Othello Tracker (Bike No. 5)

I have been waiting for the sun to shine, so that I can ride the bike over to Roddy Paine's studio and get some professional shots done.  (A full spec of the bike is available on the Main Site).  The bike rides well indeed like Bike No.4 Hamlet, the 23" wheels give a precise feel when cornering and the HD lump has bags of grunt and a fantastic noise through the fish tail exhausts.  Its been registered brand new as a 10 plate and I will be selling it this year - contact me for details.

Caesar Racer (No.6) Update

Its nearly there now, just the exhausts and some details like foot-peg supports and a battery cover to be made. Check out the new stainless oval section swingarm.  The pipes are going to run along the right side through the gap and follow the lines of the shock down to  be ground pounders.
Et tu, Brute?

Et Tu, Brute? - Caesar Racer No.6

Ok after a lot of thought I have the name now and I rather like it "Et Tu, Brute?"- as the bike is a bit of a Brute if not a Brutus or a famous 70's after shave.  We have gone with the original Dyna mid-position pegs, and when sitting on it - its like a Sportster - rather comfy!
Colours - Burnt Orange, White, Black, and Silver/Metal.

Bike No.6 FXD Cafe Racer - Update

Just got the tank and rear cowling mocked up and its beginning to look the part.  The next big design issue is foot control location and exhausts.

Bike No.5 Othello Tracker - Getting There.

No.5 is getting there and looking superb - I have to admire the work of ImageDesign on the paintwork - it really is first class.  Picked up the last few bits for the bike from Shaw Harley Davidson this week - battery, a few clips and bearings and I hope by the end of the month it will be ready to fire up.  Then just need a nice clear dry day for a test run. - and then get it ready to show at the Ace Cafe Bike Show!

Bike No.6 FXD Cafe Racer

Well we are getting there, slowly but surely. I am trying to keep this bike as true to its donor bike as possible and trying to use more "genuine" Harley parts. I have added a Dyna chin fairing and quarter fairing (bought cheap on eBay) and I am keeping the stock rear shocks as well. But you can see from the pictures its slowly taking shape. I now need to consult my resident Shakespeare expert for an appropriate name for the bike.

Bike No.6 (No Name as yet)

Ok just been to see Dave about progress on Bike No. 6 and its coming on well. The basic frame is all mocked up and we are now going to create the new oval section stainless swing arm - which will eventually be highly polished.

Its a cafe racer style with slim hugger fenders on front and rear over 23" white rims, and some nice touches from the original FXD Dyna that it started as - engine, wheel hubs, forks, quarter fairing, chin fairing, lights, pegs - and probably stock hand controls too.

Harley Davidson FXD Cafe Racer - Bike 6

With the three new bikes, I always planned to build a Cafe Racer, and so Bike No. 6 is going to be it. As you know I bought three brand new 2009 FXD Streetbob's for this, but recently I had a change of plan and swapped my last unused FXD for Buell Ulysses and a nice cheque with my friends at Shaw Harley Davidson - I had always wanted a Ulysses and it was a great deal.

So instead I am going to re-incarnate my old 99Dyna (again) into the new cafe racer.

So far the design process is very basic and the two attached pictures show how I sketch over the rolling chassis of the last bike to get a feel for a cafe racer look. The next sketch then shows how it could look. Design is often about constraints - the main one is the 23" wheel - the only drive belt I could get on BIkes 4&5 was a V-Rod one and so that pushed the wheel back for the long look. On this new bike I am going for a chain drive so I can bring the wheelbase right in.

Finally to keep me focused I bought this advert on EBay (£3.45) from 1977, for a XCLR1000 for some styling cues.

Expect completion during Spring 2010 - its going to be white and have Harley Racing stripes and of course an appropriate Shakespeare quote.

Cyril Huze Blog - Hamlet not Othello

Its been a good week for PR as I have now bee featured in Cyril Huze's excellent Blog - I think its ranked No 1 in the world for custom motorcycles. A great post, but we mixed our Shakespeare up and ended up calling the bike Othello not Hamlet, but there you go - Bike No. 5 The real Othello one will be ready in a month or so, and we can get that addressed then - I should have stuck to just using numbers!

In the Garage

There is a great new book thats just come out called Motorcycle Dream Garages and it made me realise what a mess my garage is......but it has potential.

1. Macbeth Bobber using S&S 93" Panhead
2. Hamlet Tracker using HD 96" Rubber Mount
3. 2009 Stock Streetbob - to rip apart for next custom
4. 1999 FXD - to keep forever
5. Air Bike - 360 section rear tyre, and air suspension, using TC 88" - race tuned.
6. 2009 HD Streetglide