Mobber Stormer

The Final Curtain (almost)

2010-10-23T14:43:00.001+03:00

Few quirks remains to be sorted. Overall the bike is within expectations The marriage between the RSD and the Tailgunner was a match.

The week end in review

2010-10-18T23:49:00.001+03:00

For starters fixed my pump issues, mated the RSD with the Tailgunner exhaust. Other minor challenges rear turn signals bracket, badges yes lots of badges well only 3. The bike is starting to change shape and should be done to morrow, however cant drive it as I lost my registration papers.

Tail Gunner Exhaust Video 1 million Views

2010-10-15T12:52:00.000+03:00

On its third posting anniversary posted on October 15, 2007. I am Truly overwhelmed by the number of hits that this video has generated. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to view and comment on this short video. To be exact the number of views are 1,063,806 to date and counting.

Bummer!

2010-10-14T21:44:00.001+03:00

Phase one of the bike is done, however before I move on to cosmetical enhancement. I will have to deal with the no pressure issue, which by a mismounted spacer. Shit Happens! luckily the engine never run more than 10seconds at the time, when I discovered the oil light was not shutting off. Oh well I guess Saturday will be spend on tearing the cam plate and front end to be lowered. In the Meantime you can enjoy the new scheme.

Mobber Reborn

2010-10-12T13:15:00.001+03:00

T-2

2010-10-12T13:11:00.001+03:00

Things have been progressing well so far! for the exception of the usual hiccups here and there. Yesterday was the front end revamp, I ditched the custom triple tree for a set of Deuce triple trees, black powder coated. Installed the Flanders bar, a nightmare of massive proportions, due the narrow holes. Changed my brake pads and installed the new powder coated switch housing. Today will be focusing on wiring and torquing all the bolts and hopefully get the Stormer fired up.

Deja Vu

2010-10-11T10:57:00.001+03:00

I have previously posted in regards to the Flanders TT Bars, well nothing have changed, in terms of quality and adding insult to injury, the machined holes drilled for internal wiring have extremely sharp edges which resulted in ripping the protective plastic cover on my controls wiring. You would expect better workmanship for a $200 handlebar. Nevertheless they remain the most confortable aggressive bars on the market!

Progress Report

2010-10-11T10:37:00.001+03:00

Over the past couple of days, I have struggle in putting the bike together. Mundane installation has proved to be nightmares. The swing arm, took over 2 hours to install, I usually do it in 20 minutes. it was not my day. The way things are looking now is as follows, 90% of my parts to be powder coated are done. The result is beyond satisfactory. The rear end is bolted back together the engine covers are back in place. I started stripping the front yesterday to install the Flanders handlebars, still some work to be done , I hope my progress is 90% by tonight. Leaving the tank and electrical to be dealt with, over the course of tomorrow.

Powder Coating Challenges

2010-10-09T00:53:00.001+03:00

Since glossy powder is not available in Kuwait I have decided to ship 2 LBS form the US. After delivering my parts to the coater, I was supposed to receive them on Thursday, unfortunately the cops raided his shop checking for illegal immigrants (Welcome to Kuwait), which resulted in a delay. I will check back with him tomorrow as I need to finish this build by Wednesday at the latest!

Todays Progress

2010-10-09T00:47:00.001+03:00

Today was a hectic day, started work at 16:30 and finished around 23:00. Oil Tank is back in place. New Oil Cooler installed, unfortunately I did not have a new oil filter, will get one tomorrow. Swapped my cams for a set of used TW8 as the the 6H were too torquey and has costed me 2 sets of clutches. Since I have already installed the new Screaming eagle hydraulic cam plate it was somehow easy to remove the cams. The 6H were mounted with a woodruff key which posed some challenge. The rocker arm base plate was a bit damaged by the high lift cam and needs some grinding, will take care of it, first thing in the morning.

Crossbone Assimilation

2010-10-08T11:29:00.001+03:00

This is a 2008 Crossbones right out of the dealership, this baby will be converted over the coming week to a Bobber, will keep you updated on this beauty over the coming weeks.

Burn outs

2010-10-08T11:21:00.001+03:00

No comments

Mobber

2010-10-08T11:18:00.001+03:00

The Mobber was build last year, due to budget restrictions I kept it simple, although, I liked the bike, there was room for improvement, that I will cover in the coming posts.

Sticking to a proven formula

2010-10-08T10:56:00.001+03:00

Each bike build has a distinctive style and each time we strive to outdo ourselves with budget constraint off course. My bike building policy is simple, keep it as close to stock as possible, so when if you need to sell it at certain point in time the custom aspect will not make people think twice about custom engines and part that are not available in this market,

Keep your frame stock
If you mod your tank keep the original at hand
Same goes for fender wheels etc…
Engine keep it HD

Now the enhancement are not only cosmetic. Lets tart with the frame, Lower rear and front, do not rake the bike if you plan on travelling. You can change the tires and rims, Rear you can go up to 200mm on a stock swing arm using stock HD parts, such as pulley and belt, rims from 16X5.5” – 17X6” even 18”, you only need to manufacture the spacers and grind the caliper and swing arm.

The Front I have opted for 180mm mounted on a 16X4.25” rim, you can go up 5.5” but want be able to fit a 200mm. I do recommend a fender to protect you from drainage water, its cool to drive without a fender, not that cool if you run into sewage water!

Drivability, the combo of 200+180 is a killer, the bike feel and handle like a sports bike, make sure that you r exhaust is high, RSD tracker is a good example of high clearance exhaust, yes your Harley will lean till you grind your foot pegs.

Handle Bars ape bars are cool if you wanna pose on the bike, if you are into serious thrashing, get a low bar, I opted for a mantel bar. Giving better control over my bike.

Seat console etc is stock HD crossbones of eBay.

Nest Post will cover the engine mods!

Transformation over 5 years

2010-10-08T00:23:00.001+03:00

Paint Job

2010-10-08T00:03:00.001+03:00

The color I picked for the Stormer is code name Matt Sand Q8! What a coincidence given the fact that I live in Kuwait The color fit the harsh dusty weather we encounter throughout the year, on top of that its easy to maintain and keep clean!

So why Stormer?

2010-10-07T23:24:00.001+03:00

Rather what is Stormer, well after building the Blitz giving homage to the Arado and by no means to Nazi Germany, I decided to continue with the same theme and context, although I have to emphasize, that my bike are not reflecting any Neo Nazi believes or tendencies, I just love war memorabilia and like to integrate some of them in my designs. Coming back to the name Stormer comes form Sturmtrupp WWI.

Stormtrooper Insignia

The intention was to create a special badge for the stormtroop-soldier firstly for motivation demonstrating his elite-status , but then it should become a qualification badge, awarded only, when he had finished a special stormtroop-training and had excellent capabilities in close-combat, throwing of hand-grenades, pistol and rifle shooting and was joined in three storm-troopers raids against the enemy.

It’s Official Mobber Stormer

2010-10-07T23:01:00.001+03:00

My Oil Tank got christened with the new Mobber Stormer name. Though the colors are a bit off, it’s a land rover standard matt color (Kuwait Sand). The number 59 reflects my wife B-Day and a thank you for giving me her bike, as donor to the Mobber a year back!

Mobber Stormer

2010-10-06T13:26:00.002+03:00

Most of the work on this project is cosmetical, as the bike has gone through a major engine upgrade last year. the problem started after a brand new valve seal, installed wrongly or rather forcefully through my local stealer, broke and went into my pump, damaging the scavenging pump in the process and making my Harley puke oil like the Exxon Valdez. The whole engine was disassembled and rebuild with a stroker crank, Ported heads from Hillside Cycles, 45 mm Mikuni, Woods Tw6H cams, very little money was left for cosmetics, for the record this bike has gone through 3 different builds making it the fourth one.

Mobber Stormer

2010-09-29T20:55:00.000+03:00

Mobber Stormer is the Blitz Bomber older brother. Based on a 2000 Nightrain initially dubbed Super Beasto, transformed in the Mobber last year and refined to the Stormer in 2010 on the bike 10th years Anniversary!

Blitz Bomber best in class FX Category!

2009-04-17T20:56:00.004+03:00

Today saw the 6th Bike Show hosted by Zain and Harley Davidson at the Avenues. The Blitz although not mine anymore has won with its new owner, non other than Shuwaish best FX category, as if we had any doubts, not only do we know how to build them, we know how to beat them too, whether on the track and in the shows. I am extatic about the results and this goes to show you dont need big budget to whip ass!! Unfortunately, I am unable to build anymore Harleys for the next couple of years as I am focusing on my business where I hope to achieve similar results.

Beating the Screaming Eagle Electra Glide

2009-01-25T14:37:00.001+03:00

The 2005 FLHTCSE2 Screamin' Eagle Electra Glide, is a 103 stroker and you would probably not a match for the Biltz. However this Glide is much more than that. With high compression stoker pistons, 257 cams and a 58mm Jim's throttle body matched with Vance & Hines dual exhaust and a PCIII its build to perform. However the downside of the Electra is its weight, tipping 355kg on the scale without oil and gas, the wet weight should average 390kg+ the rider. Friday witnessed a drag race between the Bomber and the Electra. The advantage of the Electra was its take off attributed to its weight, it took of the line, while Blitzy was burning rubber, rider fault I did not test the Mikuni 42, which I installed the night before. The Electra relegated the Bomber in first, second and was ahead by 2 cars length. Once I shifted to third the Bomber went super sonic and Blitzed the Electra as if it was standing still, crossing the line with at least 3 cars length ahead. Mission accomplished, I still believe it was not a fair race as weight ratios are handicapping the Electra. Nevertheless a win is a win, and in life there are only winners and losers. One Screaming Eagle Gunned Down who's next?

HTCC Ported?

2009-01-13T13:23:00.001+03:00

HTCC stands for High Torque Combustion Chamber (or High Turbulence?) In a nutshell the job was straight forward, heads off, cylinder off, pistons on, cylinder honing, gaskets on etc. The question was should i keep the Mik 42 or should I swap for the 45. See (http://harleytechtalk.net/htt/index.php?topic=3835.0). The 42 is snappier and more responsive below 2500, whereas the 45 is more sluggish off the starting line. Once past 2500 revs the bike is a daemon, it redlines across the board reaching its top speed of 220KPH in no time (Harley time relatively speaking). Am I happy with the 1000$ I have spent on those mods? You bet Blitzy feels like a Ducati, unfortunately does not brake like one :)…

Blitz Bomber Phase III

2009-01-13T13:07:00.001+03:00

Its been a while I did not update the blog and for good reasons. Blitzy got a major engine make over. The flat tops 10.25 Pistons has been swapped in favor of the HTCC 10.5 pistons, installed 0.30 cometic gaskets vs SE 0.40 and for the coup de grace, HTCC CNC Ported Heads coupled with a snarling Mikuni 45mm. The seat was swapped with the crossbones seat, after using the OEM springs way too mushy for my taste, I reinstalled the La Rosa springs. Cosmetically the light was moved up to the upper lower tree, giving the bike a more retro look.





	Blitzy May 2008

Blitzy gets a 180

2008-11-05T12:40:00.001+03:00

Yeap, I got the Bomber look, after a lot of fiddling, machining & grinding, here is the result, a gorgeous fat ass of a bobber. Went out for a ride yesterday night to Hilton with a friend. The bomber was absolutely a dream to ride, next up is to put the Blitz in it.

Fat Ass Bad Ass

2008-11-02T21:37:00.001+03:00

6 hours of continuous work, grinding, cutting, welding and the result is nasty 180 tire replacing the skinny 150. I have also decided to mount the original fender not shown in the below pictures. It looks like a G-String :)

Performance Challenges

2008-10-28T00:35:00.001+03:00

Just when you think that bikes manufacturers know what they are doing, you realize you are just another stupid consumer. Lets face it buying performance heads from a reputable company , such as HD, should make you feel at ease. However due to the commercialization of such items, some performance related issue seems to surface. I have posted a question on techtalk, to check the validity of my build and the guys feedback is amazing. Link

Heart Transplant

2008-10-24T13:35:00.001+03:00

The combination I have installed on the Blitz, is powerful and effective, however does not live up to the Blitz Bomber reputation. Power delivery is smooth and linear but lacks that punch in the midrange. The cure is a set of heads, the last of their kind as HD has pulled them out form their 2009 SE catalogue, a larger 45mm Mikuni, to flow better AFR into the Blitz and effectively raising horsepower and torque beyond the below chart given my current cam.

Blitzy new rear end

2008-10-24T12:56:00.001+03:00

Sound like a cosmetical surgery and as a matter of fact it is. I just received my new 16X5.5” outer rim. Its chrome, shiny and made in Japan. Took to the powder coating shop yesterday, unfortunately I know they will not be able to give that wet black finish, oh well this is the least of my worries. As my new spokes that were supposed to ship Fed-Ex end it up in APO which is going to set me back 2-3 weeks till finalization. The other challenge is fitting that 5.5 rim in the swing arm, some extensive grinding and machining need to be done. Hope this goes right. I want that fat 180 look.

How much power is enough?

2008-10-22T00:24:00.001+03:00

The need for speed, an all time addiction, that I cant seem to shake. Although I am past 46, I am still a Deamon once I get on the saddle. So next thing you would say, why don't buy a Ducati or a Honda, it handle better and out perform a Harley and satisfy your need for speed. That’s true but I love my underpowered overweight behemoth, its a rush to see it cranking up more power. I mean Harleys are stereotyped as laid back old geezer bike. But Blitzy changes the mold, it delivers the goods and that torque is orgasmic, it lays the rubber on the red light like butter, yet does not take you to Mach 1. So how much is enough, it depends how deep is your pocket. I have an excellent cam on Blitzy but the set up is lacking that extra uuuumph. That elusive feeling of brute force is what i am seeking and power I will get.

Cure for an aching posterior

2008-10-22T00:09:00.001+03:00

In my previous post I ranted about the seat comfort on Blitzy, looks are unfortunately not always synonym with comfort. Its like a nice looking shoe that you cant wear all day. The cure was to purchase a Cross Bones seat from my aching butt. I guess this would relief me of any future agonizing pains.

Blitz the return

2008-10-19T10:03:00.001+03:00

Been quite lazy lately in updating this blog, mainly cause I have been busy with my career and secondly, the weather has gotten much better with more outings on the Blitz. Here is what happened since my last post, I have received my 180 new tire and wider fender. After visiting Pirelli in Shuwaikh, they managed 2 failed attempts in installing the new Dunlop on the 3” rim, the first attempt resulted in blowing my inner tube so did the second, obviously the narrow rim could not accommodate the wider tire. Yet again another failure, the solution to order a wider rim which will entail relacing the rear wheel. I found the rim, now I am awaiting the new spokes and inner tube, to make it all work. Mechanically the Blitz is a marvel, no hiccups from the powerful engine, for the exception of a minor leak from a defective clutch cable, what are the odds? Easy fix, using liquid nails I sealed the clutch cable preventing further spillage. The powerful torque has proved to be a nightmare, resulting in wheel slippage AKA burn outs under hard acceleration, accentuated by uncontrollable power slide under cornering. Its fun to deal with, but not when slippery. The front brake are not state of the art and still need a handful to stop, still looking for a new brake cylinder. The forks dive too low under hard breaking, more than I like them too, thicker oil needs to be filled. On the comfort level, the seat on long rides is a bit of a torture device so is the cramped seating position, need to install 3 “ forward controls.

That's a rap for this round, I will be posting about the new mods as soon as I get my parts.

Blitzy second outing

2008-10-05T23:35:00.001+03:00

I know been lazy lately with this site however the good new is that my parts are arriving this week, meanwhile I took the Blitz and headed out to Marina for breakfast at Zaatar wzeit then riding up the Gulf to Starbucks free zone, not bad for a second outing on the Blitz. A couple of hiccups, are yet to be ironed out, rear tire needs to be replaced with 180 as traction is lousy with power slides in every corner. A small oil leak has developed that needs my attention as well as the front brake cylinder feels mushy. The front forks needs thicker oil to minimize nose dive, minor stuff.

Hellraiser under the weather, Blitz under the cover

2008-09-14T09:51:00.001+03:00

This has not been the best week in my calendar year. I have been pretty much in bad shape over the past couple of days. The weather has been fluctuating with a lot of humidity carrying loads of viruses in the air. To worsen matters, most of my stuff from the US is on back order and now I have to deal with a new employee at my supplier side making thing slower then ever. I am hoping to put the final touches on Blitzy soon, although to tell you the truth, I am not keen on driving these days.

Blitzy's seat pan

2008-09-08T00:23:00.001+03:00

Today I took the Blitzy to Salmeen's shop in Shuwaikh, the task is to manufacture a seat pan to hide Blitzy's wiring. The task is tedious, first off the designated area need to be shielded with tape. The bike had to be covered to protect from any resins drips. The fiberglass mesh was laid, then resins mixture was applied thoroughly making sure all the air in between the mesh was forced out. Second layer was cut and applied and the third using the same procedure. After 2 hours the pan has taken a rough form, its a matter of waiting for the resins mixture to dry, hoping it will be done by tomorrow.

Back to the drawing board

2008-09-05T20:39:00.001+03:00

After the first long ride on the Bomber a couple of issues considered minor, or major depending how you look at it, have surfaced on the bike.

Lessons learned after the first long ride:

Remember to loctite your bolts, I ended up loosing my points cover due to engine vibration. Lets face the Bomber is not a smoothie.
Bobber air filters with sponge elements are not designed for performance. The result is poor and restrictive air flow, forcing the sponge to be torn and digested by the engine and spit out form the exhaust, not a healthy diet.
Rear tire to fender clearance, yes I did use the hose for measurement, however clearance was not enough to clear the bolts holding the rear light, although I triple checked, I did miss out on the heat factor. This made my tire get deep scars making it useless after 200km of driving.
Since I am due for a tire change, guess what? I am smacking the 180 and yes a larger fender and another paint 280$ worth of damages.

Almost There!

2008-08-30T12:08:00.001+03:00

Blitz Bomber is home and no!!! I did not get to have the test ride on Thursday, it was simply too hot and there are still minor issues to be fixed on the Bomber. Below is the latest set of Pics, soon I will be posting a video.

Blitz Bomber hits the street!.

2008-08-28T11:16:00.001+03:00

This is a review of the first bike ride, after 3 month in the workshop, the green machine hits the pavement. Forget about carburetor, lights and whatever minor issues that popped up at the last minute. The main thing is to test the Blitz.

Ergonomics: Seating Position is leaning a bit forward, still comfortable, the springer seat needs some getting used , the pegs might need relocation two inches forward, I don't feel cramped with my 6 feet height, but a couple of inches will help, too early to talk about long haul comfort, this will need a trip of 200km to give you the final verdict.

On the road: The first thing that hit me is the feel of lightness that the Blitz have, all Harley's tip the scale at 300KG+ , not light in my book, however the bike feels nimble. The Blitz is stable with loads of clearance on both sides. the 16/150 up front a far cry from the original 21/90, gives it stability and begs for high speed cornering. negotiating curves at 120KM is a breeze, and no sign of flexing or wobbles. The rear end is the lightest part of the bike and has the tendency to slide if pushed hard, this is attributed to the relatively small patch of rubber the 150/16 a 180 section would have been better. Overall I like the frame geometry and if you really want to l know, I did push the Blitz to 170KM took my hands of the handlebar to check for any geometrical deficiencies. Verdict I am still here and writing this blog.

Bring on the horses: The Blitz engine has been rebuild, with 1550 high compression piston, Woods Cams, Alloy Pushrods, 42 mm Mikuni that sucks and high lift springs. Engine is a bit noisy but the exhaust note is gorgeous, the RSD 2-1 give the bike a nasty note once you flick that throttle open. The engine has loads of torque, easily spins the rear wheel at the red light, however power is delivered progressively and the torque is available on tap with in the whole power range. This is the 4th engine I build, and by far my favorite. Verdict too early to judge but 170km on the first day with lousy carb is not a sign of weakness.

Tonight I might take Blitzy out for a drive and see what it is made off.

Bad Luck or Jinxed

2008-08-28T10:36:00.001+03:00

A sort of curse placed on a person that makes them prey to large numbers of minor misfortunes and other forms of bad luck. Unfortunately I do not believe in the theory of being jinxed, however I am a subscriber to the theory of challenges, when building a custom bike. Why am i raising this issue, its because Abdulla believes that the Blitz project is jinxed for the multitude of issues that have surfaced throughout the building of the bike. So whats new? Problem with my used carburetor bought used off eBAy a couple of month back. After readying the bike for the test drive and rolling it out to the street, it failed to start, even though the previous day there was no signs of carburation flow. The engine was starved and petrol did not flow to the cylinders, which prompted us to take it apart and clean it. The Blitz started, however the problem of high idle is still persisting making it a bit uneasy to drive. Furthermore the rear brake light is always lit due to some short in the wiring harness. overall Nothing alarming still a few glitches to iron out, this is expected in any build.

Final Progress Report

2008-08-27T10:05:00.001+03:00

Blitzy is nearing D-Day, although this bike has been marred with tiny little issues and set backs that made me wonder sometimes what went wrong.

For starters

This my first Bobber not an excuse but I really did not know what to expect.
Wheels were off a 2008 model so modifications were needed
Coil Relocation nothing called after market fits
Front Axle delay in manufacturing
Seat Pan Wrong parts
Broken Vacuum Sensor
Triple tree stolen by powder coating shop
Cylinder heads bought as SE were stock
Rear fender too big, cut down to size
Steering bad workman ship cuts internal wires
Dash plate manufactured
Turn Signal missing one

With all of the above we managed to pull it off and yesterday, we started the bike, running rough need to check ignition setting.

Things to do for today to close the project

~~Rear light dual filament exchange~~
Wiring for fuel indicator
~~Adjust Ignition~~
Mount Seat and cut bolts to length
Ignition wires length
Exhaust Nut
Test Ride
Seat Pan
Ammo Box Mount

Kudos for Shuwaish

2008-08-27T09:41:00.001+03:00

I will start off this post by thanking Abdullah for 2 major things, the first is his kindness of letting me use his garage and the second is him landing a hand when I needed it most. Yesterday started off with a disaster as the Blitz brake was not keen on bleeding properly. Abduallah's ingenuity and perseverance prevailed, where I would have been bitching and cursing in multi languages, he really focused on getting this crappy pre- 2003 brake cylinder to bleed. I have to add that his skills in electrical trouble shooting are exceptional. OK this is not a brown nosing post but credit is given when credit is due, although Abdullah deserve a medal, he will settle for Sushi.

Harley-Davidson is Recalling About 47500 2008 Motorcycles

2008-08-25T23:08:00.001+03:00

Talk about being jinxed... Harley-Davidson Motor Company is recalling 2008 FLTR. FLHR, FLHP, FLHX. FLHPE, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU, FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP models. The recall is due to a problem with the cracking of the fuel filter shell. It may creates a loss of fuel pressure which could make the motorcycle fail to start or to stall in traffic when riding, with possibility of crash and injury for the rider. Harley-Davidson dealers will replace the fuel filter shell for free. Contact a Harley Dealer if they did not contact you yet and give them your VIN.

Good News

2008-08-25T20:07:00.001+03:00

After my woos with the tank and dash I managed to develop a quick fix for the problem. Instead of cutting, grinding and welding. I managed to keep down to grinding and welding. I went down to Salmeen, found a piece of scrap metal and worked my way through manufacturing a rectangular piece of support. As usual Salmeen is very helpful in landing a hand when it comes to welding and practical advice. After 2 hours of work the console fits on the tank simplifying the task of repainting the tank, I hope I still finish the bike this week.

Murphy's Law

2008-08-25T09:23:00.001+03:00

So I expected to wrap things this week, well guess again, things always tend to hit a brick wall when customizing. the Theory of interchangeable part went through the window. The cross Bones consol which fits the tank did not match with the mount on the tank, which means I will have to take my painted tank, grind the mount and reposition it 7 cm lower and repaint to match. will this bomber ever be ready!!!

On the other hand, i will never ship with Fedex again I ended up paying 76$ for Customs & Shipping.

Last week for Blitzy

2008-08-24T13:39:00.001+03:00

Here we go, all the parts are here, no more excuses and delays to wrap up the project this week and bring it to closure. its been quite an uneventful week for the Blitz Bomber. My to do list is still extensive and should be done in a couple of days.

~~Adjust belt and tighten rear Wheel~~
Check fender to wiring clearance
~~Tighten exhaust~~
~~Engine Oil~~
~~Replace Oil Filter~~
~~Vacuum Sensor change~~
~~Install RSD Engine Mount and Coil~~
~~Tuck Wiring under Seat~~
~~Adjust rear suspension~~
~~Finalize all wiring~~
~~Mount Horn~~
~~Change main jet to 165~~
Rear turn signal mount and wiring
~~Adjust front turn signals~~
~~Bleed Front Brake~~
Install number plate and manufacture backing plate
~~Re-torque to specs~~
~~Mount tank~~
~~Mount Dash~~
~~Dash Leather trim~~
Charge Battery
Manufacture Seat Pan
~~Fire Up test ride~~
Wash

Ironman Bobber

2008-08-17T14:04:00.001+03:00

At last I got a copy of Iron man, I missed it at the movies and was still waiting for a clean DVD copy. This is not a movie review (although superhero cliche, I did like the movie). However what caught my attention was the two gorgeous bobber in his garage. After a thorough investigation it turned out to be a Pan Head from Zerobikes. Enjoy the Pics Link

Blitz Bomber Promo

2008-08-11T12:02:00.000+03:00

XBones vs Bomber

2008-08-10T09:31:00.001+03:00

So I did decide to purchase the XBones few months back, although the Bones sits on a Softail Standard/Nightrain frame with Springer Front end, painted black with 96ci engine. I somehow felt that this Bike will not satisfy my needs in term of power and look. So why go with the flow and buy an assembly line so called bobber when i can build my own. Although I am 80% into the project, I believe I am on the right track and happy with the outcome of my work, the Bomber has an imposing meaner look than the Bones with a post war era design powered by modern day technology and enough power to pulverize any stock TC HD. Dark Customs get ready to be Blitzed.

Final Mockup

2008-08-09T22:23:00.001+03:00

Troublesome Weekend

2008-08-08T23:34:00.001+03:00

When things go wrong, they tend to keep going wrong, today I broke the oxygen sensor in an effort to mounts the upper engine mount, which also happens to be a mismatch. I hope tomorrow things will look brighter. On the bright side the front end is mounted.

eBay Scam

2008-08-07T15:49:00.001+03:00

It had to happen at a certain time and after 4 years of eBaying, I got scammed or more likely ripped off. I bought a triple tree from a vendor on eBay and got it shipped to a powder coating facility in California (BPpowder coating), after agreeing on the price and money was transferred via paypal, nothing showed up after 21 days. The logical thing to do was to raise a case on PayPal, the vendor response was simply to reverse the transaction and leaving me with no option of appealing as the case was closed. Now at a loss of 130$, I can only hope for ethical good will.

Front Fender

2008-08-06T17:58:00.001+03:00

I got my fender today, great job on graphics however the tone is about 3 degrees darker. So back to the painter for final touch ups.

30 days project report

2008-08-05T09:44:00.001+03:00

Looking back at my initial plan the bike should have been on the road by now, however my challenges have been related to lost and delayed shipments.

Lets start with run down of what has been accomplished to date.

Rear End: Wheels came off a 2008 heritage, harley managed to change the bearing size and the hub for this year which resulted in some modifications to the rear pulley and spacer.

Rear End

~~Bearing changed from 1 inch to 3/4"~~
~~Bushing cut and welded to match 3/4" axle~~
~~New rear wheel spacer fabricated and chromed~~
~~Rear fender downsized to 6.5" originally 7.5"~~
~~Struts Cut~~
~~New Brake Disc~~
~~New Pads~~
~~New Tail Light~~
Wiring still needed
~~Seat is in Place~~
~~New old school round oil tank copper coated and mounted~~
~~Lowering Kit~~
~~Oil tank Fittings~~
Rear turn Signals

Engine

~~New Cam~~
~~Cam bearings~~
~~Gaskets~~
~~Carburetor~~
~~Pistons~~
~~Cylinder Bored~~
~~Air Filter~~
Jetting
Coil Relocation
~~Valve Springs~~
~~Pushrods~~
~~Easy Clutch~~
~~Clutch Cable~~
~~Primary Gasket~~

Front End

~~1" Axle~~
~~Spacers~~
~~Front Caliper spacers~~
Spacer Chroming
~~Lower Fork Legs~~
~~Lowering Kit~~
~~Rubber covers~~
~~Triple Tree~~
~~Handlebar~~
~~Turn Signals~~
Wiring
Handlebar Bushings
~~Braided brake Line~~
~~Braided throttle cables~~

Body Work

~~Paint Job~~
~~Consol~~
Seat Pan

Slow progress

2008-08-04T20:35:00.001+03:00

My seat and Old school air filter arrived today, it was a straight forward of installation for the exception of the air filter which needs some spacers. My triple did not show up yet, which really getting a bit frustrating as it is impeding the whole progress on the front end.

Progress

2008-07-31T21:36:00.001+03:00

Things went better today, although I still have to repaint the front, Easy clutch installed, fender on with no need for brackets.

Overall pretty much satisfied with the outcome but not of the progress, still marred by missing parts.

Project Jinxed

2008-07-31T14:23:00.001+03:00

Its time to change from Blitz Bomber to Jinxed Bomber!! Nothing is going right this week, I received my coil relocation kit with missing hardware. My front fender is screwed up, after painting and mounting the wheel; with right axle, the holes do not match the forks. This means, welding grinding and repainting. My project plan is slipping and so is my temper. However challenges are to be overcome and time is the essence here.

Is my Luck changing?

2008-07-30T10:40:00.001+03:00

Got a call today my USPS package has hit the APO facility, cool stuff, now I can start working again, at least in mock up mode. As I am still awaiting my triple tree from California. So the plan would be to achieve the following today.

Finish the rear fender and mount the tire.
Install oil tank drainage
Mount coil relocating bracket
Center front wheel
Mount fender
Manufacture fender spacers on Saturday
Chrome Front wheel spacers.
Drain Gear Oil
Install Easy Clutch and clutch cable
Change Gasket

String of Bad Luck!

2008-07-28T09:19:00.001+03:00

All the parts I have waited for, in the past 10 days, were received yesterday from JP-Cycles. After trying the parts on the bike, the decision was to scrap the lot in the bin. That's 65$ burned to the ground, which makes it my 4th order on the bike that I am scrapping, as it is sometimes difficult to see what you are buying of a catalogue and the final product does not live up to your expectation.

Here are a list of the stuff i ordered and did not use

Seat Pan : 45$
Oil Fitting: 15$
Front Braided Brake line: 45$
Horn: 45$
Adjustable Rods: 75$ (lost)
Braided Hose: 35$

Total 260$. I would have rather spend them on something useful, however this is what I call Mail Order margin of error when you are building a custom bike.

Extreme Frustration

2008-07-27T18:52:00.001+03:00

Not only my packages were late due a plane mechanical break down, the box they came in was torn into pieces. When I received the package one of my NPT Oil line fitting was missing. I checked the BOM everything was crossed correctly. Aramex maintains its customs and off course whom am I to challenge Kuwait customs . What a fuck up, don't they know how to open boxes. I guess this was not part of their training policy %$#@!* F****!!!! So what's next, I need to go to Shuwaikh and manufacture one.

Harley Dark Customs

2008-07-27T14:57:00.001+03:00

Harley launched last year a new line up dubbed the Dark Customs line up. The bikes are mainly black and gray in color, preferably mat, chrome items have been replaced with black powder coat or spun aluminum. the whole concept is to give riders the ability to ride more rather than chrome and polish the bike. The flagship model of this line up is the Harley Crossbones, we have yet to see how successful the concept is in relation to the Kuwaiti market the V-Rods aka (Night Rod) have been selling well, as for the Crossbones , it is still sitting on the showroom floor for now. Link

Uneventful Week End

2008-07-26T17:48:00.001+03:00

With my parts scattered somewhere between the US - Dubai - Kuwait and some unknown military base in Europe. Work progress on Blitzy has taken a second seat. I spent the week-end with friends and family, kicking back and chilling, reading and watching some TV. Next week things are much more hectic, as I I 'll be flying to Dubai for a day, I am still aiming at finishing the bike by the first week of August, as my wife's bike is next inline to get a new paint job.

Harley CVO 2009

2008-07-26T12:59:00.001+03:00

Every year Harley releases its CVO range (custom vehicle operation) a name that sucks, cause in reality there is not much customization going on, for the exception of the springer (240 tire). In a nut shell CVO comprises of a paint job, lots of Harley Chrome components that you can find in their catalogue and a hopped up engine with bored crankcases. These are manufactured in limited quantities and priced at 45% more than the already overpriced Harley. Given the custom trend in the bike world it would be nice to see Harley adopting a Nike like strategy, where the customer can build his custom bike online based on OEM frames. This way you can decide color, tire size, engine size, etc, lets face it, since we are paying 45% more and a delivery time of 6 month, why not get something unique and worth your buck.

Paint Job Second Round

2008-07-24T23:49:00.001+03:00

The guys at Monaco did another great job pinning the right variation of Mat. The whole job was done in 24 hours, including the helmet and the whole process job was done in one week, I guess faster than Larry and Tony. Contrary to Khaled's comments, their job was more expensive than Tony, however they have a satisfied customer and believe me, I am a tuff one to please. I hope that the bike will finish in the coming 10 days.

PS: Oh Yeah Lebanese Rules !!

Blitz Bomber Saddlebag

2008-07-24T15:09:00.001+03:00

I am watching this item on eBay, plan is simple, buy it, manufacture bracket and bolt it to the left side of the bike. This would definitely look cool.

Swiss Bobbers

2008-07-24T14:03:00.001+03:00

Blitz Bomber Game

2008-07-24T09:45:00.001+03:00

I was searching for Blitz Bomber in Google and I found this game. maybe I should strategize how to obliterate my competition by bombing the hell out of them.

Shipments Delay

2008-07-24T09:39:00.001+03:00

3 shipments scheduled to arrive yesterday were delayed due to the following reasons. Wrong address, misplaced and did not ship on time. Can things get any worse than this? Why is is that every time I need to finish my projects, I hit bump and my schedule get extended. Its good that the weather is still hot and my APO items did not arrive either. One more week of waiting bummer.

Aramex Update

My luck that the flight got canceled, my shipment will be delayed for another 4 days @#$!!

180/65/16 White Wall Tire

2008-07-23T10:55:00.001+03:00

With the introduction of the new 2009 Harley Touring, I feel i got a raw deal. Off course no one could predict that HD will be releasing a 180/65/16 WWT. I wanted to mount a wider tire on the Blitz Bomber, however I was limited to the market offering in terms of White Wall Sizes. Well I will ride this year on a 150, and change it to 180 next year. Which will cost additional $ in terms of a new fender and outer rim.

Harley 2009 Models

2008-07-23T00:05:00.001+03:00

Nothing new in the line up, for the exception of the VROD Muscle. Built more like a drag bike with a redesigned tank, dual exhaust and beefy bars. Gone is the ugly duck tail, replaced by a more aggressive looking fender. The styling reminds me of the of Japanese bike.

On the Touring Range major revamp on the frame, inherited some CVO characteristics such as, Incorporating an all-new frame, swingarm, engine mounting system, wheels and tires, running 130/80-17 front - 180/65-16 in the back. It is about time that HD put some effort on the touring model, plagued with bad handling and serious high speed wobbles. The water cooled engine will have to wait till 2011.

The Dyna Street Bob gets a fresh dose of retro bobber attitude, with a newly chopped rear fender, blacked-out powertrain and an LED taillight from an old school custom.

Newly introduced is a motorcycle for those of us with a taste for comfort or a fear of falling. The Tri Glide Ultra has three wheels and a brand-new chassis design. It retails for $29,000.

One thing has changed is the price that has gone up on all models.

Challenges Ahead

2008-07-22T23:37:00.001+03:00

For starters the paint job was great, notice how I mentioned was, until I scratched it with my nail! Yes with my nail, the coating was super mat to the extent that if you run your naila on it, marks will be left, which can not be lifted off by washing. So back to Monaco Paint shop today. The guys where very understanding and apologized for missing this issue. They will repaint with a lesser level of flatness. On the other hand work in progress has slowed considerably due to 2 major items that did not land on time. My triple tree and my front axle, therefore the front end will have to wait till next week. I did manage however to lower the front and change the sliders.

Bikers Past & Present

2008-07-22T14:43:00.001+03:00

Hilarious no need to comment on both pictures.

Blitz Bomber new console

2008-07-22T14:15:00.001+03:00

One thing Harley Davidson has been able to maintain throughout the years, is its cross product compatibility. if we take the Softail range for the exception of the Deuce and the Rocker, with a little bit of ingenuity, you will be able to adapt most of the parts to older model. On Blitzy, there are a combination of 02 and 08 parts. the wheels are off an 08 Softail only difference are the bearings 1" vs 3/4 and the hub width easily cured by machining the pulley,changing the bearing and manufacturing new spacers. My new purchase is the infamous cat eye console introduced in the late 40s and remanufactured for the cross bones for that authentic bobber look. Total Price 180$.

Harley 2009 Rumor Mill!!!

2008-07-22T13:15:00.001+03:00

After spending some time on various forums trying to find out what’s going to happen these are the top 7 rumors for the 2009 models.

117ci liquid cooled in the baggers ( I heard 118 CI)
100 anniversary of the v-twin motor (Expect Anniversary Editions) (Not Again!)
With the influx of NEW riders and soaring gas prices Harley Davidson is going to release a scooter. (HA!)
A touring version of the V-Rod. (Options have been available for the past two years so this isn’t a stretch)
Decrease in production and an increase in MSRP (true)
Night Rod will be discontinued in 2009?
DISCONTINUED COLORS:
PACIFIC BLUE PEARL
OLIVE PEARL
SUNSET YELLOW PEARL
OLIVE PEARL DENIM??? Similar to BlitzBomber
CRIMSON RED DENIM
CANDY RED SUNGLO

New Models will be available to view on the web July 22nd (Today)

Paint Job

2008-07-21T19:56:00.001+03:00

The Guys at Monaco pulled it off, Mat Dull Nato Green, yeap the way I wanted it. Ali did a great job on mixing the color and the other Ali did another great job at painting. The color has the tendency to show different nuances of green based on the lighting conditions. Now I need to put the emblems and getting my helmet painted in the process. There is still some way ahead, but definitely I would say screw Toni, Lebanese rule.

Update Day 13

2008-07-19T20:08:00.001+03:00

Been to the paint shop today, they got the right color, now its question of getting it to be mat! On the other hand, my tank and my exhaust copper coating decided to change color, oxidization has taken place and the bike got suddenly 20 years old. My front light came giving the bike an authentic bobber look, still some stuff are still pending to finish the project, hopefully the last bits should be here within 14 days.

Paint matching challenges

2008-07-19T12:01:00.001+03:00

I am really amazed that every time it boils down to flat (mat) colors, Kuwait can not deliver. I have been scanning Standox website and they show Matt NATO Green code as 385F (Flat). The Kuwaiti Dealer does not import this color, only color available is the 385. This is frustrating, that you cant get the color you need to apply on your build. In the meantime I am still working on finding an alternative, I am not keen on going candy colors or flat black.

Paint Job

2008-07-17T09:27:00.001+03:00

The toughest part of any build is to find the right combination of colors, not this time, I guess I have mentioned the world green like a dozen times in this blog and yes the color is green. In Specific mat green, black is too gloomy and colors on a bobber is not really the style i am looking for. If I am lucky to get the right color combination it should look something like this.

Fat, Fatter, Fattest

2008-07-15T21:15:00.001+03:00

The front tire was mounted as a mock up to simplify the drilling of the front fender. After some minor mods and cutting to show the fat 150 tire, here are the results. Still some machining to the spacers needs to made to achieve the transformation.

Closer to reality

2008-07-15T15:04:00.001+03:00

I was browsing through the web and I found this bike, quite similar to what I am building today. I must admit it looks good.

Progress Report

2008-07-15T00:58:00.001+03:00

Well although I spent 3 hours working on the bike today, the main issue has been resolved. The rear wheel is finally spinning freely, this was due to a 2mm spacer that had to be was slotted behind the bearing ,which insured the proper free play. The oil tank is in place and the exhaust was mounted to insure the style flow, the only downside is that the baffle is made of aluminum and can not be treated (Bummer). Some works still need to be done to the rear end, more parts to Copper coat, spacer to be manufactured and brakes to be fitted. Overall I am happy with the outcome. Tomorrow if time permits I will start working on the front end.

Oil Tank

2008-07-13T22:56:00.001+03:00

After retrieving my Oil tank today, I spent 3 hours installing it. Oil was drained, exhaust taken off, removed old tank, installed new tank. Although it sounds easy, it was not. However the outcome of the effort was worthwhile. On the other hand, I am still facing some problems with the rear wheel fitment, it will be sorted by tomorrow.

Copper Mania

2008-07-13T14:00:00.001+03:00

Today I got my new Bobber Oil Tank copper coated, looks pretty nostalgic, time will tell how tuff it is to clean.

It is Alive!

2008-07-12T11:57:00.001+03:00

I like to say this after every engine build, it reminds me of the resurrection of Frankenstein. When Dr. Henri Frankenstein applies the right dosage of current to Boris Karloff aka (The Beast)

So in a nutshell, yesterday I bolted the Mikuni and the pipes and with the help of a small funnel feeding gasoline into the carb, we cranked the beast, sounds sweet running a bit rough, as some adjustment needs to be made to the jetting.

Notification of a Completed Refund‏

2008-07-11T07:05:00.001+03:00

My PayPal case has been reviewed and I got the following response.

You've Got Cash!
Dear Hellraiser,
This email confirms that the Pending Refund you received for $380.00 USD from xxxxx@verizon.net has cleared. The funds are now reflected in your PayPal balance.

Very efficient process although lengthy at times. I have had 4 cases with PayPal all of which with favorable outcomes.

The thing is such issues delays you project, when you are working on a budget.

My other project

2008-07-11T00:54:00.001+03:00

I have been juggling between 2 projects lately, as promised earlier these are the pictures I wanted to share with you of the final product. This retro looking Harley, started off as a Softail Heritage 2006. it has gone through an extensive list of modifications:

Lowered front and rear suspension
Powder-coated rims
203 Cams
Mini beach bars
Custom HD tank Set
Fishtail Exhaust
Deluxe Seat
and a long list of other goodies enjoy

Engine the final cut

2008-07-10T18:32:00.001+03:00

I did manage top finish the engine today with the help of doctor Shuwaish, who took an hour to of his quality time to land a hand. Everything has been buttoned up although I should have taken the latest pics of the final product, I will post them on Saturday.

Super Hectic Day

2008-07-10T01:03:00.001+03:00

Today marks the third day of work on the Bomber.

14:30: Went down to to Salmeen garage in Shuwaikh, finished the rear end mounted the Limp Dick taillight and fender.

15:30 - headed to South Surra in 48 degrees to work on the engine, although i had to wait for an hour for the engine to cool down

16:30 - Stripped bike, tank exhaust, drained the oil from the engine.

17:00 - Stripped engine - Cams came off, Rocker Heads, Cylinder Heads, Cylinder and Pistons and not to forget the carburetor

19:30 - Rebuild cams - Pistons Bearings.

22:30 - Recess for tomorrow

Tomorrow should be done with the rebuild including, exhaust and new carb and start the bike.

Operation Bobbing T-0

2008-07-07T21:02:00.001+03:00

I have not updated the site for a couple of days now, I have taken this week off due to several tasks I needed to finalize. First my buddies bike had to be finalized, I will post pictures tomorrow. My car needed new front discs and tires so spend half the day running in Shuwaikh. Afterall the running, I did manage to work on the Blitz, however not many pictures taken. I would to thank Hussein Salmeen for his help and insight. Salmeen has a small shop in Shuwaikh 'Kuwait Choppers" that oozes with creativity, if you need anything custom done Hussein is your go to guy.

Fitted Rear Tire
Flat fender ordered was 7.5" looked ugly, had to shrink it by 1", this means cutting, grinding and welding although the fender in 6 inch is worth 9KD, the wait would have been over 10 days.
Heads were send to dealership for performance springs.
Tomorrow should move from mock up to bolt-on.

Operation Blitz Bomber D-Day

2008-07-05T00:51:00.001+03:00

If all goes according to plan , tomorrow should be the first day for me to start working on the bike. The plan is to start by bobbing the rear end, this entails the following:

~~Strip the rear end~~
~~Fender, Struts etc~~
~~Mount new tire and rear rims~~
~~Mount Disc brake~~
Change Rear brake pads
~~Change rear pulley~~
~~Cut Struts~~
~~Mount new fender~~
Mount new springer seat

Expected time for execution 3-4 days, given any additional delays for part manufacturing.

Paypal Prevails

2008-07-04T11:11:00.001+03:00

I gotta say the system works and so does some exhaustive research. Although my case did not get reviewed by Paypal, I build enough evidence against the seller until he conceded. Below is a sample of what took place. I also would like to thanks the support of the Harley Tech Talk Community, who did an excellent job in giving me a lot of facts. See Link

This Morning Paypal Wrote

Dear
fatboyfishing has issued you a full or partial refund for your payment. This refund will remain pending until the funds have cleared from the sender's account. You will receive an email notification once the funds have become available in your PayPal account. See Refund Details below for more information.
Message from merchant:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Original Payment Details
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date Payment Sent: Jun. 17, 2008
Amount: $380.00 USD

Dear Hellraiser
You are right and im wrong!in 02 harley usd their stock heads with a 95ci big bore jugs and pistons.with your acceptance ill refund you 380.00 and you keep the heads for resale,no sense sending them back across the ocean again.
SORRY!

- fatboyfishing

Seller Wrote

OK, I tire of this.You have received-02 screaming eagle roadking heads,if im not mistaken they have SE forged in them.they came off a 02 screaming eagle roadking.I did not list them as after market heads I gave out part numbers on request.You can take it to paypal if you like, my listing is correct you (WILL) lose!You have already started this off wrong! I have a feedback of 100%.Here is what I will do for you-Send the heads back undameged I will relist them for you and when they sell,I will refund your $350.00 purchess price.I hope this is agreeable as its your only option where Im concerend
Roger

Hellraiser Wrote

Dear Let me clarify what I have received. In the package I have 2 silver heads front and rear with the respective part numbers.

Rear: 16725-99

Front: 16723-99

I have contacted the dealer, both of these numbers are OEM heads non Screaming Eagle. The correct part number for the screaming eagle heads is 16953-99B. The logo on the heads should read screaming eagle for authenticity purposes. Your Ad read as follows "Harley Davidson,Twin-Cam 99/05 screaming eagle 95ci silver heads,low miles-great condition!" irrespective which bike and model it came from it should have the SE emblem on the side, as Harley never manufactured these heads without a logo. As for the posted pictures you are referring to, it shows the opposite side of where the logo is. I will be more than happy to supply you with a letter from my local dealer attesting those claims. I hope we can come towards a mutual understanding to resolve this issue

Seller wrote "

Dear Your dealer is mistaken,I have emailed you a picture of an 02/screaming eagle roadking-as you can plainly see there are no logos on the heads.As for the box,forgetit! THE LISTING IS 100% Correct. Im sorry if you thought there would be a logo on them, if there where I would have taken pics of them plus! they would have been more than 350.00.If you dont want the heads sell them you will prob get more than you paid for them anyway.They would sell fast

.
Roger

TT Bars Bad Finish

2008-07-03T11:03:00.001+03:00

It has been a series of disasters one after the other first the heads now the handlebars that I received in a separate shipment. I ordered the TT Mantel bars, the finish was lousy more like orange peel from the Gloss powder coat, I have to ship it back to the US and get a new ones. All these issues are bogging down the progress of the project.

What a load of crap

2008-07-03T10:42:00.001+03:00

I have been an eBay member since 2004 and never had a lousy transaction, except for yesterday . I received my long awaited heads, the seller claimed that he was selling a pair of used like new Screaming Eagle Heads.

Upon receipt of my package. I was shocked to discover he send OEM heads, claiming these were SE heads. I went to PayPal resolution center and logged a complaint, upon which the seller still maintained these were SE heads. Now the issue has been escalated to a case. The outcome would be obvious, to send me to my local HD Dealer to authenticate my claim and send them a copy. This would require for me to ship the heads back to Florida, in order to receive my refund what a drag.

Tank Emblems

2008-07-02T09:47:00.001+03:00

After several days searching high and low on eBay, I found this pair of authentic 15th anniversary emblems. They will give the Bomber a retro look, keeping it simple yet classy. Price $75.

Got Heads

2008-07-01T11:51:00.001+03:00

I received a call from my buddy yesterday telling me he has a package for me, so I am guessing , its my heads from Florida, could be my Fender from Ohio. Either way, I will not know till tomorrow. Damn, I should rename this project to Snaily Bomber, not much Blitz in USPS and Aramex.

A quick description of my Heads. Harley claims that the SE heads innovative port shapes from the Evolution® 1340 cylinder heads with the Twin Cam 88® engine “bathtub” combustion chamber to create a cylinder head that really performs. Valve spring can accommodate up to .575" valve lift camshaft kits and up to 6500 RPM. Bottom line number talks, I am not expecting more than a 10 HP increase between 5000-6500 RPM.

Below is a Dyno chart, similar to my setup, I have opted to black out the cam, no need to reveal the magic ingredients.

Death from Above

2008-07-01T11:18:00.001+03:00

I was browsing through some WWII memorabilia, and I found this German poster, it's a warning for the German population to dim the light to prevent allies bombardment hitting civilians

Very interesting combination of Skull, Bombs and Plane. Unfortunately its too cluttered to use as graphics on the tank when the base color is green. Oh Well!Can't have it all. Maybe a medallion replica from WWII might do the trick.

German Stormtrooper badge of WWI. These units were developed as the spearhead troops during late WWI and would develop into the Blitzkreig units of WWII. I guess this might be a bit too Nazi oriented for my liking.

More trouble ahead

2008-06-28T20:13:00.001+03:00

Nothing is going smooth sailing! My so called bobber air filter is on back order. Damn luck.

Back to the drawing board

2008-06-28T19:47:00.001+03:00

Just when I thought, I had something special going on for this project. I went to Dasman Polishing service today with some stainless steel and aluminum items. What a bummer! After giving it a try out the copper does not bind onto neither. Research on the subject has returned the following results and I quote "

The most common way to plate aluminum is to use the zincate process, followed by nickel. Copper plating onto zincate layers can be problematical and is usually avoided wherever possible. However, correct pretreatment of the aluminum prior to zincating is essential otherwise the zincate layer is of no use. I would suspect the following things:

1) Is it the correct grade of aluminum for plating?
2) Was the pretreatment correct?
3) Was the zincating done correctly?
4) Is the nickel of the correct stress?
5) Are the process solutions all in specification?"

Duh!!! I guess none of the above, this level of sophisticated process is not available in good old Kuwait. What a drag here goes my dreams of a copper coated Bomber!!!

On the War Path

2008-06-27T01:11:00.001+03:00

Founded Springfield, Massachusetts, USA (1901) Indian Motorcycles a veteran and icon of the motorcycle industry, that witnessed several failed attempts. New Indian Chief uses an S&S fuel-injected 105ci V-Twin engine. The new Chief will have the classic valanced fenders. New Indian also plans on offering an accessory line for both the New Indian and the Gilroy Indian motorcycles built from 1999 to 2003.

Phase One

2008-06-27T00:32:00.001+03:00

Organizing my tasks with a simple check list, will ease the process of the transformation and will focus on rebuilding on one section at a time. First job will be the engine.

Engine to do list

~~Bore Cylinders~~
Replace pistons 1550
Replace Heads
Replace cam chain tensioners
Replace Cams
Replace Pushrods
Copper coat pushrods covers

Replace Gaskets
Replace CV with Mikuni
Replace Air Filter
Spark Plugs
Replace oil tank
Replace oil lines
Replace Exhaust

Coolest Bobber Ever?

2008-06-26T18:17:00.001+03:00

OK, so some people have fame, fortune, skills, nerves, speed and luck. The bike was built for Michael Schumacher on the occasion of his retirement from Formula One racing as a gift from the Ferrari Corsa Clienti in Monza Italy on October 28th, 2006. I did blog about this bike previously, however I gotta admit it still looks cool and I hope schumi is using it.