teams committed to racing in the inaugural King of the Baggers event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Bikernet is going to watch a couple of teams going forward, and today focused on the only Indian entry into this magnificent competition.

Indian launched a new model this year, the Challenger, proclaimed to be the ultimate American Bagger with a Fixed Fairing, Inverted Front End, the Most Powerful Motor in its class.

Designed for the most knowledgeable and discerning riders, Indian designers stopped at nothing to ensure that the Challenger out-classed its competition and delivered the highest performing, fully loaded bagger on the market.

It started with the all-new Indian PowerPlus engine, Indian’s first liquid-cooled large displacement motor (108 cubic-inch, 60-degree V-twin) that packs a best-in-class 122-horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque. The new powertrain also features a six-speed transmission with true overdrive, assist clutch to reduce clutch effort, and hydraulic valve lash adjusters and camshaft chain tensioners for a low maintenance, reliable powerplant.

The PowerPlus’ overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder deliver incredible V-twin performance and power. Riders can customize the bike’s throttle mapping by selecting one of three ride modes, including Rain, Standard and Sport – resulting in one motorcycle with three distinct performance personalities. Each ride mode has been engineered with its own distinct traction control setting to align with each mode’s specific throttle mapping.

Indian chose to work with S&S in this race effort, and we spoke to David Zemla for the hot ticket modifications to the Challenger. “The Challenger drivetrain is really well sorted, so the mods we’ve done are fairly minimal.” S&S is also working with a number of the other Harley-based teams.

S&S opened the breathing with additional headwork and shifted the power band specifically for a road-race configuration with a new cam grind and stainless-steel exhaust. They are still working on the fuel injection body, injectors and mapping.

Indian Motorcycle’s state-of-the-art technology drove the PowerPlus to be the highest-performing American V-twin ever developed. The new engine’s name is a nod to Indian Motorcycle’s iconic history, paying homage to the Indian PowerPlus motorcycle produced from 1916 to 1924. Indian does and excellent styling job and the S&S team is working overtime to enhance the already stellar performance.

The team studied how they could lighten the chassis containing the Power Plus as an integral portion of the frame. They were able to relieve the Challenger of 200 pounds, partially with lighter FTR1200 forks and 17-inch billet aluminum wheels. “Billet race wheels helped, forks, emptied fairing, lots of bracketry, lighter exhaust are all part of the weight loss program,” David said. “It’s more a collection of ounces than any one big weight hit.”

“We changed the rake and frame trail to enhance track handling,” David added. They added a chain final drive for gearing manipulation.

The challenger chassis is not rubber-mounted so the handling can be tight and crisp.

The stock Challenger comes with race-spec radially-mounted Brembo brakes providing superior stopping power, and new performance touring Metzeler Cruisetec tires offer supreme traction. Tires may change for the race. Challenger’s chassis-mounted fairing features an adjustable windscreen with nearly three inches of travel and adjustable air vents – delivering unprecedented rider protection from all elements. We will see if the S&S team alters the aerodynamics.

A true state-of-the-art bagger, the Limited and Dark Horse variants of Challenger are equipped with Indian Motorcycle’s intuitive Smart Lean Technology, keeping riders confidently grounded by utilizing a Bosch IMU to add cornering control to the dynamic traction control and ABS, as well as Drag Torque Control.

The PowerPlus adopts several design and performance features from the liquid-cooled 1,133 cc Indian Scout engine, including an overhead camshaft design utilizing four valves per cylinder. But comparisons end there. The PowerPlus was developed with a big-piston, big-torque mindset with an end game of maximum power delivery across the entire curve.

Indian Motorcycle PowerPlus Engine Specifications:
•Engine Displacement: 108 cubic inches (1,769 cc)
•Power: 122 hp at 5,500 RPM
•Torque: 128 ft-lbs. at 3,800 RPM
•Maximum Engine Speed: 6,500 RPM
•Architecture: 60-degree V-twin, liquid-cooled powerplant
•Crankcase: Unit design featuring a high capacity semi-dry sump oil system
•Timing System: Overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder
•Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection. 52mm dual bore throttle bodies
•Compression Ratio: 11:1
•Transmission: Six-speed with true overdrive, constant mesh
•Clutch: Assist clutch

We also dug into the background of this competition. “The real creator and ringleader is one of the Parts Unlimited guys named Rob Buydos,” said Don Emde, former Daytona 200 Champion and AMA Hall of Fame inductee. “He lives in Cleveland. Rob got it all started last November at Drag’s dealer/vendor ride that was based in Tucson and the idea grew. Paul Langley and some of the S&S guys were at one of these meetings, and that is where Paul made the commitment that S&S would participate.”

“This first King of the Baggers race at Laguna Seca is basically the model,” said Don. If it is received well, MotoAmerica is open to the idea of adding it to their series of road races for 2021. The over-all notion is to help Wayne Rainey and his MotoAmerica organization to broaden its focus from just being about metric racing to include a class for V-Twins.”

Fourteen teams have signed on the dotted line to compete in the King of the Baggers invitational event that will be part of the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The event was postponed until October, with the grid now full for the exhibition race. The riders must be current or recently active professionals.

The list of invited teams set to participate follows:

Vance & Hines – manufacturer of motorcycle exhaust and performance products

The teams will be announcing their riders in the coming weeks.

“In all my years of working in the motorcycle industry, I have never been to Laguna Seca,” said Brandon Holstein, owner/builder of The Speed Merchant. “So, I am beyond excited to be going for the first time.”

“This is for the fans and for the brands who love to build and ride – racing is part of Saddlemen’s heritage, and we’re honored to be on the starting grid with our moto family,” said David Echert of Saddlemen.

Hang on for more reports. This race also supports a new market in the V-Twin industry and Indian’s growth, the performance bagger. We are working on a feature around several stupid fast, ultra-high-performance baggers, many of which involve S&S components. Hang On!

Despite launching the LiveWire electric bike and entering a new performance echelon with the 145-hp, water-cooled Revolution Max engine, Harley-Davidson’s future is still firmly pinned on its traditional air-cooled, cam-in-block V-twins—and the firm is developing a completely new engine that ticks those familiar boxes.

New patent applications from the firm reveal that it’s developing a completely new air-cooled, pushrod V-twin that combines old-school appearances with modern technology including variable valve timing.

The new design would have a compact new balancer mounted to the crankshaft that would spin at the same speed.

Elements of the design are familiar Harley territory. It’s a twin cam engine, with a camshaft for each cylinder. Those camshafts are driven via an intermediate gear that drops their speed to half that of the crankshaft. It’s here that the variable valve timing is added.

The pushrod engine design actually makes VVT easy to implement. A single VVT actuator (or “variator”) is built into the intermediate gear, allowing the output side that meshes with the camshafts to be shifted by a few degrees in relation to the input side that meshes with the crankshaft gear. In comparison, a DOHC V-twin with variable inlet and exhaust valve timing would need four variators, one for each camshaft, and those would be mounted in the cylinder heads where they add undesirable bulk and weight.

The position of the VVT system on the intermediate gear isn’t a new idea. Indian has also filed patents for an air-cooled V-twin with a similar layout, and Harley isn’t trying to get IP rights over the VVT element of the engine. Instead it’s hoping to patent a compact new balancer which is mounted concentrically to the crankshaft and driven by a chain and sprocket from the camshaft intermediate gear. The sprocket ratio doubles the balancer’s speed—so it spins at the same speed as the crankshaft—and the chain drive from the intermediate gear means it turns in the opposite direction to the crank, allowing it to offset crank vibrations.

A smaller, higher-revving engine such as the one found on the aging Sportster would likely benefit most from VVT.

Although this new engine sticks to Harley’s traditional 45-degree, air-cooled V-twin layout, its pushrods are a break from the norm. We’re used to seeing pushrod tubes running up the right-hand side of Harley V-twins, but on the new design there are pushrods on both sides of the engine. The front cylinder has its inlet valve pushrod on the left-hand side and exhaust pushrod on the right, while the rear cylinder’s inlet pushrod is on the right and exhaust is on the left. The heads are four-valve designs, with each pushrod operating a rocker that acts on two valves.

Pushrods on the new design now run up both sides of the engine and operate on four-valve heads, a switch from the usual Harley V-twin layout.

While many have suggested that future emissions laws, particularly in Europe, will make air-cooled, pushrod-valved engines a thing of the past, in fact that’s wide of the mark. The Euro emissions rules are actually much harder on high-revving engines. Big, lazy twins that don’t need high revs can achieve surprisingly clean emissions—the newly launched BMW R 18, for example, demonstrates that large-capacity, air-cooled engines will be with us for a long time to come.

Since Harley’s large-capacity Milwaukee-Eight is still a new design and created with future emissions rules in mind, there’s a good chance the new patents show a replacement for the age-old Sportster V-twin, which hasn’t changed substantially since the mid-1980s. As a smaller, higher-revving engine it’s more likely to benefit from VVT than the bigger V-twin, gaining both cleaner emissions and a boost in low-end torque.

Editor’s Note: This is interesting. The factory wouldn’t comment on whether this engine is happening or not. Although, they blessed Bikernet to publish it. If you’ve been around, you remember when Harley engines were considered tractor engines and junk. They weren’t considered performance engines or capable of racing. Now, almost every manufacturer produces some semblance of a V-Twin. And according to this article, V-Twins are lower polluters than higher revving engines. Incredible. We rock! –Bandit

The Badlands represents the old west and now bikers, due predominately to the 80-year-old Sturgis Rally, Pappy Hoel and Michael Lichter. More brothers and sisters feel the magic in the hills and want to stay. Plus, for outlaw brothers of the wind, this area still represents freedom, and something untouched, for now.

I discovered a new breed of riders in Boulder Canyon in a large open shop. Hidden between pine trees were five Stupid Fast Harley Baggers, a Ducati Panigale and a tricked out 200 mph Kawasaki cop bike.

I just left a digital meeting in Deadwood, with David Zemla from S&S and Bradley from the Indian PR group about the King of the Baggers Race later this year in Laguna Seca. S&S is modifying a new Indian Challenger for this bagger road race against 13 other bikes, all Harleys.

I was intrigued by the race effort, but less than 30 minutes later I met these guys, who were the real deal. They represented where the racing and marketing meets the asphalt. A handful of guys with the moxie and the money to ride from Deadwood to Denver at 140 mph plus.

One of these characters was Eric Herrmann, the 30-year motorcycle artist from Cave Creek, Arizona, who just bought a cop Kawasaki capable of doing over 200. He altered the front fairing and installed a John Shoppe tour pack and rides. “I don’t like working on bikes,” Eric said. “I just wanna ride.”

Joe, a longtime, demolition, concrete and reclamation contractor from Denver, could choose to cut a dusty trail in a leather and burlwood Cadillac Escalade, or a Ferrari. But he’s a biker and his steed of choice is a late model Street Glide or Road Glide modified until it’s Stupid Fast. Except for a recent Ducati purchase, his street weapons of choice have all been Harleys and this is a major statement to the quality of the new Harley Chassis and the M-8 engine.

Joe has worked for several years with Randy from Dakota V-Twin in Spearfish, SD. He jams back and forth from Boulder Canyon, outside Deadwood to Denver and back on a regular basis. That’s just 550 miles due south through some of the best riding terrain and roads this side of the Mississippi.

Randy’s shop is located just 10 miles from Deadwood in Spearfish, SD and is a complete shop offering serious Dyno tunes during the rally. Here’s a menu of his service offerings.

Maintenance and Repair on all Harley Davidson’s and Custom American V-Twins
Big Dog Warranty and Service
Performance engine building, anything from Mild to Wild
Parts and Accessories sales
Dyno Tuning on Fuel Injected and Carbureted on ALL makes of motorcycles
Headwork
Cylinder Boring
Electrical Diagnostics and Professional Wiring
Winterization and Storage
Crash Repair and Estimates
Custom Paint
Complete Restoration
Tires and Oil Changes
Machining and Custom part fabrication
Complete Detailing
Polishing

When Joe buys a bike, Randy is on the spot immediately with the performance mods he needs and service work to keep the Stupid Fast Fleet in shape for long distance runs. Let’s take a look at the performance mods to Joe’s bikes:

2016 Street Glide Special

This was originally a 143-inch S&S Twin Cam built by Don Bloom in Denver, and Randy took it to 157 inches of thundering 190 horses and 194 pounds of torque. It’s a wonder you don’t need vice-grips to hold onto the throttle.

D&D is the only company making exhaust systems for this specific engine. And the rest of the driveline needed beefing, with a Baker Grudge Box, 6-speed transmission, Baker clutch and Zipper’s chain rear drive. They added an Ohlins upside down front end, enhanced Brembo brakes, super-light carbon fiber wheels and most of the sheet metal was switched out for carbon fiber.

This puppy is stupid fast. “It feels light and nimble,” Joe said when he compared the handling of the Street Glide to a Road Glide with a fixed fairing.

Joe has over $90,000 into this Harley and loves to pull alongside Eric at 140 mph.

2019 Road Glide Special

Joe had this puppy torn down with only 50 miles on the new clock. This monster rumbles with a 143-inch M-8 engine built by Rick Ward, of Zimmerman, Minnesota, with Rick’s rebuilt and ported heads. Rick installed a Dark Horse crank, welded and balanced. The inches come from Stock barrels bored out with sleeves.

The motor still looks like a stock 107 or 114-inch M-8. “The lower-end is still a stock configuration,” Randy added.

Joe had Brock’s Carbon fiber wheels installed at Randy’s shop. All the body parts minus front fender and gas tank were switched out with Hoffman design carbon fiber units.

They are big fans of Burns stainless tuned exhaust, a tough BDL primary, Saddlemen seat to keep the rider securely in place and a set of stainless locking Twisted Chop floorboards.

He backed up the power base with a Baker Grudge Box, 6-speed transmission and rear chain drive. “The Baker gear set has beefier transmission gears,” Randy added. “We use the factory case.”

Most of his bikes are handling tuned with Ohlins front ends and shocks on the rear. Randy added 484 Radial Brembo brakes, Berringer billet controls, 64 mm Screamin’ Eagle throttle body to match the Rick Ward ported heads. All Ohlins suspension components are ordered configured for rider’s weight.

It puts out 200 horses and 180-190 pounds of torque. The M-8 configuration is capable of massive torque.

He spent just $70,000 on this highway flier.

2016 Street Glide

Next, we discussed his sharp, all-black 2016 Ultra Limited with the Stage 5 kit installed before it rolled out of the showroom floor.

It’s a heavier bike, but still has Brock carbon fiber wheels for reduced rolling weight. Like most of his bikes it is equipped with Brembo radial brakes and Ohlins suspension. More solid and stable caliper mounting. The exhaust is custom D&D, the trans is stock 6-speed and the engine is 110 inches. It took the high $40,000 mark to make it fly.

I asked about Joe’s tire selection and he told me they use 173 mph plus, soft Dunlop Sport Max tires. “They don’t last long, but they grip,” Randy said. “Joe has even blown them out.”

They always use Zipper’s rear chain drive kits with 530 heavy duty O-ring chains.

2010 Twin Cam Street Glide

The older bike of the team is a 2010 Twin Cam Street Glide with a Trask Turbo. The engine is a mild 107-inch. It doesn’t have the high-performance wheels, but Andrews gears in the transmission. Now it has CP pistons and will spin to 6259 rpm. “Turbo adds weight and heat,” Randy commented.

The front billet aluminum wheel looks to be Metal Sport, coupled with a stock rear wheel. This is still Eric Herrmann’s favorite bike because of the high revving Trask turbo, which might be a more efficient fit on the Twin Cam because of the improved pushrod angle.

We didn’t talk about money this time around.

2018 Road Glide

Finally, we studied his 2018 Road Glide, with a smaller engine, but it still puts out 160 horses coupled to a Baker Trans and to the road with carbon fiber wheels. This is Joe’s smooth-running bike capable of long, vibration-free runs from the Badlands to Denver.

George Vise originally built the 124-inch engine. Randy recently took it to 128-inches.
He used the S&S big bore kit. He had the lower-end fully balanced and welded by Dark Horse. He removed the counter-balance, which he handles on all M-8s. The pieces only come to 3 pounds, but it removes rotating mass. Can’t tell the difference, vibration wise with the balanced lower-end.

The S&S kit comes with bigger pistons and cylinders, cam chest and oil pump. Randy used a Rick Ward 550 max horsepower cam.

It also has a Burns stainless steel tuned exhaust, Zipper’s No-Loss air cleaner and a stock primary with an AIM lock-up clutch. Front suspension is still Ohlins and a couple of his bikes sport a comfortable CVO seat.

He likes the TT bars configuration but uses a set-back plate to bring the bars closer to the rider by 1.5 inches. This bike ran him just over $60,000.

That’s not all. Joe has a restored Knucklehead with a matching sidecar and two restored Panheads. He owns a big wheeled bagger that’s not used much anymore, a Harley from the ‘20s is in his living room and recently he was blown away by the new 2020 Ducati V4R Panigale. It weighs just 386 pounds and pumps out 214 horses and 91.5 foot-pound of torque. It redlines at over 19,000 rpm. He dropped a mere $40,000 into it, but had the dealer install a $6,800 aftermarket exhaust system before he rolled it out of the lot.

“They told me not to mess with the computer systems until I got adjusted to the bike,” Joe added. It has nine operating systems, including a wheelie-control computer and is stupid fast to say the least.

Let me know what you think of his Stupid Fast Fleet.

–Bandit

RESOURCES

S&S

Dakota V-Twin
(605) 717-0009

Saddlemen

BDL

MetalSport Wheels

Zipper’s

5-Ball Inc.

The adventure of riding and building custom bikes has never been better. That wasn’t always the case. Hell, before cars it was tough to get 30 miles at less than 4 miles an hour. Hell, if outlaws or Indians attacked, who could you call. That’s right, you couldn’t call. Then cars and motorcycles came along and they weren’t that reliable. You better know your machine or don’t leave town.

And now we’re rocking into an era of super technology and the choice to do almost anything you dream of perfectly. Just this week during the Sturgis Rally, my grandson wanted to come to the badlands bad. He fought with his girlfriend over the notion and grappled with not seeing his dying grandma who chose to smoke throughout all of her adult life when both of her folks died young of lung cancer and smoked.

When Frankie returned, he wanted to replace his new re-manned Evo engine with an S&S 111 and a Baker 6-speed transmission. “I want to go fast,” he said.

In Deadwood I ran across brothers with Stupid Fast Baggers. Hell, a serious rider put $90,000 into a 157-inch Road Glide with carbon fiber wheels, sheet metal and an S&S engine. I also ran into Rigger a serious Maryland ABATE member and freedom fighter who made the run out from Maryland on Road Glides, but his sharp 30-year-old son rode a new 750 Harley liquid cooled café styled bike.

In Deadwood, last night guys with custom baggers were blasting super high-dollar sound systems on main street. Baggers seemed the bikes of the day, but still a handful of choppers shined, foreign bikes rolled quietly, and Sportsters kept up with the packs.

Covid be dammed, brothers packed the streets of Deadwood, Sturgis and the Buffalo chip. Thousands are jamming along the snaking Spearfish Canyon past tornado blown over Jack pines as if a giant ran through the woods crushing 75 feet tall 100-year old trees like they were dried weeds in a field.

The mountains surrounding the canyon are sharp, jagged and majestic. Limestone palisades tower over bustling creaks of crisp clear water. The 1000-foot walls and the speed limits restricting riders to safe speeds ruined some blasters’ days. More and more and especially now motorcycles represent freedom in a world that doesn’t want to be free. In a land that doesn’t want to allow risk but in a world of human beings who just want to be free to find adventure.

It’s wild, it’s the weak who want to be protected from anything and control everything in order to be protected and prevent anyone from being able to be anything but protected. And then there are the brothers of the wind who want only the tools to find their freedom to build anything and everything.

There are companies like Harley-Davidson and Indian, or should I say Polaris who want, even encourage the freedom seeker to find his path. I love it.

In closing I want to thank Sam for his cool picks, and I will touch on the rally in the Badlands. I’m rolling the dice that folks will head home healthy. The numbers are sorta amazing. Nick Trask of Trask Turbo broke all his sales records by Monday. He was blown away. Deadwood Custom Cycles was jammed with work and we could hardly talk to Jason, the boss, about our magneto problem with Dr. Hamster’s Pandemic Panhead. Other business owners reported killer numbers and nothing but good times. The week is barely rolling, and brothers have been all over the area since June.

Some business owners were worried about not coming and a reaction from customers. I never heard a discouraging word. Most folks are just elated to get out and ride, see friends and check out new shit. Keep your fingers crossed. We’re riding to the Hall of Fame breakfast tomorrow, then Nemo. Thursday is the Hamster barbecue and ride and I will attempt to finish the news before we ride out.

Again, for riders all over the Badlands, I want them to be safe and arrive home healthy and show the country what freedom is all about. –Bandit

                         

 The day before I was scheduled to leave my radio died, a check confirmed it was the radio and not anything else, like a blown fuse or loose wire. Well, I had a new helmet from Harley I was trying and I was able to hear music from my phone with it, so no big deal. I will write a separate article on the helmet when the dust settles.

 I got an early start on Friday, August 1, because this year I planned to stop and visit my niece in North Carolina. The ride went well and as the day went on the temperature continued to rise. I did plan on that and had my Harley Cooling vest with me and did need to use it. When I am riding by myself I don’t mess around. I stop for gas and unless I have to use the men’s room I gas and go. This helps to make excellent time getting to my next stop. Something you can never plan on is traffic jams, because of construction or wrecks on the interstates, and I did hit a couple of them but still arrived in time for us to go to supper and enjoy some conversation.

 Got a reasonable start Saturday morning, because my next stop was Gettysburg, PA, where I was to meet my friend and riding partner Beat-on who was coming in from New Jersey. I no sooner got into PA and my oil pressure gauge started doing crazy stuff. I was in bumper to bumper traffic and all kinds of things were going through my mind. I was finally able to get off the highway, and through a process felt it was the gauge or sending unit and not anything more serious, so I made it to the hotel, where I was meeting Beat-on.

 Still concerned I wanted to make sure it was not something more serious, I realized my friend Dan Fitzmaurice shop Zippers Performance was not that far away.

A phone call to him had me meet him at the shop early Monday and Justin installed a hose and gauge which confirmed I did in fact have good oil pressure. Better safe than sorry.

We made it to sister Cat’s and Cowboy’s house in Wisconsin for a much-needed R&R. Times with friends and their hospitality on these trips makes a world of difference. I also got to try out a new crossbow.

While there I took the opportunity to check out the fuel gauge situation which told me I would need a new part in the tank. Not something looking to do on the road.

 First, we stopped at Klock Werks to see our good friends there. Good thing we did as we were parking, I noticed oil leaking from Beat-on’s bike. It turned out to be an oil line. Got it in the shop and Todd got on it right away. Concerned about getting it fixed Brian Klock the owner said not to worry, we will get it fixed or take the bike and Beat-on to Black Hills H-D the next day. Well, Todd did his thing and not a drop the rest of the trip.

Got my oil pressure switch and wire connector fixed at Black Hills H-D but they did not have the fuel gauge parts in stock but did confirm what I thought was wrong so would just pay attention to gas and mileage the rest of the trip.

Made it to my friend Kathy’s house in Nemo and got settled in, while Beat-on did the same at the Guest Ranch.

Okay, even with planning and trying to cover everything, sometimes things just do not work out as planned. But I think this is way more interesting than I got on my motorcycle, met Beat-on and we rode to Sturgis…