Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 5 - 18 i Baggers Magazine

IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, WE’VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY, FROM THE RELEASE OF THE STREET GLIDE IN 2006 TO THE PROJECT RUSHMORE MOTORCYCLES AND INTRODUCTION OF THE STREET PLATFORM IN 2014 TO THE MOST RECENT RELEASE OF THE MILWAUKEE-EIGHT ENGINE PLATFORM IN 2017, AND THE SUBSEQUENT RELEASE OF THE NEW SOFTAIL MODELS IN 2018. BUT DRASTIC CHANGE IS ON THE HORIZON FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN 2019 AND 2020, AND THE MOTOR COMPANY HAS A FEW NEW TRICKS UP ITS PROVERBIAL SLEEVE. FROM A PRODUCT STANDPOINT, THERE IS A WHOLE LOTTA DIFFERENT. Remember Project LiveWire? That was Harley-Davidson’s foray into eBike territory in 2014. And then it kind of went nowhere. Or did it? As it turns out, Harley-Davidson has been quietly fine-tuning the electric cruiser in…

Nothing is invincible. Every man and machine has a weakness, but it’s the size of the fight within that makes all the difference when it comes down to not getting your ass kicked. When a potential deathblow presents itself, you had better be ready, or else prepare to get smacked down and taken out. Now, you might not think you’d have much to worry about with a brand-new bike. All of its components are fresh and dependable, and there aren’t usually very many curveballs to anticipate in the form of misfires or malfunctions. But accidents do happen. And when they do, you’d better be ready to roll with the punches. Nick Trask, of Trask Performance, has been in the business of building bikes long enough to know that it’s wise…

“I LIKE THIS LIFESTYLE. I DON’T WANT TO CHANGE.” Shinya Kimura, of Chabott Engineering, explains from the dimly lit loft above his shop. What was once a Honda C50 stands extended across the coffee table in front of us, the orange light of the Edison bulbs in the room reflecting off of the hand-hammered surfaces of the gas tank and fender. “I build two or three bikes a year, and here the canyon is so close for good riding,” Kimura explains. He sits back on the couch to think about it for a second, and then stays silent, like he has decided that was enough. After 30 years of riding, building, and modifying motorcycles, Kimura has found his balance: a lovely girlfriend named Ayu who works in the office at…

1 Z1R RANGE HELMET Z1R’s Range helmet is a well-rounded DOT/ECE-certified lid that features an injection-molded ABS shell with dual-density EPS for added safety. The drop-down sun visor and scratch-resistant polycarbonate shield provide excellent eye protection. Remove the shield, install the included pivot cover plates, and now you have the ability to rock a motocross goggle. Available in sizes XS through 2XL, in black, flat black, dark silver, white, and hi-viz. $129.95–$199.95 z1r.com 2 VELOMACCHI SPEEDWAY HYBRID TRAVEL DUFFEL 50L The Velomacchi Speedway is a versatile duffel featuring an easy-close zipper and self-tailing cam-buckle compression system, which securely carries your load at high speeds without flapping straps. Basically, the 50L Speedway is great for carrying everyday belongings, but also so much more, whether you’re exploring the back roads or traveling…

SOURCES: BIG AGNES bigagnes.com WOLFMAN wolfmanluggage.com I’m kind of a diva when it comes to overnight lodging. I know what you’re thinking, but I am what I am. Because I travel so much, I am always on the lookout for posh accommodations wherever I lay my head at night, even when camping. Which got me thinking: Is motorcycle “glamping” possible? It sure is. We looked at some great new products from Big Agnes, a Colorado-based outdoor-gear manufacturer, for some help in accommodating our special needs. The whole goal was to acquire a great setup for riding to a remote location and parking it for a few days with my wife. So I had to stuff everything into one large duffel that we could strap to the back of the bike…

IF YOU DIDN’T FEEL A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO WHAT YOU MADE, NO ONE ELSE WILL EITHER. Many years ago, when I was in art school studying to be an animator, one of my teachers told us, “The worst thing you can say about a piece of art is that it’s interesting. At least if someone hates your work, they were affected enough to get mad at it.” In other words, “That’s interesting” was politically correct for “Who gives a s—t?” Taking that idea a step further, if you didn’t feel a personal connection to what you made, no one else will either. That idea has held true with me for a long time, and I think it applies to custom motorcycles too. When you phone in building a bike, it…

Last issue, we left off with getting the brand-new Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight engine and transmission into the 1993 FXRP frame. This required a ton of fabrication both from the bike’s builder, Danny Wilson, aka the Motor Witch, and famed fabricator Justin Coleman, of Torch Industries. We then got the bike to supreme roller status by installing the Race Tech suspension, Jade Affiliated wheels, Continental tires, and Beringer brakes. This is the part of any ground-up bike build when it looks like it is all really coming together, but actually the hard work had just begun. Danny had his work cut out for him since the inception of this project. Now he was attempting to put a whole lot of modern wiring, computers, and controllers from a 2018 H-D bagger into a…

batesleathers.com - vansonleathers.com - leeparksdesign.com In the early days of riding and racing, protection was much simpler. No hard stuff, just top-quality leather and maybe a little bit of foam. Products were made to fit and made to last. These products here are all made in the United States for a few specific functions: to look good, to last forever, and to keep you safe and comfortable on your motorcycle. Smaller companies you can call up and order directly from. You got a problem? Call them back; the numbers are on their websites, and the person who picks up is going to be able to help you. Bates Leathers was started in 1939 in Southern California, where the company still operates. Making race suits, gloves, boots, motorcycle seats, and just…

For the first couple of years I knew Lock Baker, this Motus engine sat in the middle of his shop. Mounted in a jig he had no doubt made around the engine as he uncrated it, the red heads of the MV4 sat cocked just slightly forward—exactly like they do in the stock bike. “When are you going to build this thing?” I would ask every time. “Not yet. That’s the bike I’m going to die on,” he’d reply with a little smile. “I’m not ready to build it just yet.” Joking but knowing that there’s some daunting possibility of truth to it. Baker is the sole proprietor of Eastern Fabrications and Lockhart Knives in downtown Los Angeles, where he builds absurd motorcycles and hand-forges masterwork-level knives. One wildly unique…

You’ve heard the old chestnut: “Your motorcycle is just a down payment for the accessories.” This definitely rings true in V-twin land, especially in the horsepower and torque departments. Yes, factory motorcycles are perfectly fine, but we’re not fine with perfectly fine, are we? We want more! One common V-twin upgrade is a new exhaust system. But why stop there? There are so many more ponies to be gained from new cams and intake as well. And of course, given the technological advancements of Harleys and Indians as of late, these upgrades require a fuel tuner to achieve proper air/fuel ratios. We picked three popular models to test the power packages we put together: 2018 Indian Chieftain Classic, 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Bob, and 2018 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. We then swapped…