Tech Cycle now manufactures one of their Contour Series open primary belt drive systems for your ’07-Up Softail or FL and ’06-Up Dyna. Engineered with the same high quality, bullet proof design that you have come to expect from Tech Cycle, this unit shares the same features that you’ll find standard in most of their […]
Archive for the 'Driveline' Category
A 250 MM Wide Tire Bagger Done Right
Published by March 31st, 2008 in Chassis, Customs, Driveline, Editorial and Frames.When 2 of the best of our industry work together, you get innovative solutions opening new avenues for the customization of our bikes. The objective that Rolling Thunder Frames and Baker Drivetrain wanted to reach was to offer an easy process to build a radical good looking, well balanced and comfortable 250 mm rear tire […]
New Belt Drive For Harley-Davidson Touring Motorcycles
Published by March 26th, 2008 in Customs, Driveline and Editorial.Open belt drives look very cool on a bagger. But installation of some belt drive units will create a problem of interference with the floorboards. During the V-Twin Expo, Bandit Machine Works just released a new belt drive specifically conceived to fit HD touring models. The Bandit Bagger Drive bolts on to 1990 – 2006 […]
Insane Motorcycle Chains
Published by March 14th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Driveline and Editorial.During years it was one of my professional fantasies. Perfectly matching the chain color to my custom motorcycle paint jobs. And I did it. And you can, too. You can also get your chain with laser engraved lettering (name of your bike or shop, profound statement?) or even your logo! Polished, painted, powder coated, engraved, […]
Baker Drivetrain 10Th Anniversary Daytona Party
Published by March 2nd, 2008 in Customs, Driveline and Editorial.I remember seeing Bert & Lisa Baker start in the business. Our booths were set up across each other at the Indy show and it’s where we met for the first time. OMG, it was 10 years ago…Since then, Bert has taken his GM transmission experience to a new level with the introduction of many […]
Primary Covers To Match Or Complement Your Wheels Design
Published by February 18th, 2008 in Customs, Driveline, Editorial and Wheels.For a final touch on your primary covers the Canadian boys of Concept & Design Cycle created several sets of covers. Fancier than most of what is available from most after-market vendors, they have the merit to nicely complement the design of many designer billet wheels. And if it […]
Performance Machine Contrast Cut Contour Belt Drive
Published by February 18th, 2008 in Customs, Driveline and Editorial.As promised, I feature the new version of Performance Machine Contour Belt Drive that I admired this weekend at the Indianapolis Dealers Expo . Many “one-off” Contrast Cut versions of the PM primary have been featured on PM custom bikes in the past couple years. So, by popular demand, PM has decided to offer a […]
Indianapolis Dealers Expo 2008
Published by February 17th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Driveline, Editorial, Events and Wheels.Since I was close to Indianapolis, between 2 planes, I had to pay a very fast visit to the Dealers Expo, the ultimate extravaganza for the powersports industry. Thanks to Dennis Johnson from Dealers News I got a press pass in less time than it […]
Your Road King or Dresser Missing Link
Published by January 24th, 2008 in Driveline, Editorial and Engines.This link is designed to eliminate the uncomfortable condition known as tank slap or high speed wobble occurring on rubber mounted models like Dressers and Road Kings. The main cause of this problem is “Rearsteer” which happens when the swingarm rubber mounts are compressing. When cornering, the suspension movement is side loaded and will nothing […]
The Sprocket Brake Kit system is probably the most frequently seen brake combo system equipping the driveline of retro bikes. Originally created by Tolle in Sweden, it was refined by Exile Cycles who was the 1st one to re-introduce it in the US (many other brand versions are now available). The rear brake and final […]
New Open Belt System For Baggers
Published by January 19th, 2008 in Driveline, Editorial and Engines.As you already know, right now touring bikes are attracting the attention and interest of custom builders and parts manufacturers. Very radical baggers are being built in many shops around the country. Starting with the bike shows of Daytona Bike Week, expect to see very inflated Bagger Classes. Better and fancier custom parts are going […]
New Baker Drivetrain King Kong Klutch
Published by January 4th, 2008 in Driveline, Editorial and Engines.The boys at Baker Drivetrain have a cool slogan to describe their new King Kong Klutch: “A gorilla in clutch grip, but a mouse in clutch effort”. The company intends to continue to innovate and dominate with superior parts all the area of our motorcycles from motor to rear wheel. The King Kng Klutch is intended to offer […]
Auto Clutch. How Does It Work?
Published by December 26th, 2007 in Driveline, Editorial and Engines.Not really a new product, it was released in 2006, the Auto Clutch is still quite unknown and misunderstood by those who heard about it. First, imagine riding up to a stop light with your bike in gear and not having to hold the clutch in. Yes, you can. When the light turns green, twist […]
Limited Edition 50th Anniversary S&S Catalog. $19.95
Published by November 30th, 2007 in Customs, Driveline, Editorial and Engines.In honor of the company’s 50th anniversary, the catalog has been named Catalog 50. The catalog was designed with a retro theme and contains a lot of historical photographs and tidbits of S&S heritage (Many of the historical images in the new catalog are actual family photos). At just under 700 pages, this is the largest S&S catalog […]
Bandit New Modular Belt Drive System
Published by November 28th, 2007 in Driveline, Editorial and Engines.Even if you are not racing, the unsung hero of the driveline is the often forgotten clutch. For over a decade, Bandit Machine Works has been recognized in our industry as one of the best clutch and complete driveline specialists. Their new Modular Belt Drive Systems offer racing quality and performance applied to your custom […]
The Knuckle Baby By Suicidal Cycles
Published by November 27th, 2007 in Builders, Customs, Driveline and Editorial.Out of Vancouver, Jason Glatt of Suicidal Cycles built this bike for his friend Dave who let him do pretty much what he wanted. Result is this long sled with build in-house frame & sheet metal, a part HD/part S&S Flathead Power engine, a Pro-Fab transmission brake […]
Baker Drivetrain Goes In Reverse
Published by November 18th, 2007 in Builders, Customs, Driveline and Editorial.Do trikes need a reverse? Yes. Lehman just announced an agreement with Baker Drivetrain. The Lehman trikes will use a new Baker F6R reverse to modify the original Harley-Davidson 6-speed transmission At this time, Harley-Davidson Dyna (06-08) and and FL & Softails (07-08) are the only trikes which will be available with Baker reverse system. […]
Dry Primary. Or Wet Primary. Or Baker.
Published by June 26th, 2007 in Customs, Driveline and Editorial.In a fraction of a second you can recognize a dry primary (open belt system) from a wet primary (enclosed system). But now it will take you a few seconds more to identify this new Baker primary as a wet one because it looks exactly like an open belt system. And you see the point […]
I bet with you that we are going to see a return to the enclosed primary system.Why? Because the open belt system is over used in all the new customs, and because of the uncertainties with the EPA new rules many will prefer now to customize a Harley. Most of these "stock bike" […]
Indian Larry Legacy Transmission Plate
Published by June 6th, 2007 in Builders, Customs, Driveline and Editorial.For reasons of looks and to make our bikes lighter, it seems that during these last 5 years we drilled holes everywhere we could. Frame, exhaust, fender, struts, battery box, grips, headlight, floorboards, multitude of brackets and even in oil bags & gas tanks. I must admit my share of responsibility for this trend. This […]
Designed by Mark Daley of Thunderstruck Custom Bikes and produced by RMD, this new belt drive system has the particularity of using not one, but two 1 ¾” belts. I like the simple and original outer bearing support and the fact that the kit uses a Barnett Scorpion clutch. Both left & side drive configurations are […]
Zeel Design 300 MM Tire Left Side Drive Kit
Published by April 26th, 2007 in Customs, Driveline, Editorial, Frames and Wheels.Us, custom builders, we try all kind of new things, and each time we do it we create a new trend generating a new style of bikes. Remember the start of the fat tire kits craze with the 180 mm Avon tire? It’s not so long ago. Now, […]
Although the retro/nostalgia trend is in full swing for custom bikes and parts, some continue to favor the high tech/barbaric/aggressive stance. So, Jason Tauer machined a new cover called the Demonizer. Not only it will fit his own branded belt systems but can also be used on other brands. In some cases, you will need […]
Tauer Machine New Warlord Open Belt System
Published by February 13th, 2007 in Driveline and Editorial.There is always room for improvement to make your starting easier, quieter and more reliable when you use an after-market open belt system. Tauer Machine® just introduced a new quite affordable 3” open belt primary called the “Warlord”. This open belt system has some new features. Gear ratio closer to stock gear ratio (to facilitate starts […]
The way it goes, soon we will have as many belt drive system designs as we have frames to build ground up bikes. Difficult to innovate in the black belt business. Is this one Techno? Retro? Techno retro? I think it could be both. Reason why I like it. This monster 4” belt drive can handle […]
Did you notice? Since 4/5 years more & more professional & garage builders use an old Iron Sportster or a new Sportster/Buell powerplant to build their custom choppers. Since 1 year, we even see more Sportster drivetrains installed on new built Bobbers. But there were few people in the industry building cool aftermarket Sportster frames. […]
