This bike is a manifestation of many different ideas all boiled into one.
My pre-requisites were=
It had to look vintage, have springer forks, be low slung, have simplicity, double fuel tanks, drop style handle bars, lots of bling, and be powered by something that doesnt belong there, a vintage Honda 300cc sidevalve industrial engine.
I first started by going to a swap meet with no real intention of buying anything in particular, and by the time i left i had half a dozen items and a head full of ideas.
The first thing i bought was the headlight, a vintage item for cheap that was nickel plated, and a cheap honda fuel tank, a vintage bicycle seat and some other small bits and bobs.
The following day in the workshop i started working on the front forks.
I envisioned a set of iron forged vintage springer forks with holes down the sides and a one piece head stem and bearing set-up to incorporate drop style handle bars, headlight, and disc brakes, forging and fabricating this item took some time.
No sooner did i finish one part i was onto the next until the whole front assembly was complete, i was on a mission.
It was at that time that i decided to build a jig for the bike, that would ensure it all came together straight and true.
I cut the fuel tank in half and made 2 tanks which would expose the spine of the frame as to allow for the creation of some nice copper holding brackets.
The frame was to have flowing lines and be low to the ground like a drag bike.
I rolled, heated and welded the 30mm galvanised tube frame into position.
I then took the vintage 300cc Honda apart and did some serious head work and cam grinding, replaced the coil and the carb, with new items, piston, rings and con rods were reconditioned and ready for fitting to the frame with a rolled and polished stainless exhaust pipe.
The vintage bicycle seat was reworked to suit the frame with heavy duty springs, and a rear mudguard was also added with copper holding brackets.
The transmission is a CVT with a 3/4 inch jackshaft, and centre mount disc brake.
The whole bike was sprayed in gloss black and rides on 21inch wheels and tyres.
I always enjoy the sound of the old engine while riding it around as much as just looking at it while its parked outside my workshop.
Often a client will ask "what year is that?" and i will reply with,
"oh its only a couple of years old",, the look they give me is priceless!
---"imagine-design-create"---
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