Roger Goldammer is no stranger to the world of wild custom bikes. The front of his shop in Kelowna, British Columbia is crammed full with lathes, milling machines and a huge CNC machine. Roger takes his equipment and his work very seriously. He does not follow trends in custom bike building by building the expected “Chopper” nor is he drawn in to follow the pack delving into the popular “Old School” variety that has become all the rage lately.
Together with his long time friend and mentor, master machinist Bert Kuckelkorn, Roger looks for ways to improve and innovate the mechanical design and function of the motorcycle power plant. As a recent winner of the Canadian Championship of Custom Bike Building and a two-time winner of the World Championships, Rogers bikes are on the cutting edge of technology. ” I like to challenge myself ” says Roger. So, for his entry in this year's competition he pulled out all the stops.
Not being content to rest on his laurels as the two time World Champ nor his Biker Build Off victory against Matt Hotch at the Bonneville Salt Flats riding a bike he built utilizing a racing go-cart engine, Roger went back to the drawing board to improve on his single cylinder with turbo rear design that he made famous in his TROUBLE bike that won him top World Championship honors the last time he competed.
The NORTORIOUS, at first look, brings to mind the classic lines of the very significant Norton Manx Café Racer but that's where the similarities end. The engine is a 2006 H-D hybrid single cylinder Roger built from the ground up. The 965CC engine features a lower end consisting of Merch cases rotated back 15degrees and balanced internals. The heads are custom from Engenuity and the pistons from Ross and Jims lifters were utilized. The cam is custom designed and manufactured by Roger. The rear head is used on the front cylinder, allowing the induction system to be positioned above the head and cylinder with the angle cut back 15-degrees . The pushrod tubes are also angled to accommodate this change . In place of the rear cylinder, a Rotrex Supercharger that spins at 120,000 RPM was installed. The half a v twin produces 83 rear wheel horse power at 6400 rpm.
The fuel injection uses a 54mm Zippers utilized throttle body and a special Thunder Heart ECM in a closed loop configuration and an extreamly high volume single injector. Using the Thunder Heart ECM and a Dobec module, Roger developed a fuel pump mapping program to provide correct air /fuel ratios, while running up to 20-pounds of boost to compensate for the superchargers flow. Many days and late nights were devoted to getting this set up to work like a charm. The oil system features a modified S&S oil pump and two distinct oil tanks, both cleverly hidden from view, one for engine and the other for supercharger oil.
The bikes transmission started off as a 2006 Baker six-speed unit which Roger modified by shortening main shaft as well as the Prime/Rivera clutch pack and belt drive, all narrowed from 3 inches down to 2. It's a foot shifter with rear sets and has a 24-tooth tranny sprocket shuttling power to the bikes 49-tooth wheel sprocket.
The frame is another in house Goldammer Cycle Works creation. It's a chromolly “Featherbed” style raked 29.5-degrees and de-stretched 3 inches.
The front end is a WP type cut back 1 1/2-inches for superior handling.
The wheels and brake set up are deceiving. At first glance, they appear to be stock Norton drum set ups, only larger, while in fact the drum hubs and custom milled covers hide an ingenious 4-piston disc set up both front and rear. Many days of hand milling went into this clever deception and the rear rim is put together for the 18-inch x 6-inch tire by fabricating the rim from two different Kosman rims.
The body and fenders on the Nortorious are a true work of art. Roger hand hammered the aluminum skins with such precision as to show absolutely no sign of weld work. This is pretty amazing considering that the only paintwork on the bike is the lettering and a clear coat over the raw material. You can see the masters touch in the workmanship in the fuel tank that includes the Buell internal fuel pump and regulator.
The bars are clip-on style sitting atop Goldammer Cycle Works triple trees.
The Speedometer and gauges are VDO's set like those on a vintage jet fighter. The design of the headlight also acts as a wind deflector and just for fun, Roger used the lens and bezel from a vintage Volkswagen Beetle. The taillights are incorporated in the rear of the bikes frame and utilize LED lights. The brake light is also an LED set up hidden in the rear of the seat rail. There is not one visible wire or line on the bike. Roger cleverly hid all the hydraulic lines and wires inside the frame tubes giving a fine clean look to the bike.
This shy and unassuming builder is a genuine craftsman. A close first hand look of the Nortorious lets you know why Roger Goldammer is the two winner of the World Championship of Custom Bike Building and the current Canadian champ. Taking the basic lines of a classic race bike and adding his engineering genius and fabrication talent we would not be surprise to see him walk away with a third world class championship.
–TB
Nortorious Tech Sheet
GENERAL
Fabrication:
Year and Make: 2007 GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Model: NORTORIOUS
Assembly by: ROGER GOLDAMMER
Time: 1 YEAR
Chroming: KELOWNA ELECTROPLATING
ENGINE
Year: 2005
Model: H-D HYBRID SINGLE
Rebuilder: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Ignition: THUNDER HEART
Displacement: 965 CC FRONT CYLINDER
Lower end: MERCH
Balancing: MERCH
Pistons: ROSS
Cases: MERCH
Heads: ENGENUITY
Cams: GOLDAMMER CUSTOM BLOWER GRIND
Lifters: JIMS
Fuel Injection: INJECTION ZIPPERS 54MM-CLOSED LOOP FUEL INJECTION
Air cleaner: N/A
Pipes: GOLDAMMER
TRANSMISSION
Modifications: BAKER 6-SPEED W/SHORTENED MAINSHAFT
Year: 2006
Shifting: FOOT
Trans sprocket: 24-TOOTH
Wheel sprocket: 49-TOOTH
PAINTING
Molding: GOLDAMMER
Painter: JA DESIGN GRAPHICS OVER POLISHED METAL
Color: CLEAR COAT
FRAME
Year: 2006
Builder: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Type: CHROMIUM “FEATHERBED” STYLE
Rake: 29.5-DEGREES
Stretch: 3-INCHES
ACCESSORIES
Bars: CLIP-ONS
Risers: N/A
Fenders: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Headlight: VW BEETLE
Taillight: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS IN FRAME
Speedo: VDO
Front Pegs: N/A
Rear Pegs: P.M. GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Electrics: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Gas Tank: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS INTERNAL PUMP
Oil Tank: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS 2 PUMPS
Oil System: S&S PUMPS
Seat: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
FORKS
Type: WP
Extension: 1 1/2-INCHES UNDER
Builder: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Special Features: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS TREES
WHEELS
Front
Size: 18 X 3.25-INCHES
Hub: GCW BILLETT DRUM HUB W/ 4 PISTON DISC
Rim: BUCCANNONS
Rear
Size: 18 X 6 INCHES
Hub: GOLDAMMER CYCLE WORKS
Rim: KOSMAN
Tires: METZLER
Brakes: CUSTOM 4 PISTON DISC
Special Features
Cylinders: REAR HEAD ON FRONT CYLINDER
Push Rods: ANGLED CHANGED 15-DEGREES
Cam: CUSTOM BLOWER GRIND CAM
Turbo: ROTEX SUPERCHARGER MAKES 20-POUND BOOST
