SportFighter

Updated: 02/012/2011

America is full of Harleys. These are bikes that Americans think are the best. This is because they know no better. These are crap bikes. The engines are excellent but old tech. The frames are a mix of tubular and forged and weigh a ton. All the poor craftsmanship is covered by low dollar chrome parts. The only thing I can say I like about this bikes aside from the engine is the wiring. It is tight and easy.

With this said, The styling is sin.

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Reasoning

Doc's first bike was a 1996 sporty (he didn't talk to me before he bought this bike). After owning a few Ducs he totally abandoned this thing to a friend's garage. When that friend damaged the tank, I suggested it was time to make a move.

Stock these things are hideous!

Chrome up the ass. Low to the ground. Heavy. Mushy. Everything a bike should not be.

Breakdown

Ever seen a Harley fly? Ya, me neither. They are too fucking heavy to fly. 3 hours and the bike starts to look like a fucking bike and not a couch.

Initial Mockup

It's get stoked time!! A friend of mine told me years ago that he had a Dunstall Aluminum Tank from a Norton he bought. I didn't forget this when I started thinking this thing up in my mind and man, am I happy about it.

Modern Frontend Mockup

How lucky am I that a Ducati 851/888 Front Triple mounts right up to this Harley!!

Now I need to cut off the rear half of the frame, figure out the new Swingarm and rear subframe. Never mind figuring out where your feet are gonna go. Oui!

My ugly ass thinking about seating and suspension height.

Subtail and Swingarm Mockup

02/12/2011

In the mail came a sad sad sight. One very crashed Ducati Sport classic Frame. Well, needless to say I chopped it in half as quickly as I could!!!

I don't know what to say, other then I am getting excited!!!!!

Love it.

Tank Tank Tank.

Did I mention I also got the wheels in!

I only wish I could keep this single sided shock swingarm, but I can't. The Harleys drive on the right side while the Ducatis drive on the left. Because of this the chain (yes, this will be chain driven) will hit the hump on this arm. I have a straight unit coming in the mail.

Machine work

10 hours thus far in front of the Mill and I am getting close to the endgame. Here you can see the progress from raw aluminum to something that will do the trick. If you have ever heard the term billet before then you will now learn just what that means: Aluminum machined from a raw block.

Excuse the crap photos. I have to use a shitty point and shoot in the machine shop as it is to dark for an SLR to work.

You can see the progression:

Again, from raw to something usable.

Back and forth on the mill we go:

Getting there!

So the challenge here is to make something that will not crack. The Harleys put out a lot of torgue and vibrate like a son-of-a. These parts will translate the up/down stress to the 4 motor mount bolts while transferring the tornsional stress from the wheel to the orinaginal Harley swingarm pivot. All this while also acting as the main mount point for the rear of the frame, pulling little to no stress on the welds we will be doing to finish it all off.

Next we will be boring three through holes: Top across from rear frame to rear frame, Middle Pivot where I will press dual roller bearings in on each side and lower torsional bolt.

We are getting close.

What's to come

Next week I will be in possession of the following:

Ohlins rear shocks. Newer front end (Ohlins later). Double shocked swingarm.

I will then be spending about 6 hours in front of my milling machine getting the rear swingarm mounted.

This will be what America should be building.

I sure hope I can pull it off!

Stay tuned.

db

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