first real customer for bike build of old school hardtail bobber.

[Nightengale]

Hi John,
yeah, that fender is way too short if you are caught out in the rain; nobody can look cool with a muddy skunk streak up their back.
What I'd suggest is run a loop of tube up and over the end of that fender to keep the fender from shaking and hide the bolts that hold the fender extension on.
Also, that lopsided look with the number plate to one side don't work for me.
Put a second salvaged bracket the other side for another tail/signal/stop light and brace them back to the fender support loop to stop them turning on the axle.
Put the number plate on the fender extension's end with a pea light.
The support loop, rear lights & fender extension will make a subframe that can unbolt to pull the rear wheel.
Bikes should look balanced, symmetrical.
Except for big singles.
Unless it's a 4-valve Rudge or a Royal Enfield J2.

i would kill for either one of those bikes you just cant beat that look.

some good ideas, there are alot of things that i would do different on this bike but my buddy has his own tastes. i am going to run fender struts to hold the back of the fender up and there is going to be a three foot tall sissy bar on there too. my buddy wants that tall sissy bar, he ordered one off of ebay



i do think it is pretty cool with the brass knuckles but just not my taste. we will see how it looks on the bike when it comes in.

[Yard Dogg]

Nightengale, I like the trailer fenders and also have one on mine. I think they look a little better when you add about 1 1/2" of meat to the sides of them to drop them down around the tire. You can even go with an elliptical shape to it for a little added style. Just a brainstorm.

[fredintoon]

Concept interference

- - - got the fender on, but i think i am going to to get the next size up, since this one is just a little to short for the look we are going for. - - -

Hi John,
yeah, that fender is way too short if you are caught out in the rain; nobody can look cool with a muddy skunk streak up their back.
What I'd suggest is run a loop of tube up and over the end of that fender to keep the fender from shaking and hide the bolts that hold the fender extension on.
Also, that lopsided look with the number plate to one side don't work for me.
Put a second salvaged bracket the other side for another tail/signal/stop light and brace them back to the fender support loop to stop them turning on the axle.
Put the number plate on the fender extension's end with a pea light.
The support loop, rear lights & fender extension will make a subframe that can unbolt to pull the rear wheel.
Bikes should look balanced, symmetrical.
Except for big singles.
Unless it's a 4-valve Rudge or a Royal Enfield J2.

[Nightengale]

Looking good!

thanks man.

[Nightengale]

cool

It's looking good. I love to see welding and fab work in progress. In a few days I will unveil the work I've been doing on some custom side plates and a solo seat. I think you will love it. Stay tuned.

i have been watching the progress of your bike, and it is coming along nicely. keep up the good work.

as far as the fab work goes it try to fab everything my self. the mounting brackets for the fender started off as a piece of 1" wide flat bar that i drilled the holes in for the bolts, and bent and shaped to make them. to me by doing it that way there is no guessing weither or not it will fit, you make it fit.

[cpmaynard1980]

Looking good!

[Yard Dogg]

It's looking good. I love to see welding and fab work in progress. In a few days I will unveil the work I've been doing on some custom side plates and a solo seat. I think you will love it. Stay tuned.

[Nightengale]

got some more done

today i spent most of the day getting stuff for the bike. but i did get some stuff done.

got the fender mounts fabed and installed



exhaust rough fitted to see what i have to do to it to make it work with the rest of the bike.


got the fender on, but i think i am going to to get the next size up, since this one is just a little to short for the look we are going for.



should be able to get alot more done tomorow and will post more pics.

[Nightengale]

Nightengale,
Just two questions:
Is that a "calibrated" flower pot under the rear wheel?
Have you lit up your TP stash while welding?

happy trails,
ExcessiveBiker

81 Venturer
81SH
80 MNS not running

my daughter told me that her flower pot was calibrated, and as far as setting the tp stash of fire goes, lucy for me no fires as of yet.

[ExcessiveBiker]

like i told you anything i can do to help just let me know, i love doing this stuff.

Nightengale,
Just two questions:
Is that a "calibrated" flower pot under the rear wheel?
Have you lit up your TP stash while welding?

happy trails,
ExcessiveBiker

81 Venturer
81SH
80 MNS not running

[Nightengale]

tail light and liscense plate holder done

finished up the tail light/ liscense plate holder yesterday.

made the portion that the plate bolts onto, and the bracket that will mount onto the rear axel. the bracket is made from an old chain adjuster off another kz.


and with it all together and on the bike. once its actually mounted to the bike it will be about an inch and a half closer to the bike.



tomorow and sunday nothing but bike time i am hopeing to get alot done.

[Nightengale]

nothing wrong

looks good! Were the old bars ok? Straight?

yep nothing wrong with them these are the ones that my buddy wanted.
look at post number 10 and they are on the bike in those pics

[cpmaynard1980]

looks good! Were the old bars ok? Straight?

[Nightengale]

more work done

new handlebars, and grips came in.



tail light came in, so i made the mounting bracket, which will mount the tail light to the liscense plate holder.



after me and the grinder worked on it.


with the tail light installed

[Nightengale]

It's cool, but I think it would lead to a trailing surprise. Still cool. If I ever build an American chopper, it's going to have one of those. I too share your enthusiasm and would love to build for a living too. I was thinking of building a custom sportster for my next one. I'll just find an old Ironhead and build it up.

I would love to do the same th.ing, I want to go everything old school. Was thinking about doing it a little bit at a time, starting with the frame then the engine