One of the things I love about my business is meeting and talking to so many different people from different countries and cultures, all sharing the same passion for The Motorcycle, whatever brand and look it can be. Yesterday, the owner of Capital Europe Harley-Davidson based in Brussels, Belgium, called my shop to place a parts order. […]
Archive for the 'Customs' Category
Made In America. Reborn In Belgium.
Published by June 18th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Chopper Challenge This Evening On CMT
Published by June 18th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Every week, the CMT 10-episode prime-time series called The Chopper Challenge presents a different bike builder constructing a custom motorcycle that incorporates a brand into the vehicle design. Previous shows included the Incredible Hulk, insurance company Geico and Time Warner Cable’s “RoadRunner Broadband Service”. Tonight on CMT at 8.30 PM Est, Knockout Motorcycle Company will […]
New Diamond Parts By Covingtons Customs
Published by June 17th, 2008 in Accessories, Customs and Suspension.Covingtons Customs released 3 new parts to its line of Diamond Edition parts.The fork slider covers are from CNC machined billet aluminum and fit 80 and onward FLH models. The finish is black anodizing with diamond-cut fins. To match the slider covers, Covingtons are also now producing diamond-edged Street Glide dash inserts and gas doors.The […]
A Dealer Point Of View. What Went Wrong With Factory Customs.
Published by June 17th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Charles Strand of “Iron Horse Of Texas” sent me the following letter. In it, he explains his views on the state and the future of the “mass produced custom motorcycles” market. It’s long but worth reading it. As always, I welcome your comments. “In the 5 years that I’ve been on the retail side of […]
Economic Stimulus Package Offered By Big Dog Motorcycles
Published by June 16th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Our government sends checks to help us go through an economic slow down and a credit crisis. And it’s a very good thing when a private corporation like Big Dog Motorcycles gives you extra incentives to buy your dream custom motorcycle. Big Dog Motorcycles®, the leading manufacturer of high performance, high style motorcycles, is luring customers […]
I told you before that I love to ride holding ape hangers, not too high, 12” to 15” being my taste. Street Smart Cycle and Nash Motorcycle Company teamed up to create these Gimp Bars with rounded corners like an original ape hanger. It comes in sizes from 10 to 20” with a 33” grip […]
Street Fighter Bikes Are For Grown-Ups
Published by June 13th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Alan is a former collaborator who 15 years ago helped me on some of my customs. Since then, at his Florida shop called “Santiago chopper”, he has built all kind of bikes, choppers, bobbers and trikes, his trademark. Then, at the age of 50 he decided that it was time to play again (mid life […]
Dave Perewitz Custom Paint Bike Show At Sturgis Thunder Road
Published by June 12th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial, Events and Painters.During the 2008 Sturgis Rally, “Thunder Road” prepares to host the Dave Perewitz Custom Paint Bike Show, which will highlight some of the motorcycle industry’s best art. This show will give every painter and builder the opportunity to compete on strictly the quality and aesthetic appeal of their bike paintjob. Instead of focusing on the […]
Roger Bourget Drifting On The Bagger Side.
Published by June 10th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Anticipation, adaptation and diversification are necessary in any free market economy. Even more so when motorcycle demographics are changing radically in a context of a country in state of financial stress. So, very aware of the aging of the population, Roger Bourget created the Bagger Group Inc. dedicated to fill the need for more comfortable […]
Darwin Motorcycles, Builder of Brass Balls Bobbers & Choppers, built this custom military-inspired Digger. It features an army green paint scheme and the logo of each branch of the service etched into the open primary. The frame was clear coated to show off the welds and construction and the set of foot pegs was manufactured […]
“Sheriff” sent me this comment and pictures about the 2008 Custom Bike Show Of Norrtalje (Northeast Of Stockholm). “Well, it was a close call. Many great bikes in the shape of the early 70’s. Andy from Finland took number 1 with his limegreen Panhead that you will see in Sturgis.A crowd pleaser […]
Bright Idea. Stainless Steel Gas Tank.
Published by June 9th, 2008 in Accessories, Builders and Customs.Of course I worked on steel and aluminum gas tanks, but never on a stainless steel one. So, I am very interested to try this new one. Big advantage, like with aluminum, is that you will never get rust inside your gas tank (no rust remover, no messy sealer to apply before you paint it) […]
If you doubted (did you?) that any of your favorite “american bikes” custom builder could work on foreign brands and models, here is an example of work done by Dave Perewitz on a Suzuki Hayabusa. I understand that Kory was in charge of the work, starting by a complete disassembly of the stock Busa, then […]
Wire Plus Powersports Electronics is launching their ‘08 Shield wiring system. This new system provides a “shield” shaped chrome billet housing that mounts the power control module and ignition switch. Additional features include: Power modules are waterproof and feature Solid State breakers (that never need to be replaced), diagnostic LED’s, a replaceable start relay and […]
Management Restructuring At Big Dog Motorcycles
Published by June 6th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Restructuring to adjust to the US economic conditions is a necessary step for many of our companies. A senior management reorganization plan is going on at Big Dog Motorcycles with for consequence the departure of Executive Vice President Nick Messer. During a recent conversation I had with the upper management I was told that never […]
West Coast Choppers Exotic CFL II Chassis
Published by June 5th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Frames.Remember that exotic CFLII chassis Jesse James used on his bright crowd stopper red bike a while back? You know the one with the radical monocoque look. Well, West Coast Choppers is now making a limited number of these unique frames available to consumers. Actually they are being offered in a kit form with a number of unique […]
With this post, let’s give a little push to two brothers who have been building bikes for friends and customizing their own rides for more than 15 years. Jonathan and Jimmie Lee Coen were the “go-to” guys in their circle when it came to motorcycles. But recently they decided to get serious about designing the kind of […]
After Daytona, the Limpnickie Kids (generation X & Y of Custom Builders) are on their way to Sturgis where they will setup their displays with bikes, skates and paintball guns at the Broken Spoke Campground just outside of Sturgis county line. What the Limpnickie Lot and these builders are all about? You guessed it. A lot […]
A Letter From Custom Builder Kim Suter (KC Creations)
Published by June 3rd, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.“Dear Friends and Colleagues: In 1995, Cheryl and I opened a small motorcycle shop in the back of a gas station. Over the last 13 years, our passion for building custom motorcycles, along with the world’s passion for riding motorcycles grew and grew. We worked very hard to bring custom bikes into the mainstream and […]
AMD World Championship. Who Will Get This Bling Bling?
Published by June 3rd, 2008 in Customs, Editorial and Events.AMD Showmaster Neil Blaber wants to remind you that this year’s Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building will again be held at Champions Park, Lazelle Street, Sturgis, SD, over 3-6 August. Move-in is on Saturday August 2, with awards on Wednesday August 6 at 3pm. In addition to the expected 25+ international bikes, this […]
First, Burly Brand offers a new Slammer Kit, combining dropped fork springs and stubby 10.5” shocks into a very price friendly package. Then, forget everything you know about lowering front ends, as Burly has created a drop-in spring kit that does not require the disassembly of the fork and can be installed in twenty minutes […]
No need to be into Voodoo and Zombies. If your hand controls crave for attention, just bolt on these brake and clutch levers. Kuryakyn states that they are very comfortable due to a dished back providing high leverage with minimum reach. Fits’96-’08 H-D Models with Cable Operated Clutch (ex. ’04-’08 XL and ’08 Dressers, Road […]
Franz Langer is a retired engineer living in Germany. His passion/obsession? Building the world’s largest single cylinder engine for a motorcycle. He started with an airplane engine and fitted inside a bigger and yet lighter piston. The result is a 2000 cc engine that he mounted onto an old NSU Konsul getting Franz name added […]
Rolling Thunder Rubber Mount Frame Series
Published by June 2nd, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Frames.You all know that a rubber-mounted engine gives you the most comfortable riding experience. You can go to a Harley Dealer and buy one of their rubber mounted engine bikes. But since you are going to customize it (drop seat, fat tire, more rake, more stretch anyone?) maybe you are better off building your own […]
One OF A Kind Floorboard Designs
Published by June 1st, 2008 in Accessories, Controls, Customs and Editorial.MotoTrix is entering the motorcycle industry with unique, new floorboard designs to accessorize American v-twin motorcycles. It includes this series of hand-designed floorboards. Each and every MotoTrix floorboard is built on ¼” laser cut steel, hand polished and chromed to a mirror like, show finish. All floorboards are designed to fit FLT, FLHT, FLHS, Road […]
From The Mind Of Rick Fairless. The Bettie Frame.
Published by May 31st, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Frames.You knew Rick Fairless ultra custom bike named “Bettie”. Now discover the innovative frame that Rick used to build it. Not the average frame for the average project. This one-of-a-kind frame is now available and will help you build a very radical bike without having to fabricate any body sheet metal. As you can see, […]
