Lowbrow Spotlight: Harley-Davidson FL Series Custom Builds

Sam Long's 1969 Harley-Davidson FLH Slabside Shovelhead

I found the bike as a runner not far from where I was living. I was in the market for a shovelhead. I was only looking at cones, but this one came up for not much more. I checked out the bike with my good bud who is responsible for getting me into choppers. It had the S&S jugs and oil pump. Motor was clean and Looked like it had been taken care of. I brought the cash and we took it home after a couple push start attempts.

Sam Long's 1969 Harley-Davidson FLH Slabside Shovelhead.

General:

• Owner: Sam Long.
• Year/Make/Model: 1969 Harley FLH.
• Bike name: Swingdingin’ Mr. Beef.

Fabrication:

• Tanks, sissy bar, rear fender, oil bag mounts, stainless moldings shifter, clutch pedal, brackets here and there, swing arm mount relocation. Swing arm Mounted fender. If I made it, it’s probably stainless steel.
• Build Time: 1 ½ ish years.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 69 genny shovel with S&S 84” stroker kit.
• Carburetor: Super E Exhaust: 2 into 1 with an upsweep fishtail.
• Air Cleaner: Cast Bird deflector, I forget the name of them but I’ve only seen them twice before.

Frame:

• Year/Type: 69, FLH Swinger Rake/Stretch: stock frame

Front End:

• Type / Brand: Harley wide glide. Not sure the length. The lowers are modified and shaved softail lowers.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 21" Rear Size: 16"

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Bone Daddy with the help of Big Al over at Karls Kustoms Paints. Paint inspired by an old Schwinn bike I have.
• Plating/Polishing: I did the polishing. Kept it all a dull shine in the stainless.
• Powder Coating: N/A

Accessories:

• Front Fender: Nope.
• Rear Fender: Narrowed Trailer Fender. Moulded with stainless at the tip and around the chain cut out.
• Gas Tank: Split Mustang Tanks. Got these from Todd Asin. I think they are from the 50s. They were pretty nasty inside.
• Handlebars: Ebay Bars. Said they were a stock Harley bar of some sort but they are stainless.
• Grips: Cool guy chrome and Black.
• Mirrors: Cycle Standard Rectangular Mirror.
• Hand Controls: Chopper.
• Foot Controls: Stock brake. Stainless Clutch pedal that Andy Carter at Pangea let me copy.
• Headlight: Cycle Standard Unity Style Headlight, with added high/low switch.
• Taillight: Webster Chicago microphone with LED Cluster from The Light Asylum.
• Turn Signals: My skinny arms.
• License Mount: Nothing special, whipped it out during lunch cause I wanted to ride that day.
• Seat: Old Gold swing arm shovel seat that I shortened. Adam over at Pierce Street Seats knocked out the rad new cover for it.

Custom & Special Details or Accessories:

Stainless moulding on front down tubes, on the frame around the oil bag, fender tip and chain cut out, and the bottom of the swing arm. I mounted the swing arm shock mounts to inside the arm itself to lower it without having short shocks. Knuckle style oil bag.

This required me to make a new mount on the seat tube to have it sit nicer. Doing this creates a space in the frame that looks ugly so I added some moulding to match the angle of the top of the oil bag to keep it tight. If I made something out of stainless. Mostly because I hate rust and I don’t want to deal with chrome.

It’s my first big twin and vintage big twin. I’d call it 90s tough guy styled at the time. I was going to just change a few things and ride it. That never lasts, especially after an electrical gremlin was lingering. I ended up taking it apart. I had a rigid frame sitting around but decided to take the challenge of making a rad swing arm. I figured everyone hardtails their bike so why not try something a little different. I wanted a sissy bar so I had to mount the fender to the swing arm.

My shop is my parents’ garage. I don't have anything fancy, just a Welder, grinders, drill press, mini lathe that I don’t know how to use very well, and hand tools. The tanks on there were the result of failing to narrow some 5 gallon tanks. I threw a magneto on to avoid electrical problems.

Little did I know I had a 84” stroker. So there was a learning curve. Sometimes it’s a 30 kick bike and sometimes it's 1. Also, never try to kick the kicker without the pedal. You will break your tibia. I used stainless moulding just to make it a little fancier. Molded the frame.

I was going for showy, but not too showy. The shifter handle is my favorite part of the bike. That was also a second attempt. It took me 2 weeks to figure it out and make it. There are 7 pieces all welded together. And polished up. The bend on the arm was tricky. I just heated it up and bent it in a vise. The sissy bar is made of a flat bar and 2 rods welded to each side. That created the theme of wrapping the outside of a part with a rod.

I wanted to get my buddies involved in the paint so Eric and Alec took care of all that for me and killed it, thanks guys! Overall I think it’s rad to ride an old hand built machine down the road, I’m always smiling on it, even after it took 30 kicks when it’s hot out to start. I would like to thank my fiancé, Tina for putting up with me building and painting it. She encouraged me through my most aggravating experiences of the build.

Thanks to my parents for the shop space in the garage. Jimmy for shaving my legs, Andrew for picking up the bike with me and helping with various things. Alec for the photos and the helping hands. KARLS Kustom paint for the paint. Instagram for the inspirations, miller lite and wild Turkey for the liquid encouragement.

Anyone and everyone else that was involved or has said nice things. And thanks to Lowbrow for the feature! Stay rad, ya dangus!

Words by: Sam Long Photos by: Alec Ozawa.

Billy Balcer's 1947 Original Harley-Davidson KnuckleHead

I got this bike from the original owner who purchased it in early 1948. When I originally went to go see it, I had to unscrew three sheets of plywood off the door of a small single car garage it was in. The owner then told me, "There now you've seen it, can you please screw those boards back up." He wouldn't talk about the price or even talk about letting it go. It took another 9 months or so of back and forth haggling to get the owner to finally sell me the bike and rescue it from the barricaded garage.

Billy Balcer's 1947 Original Harley-Davidson KnuckleHead.

General:

• Owner: Billy Balcer.
• Year/Make/Model: 1947 / Harley-Davidson / FL.
• Fabrication: Factory Original.
• Build Time: N/A.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1947 / OHV / 74 c.i.
• Carburetor: Linkert M35.
• Exhaust: OEM Factory Header with Bazooka Muffler.
• Air Cleaner: OEM Original 7’’.

Frame:

• Year/Type: 1947 / OEM ridged.
• Rake/Stretch: Original 1947 30 degree / N/A.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: 1947 offset springer / Harley-Davidson.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 16’’ 16x500 firestone tire, wheel cover w/ wheel lights.
• Rear Size: 16’’ 16x500 firestone tire.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Harley-Davidson / Original Paint Skyway Blue.
• Plating/Polishing: Cadmium, Parkerized , Chrome.
• Powder Coating: N/A.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: OEM front fender with Guide parking light, Factory mud flap, Harley .Davidson Gunner lights w/ blue lens.
• Rear Fender: Factory rear fender with Harley Accessory trim.
• Gas Tank: Harley-Davidson 3.5-gallon, 1947 Fox co. Emblems, “Johnny” chrome lettering, Eaton Fuel caps, 4 speed shift gate.
• Handlebars: Harley-Davidson “Hollywood”.
• Grips: Harley-Davidson Waffle Grip.
• Mirrors: stock.
• Hand Controls: Harley-Davidson Throttle, Spark, and brake controls.
• Foot Controls: Harley-Davidson Brake pedal and footboards With OEM Clutch pedal.
• Headlight: Guide Cycle Ray 1947.
• Taillight: Guide “tombstone” 1947.
• Turn Signals: N/A.
• License Mount: Original off tail light.
• Seat: 1947 Harley-Davidson Buddy seat.

Custom & Special Details or Accessories:

Front wheel has a cool wheel cover that the original owner made a cool set off wheel light in so it looks like 2 rings of light in the front wheel going down the road. Also has a Bazooka muffler. I have never seen another like it. Most have a valve that opens and closes, this one has a removable (by hand) baffle you can take in and out depending on how loud you want to be.

Original owner said he mostly rode with it in order to stay in the good graces of the neighbors on his street.

The last license plate that was on it was 1965 and the odometer showed a little over 9,000 original miles on it. (Today it is about double that because I ride it all the time).

I never even paid much attention or even looked at the serial number but when I finally took the bike home I looked at it the following day. What it told me was amazing, I learned it was original paint. Knowing the original owner, I wasn’t worried about anything weird with the serial number, so it was extremely exciting.

The next day after spraying it down with a few cans or penetrating oil I got the tool box to open. Inside was a registration from 1951 (The plate for that was next to the bike on the ground in the single car garage).

The other crazy thing that happened was after I first saw the serial number, I took another quick look at the bike to double check it and sure enough it was the same as the last four numbers of my phone number right in a row… somewhat of a cosmic meant to be kind of thing. I rode the first 200 miles on the bike with the original tires, plugs and all.

All the bike needed to get going was a new carburetor float and I probably could have waited a little bit but replaced it to make sure it would run well.

Words by: Billy Balcer • Photos by: Mikey Revolt

Bill Bryant's 1957 Harley-Davidson FLH Panhead

This bike is a total junkyard dog. I picked up the frame and basket case engine and trans about two years ago in San Francisco. The Haifley Bros straightened and repaired the frame and Rico Fodrey at Hi-Bond Modified in Pomona, CA rebuilt the stock 1957 74” and 4-speed.

I started collecting parts from friends and swap meets with the intent of building something that looked like it evolved into it’s current state over a long period of time. I didn’t sweat things like an earlier frame, later tanks, or whatever so it’s completely “period incorrect”.

Bill Bryant's 1957 Harley-Davidson FLH Panhead.

General:

• Owner: Bill Bryant.
• Year/Make/Model: Which part? Engine is 1957 FLH.
• Fabrication: Just making old stuff fit.
• Build Time: Off and on for over two years.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1957 74” Harley-Davidson.
• Carburetor: S&S Super E.
• Exhaust: Repop stock.
• Air Cleaner: Irish Rich / Goodson.

Frame:

• Year/Type: H-D Wishbone.
• Rake/Stretch: Stock.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: H-D Wide Glide.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 16” W&W timken star hubs, stainless spokes, powder coated steel hoop Bates Baja tires.
• Rear Size: 16” W&W timken star hubs, stainless spokes, powder coated steel hoop Bates Baja tires.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Natural patina
• Plating/Polishing: haha, never!

Accessories:

• Front Fender: found on Cycle Dope app.
• Rear Fender: Got at swap from CZ Scotty.
• Gas Tank: One from Atom Rotten, one from Walt Gemeinhardt.
• Handlebars: Nor Cal Swap Meet.
• Grips: Biltwell Renegade.
• Mirrors: So Cal Swap Meet.
• Hand Controls: Rico Fodrey.
• Foot Controls: Trent Schara (plus brakes, floorboards and a bunch of other stuff).
• Headlight: eBay.
• Taillight: Nor Cal Swap.
• Turn Signals: Hands.
• License Mount: Nor Cal Swap.
• Seat: eBay.

From going to swaps and pilfering a few friend’s stashes, the parts pile continued to grow until the bike basically just took shape on its own. I had to buy a few replica pieces to get the mechanical brake system to work and the exhaust is a reproduction.

The wheels are made by W&W in Germany and look and work like star hubs but have timken bearings which is bitchin’. Otherwise it’s all Harley stuff or at least old aftermarket. I got the bike close to it’s current condition and then my buddy Rico finished it off. I love having him double check my work and I try to soak up as much of his knowledge as possible.

I’ve never built a bike that didn’t require fabrication so this was kind of weird. Of course, none of the old junk from a variety of sources fit together nicely, so that required plenty of work. It rides awesome.

I got used to the giant buddy seat position more quickly than I expected and it’s a blast to jam around on. I gotta ride it on the El Diablo Run this year. It was my first real trip on it, and I couldn't have been happier with it!

Thanks to all my friends that pitched in with parts, labor or knowledge!

Words by Bill Bryant

Photos by Geoff Kowalchuk plus a few by Mikey Revolt

Kelly Messia's 1958 Harley-Davidson Slabside Shovel

A while back at the So-Cal Cycle Swap I scored a peanut tank with the most bitchin’ Miami Vice looking paint job you can imagine. It was a subtle pink pearl with bright pink and teal accents. As I walked around the rest of the swap clutching my latest score an older gentleman yelled from his booth “Hey, you know you’ve got a pink tank there right?” I looked down at my flamboyant purchase and then retorted “It takes a real man to rock a pink tank on his bike.” The gentlemen gave my words some thought and replied, “I guess that’s true.” So if it takes a real man to rock a pink gas tank, what does that say about Kelly Messia, a man with a whole pink bike… or is it technically salmon colored?

Kelly Messia's 1958 Harley-Davidson Slabside Shovel

General:

• Owner: Kelly Messia.
• Year/Make/Model: “THE SMOKED SALMON” 1958 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLH.
• Fabrication: Tanks, Exhaust, Frame, Controls, Sissy.
• Build Time: 2 years.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1958 HARLEY PAN/SHOVEL 102ci stroker, Dual plug w/ Morris Magneto & MFS split wires.
• Carburetor: S&S SUPER G.
• Exhaust: Was built using exhaust bends I cut from some stock Harley Sportster exhaust pipes I got off na XL with cocktail shaker tips. I then had my good friend Evan Scott at Iron Cobra Fab weld all my pieces together.
• Air Cleaner: Boyle Custom Moto - I’ve been friends with Kim since our days working for DC Shoe Co 16+ years ago. He did a cool run of 12 covers that were engraved by Denny's engraving.

Frame:

• Year/Type: HD Swing Frame.
• Rake/Stretch: 4” up in the front down tubes. Windowed and gusseted neck.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: 5” over Harley Davidson 33.4 narrow glide with K-Model drum brake.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 21” wheel with Buchanans stainless spokes and Avon SpeedMaster tire.
• Rear Size: 18” Harley JD style hoop with Buchanans stainless spokes and Coker “Diamond” tread tire w/ Chrome HD Juice drum.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: I did it myself. Rose coral pearl (from a 1987 Toyota Corolla) and have to give a special thank you to my good friend Joseph Jurado for introducing me to Spray Max2K Brilliant clear. (2 part epoxy clear coat) GAME CHANGER!
• Plating/Polishing: Clemente New Year Metal finishing in Santa Ana.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: N/A.
• Rear Fender: Wassell Ribbed Duck Bill.
• Gas Tank: H-D 5Gal Split Tanks That I cut shaped and narrowed. Then once again my good friend Evan at Iron Cobra Fabrications did an incredible job making the interior panels and mounts.
• Handlebars: 8” Mini Apes Handlebars that I cut to run in a HD 2 piece style riser.
• Grips: Lowbrow Customs Beck Grips (perfect color match!).
• Mirrors: small 3” round I picked up at Long Beach Hotrod Swap.
• Hand Controls: Early HD.
• Foot Controls: I had an idea to use early Shovelhead swivel kickers for my mids. Thanks to Evan it worked!
• Headlight: S&M Lamp Co.
• Taillight: Cats Eye “Flower Lens”.
• Turn Signals: N/A.
• License Mount: Custom one I made.
• Seat: River Seat Co Seat, Vintage P-pad.

I first laid eyes on Kelly Messia’s beautiful chop the “Smoked Salmon” at the David Mann Chopper fest in January of 2018. I had taken a couple of photos when Kelly, who I already knew, came up and asked “How do you like my bike?” I had no idea that the bike was his. The last time I’d seen it, it was bare metal. The pearly pink complexion made all the difference. With plenty of period correct pieces and a few modern upgrades resting in a nice and narrow profile, it’s the perfect California lane splitting machine.

The “Smoked Salmon” is easy on the eyes. Every part on the bike serves a purpose or adds just enough character to make it unique. It doesn’t need a crazy long front end or a sissy bar that reaches for the heavens, the beauty is in the bike’s simplicity. A quintessential chopper that still manages to stand out from the crowd.

Kelly Messia: I decided to start building this bike when I was going through a big transitional period in my life. I had just gone through a divorce and not too long afterward I found myself being laid off from work due to a failing economy.

Fortunately I was able to find work rather quickly but I knew an idle mind can be one’s worst enemy when going through tough times. I had a rigid EVO sportster chopper at the time but was always in love with anything slab-side so I figured what better way to keep myself occupied than with something constructive like trying to assemble a vintage chopper. It ended up being one of the best most satisfying decisions!

I think one of the best things about motorcycles are the countless hours spent in the garage with your friends drinking beers and talking shit while going over ideas. Moving a part 1/4” and then sitting there staring at it for hours! Waking up at 5:30 in the morning to go hunt for parts at the SoCal swap meet and everyone knows what everyone else is looking for.

I can say I have met some of the most genuine and stand up individuals through the process of working on this bike. I want to give some special thank you’s to a few quality humans that helped me with this thing when I didn’t have any idea what the fuck I was doing!

First off, thanks to Evan at Iron Cobras for his help in taking all my duct taped and wired brackets and tanks and making sure they stayed where they were supposed to! His welding and metal smithing is second to none!

Also, a big thanks to my man Vince @MotorManVince for his help going through the motor which I was told was freshly rebuilt when buying it, only to find out that couldn’t have been further from the truth and would require a full rebuild. Thanks to Jerry Novak at Novak Cycles for his years of HD knowledge and willingness to help anytime I had a question or was stumped.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank all the Dead Squirrel Boys! Tony and Chops over at @landspeedmotorcycleshop for always having my back and just being good friends. Last and most importantly my family Meenzwell, Elron and MazzaBalls this shit wouldn’t be half as fun if it didn’t involve putting down miles and making memories with you guys!

Words by: Ryan Loughridge & Kelly Messia Photos by: Ryan Loughridge

Brent Maggard's 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead

A knucklehead motor in a wishbone frame you say? Well slap my ass and call me whatever you like, I want one! Brent Maggard did it! Not the slapping my ass part, putting together what I would consider to be many people’s dream chopper. A culmination of patiently acquired parts, this knucklehead chopper is a treasure chest of chopper gold. Sporting a ic chopper look, the bike itself isn’t too over the top, it looks like a bike that you could hop right on and enjoy.

After acquiring his chopper gold Brent began to put this bike together under the gun for the People’s Champ 5 contest and made it to the final round at Cook’s Corner. From there the bike was reshaped into a rider after a few tweaks. Granted those tweaks came over the course of many months due to some unforeseen circumstances but I can attest; that 70+ year-old knuck sounds great moving down the Pacific Coast Highway.

-Ryan Loughridge

Brent Maggard's 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead.

General:

• Owner: Brent Maggard.
• Year/Make/Model: 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead.
• Fabrication: I did all the fabrication on the bike.
• Build Time: 6 months.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1947 84” stroker.
• Carburetor: Linkert M74 freshened up by Elliot Grosshans.
• Exhaust: Paughco.
• Air Cleaner: Dustin Cedarholm.

Frame:

• Year/Type: 1948 wishbone.
• Rake/Stretch: De-raked a smidgen.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: Adjustable 41mm HD.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 21".
• Rear Size: 18".

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Ryan Mcquiston held my hand through the body work, then he squirted it. A dude named Jon Raleigh painted the tank for my buddy Jarred, I made him a seat and traded for it.
• Plating/Polishing: RTT Firearms in Lake Havasu did the Cerakote.
• Powder Coating: Primos.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: N/A.
• Rear Fender: Cooper Smithing Co.
• Gas Tank: Lowbrow Customs Frisco Mount Sportster 2.5 Gallon.
• Handlebars: Regatta Garage.
• Grips: Lowbrow Customs Jason Jesse Signature Series Waffle Grips.
• Mirrors: N/A.
• Hand Controls: old throttle housing.
• Foot Controls: Pangea Speed.
• Headlight: Bates.
• Taillight: BCM.
• Turn Signals: Nope.
• License Mount: fabbed on the sissy bar.
• Seat: River Seat Co.

Custom & Special Details or Accessories:

A couple of days before the People’s Champ party at Cook’s Corner I had this idea to put a bunch of titties and butts behind some plexiglass on a machined bird deflector… so I hit up Dustin (The Pilgrimage) with this idea and he called me an idiot and said “cool let me guess you need this tomorrow?” He made it because he is such a sweetie.

The most special part on this bike to me would be the old bizarre 2-1 ceramic-coated exhaust, which looked cooler on paper than it did in real life. My buddy Garrett came down one weekend to give me a hand in the shop and we drank beers and cranked out that exhaust together, he passed away shortly after that weekend. It will now forever be a hanging garage piece.

This bike started as a 1947 knucklehead motor that I got in trade for a 1980 Shovelhead FLH. The guy who owned it wanted to do the trade on a Monday and I had to work. I somehow convinced my sweet girlfriend to jam up to Vegas and do the deal.

From there it sat in my living room for a couple of years until Show-Class Magazine opened up registration for The People’s Champ contest. I figured it was a perfect time to put that motor to use. I had already gathered a tweaked out frame, and a super nice chromed 50’s trans from my buddy, which was collecting dust in my garage.

Over the next 6 months I, as some would say, “bolted together” a complete bike.

This thing started with a magneto until I kicked it for the next year and finally got fed up. Slapped a timer on it and she was good to go. That was for about 10 miles until I heard the dreaded “knock knock knock.” I accidently pushed the woodruff key off the pump gear when I reassembled the oil pump and spun a bearing and melted the pistons.

Whoops! Got some pistons and had Fast Eddie do a little machining here and there, bolted it up and we were off to Kernville!

Thank yews: Philecia LaBounty, Garrett Engle, Scott Smith, Paul Powers, Ryan McQuiston, Dustin Cedarholm, Asian Tony at LandSpeed, CDC Eric, Jaime Elswick, and anyone who came by to drink beer, talk shit, and not really help much. XOXO.

-Brent Maggard.

Photos by Ryan Loughridge.

Matt Jackson's 1946 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead - Giddy up Texas Raffle Build

Matt Jackson of Jackson's Choppers just finished up this beautiful 1946 Knucklehead Build for The Giddy Up Vintage Chopper Show that will be raffled off on March 31st, 2018 in New Braunfels, Texas. Matt always brings his "A" game to the table when it comes to the craftsmanship and style of motorcycles he builds.

Top that off with a beautiful paint job by Joey Cano, and iconic Harley-Davidson Knucklehead motor to power the whole thing, someone is going to go home with a killer one of a kind masterpiece of a machine. To get yourself in the game you've got to play.

For 2018, the only remaining way to get entered to win this beautiful bike is to be at the Giddy Up in New Braunfels, Texas on March 31st, 2018. (You do not have to be present to win!).

Photos by: Heath Braun.

Matt Jackson's 1946 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead.

In order to break down the Mintercepter you first must break down the man behind the machine, Al Fields. Contradictory, lazy and if you saw him in public you’d be hard pressed to believe that he’s anything other than a doomsday prepper. He hides himself away in the city of Portsmouth, Virginia. One of seven cities in the Hampton Roads area, it’s a town that boasts an industrial complex and few luxuries besides bars, pool halls, and a shipyard. This environment is what allows Al to create, free from the distraction of a modern-day society he can be at one with his process.

Lowbrow Spotlight: Alex Fields 1998 H-D Evo FLSTF.

General:

• Owner: Alex Fields.
• Year/Make/Model: 1998 H-D FLSTF.
• Fabrication: Alex Fields.
• Build Time: 6 months-ish.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1998 H-D Big Twin Evo 82" with some go fast parts.
• Carburetor: CV.
• Exhaust: Alex Fields.
• Air Cleaner: Old-Stf.

Frame:

• Year/Type: Paugcho.
• Rake/Stretch: 30*/0 up/0 out.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: 39mm Showa, 2" over.

Wheels:

• Front Size: 19".
• Rear Size: 16".

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Corey Nygards/@porkchops_in_paradise.
• Plating/Polishing: Plating: Royal Silver/Polishing: Alex Fields.
• Powder Coating: J&J Powder Coating.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: N/A.
• Rear Fender: Gasbox Spun Steel 16" Fender.
• Gas Tank: Lowbrow Customs Frisco Sportster Gas tank 2.5 gallon.
• Handlebars: Biltwell inc.
• Grips: Biltwell inc.
• Mirrors: N/A.
• Hand Controls: Kustom Tech Black Clutch Lever /Brembo.
• Foot Controls: Boosted Brad.
• Headlight: Stock.
• Taillight: Prism Supply Box Chopper Tail Light.
• Turn Signals: N/A.
• License Mount: Prism Supply.
• Seat: Alex Fields/Bad&G Customs @badgcustom.

"It's just a bike built to ride fast and go on long distance rides. Simple, low maintenance, and comfortable." - Alex

If you were to catch Al on a day where he’d be working in his garage you’d find yourself in a space no bigger than 6 feet wide and 18 feet deep. You do the math when adding bikes, equipment and chopper parts into the mix.

You’d find Al in a cotton suit polishing parts, covered in soot and grease. He’s meticulous. He stares. He says a few words. Rather than putting his energy into society he gives his devotion to his ability to create something from metal.

Tired from the monotony of choppers seen all over the internet, he wanted something that produced clean reliable power at an affordable price along with form and function. A combination not often produced due to people having a mentality of one or the other.

So, Al began to chop a bone stock HD Fatboy keeping only the drivetrain and rear wheel. If there is anything Al is a master of it’s the art of the deal and the trade. Always seemingly ahead of the curve he knows who he has to talk to and where he has to go to make his dream a reality.

So he sold the rest of the bike and began to piece together a beefy chopper that boasted a mix of reliable dyna parts, some unreliable chopper parts and even some go-fast parts.

Needing paint work he worked out a deal with his long-time friend Corey. In exchange for getting his bike on the road Corey would paint Al’s Evo. The concept, a gray base with mint green flames with frosty white tips and some metal flake to boot. The seat was upholstered by Grigoriy and the electrical work by Nate Cutshaw. The end result was a clean, mean, mint machine.

Thanks to:

"My wife Jenn- I don’t know why you tolerate me but I’m grateful that you do. Alan Bull-A bottomless well of knowledge. Carlton Wade, Corey Nygards, Nate Cutshaw, Mom & Phil, The P-Town Possums, Liam Kennedy, Dan Rollins, The Hampton Roadents, Blue Drink (alcoholic and otherwise), Grigoriy Georgiev, Cee-Lo, NRHS, The Prism boys, Booger, and anybody who has offered me a slice of pizza and/or encouragement. " - Alex

Words and Photos by: Liam Kennedy

Tom Foley's 1955 Harley-Davidson FL Panhead Land Speed Racer

I rode my first motorcycle when I was around 11. My dad bought a worn out Cushman with the entire body stripped off, he called it a tote goat, and it would go anywhere, and I rode it at every opportunity. I was hooked on 2 wheels and a motor from that day on! At 15 years old, I bought my first dirt bike.

That bike was my only source of transportation until I bought my dad’s ‘63 Corvair Greenbrier at age 16. That’s where the real problem started. At a party one night a kid told me they were going to El Mirage because his dad was planning to race Sunday morning. He asked me if I was interested in tagging along, Hell Yes!!! I was on a mission. He drew me a map on a napkin.

Back then there was no Interstate 15. The directions went something like Rte. 66 to 395 to Adelanto to the market, turn left, then right, then…. we were totally lost, and it was getting dark. Right about then, a roadster on a trailer came rumbling down the road, race markings on the car, we were saved. We followed him to Murphy’s bar on El Mirage road. He said we had headed to the lakebed, and we could follow him in. We parked way off in the brush, we had no intentions of getting caught drinking the couple of warm beers we snuck in with us.

All through the night there were parties going on down on the lakebed. None of which, we were sure, were interested in a couple of kids hanging out drinking beer. In the morning the engines came to life and the most incredible cars on the planet started to race. The day was a blur but I knew I was hooked. I knew right then and there this racing was something I HAD to do.

Tom Foley's 1955 Harley-Davidson FL Panhead.

General:

• Owner: Tom Foley.
• Year/Make/Model: 1955 FL Harley-Davidson Panhead.
• Fabrication: Sidecar designed and fabricated by owner.
• Build Time: 6 months.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 55 / FL/ 93CI (running in the 1650 SC-VG ).
• Carburetor: S&S Super B Exhaust: Drag pipes into a cut down collector.
• Air Cleaner: None / velocity stack.
• Cam: Andrews C grind.
• Compression: 15:1 with Ross pistons built to builder’s specifications.
• Dual spark plugs.
• Dynatek Ignition with duel coils.
• Daytona O2 sensors.
• Alternator to provide 14 volts to ignition.

Frame:

• Year/Type: Year unknown / HD wishbone.
• Rake/Stretch: None.
• Fairing: Formerly on the Broken Spoke Saloon Bike, donated by Wink Eller & Jay Allen.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: 1974 Sportster (stolen from my wife’s Ironhead Sportster).

Wheels:

• Front Size: Spoke with MT 2.50/2.75–18.
• Sidecar: HD mag with Avon 90/90-19.
• Rear Size: HD mag with Pirelli 130/90-16.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Tom Foley.
• Plating/Polishing: OEM / None.
• Powder coating: None.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: Mfg. unknown, donated by Wink Eller.
• Rear Fender: 6 inch flat steel.
• Gas Tank: 1951 3.5 fat bobs, (purchased at the Easyrider swap meet in 1976) Handlebars: clip on, Fabricated by owner.
• Grips: Stock.
• Mirrors: None.
• Hand Controls: Swap meet throttle (aluminum not plastic).
• Foot Controls: Shifter / brake fabricated by owner.
• Headlight: None.
• Taillight: None.
• Turn Signals: we only run in a straight line.
• License Mount: None.
• Seat: 0.060 sheet aluminum.

The SCTA Sidecar has only a couple requirements: a 12” by 32” plate capable of holding a rider (none are allowed). The rest is up to the fabricator. I have set the side car up to provide stability at speed. The bike has to be manhandled off the course at speeds below 80 MPH, she wants and is designed to go straight.

Later on, after I was discharged from the Navy in 1975, after working on airplanes for 4 years, I went to school at Chaffee College in Cucamonga California to get my A&P license. My education allowed me to work on commercial aircraft for a living as a civilian as well. I had a little bit of money saved, so I built a 750 Honda I planned to sell so that it would finance my long awaited Panhead.

At school I met John, who ended up being my best friend, and ultimately also ended up being my brother in law. He located a basket Pan… 10 over narrow glide, peanut tank, drag bars. OMG. Not exactly my vision of the perfect ride. We hit every swap meet over the next year and rounded up a wide glide front end and a set of 3.5 gallon fat bob tanks. Basically, exactly what everyone else did NOT want, I was buying up.

Finally, 10 inch ape hangers and a Bates headlight finished her off. We rode the wheels off our bikes, every day, every weekend, year round. The bike has remained virtually unchanged for the last 40+ years.

In 2009 I hijacked the 1350 ci Pan out of my second bike and started building a race bike. I put the Pan in a wishbone frame, stole my wife’s front end off her Iron head sportster, and went to town mixing and matching what was around the shop until it started to look like a race bike.

After a review of the records and es, I found out the Vintage Sidecar record was 76 MPH. I thought, I could peddle that fast! So, I reached out to my buddy Wink Eller, a superstar on sidecars, and asked him advice on what worked and what did not and built a sidecar that would be race ready.

I joined the High Desert Racers in 2007, my goal was to learn as much as I could before racing before finally heading to ELMO in 2010. The 1350 cc pan would not get out of its own way; it ran under 90 MPH in 1.3 miles.

Running fast on the street is definitely not the same as racing at El Mirage or Bonneville. Back to Wink’s I went. He showed me the error of my ways. I had a lot of little things that were costing me RPM’s and speed. I began fixing them prior to going to Bonneville the first time.

After my Rookie run on the salt, I set the 1350 Vintage Gas record at 107.234, then bumped it to 108,066. Seemed every time I went to impound I ran into the Lowbrow crew, having just as much fun as I was having. Returning to Bonneville in 2011 I bumped my existing record to 110.558, then 112.455, then 114.432. I was finally starting to find the sweet spot. In 2012 bumped the Gas record to 121.585!!!

Timing, Fuel jetting, gearing it’s all a learning curve on every engine. ELMO is a drag race, Bonneville is a long pull. So back to ELMO I went hoping to break the minimum open record of 119. I finally broke that minimum at the November meet of 2012. Pretty much spanked the Vintage Gas minimum, achieving 129.939! In 2013 The Vintage Fuel record minimum was 125 mph at ELMO, I broke the 1350 minimum with 128.496.

All good things come to an end, I finally blew the 1350 rear cylinder completely off the bike, pulling 6k RPM going into third gear. The bike was pulling like a freight train when a crack opened up along the oil passage in the rear cylinder. The explosion was so violent that the impact from the head departing separated the top bar from the seat post. The piston was visible at the bottom of the stroke, the head was being supported by the push rod tubes, with nothing but air in between! The intake manifold was now completely ovalized.

Fortunately, I did not catch on fire from the raw fuel pouring onto the hot exhaust pipe. Guess that meant it was time for the 1650 Pan! It was originally built in 1995 as an S&S Sidewinder, 93 ci stroker Pan, by Bob Howard here in Phelan.

The ELMO Minimum for a 1650 Vintage Gas record was 125 at the time. At the June meet in 2015 I broke that record racing 125.756, just enough to skate by. In September of 2016 I had a nice tail wind and was able to bump the Vintage Gas to 130.438. The ELMO 1650 Fuel record minimum is 132. That is the target for this 2019 season.

Upon looking into my old records, I discovered I also have 2 AMA records still in the book. Wink and I went to the BUB meet in 2011, 12 and 13. What a trip. I love the AMA meets, you can ride to the start line and impound, plus the return run is in the opposite direction.

At other races, the SCTA sets the rules, and they require a tow vehicle. The BUB meet has a test and tune area and is nothing but motorcycles! I was in heaven. In 2012 the bore measured 1354 so I had to change it and run the 1350 as a 1650, I was definitely pushing my luck.

But, I still managed to pick up that 1650 SideCar Vintage Gas record anyway with a 116.433. On the backup run though, I ran out of gas and could not hold speed on the return run. I did not have any more available time to make another couple passes. OOPS! Then, the following year, In 2013, I picked up the 1350 SideCar Vintage Gas record with a 124.412.

The bottom line: Land speed racing is the last place on the planet where you can still build something in your barn, shed, or garage and then go out and compete with the big boys and girls. If you are fast enough, you get a record. If not, you go back and try something else. Simple as that!

You get to know what you can do on your own, and what you need help on. I could not have picked up a record without Wink Eller and Bob Howard. Innovation in land speed racing is a must. My wife is my crew, she starts me down the track, and runs the chase truck.

Over the years we have both become fast friends with the racing community. I have had guys from Denmark camp out in my driveway and helped them run as guests at ELMO. Friends from Minnesota we met at the BUB meets still keep in touch and we exchange trade secrets. On any given race weekend at ELMO you can see bikes going 266 MPH or 50 MPH. When I was 25 no one thought to ask me if I would be racing my Panhead at 68 years old, well I’m here to tell you I am still riding, building, and racing. Anyone interested should go for it. Land speed racing is a family of racers, with like-minded friends and family, unlike any other sport I have been associated with.

If you have ever seen the world’s fastest Indian or dreamt of running the salt definitely visit http://www.scta-bni.org for race dates and further information about the Southern California Timing Association. Plus, please visit https://bonnevillespeedtrials.com for the AMA sanctioned Bonneville motorcycle speed trials.

I guarantee you won’t regret it, even if just for a trip to watch the racers hustle to break records. I am sure I will see you there.

Words by: Tom Foley Photos by: Twila Knight

Brendan Mier's 1949 Harley-Davidson FL Panhead

This bike is completely stock with all Oem parts. I acquired the bike from a good friend of mine in 1989 who found it in Oklahoma on a Walneck’s Cycle Trader ad. The bike was in need of a restoration so I immediately disassembled it and began a couple year restoration project, driving all over the country to all the AMCA meets looking for parts to make the bike correct.

This was in a time when Ebay was non-existent and swap meets were where you went for all your parts - meeting great people and getting help from so many friends along the way. I ended up finishing the bike and made the rounds having it judged on the AMCA circuit and fixed all the non-correct hardware, along with a few arguable things till it was perfect.

The bike was originally peacock blue and at one point was painted black for a short time. The bike has since been painted Metallic Congo green, a 1949 color after finding a good unopened can of original paint.

Next year will mark 30 years that I have owned it.

Brendan Mier's 1949 Harley-Davidson FL Panhead

General:

• Owner: Brendan Mier.
• Year/Make/Model: 1949 Harley Davidson FL.
• Fabrication: None.
• Build Time: 2 Years.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 1949 Panhead, 74 cubic inch.
• Carburetor: Linkert M45.
• Exhaust: OEM.
• Air Cleaner: OEM J Slot.

Frame:

• Year/Type: OEM 1949 Rigid Wishbone.
• Rake/Stretch: OEM.

Front End:

• Type / Brand: OEM 1949 Hydraglide Drum Brake.

Wheels:

• Front Size: OEM 16 inch Star Hub.
• Rear Size: OEM 16 inch Star Hub.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Paint by John Incaudo of Incaudo’s Antique Cycle in Palatine IL.

Words by: Brendan Mier • Photos by: Ken Carvajal

Endijs Willows' 2018 Milwaukee-Eight Wafflehead

I bought the bike brand new and traded it in for my 2015 Sportster 48 back in Idaho, I was simply looking for a bigger faster bike, my Sportster was a bit too small for my height. It just happened to be the year that they put out the Milwaukee 8 (Wafflehead) Street Bob models so I jumped on it. It was between the Wafflehead or the Dyna S, but to be honest the stock M8 bike was just as fast if not a bit faster and a much smoother ride than the Dyna S.

Endijs Willows' 2018 Milwaukee-Eight Wafflehead.

General:

• Owner: Endijs Willows Year/Make/Model: 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Bob.
• Fabrication: Endijs Willows Build Time: 2018.

Engine:

• Year/Type/Size: 2018 Milwaukee-Eight (Wafflehead) 107 Cu/i (1750cc).
• Carburetor: N/A - It's Fuel Injected.
• Exhaust: Stock with aftermarket mufflers.
• Air Cleaner: Stock.

Frame:

• Year/Type: 2018 Softail stock
• Rake/Stretch: N/A
• Front End:
• Type / Brand: Stock

Wheels:

• Front Size: 19'' stock.
• Rear Size: 16'' stock.

Finish/Paint:

• Paint by: Endijs Willows.
• Plating/Polishing: N/A.
• Powder Coating: N/A.

Accessories:

• Front Fender: Lowbrow Customs Shorty Front Fender for 49mm forks.
• Rear Fender: Led Sled Customs Mohawk 16" rear fender.
• Gas Tank: Lowbrow Customs WX Split Gas Tanks.
• Handlebars: Stock.
• Grips: Stock.
• Mirrors: Stock.
• Hand Controls: Stock.
• Foot Controls: Stock.
• Headlight: Stock.
• Tail Light: Stock.
• Turn Signals: Stock.
• License Mount: N/A.
• Seat: Stock.

When I took the bike home it was apart within the first week. Before I even bought the thing, I knew I wanted to change some stuff around on it.

The first thing that had to go was the gas tank. The stock one was just too wide and shaped a bit too modern for my taste. I decided to go with a set of Lowbrow Customs WX split tanks. They just look more ic. I also had to order up a weld-in EFI pump plate from Lowbrow. It said that it fits Sportsters, but the fuel pump base plate is identical on the M8 tanks so that made life a bit easier.

The mounts for the WX tanks had to be modified and clearance for the fuel pump had to be created in the left side tank. There is just enough room on the WX tank for the fuel pump and I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Next to go was the rear fender, once again the stock seemed a bit too square and sitting too high for my taste so I went with the Led Sled Customs 6” Mohawk rear fender. Definitely a challenge to fit a smaller, tighter fender on this bike, I had to notch and cut the new fender and change its shape quite a bit to make it work.

If you try to do it, be patient, it can be done. The front fender was a direct fit from Lowbrow Customs, a simple bolt on that works flawlessly and keeps the integrity of the look I was going for intact!

I am pretty happy with the bike and the way it looks for now, I feel that these new bikes don’t really have much of a soul or personality to them when they come off the showroom floor.

My main goal was to try to give it one, it’s not totally there yet but I have future plans to make it a bit more ic looking and feeling. I think this new softail frame is a great platform to build off of. It gives you your modern/old school look to a bike and it's totally possible to make it happen using parts that are intended for older bikes with a little time and fabrication skill.

Without motorcycle part companies like Lowbrow Customs it would be very rather difficult to customize a newer motorcycle to your liking and for that I’m thankful they are around.

My advice to anyone that is getting into a build like this or on any of the newer bikes, just do it, don’t mess with the mechanicals unless you really know what you are doing, the manufactures make them pretty well made and tuned right out of the box, but as far as the looks go, go for it!

Keep all your stock take off parts and don’t cut or weld on your frame unless you are a pro, that way you can always return it back to ground zero.

Words by Endijs Willows Photos by Mikey Revolt.