Because of proportion, narrow Harley-Davidson models like Sportsters and Dynas equipped with 39 mm front ends can be disfigured by the installation of a traditional fairing. Who wants to look like a Giant-Bat-On-Tiny-Wheels running down the highway or worse, your city streets. At the same time, many riders of these models would like some wind […]
Archive for the 'Customs' Category
Vanillazilla Fairings For Harley-Davidson Sportster And Dyna Models
Published by December 9th, 2009 in Accessories, Chassis, Customs and Editorial.Motorcycle Wheel. Height Matters.
Published by December 8th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Wheels.If you don’t already know, a 21″ front wheel on a bagger looks very cool. Have you tried a 26″ donut? (check clearance first). You can even add more “dimension” to your ride with a 2D or 3D design. Metal Sport Wheels is offering all their wheel designs up to 26″ because they know pretty […]
Speed Demon 435 MPH Run On The Bonneville Salts
Published by December 8th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Videos.On September 21, 2009 on the Salts of Bonneville, Utah The Speed Demon (a 4-wheeler), driven by George Poteet and powered by a 5 liter motor, suprised spectators and officials at the Cook Land Speed Shootout with an astonishing 435 mph pass. Love the sound of this machine. Speakers up…
Complaining About Registering A Custom Motorcycle In The US? Read About Irish Nonsense
Published by December 8th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.A rant for Custom Builder Ger Conlon at C&C Choppers Ireland. “Hi, Cyril. Just to let you know the trouble we have in registering Custom Bikes in Ireland thanks to a very incompetent government. What is needed to register a bike from outside the EU, or a newly built bike is a certificate of compliance. […]
Maybe An Alternative Braking Method
Published by December 8th, 2009 in Brakes, Customs and Editorial.Getting rid of your rear brake pedal? No more lifting and extending your foot to push a pedal? Tempting. The principle of this “braking floorboard” is very easy to understand. The floorboard mechanism work by pushing down on its front part. Ok, but if I understand the ergonomic value of this system I am a […]
Ridley Will Not Manufacture 2010 Models But Launches Certified Pre-Owned Motorcycles Program
Published by December 7th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.As I reported in October in my article “Ridley Motorcycle Company At Idle Speed” The Ridley Motorcycle Company confirmed that it will not manufacture any 2010 models, and instead is launching a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program via “2 Wheel Ventures” (Jay Ridley President), the parent company of Ridley Genuine Parts. Ridley’s production is stopped waiting […]
Custom Chrome® 40th Anniversary. From Custom Chopper To Custom Bagger And Everything Between.
Published by December 7th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.In 2010 Custom Chrome Inc. will celebrate its 40th Anniversary (save the date March 12 to 14 for a big celebration). Very few companies in the custom motorcycle business have the privilege to have survived 4 decades through a constant change of the US and international economy and of the taste of bikers regarding the type of […]
Confederate At The LA Auto Show. A New Strategy?
Published by December 6th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Since Thursday December 4th and until the 13th the major automakers are at the Los Angeles Auto Show to unveil more than 30 models making their World or North American Debuts. Are also featured alternative fuel/electric vehicles, concept models and race cars. Among all these auto manufacturers the only motorcycle presence that I know of […]
Girder Front Ends Are Much More Than For Strength And Looks.
Published by December 5th, 2009 in Customs, Editorial and Suspension.When building a custom motorcycle from the ground up one of the first important decisions you have to make is to choose a front end style, probably among 4 styles: Glide or Hydraulic, Springer, Spring Leaf or Girder, with the hydraulic system being the most popular because of the overall perception that it works better. Not […]
Tony Schumacher To Receive First Of Kris Krome’s Reflexion Series.
Published by December 5th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.A lot of reactions & interrogations from you when I published the “Kris Krome Rolling Piece Of Art” bike called “Reflextion”, 1st-place winner of the “Metric Class” at the last the Sturgis AMD World Championship Of Bike Building. Your questions were about the “Elastamerik” front end, and in a comment Kris explained to you that […]
Largest Vintage Motorcycles Auction Is January 7-9th In Las Vegas
Published by December 4th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.MidAmerica Auctions has already conducted more than 80 Vintage, Classic, and Special Interest Motorcycle Auctions in cities across the United States. The one in Las Vegas from January 7th to 9th, 2010 will be the largest with about 500 collector motorcycles expected to change hands. If you want to consign a motorcycle, it’s till time […]
ThunderBird Max-Flow Air Filter Kit. Let Your Engine Breathe.
Published by December 4th, 2009 in Customs, Editorial and Engines.Without touching your engine, if you give it more airflow it will give you more power. As simple as this. This Thunderbird Max-Flow Air Filter Kit is a cheap, easy to install and efficient way to give your motorcycle a nice power increase. It is s designed to replace the stock air cleaner assembly with […]
Got only the picture without explanation. One-wheel machines are motorcycles. Right? Or Monocycle? Would like the builder to contact me to tell my readers how it works…and how it rides. Waiting for this, you can play with the picture and write your own headline.
World’s Fastest Street Bike
Published by December 3rd, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Just unveiled at the Germany Essen Motor Show this street machine named “Asphaltfighter® Stormbringer” is one that even professional motorcycle racers could only dream of in the past. It starts with a top speed of 320+ km/h (199 mph), accelerates from zero to 300 km/h (186 mph) in just 13.9 seconds! It weights only 195 kg […]
New Mega Flake Colors For Biltwell Helmets
Published by December 2nd, 2009 in Accessories, Customs and Editorial.More retro looking than flake paint is mega flake paint. Now available are 5 new colors for Biltwell, Inc. open face helmets. They include Dark Silver, Gang Green, Pacific Blue, Wine Red and Disco Gold. This next generation of Biltwell helmets is the same lightweight and comfortable shell but with a few upgrades. The flake is […]
A Motorcycle Mechanic In Every House
Published by December 2nd, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Videos.The economy sucks and many of you are going through tough times. But there is no way you are going to stop riding. Right? And if you break down, you should not be prevented to ride because you are not in the position to drop $90 an hour to your local dealer. Of course, I support all […]
Defining The Lines Of The Modern Cafe Racer
Published by December 1st, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.If you wonder why we went back so fast to designing motorcycles looking like motorcycles with for inspiration the lines of the 50’s & 60’s, the answer is evident. We all got tired, to not say fed up, with the overgrown, overworked, difficult to ride Choppers of the late 90’s beginning 00’s.
Saddlebag Chaps With Storage Bags for Harley-Davidson FLH
Published by December 1st, 2009 in Accessories, Chassis, Customs and Editorial.Didn’t know that you could buy “chaps” for your bagger. They are made to protect your bagger’s saddlebag lids and because of their soft backside they are “gentle” to your paint. They are made to be durable, impervious to weather and prevent boot scuffs to your expensive bags. And if you need just a little […]
New Custom Valve Stems From Greg Westbury
Published by November 30th, 2009 in Accessories, Builders, Customs and Editorial.Fellow custom motorcycle builder Greg Westbury offers few proprietary parts, but they are all always extremely cool. Just off the C.N.C. machine, Greg sent showed me his new “Low Baller” Valve Stem Caps to make this part of your bike less boring and more original than using a 30-year old “8 Ball” or “Skull” cap design. […]
Art Of The Chopper. Shifting Gears Party.
Published by November 30th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Yesterday Sunday under a solid blue sky the Appleton Museum Of Art in Ocala, FL was celebrating the “Art Of The Chopper” by throwing a big “Shifting Gears Party”. Fellow builder Vince Doll and myself joined Museum Director John Lofgren and Steve Specht, Marketing Coordinator to welcome bike lovers who traveled from far away during […]
Melanie Cafe Racer. The Anti Girly Bike.
Published by November 30th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.She lives faster than you will ever ride. French born, loving the energy of big cities like Paris, London, New York, and Los angeles and trying them all. She rides since the age of 19, right now makes a living as a Hollywood make up artist, can teach you a lot about bikes, has owned […]
As you know, everything old is new again. I know you threw away these fenders 25 years ago because they were looking too stock! Or you are too young to have had a chance to keep a spare set in your garage. So, Paughco is manufacturing again these old style Bobbed fenders right here in […]
Improved Mamba Reverse Gear Kit
Published by November 28th, 2009 in Customs, Driveline and Editorial.Who need a reverse gear? Trikes, sidecars and surprisingly, for whatever reason, quite a few of 2-wheel riders. AIM Corp. (Advanced Innovational Machinery Corporation) the US affiliate of Tamachi Industries in Tokyo, Japan, made its reputation with great clutch systems. And I mention them because they improved and were able to lower the price of […]
Custom Norton Best Of Show At Britain’s NEC Show
Published by November 27th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Events.The Birmingham UK show opened yesterday November 26th and although the annual extravaganza is smaller than usual, a lot of interesting custom bikes are present. One of the highlights of the show is a competition where 12 finalists picked from 470 entrants compete in the “Britain’s Got Biking Talent” to win the prestigious Carole Nash […]
An Above Average Website To Show You Above Average Bikes Built For The Average Joe.
Published by November 27th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Among the small custom motorcycle manufacturers, I can say that Dar Holdsworth was one of the first to understand that to survive our economic downturn the only way was to propose value bikes, meaning highest quality and coolest looking bikes possible for the money. And Dar proved with his first 3 models that it is […]
Confederate Motors Reports $1M Net Loss in 3rd Quarter
Published by November 26th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Confederate Motors Inc. posted third quarter net losses of $1 million after a drop in shipments of its handcrafted motorcycles. The Birmingham-based motorcycle manufacturer reported $333,108 in losses from operations and $757,500 in stock-based compensation for the three months ended Sept. 30.
