Busch and Busch build beautiful bikes, there's no denying it. In fact I was so in love with their Bultaco Matador that
I almost bought it! Their most recent build however, is much more than
just a visual feast, despite being jaw droppingly sexy. The Busch and
Busch Harley Davidson XLCH is a purpose built land speed racer. It's
bodywork required epic design, fabricating and finishing hours and what
they have planned for its engine will turn it into one helluva mean
machine. Like many builds getting it to the stage you see here has been
full of trials and tribulations and there's still more tasks to complete
to achieve their original vision for the bike. For now though the bike
is ready for its first run down the salt...but even getting that done
has been a challenge. I caught up with Lance Busch to get the low down
on the bike he and brother Danny built over the past 2 years, here's the
story as he explained it...
"You wouldn't believe how the bike looked when we first got it, so I
won't even show a picture, I will leave that up to your imagination-
but it was definitely a diamond in the rough. A 1972 XLCH Ironhead
Sportster motor, in an early 70's XL frame, with lots of stuff zip tied
on it to make it look complete. The frame had already been converted to
an Arlen ness neck sometime back, and it was actually well done- it was
just the rest of the bike that had been cobbled together to make a sort
of board track/skinny tire/street fighter/80's Hot Bike? In any case,
the first thing we did when we got home was toss everything in the scrap
pile and swapped frames. The skinny cast wheels and engine went in
another project for several years, while the frame got the donation of
running gear and wheels from another Ironhead we had. We then mocked on
a Bultaco Sherpa plastic tank, some clip-ons, a cobra seat, and drag
pipes.
It actually looked pretty tough! And, with the 5" backbone stretch of
the Ness Hardhead, it felt pretty cool when you leaned way down on the
clip-ons. It definitely had a drag bike feel to it, so we knew we were
on to something. With the Bultaco tank as a "buck" of sorts, we made
the fuel cover (more on that later) out of aluminum, and it was at that
point we make a tail section as well. When that was done, we decided to
go all out, and whipped up some Photoshop concepts of a full fairing.
Within three days, the excitement had overwhelmed us and the side panels
were roughed out and mocked into place. Then came the front
windscreen, then another, then a THIRD, and by that time it had really
started to take on its final appearance."
"The oil bag came next, and it looked pretty good, but we had decided
the bike would be turbo powered. The only place to hang the turbo was
right where the original horseshoe bag sat on the right side, so we had
to remake that, but larger to keep some semblance of oil capacity. With
the tank remade, the tail section was woefully undersized in
proportion! So the tail section got remade, and then we were done with
the easy part....
For a full year we had been mocking and re-mocking the bodywork,
figuring out what looked best , where the pipes for the turbo would go,
etc. We honestly spent more time staring at it and thinking than
actually fabricating. And not to mention- the rough out on the
bodywork was a far cry from what you see in the pics- there was the
matter of welding all the seams, making sure the oil bag was sealed,
mounting tabs that would isolate vibration, filling in the underside of
the tail section to act as a fender, trimming here and there, making it
fit up with each other panel, and on and on. And that brings up the
fuel tank "cover"- the plan all along was to make the tank shaped like
the Bultaco. But the problem was, we needed to be able to access the
top of the engine easily, and not have to disconnect fuel lines to do
so. At that point we decided the shell you see would flip up to expose
the real tank, which holds about 1 gallon, all we will need for a single
run."
"One of the hardest parts of the build was cramming everything under the
bodywork- the side panels flare out to clear the ginormous Sportster
primary cover, and the exhaust had to be carefully fit to clear the
magneto and the carb. It's kick only, so getting the lever to clear the
exhaust, shifter, and foot peg, while still not hitting the side panel
was particularly tough!
With the time crunch to prepare for speed week, and finances in the
dumps, we decided to pass on the turbo this year and just finish the
bike up to SCTA standards, get it inspected, and make a run to get our
toes wet. Unfortunately Speed Week was cancelled due to rain but we are
hoping to make the World Finals make-up event in October. The turbo
will have to wait till next year when we have time to build the new
exhaust, oil supply, and intake/intercooler ducting to feed the Mikuni
HSR42 carb. As it sits now, the exhaust is running where the turbo
would have been to fill out the empty gap on the right side. The engine
that had originally come in the bike was then swapped back in, until we
can build a ground up engine capable of handling the increased
compression. Sportsters are not exactly bulletproof!"
"When all the bodywork was mounted, the Dzus fasteners were all tested,
everything was lined up, etc., then it came time to polish. I left
Danny with the hard job, because making the panels took about half the
time that it did to painstakingly metal finish, wet sand, and buff them
to the brilliance of chrome! Luckily we had budgeted 3 weeks for that
process, so we were not left unprepared.
Everything on the bike was fabbed in our two car garage- the panels
were formed on Harbor "Fright" tools, bashed on a homemade beater bag,
sanded by hand and gone over with dull files. We did all the cutting,
spacers, axle sliders/brake mount fab and all the tube forming on the 6"
extended rear subframe (it was originally to be a YZ490 swing arm and
mono shock, but there was no room for the linkage!). The controls and
linkages are hand made, we fit a Ducati Performance steering damper up
front, and the forks were turned down and grooved on the lathe. The
seat was made by us (leather work is the main focus for our business,
"Busch and Busch Hand Crafted). All the machining, all the welding,
painting, tire changing, etc. was done in our humble home workshop. I'm
sure I left out tons of details, but it was a 2 year on-and-off
project, that changed numerous times after it was underway. We fought
constantly about the details, but we are extremely proud that we built
this start to finish with our own four hands, and it's definitely our
favorite project to date!"
First read on http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com
Is there any remaining doubt that Rough Crafts is one of the world’s top custom Harley builders? On the evidence of this new Dyna, I don’t think so.
‘Urban Cavalry’ is not your typical Harley build. For starters, it’s
an official commission—a gift to the custom scene from the folks at
Harley-Davidson Taiwan. Even better, they gave Rough Crafts’ Winston Yeh
the freedom to pursue his own direction, and he chose performance.
‘Performance’ and ‘Harley-Davidson’ are words not usually found in the
same sentence. But this machine, based on a 2014-spec Dyna Street Bob,
shows what’s possible. “The Dyna platform has a good balance between
engine power and bike size,” says Yeh. “Out of all the current Harley
model families, it’s also got the best potential for good handling.”
To ramp up the dynamics, Yeh has fitted a complete new front end, with upside-down sportbike forks supplied by Satya Kraus.
“Satya has been a great friend for several years now,” says Yeh. “And
I’ve always loved his Dynamoto Front End kit with Öhlins forks. To match
it, we fitted blacked-out Öhlins shocks at the back.” Yeh also
installed an aluminum swingarm from Roaring Toyz and a BDL open belt
drive, both of which reduce weight even further.
The brake system is equally high end. The dark metal composite rotors
were custom-made by the US firm Lyndall Racing Brakes, and they’re
hooked up to six-piston calipers from exotic Swedish brand ISR. Brake
fade will never be an issue.
The stock Dyna has a surfeit of torque, so the powertrain upgrades are
restricted to the engine breathing. The 103 ci (1689 cc) motor gets a
boost from S&S ‘Super G’ carburetion—plus a quite extraordinary
exhaust system. It’s from Dog House Racing, Taiwan’s premium titanium
exhaust fabricator.
“I’ve known Dog House for years and always wanted to work with him,”
says Yeh. “It’s just that our blacked-out, vintage-style bikes haven’t
been a good fit for the ‘titanium rainbow’ effect he creates. But now,
for this performance-driven bike, it was the perfect time to make a full
titanium system. So we sat down together, and came up with a design
similar to Rough Crafts’ classic ‘Bomber’ 2-into-1 pipe.”
Despite the new-found focus on tearing up the asphalt, the Dyna is the best example yet of the stunning Rough Crafts ‘look’.
With a narrow custom tank and a superbike-inspired tail unit, there’s a
distinct air of vintage sci-fi. It’s the kind of machine you could
imagine racing through the streets in Blade Runner.
The finish is almost entirely monochrome, with black anodized hard
parts offset by semi-gloss grey paint from Air Runner. Even the Arlen
Ness Beveled Wheels, 18” at the front and 17” at the back, have been
completely blacked out. The only glimpses of color are the titanium
exhaust pipework, the fork tubes, and tiny brass highlights on the
pushrod collars made by 2 Abnormal Sides.
I wouldn’t call myself a Harley guy, but I’d be happy to have this bike
in my garage. Correction: I would gladly sell a close family member to
put this bike in my garage.
Top marks to Rough Crafts for another out-of-this-world build.
Visit the Rough Crafts website | Facebook | Instagram | Harley-Davidson Taiwan
The post Rough Crafts’ Harley Dyna “Urban Cavalry” appeared first on Bike EXIF.
Revival Cycles are known mostly for their show-stopping Moto Guzzi
customs. So it should feel strange to see a Harley roll out of the Texas
workshop. But somehow, it doesn’t: this Sportster 883 is exactly what
you’d expect from Alan Stulberg and crew when it comes to style and
quality.
The story of ‘Hardley’ is a long one. The project kicked off over two
years ago when the 883′s owner spotted a few Revival builds floating
around. So he called up Stulberg and asked him if Revival would take on
his Harley. “Tony seemed adamant that we could turn it into something
special, and still a ‘Revival’ bike,” says Stulberg, “I’ll admit that I
had my doubts.”
Tony offered free reign though, and this was enough to motivate Revival Cycles
to take on the build. “Just to see what we could do”. Revival decided
to focus on what they saw as the Harley’s biggest strength: its
heritage, defined by that big V-twin engine. Everything in the design
would serve to accentuate the V configuration: “As if everything else
was simply minimized to serve the engine shape,” says Stulberg. “If you
look hard enough, you’ll see the V shape on everything from the bespoke
handlebar clamp to the fuel tank profile that plunges into a V between
the cylinders.”
After stripping down the 883, Revival realised just how heavy the
stock bike was. Weight saving was not a priority, but the finished bike
weighs in at almost 102lbs less than stock. Custom 19” wheels were built
up and a new rear loop made to accommodate a café-style seat. And then
the project stalled—Tony decided that he wanted a two-up arrangement
instead. “A simple change of tank, seat and wheels ended up becoming an
entirely different animal,” says Stulberg.
“We felt inspired by just how far this bike could go if the budget,
timeline and limitations were thrown out the window. We pitched it to
Tony,” says Stulberg. “We wanted to build this machine into something
that would make us envious.” Tony agreed—but asked Revival to shelve the
bike until he’d had a chance to sort out other business.
Roughly a year later he returned with his pocketbook and planning began
anew. The 19” wheels would be kept, but a host of already-purchased
aftermarket parts were tossed, along with the Harley’s original
suspension. “This bike would now need proper suspension to match what
was coming.”
What was coming was a significant increase in power. “The 883 engine
numbers simply weren’t gonna cut it,” says Stulberg. Although the donor
bike only had 450 miles on it, Revival tore into it with a 1250cc
cylinder and piston kit, Harley’s own 1200cc heads (with larger valves
and ports) and an ECU with custom mapped fuel injection. The numbers are
much better now: 100bhp and 100Nm. “It’s wicked fast compared to how it
all began.”
Then Revival turned to this Sportster’s most distinguishing feature—a
completely bespoke, three-piece aluminum fuel tank. Built as a single
unit before being divided into three sections, it now carries three
gallons of fuel in the left half, with oil in the right rear quarter and
the electronics in the right front quarter. Fuel capacity is the same
as a stock Sportster 883, and the oil tank portion is double-walled to
keep it cool against the rider’s leg.
Revival know their way around a bike’s electrical system, and are devout users of Motogadget
products. The electronics section of the tank not only houses the
Motogadget Chronoclassic speedo, but also a Motogadget m-Unit electrical
system controller, a lithium-Ion battery and the ECU. “Plus about 98%
of the new made-from-scratch wiring harness,” Stulberg adds.
The space for the new electronics is about the same size as an
average motorcycle’s battery box, and significantly lighter than the
stock arrangement. As an added bonus, all three sections of the new
‘tank’ are easily removable via quick-turn fasteners.
Revival then wrapped the 19” wheels in popular Maxxis dirt-track
rubber. “They’re sticky as hell and will provide excellent traction on
any surface. They won’t last long, but we didn’t build this thing for
touring, we built it for serious abuse. And that means a tire
replacement now and then.”
The tyre and wheel choice influenced much of the remaining styling
considerations. For one, Revival wanted the bike to sit taller, with a
more aggressive stance. So they sourced stronger and taller upside-down
forks from a Kawasaki ZX-14, and matched them to custom-built shocks
from Ikon. Both the forks and shocks are fully adjustable. Revival
altered the geometry too—running simulations and calculations before
fabricating custom triple trees. The handlebar clamp is now integrated
into the top clamp: “It appears as if it was sculpted from one single
piece, as intended.”
For the braking system, Revival took the time to source new
technology pads that are made from an alloy and ceramic composite,
making them lighter and more resistant to brake fade. These were paired
with Brembo monobloc calipers and custom-built stainless steel brake
lines. Alan reports that the setup works well: “The intense feel and
control given from the combination of these brakes and the sticky tires
is simply amazing.”
The 883′s belt drive was retained. Revival mounted a blank rear
pulley, then CNC-milled it to match the shape of the rear brake rotor.
Belt tension became an issue though, due to the bike’s additional
suspension travel. So a custom spring-loaded idle arm was made, to ride
on the belt and keep it taut.
In keeping with the raw, hand-made feel of the rest of the bike, a full
stainless steel exhaust system was made up, including a custom-tuned
silencer with SuperTrapp internals. “This is a very quiet Harley at a stop light and as loud as any under full throttle.”
Revival also built a new, lightweight chromoly subframe, supporting a distressed leather seat made by Ginger at New Church Moto.
“Everything else on the bike was done in-house at Revival, but nobody
does leather work better than Ginger.” Undecided about the two-up seat,
Alan says that they’re “Likely going to build an easily removable second
seat that would have an aluminum cowl”. To this end, the passenger foot
pegs are removable.
Finishing kit includes a LED headlight in an aluminum housing, a LED
tail light embedded in the new subframe, rearsets by Sato, Posh grips
and new switchgear integrated into the handlebars.
Revival have succeeded in building a bike that’s not only beautiful
to look at, but loaded with technical features. And why the name
‘Hardley’?
Alan says it’s because it’s “hardly in the same league as its previous self.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself.
All images by Alan Stulberg, shot with a Hasselblad on medium format film. Keep in touch with Revival Cycles via their website or Facebook page. Our archive of previous Revival builds is here.
The post Revival Cycles Harley Sportster 883 appeared first on Bike EXIF.
I’ve always thought that the older Nightsters are the best-looking
Harley Sportster variant. The mix of dark finishes, wire wheels and
blacked-out hubs gave them a subtle, low-key vibe.
This custom Nightster is anything but subtle, though. And none the
worse for it. Nicknamed ‘Traffic,’ it’s the work of Chicago-based Bull Cycles, the shop run by fabrication specialist Justin Powers.
Justin describes his inspiration as “modern muscle car with a twist of
café. In my mind, it’s what a modern Sportster should look like.” He
adds: “I use the term cafe lightly, as not to offend the purists!
However, everyone calls it a cafe racer at first glance, so I’ll let the
public decide.”
The base bike was a 2007-model Nightster. Fuel injected reliability
was a big deal on this bike, so the ’07 was a must. The tank was
sectioned two inches and the pump reconfigured to allow for a lower
stance.
It’s far from a bolt-on special: the tail unit and side panels are
hand-fabricated, and the under-mount tracker bars and LED projector
headlight surround are Bull’s own design. The stock belt drive has been
swapped out for a chain, and allows room for the 180-section rear rim.
The paint is a flat anodized silver, and works beautifully.
“There are lots of little details that make up the difference,” says
Justin, who cheerfully admits to being a control freak and
micro-manager. And that’s fine by us: this is one of those rare customs
that rewards extremely close inspection.
See more of Justin Powers’ work on the Bull Cycles website.
The post Bull Cycles’ Harley Nightster appeared first on Bike EXIF.
These days, you can slot most custom bikes into a clearly defined genre.
Café racer, bobber, tracker—a quick glance is usually all it takes. But
occasionally a bike appears that defies categorization, like this
Harley-Davidson Softail Springer from Indonesia. A modern American
cruiser with vintage Brit iron looks? I’m not sure where that fits.
It’s the work of Cosmas Lili Sudrajat, a 38-year-old who lives in a
city called Yogyakarta on the island of Java. Cosmas is a fan of British
bikes and Nortons in particular, but they’re not easy to come by in the
tropical rainforest. So he decided to build his own.
“I’m not a professional bike builder,” he explains. “My job is working
in an oil field. But I wanted a bike with vintage British looks and a
tough engine.”
After a little photo editing, Cosmas figured that he needed a Softail
Springer. He found a 1992 model in good original condition, gathered
some tools, and set to work. He modified the rear suspension to lower
the ground clearance, and changed the stance with new wheels. The 21”
front wheel was ditched in favor of a 19” BSA wheel, and the rear wheel
went up from 16” to 18”, courtesy of a vintage Harley WL rim.
Using a 1929 Norton tank for inspiration, Cosmas made a model of a new
tank and sent it to a specialist to recreate in metal. He did the same
with the fenders, this time using BSA Golden Flash fenders as a guide.
And then the 8” headlamp and sprung seat.
When the parts arrived, Cosmas created new brackets to mount them and
modified the Harley’s frame to ensure that they all fitted neatly. Most
remarkably of all, he also created a copy of the Norton gearbox casing
and had it cast in aluminum. The air filter cover is from a Volkswagen
car, and the custom exhaust system replicates the classic ‘peashooter’
style. The kickstarter is wired to the electric start, so when the bike
is ‘kicked,’ the electrics fire the engine up.
It took Cosmas more than two years to finish his creation. He’s
christened it “Norto”—a combination of Norton and the name of his son,
Toto.
After all that, I’m still not sure how to categorize this bike. It’s
certainly not something you’d see in the established bike-building
centers of the West. And even stranger to think it’s roaming the streets
of an island in Southeast Asia.
I think I’ll settle for ‘inspired.’
The post Custom Harley Softail Springer appeared first on Bike EXIF.
Is Harley-Davidson’s venerable Panhead the best looking motorcycle
engine of all time? It’s certainly up there with the Triumph and Moto
Guzzi twins. It’s nearly half a century since the last Panhead rolled
off the production line, but its appeal has never waned. It’s a hit with
both customizers and restorers, so we’re spoilt for choice with this
Top 5.
The ‘Pan’ was the mainstay of Milwaukee’s production from 1948 until
the mid 60s. It fixed many of the problems that afflicted its
predecessor, the Knuckle, with oil-tight aluminum heads and
chrome-plated rocker covers.
For some folks, the Pan has never been bettered. You can even buy a
lookalike motor from S&S: It’s designed to slot into a post-1970
Harley chassis and will cost you a cool $8,000.
For this round-up, though, we’re focusing on custom Panheads that
keep the retro vibe but crank up the style. The kind of bike you might
want to take out early on a Sunday morning for a leisurely ride, letting
the torque do the talking.
WRECKED METALS Matt Whitlock builds hot rods as well as
motorcycles. An eye for a line seems to come with that territory, and
Matt’s 1959 Panhead is super-clean. It’s running a rebuilt motor boosted
to 93 ci and a 4-speed ‘box with suicide shift. The heavy-set looks of a
stock Pan have gone, thanks to a rigid frame, a Springer front end and
straight-shootin’ custom pipes. Matt fabricated the narrow bars, foot
controls and rear fender himself, giving the Harley a timeless, classic
look. [More about this bike | Wrecked Metals]
Image (and top image] by Dylan and Sara.
MATT MACHINE Australian Matt Darwon has a double life.
By day he’s an award-winning architect, and by night (okay, by weekend)
he’s a world-class bike builder. He focuses on twins, whether Moto
Guzzi, Ducati or Harley, and rides his bikes hard along the highways and
backroads of New South Wales. He built this 1950 Pan for a friend,
meticulously re-welding the frame and then grafting on a Kawasaki tank
and Yamaha rear fender. An S&S Super E carb gives the engine a
useful power boost and Matt made the pipes himself. Believe it or not,
he also applied the intricate paint job. Is there no end to this guy’s
talents? [More about this bike | Matt Machine]
NOISE CYCLES Scott Jones is a true original, and this
is one of the most original custom Panheads out there. It’s an 88ci 1952
EL model that won ‘Best In Show’ at Born Free, thanks to offbeat
styling and remarkable craftsmanship. Jones cut his teeth working for
Jesse James and then Ian Barry of Falcon Motorcycles, so he knows his
stuff. In this case, that stuff includes a hand-fabricated aluminum
tank, a drum brake from a Yamaha racebike, and a smattering of
custom-machined components, including the triple trees. Fine work from a
builder at the top of his game. [More about this bike | Noise Cycles]
Image by Jose Gallina.
CUSTOMS FROM JAMESVILLE There’s more to the Danish
custom scene than the Wrenchmonkees. Denmark is also home to James
Roper-Caldbeck, an Englishman who specializes in rebuilding vintage
Harleys. In Europe, word has spread far and wide about his skills, and
this 1948 Pan was commissioned by a Romanian enthusiast living in
Germany. The need to pass strict German legislation resulted in a
low-key build, but it still oozes style—from the Springer front end to
the rear fender, which was crafted from a 1930 Ford spare wheel carrier.
In between is a thoroughly overhauled and reconfigured machine, with
neat touches like cloth-covered wiring and a subtly cut-and-shut tank. [More about this bike | Customs From Jamesville]
LOWBROW CUSTOMS Tyler Malinky of Lowbrow Customs is
usually associated with the Brit chopper scene, but he can turn out a
killer Harley when he wants to. This ‘garage-built’ Panhead caught the
attention of virtually every custom magazine in the States last year;
it’s not a radical build, but it’s beautifully proportioned and
finished. Tyler cleaned up the frame, TIG welded any blemishes, and
fitted a rigid rear section, a stretched neck and Triumph forks. After
installing Amal carbs (yes, really), Malinky used a modified Bates
taillight to supply the finishing touch. This Panhead is one of those
bikes that just looks ‘right.’ [More about this bike on Hot Bike | Lowbrow Customs]
Reckon we’ve missed out a contender? Let us know in the comments.
The post Top 5 Harley Panheads appeared first on Bike EXIF.
