“Your own personal Jesus. Someone to hear your prayers. Someone who’s there” are the first words of the lyrics of “Personal Jesus”, a song introduced by the band Depeche Mode in 1989, then covered by Johnny Cash and made even more famous when controversial singer Marilyn Manson released his own version. What it has to do with this radical build? The client loving the tune, singer Manson’s satanic stage antics, and everything excessive. Art and speed, for example.
When this client showed up at Bike Farm Melle – one of the biggest names on the European custom scene – with sketches and precise artwork in hands, he clearly stated that he had no budget limit for the shop to create the best bike possible. But with one condition: to produce a very fast radical machine homologated to be ridden at Autobahn speed. Which meant his bike getting inspected and approved for safety by the engineers of German TÜV. To build a badass, very fast and road legal one-off bike is always a big challenge, especially in Europe. And it had to be called “Personal Jesus”…
The team of Gerd Remmert at Bike Farm is accustomed to clients with big checks and long and very precise wish list. Formula One pilot Michael Schumacher was one of them. Creating a one-off bike built to thrill at high speed requires a strong foundation. Austrian Peter Penzenstadler at Penz frame was in charge to conceive and weld the frame and swingarm able to endure the torque of a a 131 cubic inch Jims Motor. A task complicated by a client approved design requiring a “holed” backbone (visible between the tank two halves) and down tube. Safety is never compromised thanks to Penz welding steel tubes in each hole. A cut out was made on the triangle right side of the frame for later access to the bike start button and air suspension switch. Another frame cut out was required as an exit to the custom made exhaust system. For a very clean look, rear suspension uses a custom made left side single sided swingarm.
Then the chassis was sent over to the Bike Farm in-house sheet-metal crew in charge to hammer, form and weld the final bodywork. Gas tank, rear fender, lower front spoiler with integrated oil tank and cooler, seat recessed deep into the bodywork, low bars are typical of the drag race inspired style that Germans, Swiss and Austrians love so much. A beautiful and very precise job was done at integrating taillight and indicators, not to forget the “finning” of the spoiler/cooler assembly. A set of Rick’s “Rodder” wheels (3.5 x 23” front, 10.5 x 20” rear) tells you what this creation is all about: power to be unleashed when the bike is standing still, power to be demonstrated to those who think they own the German autobahns.
A Legends air ride system smooth the bike rear suspension while in the front forks are a combination of V-Rod internal parts with No Limit Customs components. Check out the integration of the “Alien” headlight low inside onto the triple-trees. Although the stock Harley 6-speed gearbox and belt could handle the 131” Jim’s Motor power, the Bike Farm team opted for a NH-Power belt drive and strenghtened the clutch to deliver the massive torque to the rear wheel. And the paint? As wild as some of Marilyn Manson stage makeups. Full tech sheet of “Personal Jesus” is below. Bike Farm Melle. (photography copyright Horst Roesler for Cyril Huze)
General:
Name: Personal Jesus
Owner: Bike Farm Client in North Germany
Builder: Bike Farm
Year: 2013/2014
Building Time: 10 months
Model: Bike Farm Special
Value: High
Motor:
Year: 2013
Brand: Jim’s 131” Twin Cam
Carburator: EFI Screamin’ Eagle
Air Cleaner: Roland Sands Design
Exhaust: Escapes: Bike Farm routed through frame right side
Bike Farm, routed through right frame side
Transmission:
Year: 2013
Brand: Harley-Davidson Twin Cam, 6-speed
Primary: NH Power
Clutch: NH Power, modified
Final Drive: Belt Drive, Rick’s “Rodder” pulley
Chassis:
Frame: Penz – Bike Farm one-off. 34° rake. 5” Stretch.
Swingarm: Penz – Bike Farm single sided swingarm
Rear Suspension: Legends Air Ride
Front end: Bike Farm Upside Down.
Triple tree: NLC
Gas Tank: Bike Farm, one-off
Oil-tank: Bike Farm, one-off, inside front spoiler with cooler
Wheels:
Front: 3.5 x 23” Rick’s “Rodder” Design Wheel
Rear: 10.5 x 20” Rick’s “Rodder” Design Wheel
Front tire: 130/60-23 Avon
Rear Tire: 280/40-20 Avon
Accessories:
Bars: Bike Farm
Mirrors: Aftermarket
Grips: Bike Farm/Thunderbike
Pegs: Thunderbike
Headlight: Alien
Seat: Bike Farm, Berni Leather
Painter:
Airbrush: AHA Design.
Color: Silk black
Kinda like a Walz Hardcore Build I like it.
I’d be real curious to see if this bike actually was inspected and passed the European standards. Especially concerning the loudness of the exhaust. Perhaps the standards are different for a “one off” versus a volume manufacturer.
I would also like to know who did the setup and tuning of the Jim’s 131″ motor and what the results were. If they were making decent power then the stock 6-speed and drive belt will be the weak links.
I suspect this is another form over function bike that really won’t come close to delivering Autobahn performance.
Love it! Great out of the box thinking!
Looks tight — I would love to see some pictures of the build, specifically the metal fabrication
HD Rider
I agree with you 100%.
Hi Folks. some info for “further enlightment”: In terms of the Jims “131” you can check Cyril’s blog for the
http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2012/07/31/harley-davidson-nuremberg-gets-homologation-of-jims-131-racing-motor-for-legal-use-on-all-european-roads/
story on the Harley-Davidson Nuernberg homologation, which leaves 130 hp and 180 Nm in combination with legal (sound adjustable) Kess-Tech exhausts. Kess-Tech is also located in Franconia, less than 60 Miles from Nuernberg.
The website
http://www.harley-davidson-buell-nuernberg.de/03bikes/120411_BigToysforBigBoys.html
features movie clips as well as all stories published on the toppic. HD Nürnberg offers homologation service for other customizers/dealers too and there have been quite a few 131 equipped bikes recently, since I saw THREE last year at Mainhattan V2 in Frankfurt (http://mainhattan-parts.de) all of which carried German plates.
That we are allowed to drive unlimited speeds on (some stretches of) the Autobahn does not neccessary means that it is possible. Thanks to massive traffic and environmental/noise restricting speed limits. But it means that all components of a build need to be ABLE to withstand that strain, no matter how impossible the idea is. As stated, the bike was build quite extensively to the clients specifications – and that means that ideas and designs may occassionally collide with the law of physics, let alone German homologation procedures and paragraphs.
But rest assured that things are (fairly, looking at the far forward side-mounted license plate…) legal, because getting caught with nothing in the pipes would not just mean a fine for noise, but also “manipulation” of exhaust system, insurance and tax fraud and riding a vehicle without proper insurance. That would NOT be something a client of that type would be looking for.
For the sheet metal work, I don’t know if images of the build exist, but you can check out Bike Farms sheet metal abilities on the
http://www.custom-chrome-europe.com/bikes/bolt-on-and-ride-bikes-2014/softail.html
website, where the 2014 CCE “BOAR” Bike “Fisherman’s Chop” is pictured both painted and “naked” before final assembly.
Oh and by the way: You won’t trash that beauty up and down the Autobahn anyway. You are allowed to do so, but you really won’t hold out for too long. But we’re still happy over here to have the “bragging rights” 🙂
Interesting
Ok, so to quote the article
“Which meant his bike getting inspected and approved for safety by the engineers of German TÜV.”
The toughest safety standard in the world !!!
This is definitely “European” style which most of the time does not do a whole lot for me…
But (and this is just one man’s opinion, for what it’s worth) that is one bad ass cycle
A Penz frame, a JIMS 131″ & a beefed up tranny to handle it all,
sounds like a winning combination to me.
And the model is not bad either !!!! LOL !!!!
Autobahn speed on a HD style motor???
Save some money and go get the Kawasaki H2. A bike that can actually do those speeds.
I must admit the bike looks good, but I doubt it’s much of a performer.
Great sled.
Yes, Roscoe. A 131″ motor for autobahn speed. Who told you that there is no faster bike than this one? With a 131″ you can go to a speed of? Do you even know?
Not exactly a looker….Rather ride the model…Im thinkin the new S&S 145 would put this thing in its place, fast….with or without the Autobahn..
Zenaldo: While there’s no true exception for displacement (cubic inches) there are many ways to put that power to the road or track. Cams, gearing, tuning, weight of bike, wet or dry cooling, these things all come into play.
Why do you think a V-Rod will blow away any HD big twin or even Sportster in stock form?
HD rider perhaps you should have actually read the article before you came out with,”If they were making decent power then the stock 6-speed and drive belt will be the weak links”.
Because it stated that, “Although the stock Harley 6-speed gearbox and belt could handle the 131” Jim’s Motor power, the Bike Farm team opted for a NH-Power belt drive and strenghtened the clutch to deliver the massive torque to the rear wheel.”
Great looking bike , and you have to give peter penz alot of credit for the frame and swing arm.I am using a penz Frame on my new build and his frames are second to none.
I also agree with HD Rider… Interesting to verify that budget can be inversely proportional to good taste (oooops :-))
Call me ignorant but I think I need to look up what the TUV standard is all about.. Sick looking ride though!
Doc Robinson
Try reading it again — they only beefed up the clutch and primary. The final belt drive and transmission is stock Harley. Too weak for a decent 131″.
Roscoe, some how you miss the point of building and having a custom Harley , yes you can walk into any nunber of Jap bike dealers and buy a faster bike for a fraction the cost of a custom built one-off bike and ride out on a bike that looks and is the same make and model of that brand. Sorry to sound condescending but you just don’t “get it.”
HD rider, the stock transmission and final drive belt will adequately handle the power of the motor – depending upon how the bike is ridden. Fast autobahn speeds would not be a problem. Frequent hole shots and/or burnouts could lead to failure. The technology in the latest final drive belts is pretty impressive and a great improvement over earlier versions.
BC, I used to get what you are saying.
Then somewhere along the line I got bored with constantly singing the praises of a platform that excels in some areas but is underperforming in others.
I’m a motorcyclist and I like speed and technology and a good looking ride. What I get now is that there are shining examples of these machines that are handcrafted V based one offs and there are amazing products that come out of the box from assembly lines that are inlines or boxers or whatever..
It’s all good defending a particular type of construct. Less impressive when the defense of it argues for it despite the fact that it is outgunned in the area that is what it was built for. Less so when “getting it” infers being willing to buy in despite facts to the contrary.
There’s plenty to respect in the quality of this particular build. There’s plenty to respect in other manufacturers engineering that results in off the floor models that smoke this machine up top. Not only Pacific rim but the Europeans have some muscular entries into Autobahn cruising. The owner of this bike chose to go a different way. His decision and wallet do not constitute better, just different.
All of these Autobahn ready machines have pluses, they all have fails.
If I don’t discount a bike out of hand because it doesn’t meet some subjective criteria that I imposed on it then that creates the opportunity for me to learn and appreciate some world class motorcycle engineering from both one off builders and production facilities.
It took me about five decades but now that’s what I get.