Bike Building

[doug]

I really enjoyed the panhead last year, but I sorta wanted something a little different for this years trip. I'm gonna go visit the middle east & I suspect I'll hit some sand, as they seem to have alot of that. A long springer & skinny front wheel looks good, but not much fun in a sand dune.
I had a 75 shovelhead, but it was mostly stock, & a bit boring to me. Ran fine, but was sort of a heavy pig.
So.... lets butcher it up!





after I got it all apart, I wanted to make the frame a rigid. Less stuff to break.

so I ordered a rigid section, & marked the frame where I needed to cut, & ruined a perfectly good original frame

[doug]

took the pieces of frame to my friend Pauls house to stick em together.

first, ya hafta line em up & clamp em together



then I turned him loose. paul is a much better welder than I am. I'll weld tabs & doohickeys on, but when it comes to critical things, like stickin 2 frame parts together, I'll let him do it.
If nothin else, I'll have someone to blame if it breaks.



then take it to the local sandblaster & have all the old paint stripped off. This also helps to find cracks & other things that may need fixed
(I did find a couple small cracks that I welded back up)
I also had him blast an old rusty springer I had



and now, its painted & ready to start sticking together!



I've also got the wheels ready, gonna run 16's front & rear, with those snazy Duro tires. I love how they look, & they handle pretty good too.
I got a dual cam brake plate, made by a guy over in Holland. Should stop pretty good (I hope)

[doug]

so its starting to look like a bike, & not just parts scattered thru out the house.

I love how it looks so far!







I dropped the tanks off to a painter yesterday, & tomorrow I'll head to Ricks to work on the motor some more. The insides of the motor were fine, but I just want to make sure everything is new, as I wanna ride it, not work on it

[NSU Goran]

You really have one hell of an iron but there. Looking forward to see the bike done and on the road. Be sure to stop by

[indianjoes45]

Doug that bike is looking real good! The hardtail with the springer and low sweeping bars make it look dare I say it...... "old school". Hey and those fat tyres front and rear look tough as! Can't wait to see the painted tins fitted to the bike. Have you mapped out a route yet of where you want to travel?
Best Regards.....
Indian Joe
Melbourne, Australia

[tpsmith]

Doug, got wind of your exploits last year while reading the Horse on the shitter. Since then have enjoyed reading and seeing pictures of your travels on this website. Look forward to reading about the new trip...biker chicks in burkkas?

I assume you will also have a jockey shift with a new figure head to replace lenin? Since you are trevelling the middle east maybe khomeini or sadham hussein...

[doug]

they say my writing can cure constipation. I'm gonna try to sell short stories to put on bottles of ex-lax

I havent decided on a shift knob yet. I would like a muhammed head, but have never seen one. maybe a muhamed ali head would work? but I dunno where to find one of those.

I dont think there will be many hot chicks from the middle east, but I'll be travelling around the balkans & ukraine again also!

Doug

Doug, got wind of your exploits last year while reading the Horse on the shitter. Since then have enjoyed reading and seeing pictures of your travels on this website. Look forward to reading about the new trip...biker chicks in burkkas?

I assume you will also have a jockey shift with a new figure head to replace lenin? Since you are trevelling the middle east maybe khomeini or sadham hussein...

[doug]

oh, and I got a little more done on the bike....

[tpsmith]

nice sissy bar. I have a special attachment to see how this project turns out as I have also recently butchered a 75 FLH to re-use the motor and tranny in a bike of my own creation...every now and then I feel bad about tearing it apart.

Wouldn't recommend the mohammed shift knob, likely to get you starring role in a beheading video if you did that. If you want to piss em off use a george w bush shift knob! Good luck.

[ellandrd]

Build starting to look good A good HOG shirt would pissem off a bit They dont seem to like are trottered friends!!!
Hope your bike season starts soon, the weather here has been bloody awful even for sunny uk!!!!!!
AVE A GOOD UN
Cheers
2 coats(tony)

[doug]

Shovel is comin along, gettin to the small stuff now.
Motor is finished & ready, I got a new Baker 4 speed for it, & got fender, rack & other doodads on. tomorrow I'll get it almost finished I think, but sort of depends on time, as the 2 guys from Norway who are travelling on Nimbus's are sposed to get here sometime tomorrow.
that will be so cool, we have been emailing & stuff for almost a year.
we almost met up in russia
almost in mongolia,
almost in new york,
but looks like we finally will, here tomorrow!
its funny how close we were so many times, but never got together.

Anyhow, heres the bike so far

[Bigfeet]

Doug,
I only just learned about you and your adventures from an article I came across a few weeks ago. I am in awe and amazed at all you have done thus far! I am happy that I will be able to follow this trip from the beginning. The bike looks great, too!


Bigfeet

[paulbratu]

Hello Doug,
The bike is starting to look interesting. I am waiting for you to bring it here son. Finally we have spring
I like the yamaha banner in your garage I did not know that you are a fan of yamaha. Do you have one with bmw also?
We are all waiting for you here for a ride. I miss that banitza and shumensko beer.
REGARDS

[doug]

Hi Paul,
still not sure when I'll get to BG, but I'll let you know when I book a flight
The yamaha sign is old, from the 70's. I collect anything thats old & about bikes. I have an old BMW clock, but no signs.


so the shovel is gettin closer. Nothing wants to fit, have to dick around with this n that all the time.
Oh well, its all part of the process.
I've been building a bike from scratch every winter for several years.
You'd think I'd give up by now, but Im a glutton for punishment!

[usnldo]

Great pics of the new build. Really looking forward to seeing the finished product and following you on your trip. There are so many damn questions I'd like to ask you concerning your itinerary planning, paperwork, etc, that you must do in preparation for these trips. This is something I'm seriously wanting to do one of these days when Uncle Same finally lets me retire.