Intro and Dual Harley

Hello, my name is Joe and because I started building Harley's I have no friends.

Though I feel a push rod engine has plenty of admirable qualities (low engine height, etc.), because I don't happen to like assless leather chaps or dress like a pirate, I've never been fully welcomed into the Harley clique. On the other hand, because I enjoy these tractor engines with their abundance of low end torque, I've found there is another group of more enlightened riders who assume I know all the words to "Born to be Wild" and must have an eagle tattoo on me somewhere.

I will admit I got my start in a chopper shop where function took a backseat to looking "cool", but I have no regrets as I used the experience to develop fabrication chops. Still relatively new to the motorcycle world, I'm firmly set on a quest to find the middle ground where form and function are equally important...but function over form.

I've learned a lot but I have a lot yet to learn. Unfortunately I know more about fabricating a bike than I do about riding one, but all that may change once I get my '70 Ossa 250 running in the dirt...but that's another story.

For now here's a bike I'm currently wrapping up:



























The build is based around an 883 sportster engine and frame, utilizing Buell front forks and an R1 rear shock upgraded with a stiffer spring. The tail is also the oil tank and it should be noted there is no paint on the bodywork; it's all raw heat-treated steel with the graphics acid etched.

The construction of this bike started over 3 years ago, but quickly left my hands and was sold as a project bike. In a twist of fate, it came back to me last month and I've pushed hard to get it finished. Because of this, there are a few more compromises than I would like, such as the pipes being in the way of an ideal foot position, etc...these things were designed before I knew better. Nevertheless, the bike was built to be a solid, reliable platform and I have no doubt it'll cruise and handle just fine.

Ya' know, that Buell rear wheel doesn't have a cush-drive. Using chain final-drive without a cush drive is going to beat the hell out of your transmission and primary chain. Do you have a plan to solve that? The rest of the bike looks amazing. Where did you get that exhaust?

Good eye, I'm building the cush drive into the rear sprocket, the one pictured is getting tossed. I built the exhaust pipes, sheetmetal ect., everything except the seat.

I like your style. I, too, appreciate many types of motorcycles. Love those Pirelli MT60s on your rpoject bike.

Nice! I like it a lot. You're a killer fabricator.

Is that your Ossa in the background of the last pic?

I know the feeling. snobbed by the Beemer types on my "ultra" and snobbed by the "H-D" crowd on my Beemer. To me a cycle is a cycle. I love to look at 'em, work on 'em and most of all ride 'em! And I like your style and work!

Oh MAn! I'd ride that!

Thanks for posting!

No chit mon and I'm not much of a Harley fan.

Looks nice Joe, great fab skills.

This is certainly an interesting build, I like the clean lines and the no frill approach. I am not sure if it's just the angle of the pics, but between the design of that seat, location of the foot rest and the head of the motor, things could get a little warm. I am sure you have spent allot of time on the design and engineering of the bike and it look great but from the pics...this could bring a whole new meaning to "chestnuts roasting on an open fire".

Ha, better market it like the engine, "air cooled". Maybe I should include a pair of Speedos with a scoop.

Yeah, a little air flow to that area might help relieve some of the heat issue lol, but seriously...have you given any real thought as to how much heat will be generated at the head and then transfered to the persons body given the relitave proximity of the seat and head. I like the style of the bike, however I think there may be a heat issue for anyone riding it for more than a few minutes.

Just food for thought !

There just isn't as much heat there as you might think, never measured the actual temp because it's never been an issue.

*It should also be noted the frame is near stock (aside from the swingarm and a few mounting points) and the proximity isn't significantly altered by this seat. But I do appreciate the concern over my better parts!

I am by no means a Harley expert, but from the pics of your build and looking at the pics of a stock 883, it looks like the foot pegs have been moved forward at least 8". The bars are also look a bit shorter by about 4", with this configuration whomever is sitting on the bike would also be pulled foward the same amount, so instead of sitting to the rear of the seat, which is about 8" behind the head, they are now sitting almost on top of the head.

I believe the normal operating temp for that motor is 230 degrees, heat dissipation has several variables in this application, outside temp, humidity, air flow and conduction which will determine the final delta-T, but simply stated...the closer you are to the heat sorce, the less the delta-T.

I think you are going to have a really hot bike, as far as you better parts are concerned, I'll leave that up to your significant other.

He already said the frame is largely stock. The pegs look like they're in the standard "forward controls" position, available on stock Sportsters. Ditto for the bar position. I don't know what photo you looked at since the seat is sitting right in the stock location. Here is a forward-control Sportster for reference:

Not my thing but you are an artist sir.

I came up with about a hundred little "wow"s staring at that bike for a minute.

Is that an 883 ?

It really does not matter to me either way, I was just trying to be helpful also...

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16658314&postcount=991
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16660668&postcount=994
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16661599&postcount=995
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16664131&postcount=999
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16667577&postcount=1005
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16671851&postcount=1011
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16673415&postcount=1013

It doesn't make any difference regarding the chassis: 883 and 1200s are identical except for the engine bore, though if you believe the air cleaner on that one, it says "1200".

It's kind of neat how you can sit behind a computer and take critical measurements to tell me all about the bike I built, but it's got to be a bit of a bummer when I can go to my garage, sit on my bike see you're wrong.

The controls are stock Harley as are the handlebars (save for the welded crossbar). Since you're not an expert you may not be aware this particular model comes with several variations.

It also might surprise you to discover this isn't the first bike I've built; here's another one with the same engine, foot controls and engine cradle:









The seat on this bike was even closer to the engine yet, and heat was never an issue. But to be fair, maybe my balls are just made out of much tougher stuff than yours.