For the motorcycles used in Sylvester Stallone‘s latest movie – The Expendables, Stallone went to Bourget’s Bike Works as well as other bikes from the Easyriders Show and Cycle Source Chopper Show during “Bike Week New Orleans“.

Expendables is about an expendable team of mercenaries who head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator. The movie also stars Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis and Steve Austin.

“I personally chose all of the bikes,” said Stallone. Arnold Schwarzenegger is also in the film, although the governor shot his scenes in California. Jean-Claude Van Damme was reported to have been personally offered a role by Stallone, but turned it down because he felt there was no substance to the character.

Want a Japanese cafe racer but can’t find a Yamaha SR400/500? No fear, the Suzuki Savage based CS-1 from Ryca Motors is now available.

You can create a thumper from a kit which has everything you’ll need to build your own CS-1 cafe racer. It is very important to note that the kit was designed to avoid any major modifications to the frame or engine! Just find a usable example of the 650cc, 30bhp Suzuki Savage and get to work with a Ryca Motors kit.

The designer, Casey Stevenson is a 37-year old who lives in Los Angeles, California. Stevenson used to design zero-gravity microcapsules for the Space Shuttle Discovery.

“The Savage motor was perfect for the project, but it was a real stretch of the imagination to see the rest of the bike as something I would want to ride. But the overall shape of the stock tank isn’t bad, so I started to mess with it a little, cutting off the bottom and sections of the front to make it sit much lower on the frame. I like to make the most of what I’ve got, so after the tank was all welded up, I made the decision to use as much of the stock bike as possible. Things just flowed from there, and I realised the best ways of making the components were also the simplest and most cost effective.”

More at www.rycamotors.com

Hell Ride, a movie by Quentin Tarantino has the usual trademark sex, drugs, rock & roll and bikes. It’s about bad guys vs. even badder guys! One of the characters, Machete, (who happens to be one of the ‘even badder’ baddies) played by Francesco Quinn, son of legendary actor Anthony Quinn rides his own motorcycle, customised of course, in the movie. The producers took his 2006 Honda VTX1300 to Honda VP Ray Blank for a movie makeover. They painted the bike flat black and spilled gasoline over the paintjob, rubbing it in with a rag to give it a used and abused look. Also added were a Cobra exhaust, unique triple-beam headlights, Kellerman BL 1000 bar-end signals, K&N filter and jet kit. As you read this, the bike would have probably been signed by Francesco and auctioned off for charity. How’s this for a movie chopper? A Honda? Looks like the producers wanted something just a bit different from the usual Harleys and Indians normally used in this genre. Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of those too.

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Jimmie Johnson and the JJF tribute motorcycle, with the crew of 2Xtreem TV

The new “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” exhibit at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum opens June 28, 2008, spotlighting over 100 of the country’s most passionate celebrity moto enthusiasts, their motorcycles and personal memorabilia. Among them is Jimmie Johnson, the two-time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, whose Jimmie Johnson Foundation (JJF) has green flagged the inclusion of a special 2008 Star Motorcycles Warrior, customized by 2Xtreem Motorcycle TV and sponsored by Sunoco (www.racegas.com). The motorcycle, which was built as a tribute to the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, will be showcased in the exhibit until August 15, 2008.

Following its pit stop at the Museum, the motorcycle will be auctioned off at the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Annual Golf Tournament in San Diego on August 26, 2008. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the San Diego Habitat for Humanity. Visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org to learn more about the JJF and the organization’s events.

Two and four-wheeled devotees can tune in to 2Xtreem Motorcycle TV during May to watch the show’s crew build the custom JJF tribute motorcycle. Johnson even stops by 2Xtreem to take the machine for a test ride. Airdates and show times can be found at www.2Xtreem.com. Enthusiasts should also plan a visit to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, for a chance to admire the JJF tribute motorcycle in person, as well as motorcycles and memorabilia from other well-known athletes, musician, actors, artists, builders and industry leaders. The ribbon-cutting for “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” is Saturday, June 28. Visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org for more information and information on how to join in on opening weekend festivities.

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Recently, custom chopper builder Jesse James has unveiled his West Coast Choppers CFL II frame. The ‘CFL’ in the name presumably stands for ‘Choppers for Life’. The CFL II frame is revolutionary as it is constructed from folded sheet steel, whereas conventional chopper frames are made from steel tubing, welded together. This is not altogether a totally new idea as motorcycles have used stamped steel frames in the past (BMW’s late 1920s ‘Star’ frame comes to mind). However, Jesse James has done something new for the world of choppers, where this frame is basically made from flat sheet steel, which is bent and welded together with strategically placed steel tubing, in a sort of ‘origami’ fashion. A departure from the rise of all the funky, but ultimately quite similar choppers we’ve been seeing over the past few years.

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(Pic: Arman Ahmad)

Apparently Proton engineers are avid viewers and fans of Discovery Channel‘s American Chopper! Proton, a Malaysian carmaker has apparently built it’s own concept bike – a chopper powered by a 1.5-litre ‘MegaValve‘ Proton Wira (Wira is a Malay word derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘Hero’) engine, according to a post by Arman Ahmad, a journalist at New Straits Times in Malaysia in his blog ‘Man On Wheels‘. The Wira engine is derived from Mitsubishi‘s ‘Orion‘ 4G15 SOHC engine.

Proton R&D’s massive chopper is apparently an engineering exercise with no plans for production. The 17″ rear wheel is from Proton automobile and is fitted with a 210/50R17 motorcycle tyre. The front is a 21-inch motorcycle wheel with a 80/90 tyre. A modified driveshaft comes out of one end of the differential and drives the rear wheel through some sort of 90-degree gearbox (not seen in Arman Ahmad’s pics).

Proton R&D doesn’t appear to be planning to sell any copies but they were inspired by the Dodge Tomahawk concept bike and the fact that automakers BMW, Suzuki and Honda also build bikes. However, it must be noted that those companies started out with 2-wheelers and made 4-wheelers only later!

What do you think of their efforts? Post your comments below!

SOURCE, SOURCE

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or … The Bike The Factory Never Built. Paul Funk tells Biker Voodoo, in his own words how his PTP bike came about.

I HAVE A DREAM
From my earliest memories of riding a moped in the early seventies I dreamed of riding a motorcycle, but also about how to modify them to my own taste and needs. So as soon as I hit 18 I was riding a customized CB750’s with 16” rear wheel, chopped frame, Sportster tank, long front fork, homemade saddle, drag pipes etc. Which were followed in the years by a drag bike style Z1000, dirt track style XS650’s, Triumphs and fat GSXR1100 streetfighters.

In the meantime I came in contact with Harleys which were extremely expensive in those days, and all this time I dreamed of one thing; a big 1340cc twin. Hooked on American Chopper magazines I stole the best of Donnie Smith, Tom & Skeeter Todd, Arlen Ness, Rick Doss, Dave Perewitz and Pat Kennedy and later Japanese heroes as Yukiro Sato, Shiniya Kimura, Keiji Kawakita & Chica. I drew at least one plastic bag full of sketches of what my dream bike should look like. Because I was sure of one thing: You don’t buy a HD, you build one for yourself so you know it inside out. On top of that I wanted to build the bike I felt the Factory should be building. Reliable, fast and with a design that showed the heritage of the factory. I was inspired by the car designers who did ZZ Top’s Cadzilla (That would be the recently deceased Boyd Coddington – BikerVoodoo), Ford’s 49 Project Car, and the Thunderbird, a sort of hi-tech technology wrapped into a retro look.

THE 15-YEAR ITCH
The dream started to become reality in 92 when I was earning some good money as a House DJ/ record producer and got the chance to purchase a friendly priced used Evo engine, which stood in my sitting room for about a year. In 93 I got a sweet deal on a used FXR 5-speed (as I had the crazy idea to build a rubber mount engine in a FX frame) and ordered close ratio Andrews gears, a kick-starter adapter and a then rare Belt Drives Ltd primary belt. Around these days brakes were non existent on HD‘s so I bought front fork (in which I put progressive Hyperpro springs), 17′ inch wheels with proper tyres and brakes (with SBS pads) from a Kawasaki ZXR from the brokers. I was importing a basket case from Canada around these days, but when I got the bike out of the container it looked like it had been in a train wreck. When I got the opportunity to get a FX style FXR frame made in the States out of chrome moly for little money I didn’t have to think twice.

It took quite some time though to get the frame finished and then it took a year because a friend would put it in the boot of an old-timer he was going to import, but there was all kind of legal trouble with the container which stood on the dock for a very long time. So it became 97 when I met the (now tragically departed) drag racer, handyman and all-round good guy Schweik. I told him about my plan and enthusiastically he offered to help. I got JMC in England to build an aluminum rear fork and Schweik helped with getting engine, gearbox, frame & fork with the then wide 190 tire in line. Now I was running out of money again as I was in the middle of moving house, producing a Drum & Bass album and trying to make a business out of building streetfighters!

It wasn’t until February 2000 (when a ride on friend Jeff’s new second hand softail made me feel the holy fire again) before I continued the project. I got the naked rolling gear from the shed, and did everything necessary to make the engine run. When the engine roared to life after several kicks (kick-starters rule!) I knew it was worth all the trouble. After 8 years it was alive! Enthusiastically I started the bodywork.

DREAMS ARE NOT TRUE?
The summer of 2000 I was sanding, grinding, welding, working with bondo and polyester and spraying paint. After not too much doubt I chose for Henry Ford’s favorite color: black which I felt fitted perfect with my retro hi-tech project. When fitting the painted and homemade parts I saw my dream slowly become true.

On the first ride I had a lot of mixed emotions, was my dream what I expected it to be? Yes and no, it handled great but the engine sucked, it smoked, made weird noises and was so slow. A friend of mine just had his shovel rebuilt by Harley-Davidson Service Center in Delft and was telling me all the time what incredible things they did there to your engine and how fast his bike was now. So with nothing to lose I entered the atmospheric workshop of Mr. Joop van Amelsvoord. I couldn’t expect then how big an impact this would have on my life.

As I was already writing freelance for several bike magazines, Joop took some time out to tell me about his then 25 year old struggle with the products of a certain factory from Milwaukee. He told about his successes, failures, experiments and how from every mistake was learned and every discovery was cherished. He told about blue printing, balancing, making oil pumps, his own big end bearings, bringing the crankshaft & flywheels in line and making the cases geometrical correct, making special tools and measuring instruments etc. etc. I realized that although I read and worked a lot on motorcycles, there was still a lot to learn. After an hour of talking my head was spinning and we walked to my bike. I kicked it on and Joop twisted the throttle a few times, then he said: “shut it off, your rear piston ring is broke and your big end bearings are run in the flywheels! There is quite some work!”. I was devastated.

EXTRAORDINARY!
I went home and lay totally depressed on my couch for a few days, but slowly an idea was growing. I wanted to learn and share all the knowledge of this wizard with all the other righteous HD brothers. So why not start a website and call it www.perfecttwinperformance.com. I went to Delft and told Joop my plan, he was enthusiastic and I started to tear my bike apart. I didn’t know then that this would be the start of a six year long obsession, in which the whole bike was modified to the smallest bolt and the engine rebuilt to the smallest tolerances.

Thanks to companies as Truett & Osborn, S&S, Jims, Ross Pistons, PowerSeal, Spyke, Kibblewhite, Supertrapp, Crane, ART, Andrews, Bike Design, Powdercoat Westland, Dyna, James Gaskets, Anodising Nederland, Castrol, Varta, Fournales, SBS, Blankhout, SKF etc. was it possible to do no concessions at all. This had as a result that we could do extraordinary modifications as welding on material to strengthen the cases and mill them into a nice model, make instruments to put the bearing holes in the cases perfect in line, home made bearing cages with a industrial hard coating, welded in bathtub formed combustion chambers with Singh Groove (http://www.somender-singh.com/), customized S&S Supreme con rods for centrifugal lubrication system, home made oil pump cover with bearing for longer flex free oil pump axle, perfect inline / balanced crankshaft/ flywheels, one off Ross race pistons with Twin Cam piston pins, needle bearings in the nosecone for pinion shaft and camshaft, nikasil coated cylinders, and reworked valves and valve seats.

I must say the tension was high when I was starting it up for the first time and took the bike for a ride. All the trouble had been worthwhile. The bike was extremely vibe free, pulled like a tractor and went like a rocket ( 207 km/h without NOS), breathed well, ran cool and relatively economical (19 km/ 1 liter), constant oil pressure (hot not under 20 lbs stationary). The bike is quite light (198 kg dry) and I look forward to put the bike on a dyna bench (I expect at least 85HP out of the 80 Cu/inch without NOS). In the meantime the bike ran a trouble free 10.000 km and got a lot of positive reactions at the Amd European Championship in Mainz (Germany) and at the Custom show of Norrtelje (Sweden) from enthusiasts like John Reed, mr. Hide, Isto from Chemical Choppers, Flying Choppers Andy, Peder from Hogtech, Marcus Walz, Fred Krugger, Michael Lichter etc.

This dream took quite some work to come true, but it was worth every minute and took me deep into the scene I love so much. On the www.perfecttwinperformance.com website one can see in detail how the Big Twin works (think oil distribution), and is shown in great detail what is necessary to make the American V-twin reliable and fast.

Year / Model: 2007 Perfect Twin Project
Engine Make / Size: HD/ PTP 1340 cc
Frame Make / Type: Chrome Moly FX rubbermount
Front End: Showa/ Hyperpro/ PTP
Rake: 30 degree
Stretch: No stretch
Swingarm: JMC/ PTP/ Fournales air shocks
Transmission Size / Type: HD/ Andrews 5-speed kick-start only
Wheels Front: 17′ ZXR
Wheels Rear: 17′ ZXR
Tires Front: Dunlop 120 55 17
Tires Rear: Dunlop 180 60 17
Brakes Front: Discs Tokico
Brakes Rear: Discs Tokico/ PTP
Painter: Spray can/ Powder coat
Chroming / Plating: Scotch pad & pearlblasting
Additional Information:
Reinforced and redesigned customized crank cases, Engine totally re-engineered (blue printed: every engine part measured, re-aligned, straigtened & machined to fit with the lowest possible tolerances of free play). Engine assembled with 90% fluid gasket material, Special re machined S&S HVHP oil pump with 1.5 :1 ratio pump gear and longer flex free pump drive axle with bearing in custom PTP pump cover. Truett & Osborne flywheels, S&S/ PTP Supreme con rods, restrictor free S&S crankshaft with Jims crank pin and PTP custom con rod/crank pin bearings, Ross racing pistons with twin cam wrist pins, Power Seal Nikasil cylinders. Heads welded in PTP style bathtub combustion chamber & ‘Singh groove‘, Kibblewhite custom valves (smaller in, bigger out), ported & flowed, PTP cam, Kibblewhite extra strong cylinder studs, Crane needle bearing rocker rollers, Crane time savers, NOS nitrous system, S&S Super E carb with Da Vinci atomizer, pipes: PTP/ Supertrapp, primary: PTP/ Belt Drive LTD. Fuel pump for NOS in primary, ART hydraulic clutchcover, Barnett Scorpion clutch, Kick start only adapter for 5 speed, oil tank: PTP, Gas tank: Super glide/ PTP, Fenders: polyester, Electrical: PTP minimal, One off Fournales shocks, NOS electrics in empty start motor, Saddle: PTP, Goodridge oil cooler en brake/ oil lines, PM controls, many hand made brackets and engine parts. 85% of bike can be disassembled with a set of Allen key and a Bahco. Bike is ridden daily. More info: www.perfecttwinperformance.com

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The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum announces “Awesome-Ness,” a new exhibit honoring master motorcycle designer and builder Arlen Ness. An icon in the motorcycling industry, and 1992 inductee into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, Ness will join prominent colleagues and friends at the Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, on July 24, 2008, for the grand opening of “Awesome-Ness.”

The fifth in a series of Legends exhibits at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, “Awesome-Ness” will feature machines and memorabilia from Ness’ personal collection. Curated by photographer Michael Lichter, the exhibit will do more than simply display Ness’ significant creations; it will delve into the stories behind his influential career. Lichter, author of “Arlen Ness: The King of Choppers,” will use his unique perspective on Ness to provide visitors an in-depth look at the celebrated customizer.

More than four decades of groundbreaking designs have earned Arlen Ness his status as an authentic legend. He began his career in the 1960s, with the customization of a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead. After entering the Knucklehead in local motorcycle shows, Ness’ work was noticed by the press, as well as by potential customers. Soon he was able to start a business custom painting bikes. Not long after, Ness began selling custom parts and created a catalog to keep up with customer demand. As business boomed, Ness continued to create custom motorcycles, with a stretched and lowered style and high-performance engines becoming hallmarks of his designs.

“Awesome-Ness” will feature 11 of Ness’ significant creations, including “Untouchable,” the 1947 Knucklehead that launched Ness’ career. Additionally, the exhibit will spotlight “Two Bad,” his 2,000cc twin-engine Sportster; “Ness-Tique,” a modern custom inspired by a 1903 Harley-Davidson depicted on a Cartier trophy he won at a Harley-Davidson ride-in show; “Red Flame Chopper,” a straightforward, high bar bike inspired by his first Knucklehead; “Top Banana,” winner of top honors on the Discovery Channel’s “Biker Build Off”; “Overhead Cam Sportster,” a one-off 1200cc with sportbike styling that Ness keeps in his office; and “Mach Ness,” his helicopter turbine-powered bike. “Awesome-Ness” will also feature three designs inspired by classic cars, “Smooth-Ness,” modeled after a bronze of a 1932 Bugatti Roadster; “Ferrari Bike,” which evokes the iconic Italian automobiles; and “Nesstalgia,” inspired by a classic 1957 Chevy. Together, Ness’ creations form a timeline of the custom-bike movement in America. His work has influenced everyone from other bike builders to factory engineers.

Mark Mederski, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum executive director, says Ness will be the second designer to be featured in the Museum’s Hall of Legends. The first designer profiled was 1999 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee and Vetter Corporation founder, Craig Vetter of Windjammer and BSA/Triumph Hurricane fame. “Like Vetter, Ness’ career shaped the entire motorcycle industry,” says Mederski. “Ness’ contributions, both creatively and from a business perspective, have fueled a global fan club that just keeps growing. We look forward to sharing his story with enthusiasts and admirers alike.”

“Awesome-Ness” will open at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, on July 24, 2008, and run through June 2009. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Ness, and other motorcycling heroes, will begin at 6 p.m. and be open to the public. While at the Museum, visitors will also be able to enjoy the newly opened “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles,” an extensive exhibit spotlighting the world’s most recognizable enthusiasts. Scheduled to precede AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 25-27, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, the “Awesome-Ness” opening is the perfect beginning to star-studded weekend featuring motorcycling heritage and history.

For more details on the grand opening of “Awesome-Ness,” as well as a complete biography of Arlen Ness, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org

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Wear this and you will:
a) Get laughed at
b) Scare the $#!t out of people (especially at night)
c) Get stopped by the POLICE!

This Skull Helmet is on sale at Santiago Choppers for US$150 (minus US$0.01!). They claim that it’s very comfy inside, and you can see the insides in the pic above. Check it out. Now you know what to wear when you’re riding during Halloween.

PIC: Santiago Choppers

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Riding without proper safety gear is NOT recommended!

You can be a bad boy and still giggle like a schoolgirl when you’re at the fuel pumps!

With the advent of shows on TV showcasing West Coast Choppers Jesse James, American Choppers‘ Orange County Choppers, Biker Build-Off and countless others, choppers have become a mainstream bike that just about everyone wants to have.

However, getting one isn’t always easy on the pocket, which is quite sad actually. Here, I’d like to present the Kikker 5150 Hardknock, a cub-style powered hardtail chopper, built to resemble a vintage American chopper. The Kikker 5150 Hardknock is a traditional old school styled ‘bobber’ with a real, working springer front suspension, forward controls, jockey shift, electric start, solo seat, hydraulic disk brake, and a chrome plated TIG-welded 4130 chrome-moly frame.

Sporting 15″ rear and 18″ front spoked wheels, the Kikker 5150 Hardknock is no toy. It is comprised of numerous polished billet aluminum components and chrome plated alloy steel. Customers can have their choice of 49cc or 110cc engine (US$20 extra), paint, frame, handlebars, rims, tyres, seats, shifter (foot or jockey shift), pipes, speedometer (US$69), etc. Price starts at US$1499 (kit form).

This example has been given a WW2 Army bike look … and it works well, don’t you think?

Lots more interesting examples to look at on the Kikker 5150 website.

SOURCE/IMAGES: KIKKER 5150

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For the motorcycles used in Sylvester Stallone‘s latest movie – The Expendables, Stallone went to Bourget’s Bike Works as well as other bikes from the Easyriders Show and Cycle Source Chopper Show during “Bike Week New Orleans“.

Expendables is about an expendable team of mercenaries who head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator. The movie also stars Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis and Steve Austin.

“I personally chose all of the bikes,” said Stallone. Arnold Schwarzenegger is also in the film, although the governor shot his scenes in California. Jean-Claude Van Damme was reported to have been personally offered a role by Stallone, but turned it down because he felt there was no substance to the character.

Want a Japanese cafe racer but can’t find a Yamaha SR400/500? No fear, the Suzuki Savage based CS-1 from Ryca Motors is now available.

You can create a thumper from a kit which has everything you’ll need to build your own CS-1 cafe racer. It is very important to note that the kit was designed to avoid any major modifications to the frame or engine! Just find a usable example of the 650cc, 30bhp Suzuki Savage and get to work with a Ryca Motors kit.

The designer, Casey Stevenson is a 37-year old who lives in Los Angeles, California. Stevenson used to design zero-gravity microcapsules for the Space Shuttle Discovery.

“The Savage motor was perfect for the project, but it was a real stretch of the imagination to see the rest of the bike as something I would want to ride. But the overall shape of the stock tank isn’t bad, so I started to mess with it a little, cutting off the bottom and sections of the front to make it sit much lower on the frame. I like to make the most of what I’ve got, so after the tank was all welded up, I made the decision to use as much of the stock bike as possible. Things just flowed from there, and I realised the best ways of making the components were also the simplest and most cost effective.”

More at www.rycamotors.com

Hell Ride, a movie by Quentin Tarantino has the usual trademark sex, drugs, rock & roll and bikes. It’s about bad guys vs. even badder guys! One of the characters, Machete, (who happens to be one of the ‘even badder’ baddies) played by Francesco Quinn, son of legendary actor Anthony Quinn rides his own motorcycle, customised of course, in the movie. The producers took his 2006 Honda VTX1300 to Honda VP Ray Blank for a movie makeover. They painted the bike flat black and spilled gasoline over the paintjob, rubbing it in with a rag to give it a used and abused look. Also added were a Cobra exhaust, unique triple-beam headlights, Kellerman BL 1000 bar-end signals, K&N filter and jet kit. As you read this, the bike would have probably been signed by Francesco and auctioned off for charity. How’s this for a movie chopper? A Honda? Looks like the producers wanted something just a bit different from the usual Harleys and Indians normally used in this genre. Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of those too.

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Jimmie Johnson and the JJF tribute motorcycle, with the crew of 2Xtreem TV

The new “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” exhibit at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum opens June 28, 2008, spotlighting over 100 of the country’s most passionate celebrity moto enthusiasts, their motorcycles and personal memorabilia. Among them is Jimmie Johnson, the two-time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, whose Jimmie Johnson Foundation (JJF) has green flagged the inclusion of a special 2008 Star Motorcycles Warrior, customized by 2Xtreem Motorcycle TV and sponsored by Sunoco (www.racegas.com). The motorcycle, which was built as a tribute to the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, will be showcased in the exhibit until August 15, 2008.

Following its pit stop at the Museum, the motorcycle will be auctioned off at the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Annual Golf Tournament in San Diego on August 26, 2008. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the San Diego Habitat for Humanity. Visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org to learn more about the JJF and the organization’s events.

Two and four-wheeled devotees can tune in to 2Xtreem Motorcycle TV during May to watch the show’s crew build the custom JJF tribute motorcycle. Johnson even stops by 2Xtreem to take the machine for a test ride. Airdates and show times can be found at www.2Xtreem.com. Enthusiasts should also plan a visit to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, for a chance to admire the JJF tribute motorcycle in person, as well as motorcycles and memorabilia from other well-known athletes, musician, actors, artists, builders and industry leaders. The ribbon-cutting for “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles” is Saturday, June 28. Visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org for more information and information on how to join in on opening weekend festivities.

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Recently, custom chopper builder Jesse James has unveiled his West Coast Choppers CFL II frame. The ‘CFL’ in the name presumably stands for ‘Choppers for Life’. The CFL II frame is revolutionary as it is constructed from folded sheet steel, whereas conventional chopper frames are made from steel tubing, welded together. This is not altogether a totally new idea as motorcycles have used stamped steel frames in the past (BMW’s late 1920s ‘Star’ frame comes to mind). However, Jesse James has done something new for the world of choppers, where this frame is basically made from flat sheet steel, which is bent and welded together with strategically placed steel tubing, in a sort of ‘origami’ fashion. A departure from the rise of all the funky, but ultimately quite similar choppers we’ve been seeing over the past few years.

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(Pic: Arman Ahmad)

Apparently Proton engineers are avid viewers and fans of Discovery Channel‘s American Chopper! Proton, a Malaysian carmaker has apparently built it’s own concept bike – a chopper powered by a 1.5-litre ‘MegaValve‘ Proton Wira (Wira is a Malay word derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘Hero’) engine, according to a post by Arman Ahmad, a journalist at New Straits Times in Malaysia in his blog ‘Man On Wheels‘. The Wira engine is derived from Mitsubishi‘s ‘Orion‘ 4G15 SOHC engine.

Proton R&D’s massive chopper is apparently an engineering exercise with no plans for production. The 17″ rear wheel is from Proton automobile and is fitted with a 210/50R17 motorcycle tyre. The front is a 21-inch motorcycle wheel with a 80/90 tyre. A modified driveshaft comes out of one end of the differential and drives the rear wheel through some sort of 90-degree gearbox (not seen in Arman Ahmad’s pics).

Proton R&D doesn’t appear to be planning to sell any copies but they were inspired by the Dodge Tomahawk concept bike and the fact that automakers BMW, Suzuki and Honda also build bikes. However, it must be noted that those companies started out with 2-wheelers and made 4-wheelers only later!

What do you think of their efforts? Post your comments below!

SOURCE, SOURCE

バイカーブードゥー

or … The Bike The Factory Never Built. Paul Funk tells Biker Voodoo, in his own words how his PTP bike came about.

I HAVE A DREAM
From my earliest memories of riding a moped in the early seventies I dreamed of riding a motorcycle, but also about how to modify them to my own taste and needs. So as soon as I hit 18 I was riding a customized CB750’s with 16” rear wheel, chopped frame, Sportster tank, long front fork, homemade saddle, drag pipes etc. Which were followed in the years by a drag bike style Z1000, dirt track style XS650’s, Triumphs and fat GSXR1100 streetfighters.

In the meantime I came in contact with Harleys which were extremely expensive in those days, and all this time I dreamed of one thing; a big 1340cc twin. Hooked on American Chopper magazines I stole the best of Donnie Smith, Tom & Skeeter Todd, Arlen Ness, Rick Doss, Dave Perewitz and Pat Kennedy and later Japanese heroes as Yukiro Sato, Shiniya Kimura, Keiji Kawakita & Chica. I drew at least one plastic bag full of sketches of what my dream bike should look like. Because I was sure of one thing: You don’t buy a HD, you build one for yourself so you know it inside out. On top of that I wanted to build the bike I felt the Factory should be building. Reliable, fast and with a design that showed the heritage of the factory. I was inspired by the car designers who did ZZ Top’s Cadzilla (That would be the recently deceased Boyd Coddington – BikerVoodoo), Ford’s 49 Project Car, and the Thunderbird, a sort of hi-tech technology wrapped into a retro look.

THE 15-YEAR ITCH
The dream started to become reality in 92 when I was earning some good money as a House DJ/ record producer and got the chance to purchase a friendly priced used Evo engine, which stood in my sitting room for about a year. In 93 I got a sweet deal on a used FXR 5-speed (as I had the crazy idea to build a rubber mount engine in a FX frame) and ordered close ratio Andrews gears, a kick-starter adapter and a then rare Belt Drives Ltd primary belt. Around these days brakes were non existent on HD‘s so I bought front fork (in which I put progressive Hyperpro springs), 17′ inch wheels with proper tyres and brakes (with SBS pads) from a Kawasaki ZXR from the brokers. I was importing a basket case from Canada around these days, but when I got the bike out of the container it looked like it had been in a train wreck. When I got the opportunity to get a FX style FXR frame made in the States out of chrome moly for little money I didn’t have to think twice.

It took quite some time though to get the frame finished and then it took a year because a friend would put it in the boot of an old-timer he was going to import, but there was all kind of legal trouble with the container which stood on the dock for a very long time. So it became 97 when I met the (now tragically departed) drag racer, handyman and all-round good guy Schweik. I told him about my plan and enthusiastically he offered to help. I got JMC in England to build an aluminum rear fork and Schweik helped with getting engine, gearbox, frame & fork with the then wide 190 tire in line. Now I was running out of money again as I was in the middle of moving house, producing a Drum & Bass album and trying to make a business out of building streetfighters!

It wasn’t until February 2000 (when a ride on friend Jeff’s new second hand softail made me feel the holy fire again) before I continued the project. I got the naked rolling gear from the shed, and did everything necessary to make the engine run. When the engine roared to life after several kicks (kick-starters rule!) I knew it was worth all the trouble. After 8 years it was alive! Enthusiastically I started the bodywork.

DREAMS ARE NOT TRUE?
The summer of 2000 I was sanding, grinding, welding, working with bondo and polyester and spraying paint. After not too much doubt I chose for Henry Ford’s favorite color: black which I felt fitted perfect with my retro hi-tech project. When fitting the painted and homemade parts I saw my dream slowly become true.

On the first ride I had a lot of mixed emotions, was my dream what I expected it to be? Yes and no, it handled great but the engine sucked, it smoked, made weird noises and was so slow. A friend of mine just had his shovel rebuilt by Harley-Davidson Service Center in Delft and was telling me all the time what incredible things they did there to your engine and how fast his bike was now. So with nothing to lose I entered the atmospheric workshop of Mr. Joop van Amelsvoord. I couldn’t expect then how big an impact this would have on my life.

As I was already writing freelance for several bike magazines, Joop took some time out to tell me about his then 25 year old struggle with the products of a certain factory from Milwaukee. He told about his successes, failures, experiments and how from every mistake was learned and every discovery was cherished. He told about blue printing, balancing, making oil pumps, his own big end bearings, bringing the crankshaft & flywheels in line and making the cases geometrical correct, making special tools and measuring instruments etc. etc. I realized that although I read and worked a lot on motorcycles, there was still a lot to learn. After an hour of talking my head was spinning and we walked to my bike. I kicked it on and Joop twisted the throttle a few times, then he said: “shut it off, your rear piston ring is broke and your big end bearings are run in the flywheels! There is quite some work!”. I was devastated.

EXTRAORDINARY!
I went home and lay totally depressed on my couch for a few days, but slowly an idea was growing. I wanted to learn and share all the knowledge of this wizard with all the other righteous HD brothers. So why not start a website and call it www.perfecttwinperformance.com. I went to Delft and told Joop my plan, he was enthusiastic and I started to tear my bike apart. I didn’t know then that this would be the start of a six year long obsession, in which the whole bike was modified to the smallest bolt and the engine rebuilt to the smallest tolerances.

Thanks to companies as Truett & Osborn, S&S, Jims, Ross Pistons, PowerSeal, Spyke, Kibblewhite, Supertrapp, Crane, ART, Andrews, Bike Design, Powdercoat Westland, Dyna, James Gaskets, Anodising Nederland, Castrol, Varta, Fournales, SBS, Blankhout, SKF etc. was it possible to do no concessions at all. This had as a result that we could do extraordinary modifications as welding on material to strengthen the cases and mill them into a nice model, make instruments to put the bearing holes in the cases perfect in line, home made bearing cages with a industrial hard coating, welded in bathtub formed combustion chambers with Singh Groove (http://www.somender-singh.com/), customized S&S Supreme con rods for centrifugal lubrication system, home made oil pump cover with bearing for longer flex free oil pump axle, perfect inline / balanced crankshaft/ flywheels, one off Ross race pistons with Twin Cam piston pins, needle bearings in the nosecone for pinion shaft and camshaft, nikasil coated cylinders, and reworked valves and valve seats.

I must say the tension was high when I was starting it up for the first time and took the bike for a ride. All the trouble had been worthwhile. The bike was extremely vibe free, pulled like a tractor and went like a rocket ( 207 km/h without NOS), breathed well, ran cool and relatively economical (19 km/ 1 liter), constant oil pressure (hot not under 20 lbs stationary). The bike is quite light (198 kg dry) and I look forward to put the bike on a dyna bench (I expect at least 85HP out of the 80 Cu/inch without NOS). In the meantime the bike ran a trouble free 10.000 km and got a lot of positive reactions at the Amd European Championship in Mainz (Germany) and at the Custom show of Norrtelje (Sweden) from enthusiasts like John Reed, mr. Hide, Isto from Chemical Choppers, Flying Choppers Andy, Peder from Hogtech, Marcus Walz, Fred Krugger, Michael Lichter etc.

This dream took quite some work to come true, but it was worth every minute and took me deep into the scene I love so much. On the www.perfecttwinperformance.com website one can see in detail how the Big Twin works (think oil distribution), and is shown in great detail what is necessary to make the American V-twin reliable and fast.

Year / Model: 2007 Perfect Twin Project
Engine Make / Size: HD/ PTP 1340 cc
Frame Make / Type: Chrome Moly FX rubbermount
Front End: Showa/ Hyperpro/ PTP
Rake: 30 degree
Stretch: No stretch
Swingarm: JMC/ PTP/ Fournales air shocks
Transmission Size / Type: HD/ Andrews 5-speed kick-start only
Wheels Front: 17′ ZXR
Wheels Rear: 17′ ZXR
Tires Front: Dunlop 120 55 17
Tires Rear: Dunlop 180 60 17
Brakes Front: Discs Tokico
Brakes Rear: Discs Tokico/ PTP
Painter: Spray can/ Powder coat
Chroming / Plating: Scotch pad & pearlblasting
Additional Information:
Reinforced and redesigned customized crank cases, Engine totally re-engineered (blue printed: every engine part measured, re-aligned, straigtened & machined to fit with the lowest possible tolerances of free play). Engine assembled with 90% fluid gasket material, Special re machined S&S HVHP oil pump with 1.5 :1 ratio pump gear and longer flex free pump drive axle with bearing in custom PTP pump cover. Truett & Osborne flywheels, S&S/ PTP Supreme con rods, restrictor free S&S crankshaft with Jims crank pin and PTP custom con rod/crank pin bearings, Ross racing pistons with twin cam wrist pins, Power Seal Nikasil cylinders. Heads welded in PTP style bathtub combustion chamber & ‘Singh groove‘, Kibblewhite custom valves (smaller in, bigger out), ported & flowed, PTP cam, Kibblewhite extra strong cylinder studs, Crane needle bearing rocker rollers, Crane time savers, NOS nitrous system, S&S Super E carb with Da Vinci atomizer, pipes: PTP/ Supertrapp, primary: PTP/ Belt Drive LTD. Fuel pump for NOS in primary, ART hydraulic clutchcover, Barnett Scorpion clutch, Kick start only adapter for 5 speed, oil tank: PTP, Gas tank: Super glide/ PTP, Fenders: polyester, Electrical: PTP minimal, One off Fournales shocks, NOS electrics in empty start motor, Saddle: PTP, Goodridge oil cooler en brake/ oil lines, PM controls, many hand made brackets and engine parts. 85% of bike can be disassembled with a set of Allen key and a Bahco. Bike is ridden daily. More info: www.perfecttwinperformance.com

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The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum announces “Awesome-Ness,” a new exhibit honoring master motorcycle designer and builder Arlen Ness. An icon in the motorcycling industry, and 1992 inductee into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, Ness will join prominent colleagues and friends at the Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, on July 24, 2008, for the grand opening of “Awesome-Ness.”

The fifth in a series of Legends exhibits at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, “Awesome-Ness” will feature machines and memorabilia from Ness’ personal collection. Curated by photographer Michael Lichter, the exhibit will do more than simply display Ness’ significant creations; it will delve into the stories behind his influential career. Lichter, author of “Arlen Ness: The King of Choppers,” will use his unique perspective on Ness to provide visitors an in-depth look at the celebrated customizer.

More than four decades of groundbreaking designs have earned Arlen Ness his status as an authentic legend. He began his career in the 1960s, with the customization of a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead. After entering the Knucklehead in local motorcycle shows, Ness’ work was noticed by the press, as well as by potential customers. Soon he was able to start a business custom painting bikes. Not long after, Ness began selling custom parts and created a catalog to keep up with customer demand. As business boomed, Ness continued to create custom motorcycles, with a stretched and lowered style and high-performance engines becoming hallmarks of his designs.

“Awesome-Ness” will feature 11 of Ness’ significant creations, including “Untouchable,” the 1947 Knucklehead that launched Ness’ career. Additionally, the exhibit will spotlight “Two Bad,” his 2,000cc twin-engine Sportster; “Ness-Tique,” a modern custom inspired by a 1903 Harley-Davidson depicted on a Cartier trophy he won at a Harley-Davidson ride-in show; “Red Flame Chopper,” a straightforward, high bar bike inspired by his first Knucklehead; “Top Banana,” winner of top honors on the Discovery Channel’s “Biker Build Off”; “Overhead Cam Sportster,” a one-off 1200cc with sportbike styling that Ness keeps in his office; and “Mach Ness,” his helicopter turbine-powered bike. “Awesome-Ness” will also feature three designs inspired by classic cars, “Smooth-Ness,” modeled after a bronze of a 1932 Bugatti Roadster; “Ferrari Bike,” which evokes the iconic Italian automobiles; and “Nesstalgia,” inspired by a classic 1957 Chevy. Together, Ness’ creations form a timeline of the custom-bike movement in America. His work has influenced everyone from other bike builders to factory engineers.

Mark Mederski, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum executive director, says Ness will be the second designer to be featured in the Museum’s Hall of Legends. The first designer profiled was 1999 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee and Vetter Corporation founder, Craig Vetter of Windjammer and BSA/Triumph Hurricane fame. “Like Vetter, Ness’ career shaped the entire motorcycle industry,” says Mederski. “Ness’ contributions, both creatively and from a business perspective, have fueled a global fan club that just keeps growing. We look forward to sharing his story with enthusiasts and admirers alike.”

“Awesome-Ness” will open at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, on July 24, 2008, and run through June 2009. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Ness, and other motorcycling heroes, will begin at 6 p.m. and be open to the public. While at the Museum, visitors will also be able to enjoy the newly opened “MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles,” an extensive exhibit spotlighting the world’s most recognizable enthusiasts. Scheduled to precede AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 25-27, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, the “Awesome-Ness” opening is the perfect beginning to star-studded weekend featuring motorcycling heritage and history.

For more details on the grand opening of “Awesome-Ness,” as well as a complete biography of Arlen Ness, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org

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Wear this and you will:
a) Get laughed at
b) Scare the $#!t out of people (especially at night)
c) Get stopped by the POLICE!

This Skull Helmet is on sale at Santiago Choppers for US$150 (minus US$0.01!). They claim that it’s very comfy inside, and you can see the insides in the pic above. Check it out. Now you know what to wear when you’re riding during Halloween.

PIC: Santiago Choppers

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Riding without proper safety gear is NOT recommended!

You can be a bad boy and still giggle like a schoolgirl when you’re at the fuel pumps!

With the advent of shows on TV showcasing West Coast Choppers Jesse James, American Choppers‘ Orange County Choppers, Biker Build-Off and countless others, choppers have become a mainstream bike that just about everyone wants to have.

However, getting one isn’t always easy on the pocket, which is quite sad actually. Here, I’d like to present the Kikker 5150 Hardknock, a cub-style powered hardtail chopper, built to resemble a vintage American chopper. The Kikker 5150 Hardknock is a traditional old school styled ‘bobber’ with a real, working springer front suspension, forward controls, jockey shift, electric start, solo seat, hydraulic disk brake, and a chrome plated TIG-welded 4130 chrome-moly frame.

Sporting 15″ rear and 18″ front spoked wheels, the Kikker 5150 Hardknock is no toy. It is comprised of numerous polished billet aluminum components and chrome plated alloy steel. Customers can have their choice of 49cc or 110cc engine (US$20 extra), paint, frame, handlebars, rims, tyres, seats, shifter (foot or jockey shift), pipes, speedometer (US$69), etc. Price starts at US$1499 (kit form).

This example has been given a WW2 Army bike look … and it works well, don’t you think?

Lots more interesting examples to look at on the Kikker 5150 website.

SOURCE/IMAGES: KIKKER 5150

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