SBS Project - Sportster Chop w/ Lots of Photo's

[DK Custom Products]

This thread is NOT about a trike, and if Zook or the moderators think it is inappropriate for Trike Talk, I will understand if it is removed.

I am posting it because I think there will be ideas in this thread that will cross over, and be of use to some who are doing Harley Trike Conversions.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, we vacillated a lot over the last few months on what our Project bike would be for this winter.


It's been decided.


Going to build a Sporty, from the frame up-


Goals are for it to:


Run, Ride, Look & Sound Better than when we started...AND for it to be One of a Kind!



This will be our 7th project bike in the last 8 years, and it is our most ambitious.




Photo's will be taken, all along the way, and posted in this thread.


We'll be taking it down to the frame, chopping the back end off, converting it to a hardtail.



I'm 58, with a bad shoulder (and a few other aches & pains) but am planning on this being my daily rider, so even though it will be a hardtail, my goal is to make it a smoother ride than a stock Bagger.


We've already got the bones of it sketched out, along with a lot of ideas...but I am sure we will be developing parts along the way too.


First order of business is to get a donor bike, which should be done within the next few weeks.


We already have a few parts laid out, and some more on the way to us.


As soon as the donor bike is in our hands, we will be tearing it down to the frame, taking pics along the way and posting them up here.


Should be fun!


Kevin

[peteg59]

Sounds interesting Kevin
You & your helpers have your work cut out for yourselves, in making a hardtail chopper a comfortable ride!
Without giving too much else away, are you thinking of the donor being an Evo style or Ironhead?

[DK Custom Products]

Sounds interesting Kevin
You & your helpers have your work cut out for yourselves, in making a hardtail chopper a comfortable ride!
Without giving too much else away, are you thinking of the donor being an Evo style or Ironhead?

Gonna have some good front suspension and a next generation solo seat (with about 4" of travel in the seat).

Evo solid mount.

Kevin

[Papa Zook]

Kevin, we are as much a motorcycle forum as a trike forum, as you have to start with a motorcycle to build a trike in most cases. By all means post up the build, looking forward to it!

[gerald martin]

Just want to post a thank you to Kevin from DK customs. I have bought a few things from him and the service was unbeatable. Also the desk service was great. I also emailed Kevin about a Frankenstein kit for a sportster and the response was immediate and extremely helpful in my decision to build this trike. I have asked many others about building this trike and got very little response. Kevin's advise was beyond any other advise I received So thanks Kevin Inhope that every one that reads this buys something from you
Gerald Martin

[peteg59]

/\...That's a testimonial that cannot be bought!

Customers that have this opinion of a supplier of things that improve the bike/trike experience, go a long way in making one feel secure in choosing DK Custom Prod. as a #1 supplier.
These guys know what it takes to get a HD moving & handling, on roads that challenge the best of riders...

I look forward to the aforementioned Sporty project, as it evolves into a road scorching MACHINE

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin, we are as much a motorcycle forum as a trike forum, as you have to start with a motorcycle to build a trike in most cases. By all means post up the build, looking forward to it!

Thanks! Am chomping at the bit to get started on this!

Gotta finish a few things up on the TG, get the Softail finished up and off the lift, and I gotta find a 2000-2003 Sporty for the donor!

Already have a few parts on the way, and a ton of notes of things we want to do to this new bike.

Just want to post a thank you to Kevin from da customs. I have bought a few things from him and the service was unbeatable. Also the desk service was great. I also emailed Kevin about a Frankenstein kit for a sportster and the response was immediate and extremely helpful in my decision to build this trike. I have asked many others about building this trike and got very little response. Kevin's advise was beyond any other advise I received So thanks Kevin Inhope that every one that reads this buys something from you
Gerald Martin

Wow! Thank you!


Looking forward to seeing your Sportster Trike build-out.

/\...That's a testimonial that cannot be bought!

Customers that have this opinion of a supplier of things that improve the bike/trike experience, go a long way in making one feel secure in choosing DK Custom Prod. as a #1 supplier.
These guys know what it takes to get a HD moving & handling, on roads that challenge the best of riders...

I look forward to the aforementioned Sporty project, as it evolves into a road scorching MACHINE

Thank you!



On our website, from day one, is the idea that DK Custom started with, and still adheres to today-

At DK Custon we're dedicated to Enhancing Your Riding Experience.

Not just riding, but the entire experience...ordering parts, receiving them quickly, easy installation, old-fashioned Customer Service...basically everything we want when we are shopping for our own bikes.

The idea for this upcoming project bike has been on a slow burn for a few years...now that we are moving ahead with it, I can't tell you how excited I am to get going!



Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Picked up a pristine 2003 Sportster Custom today as the Donor bike for this project!


8453 miles on the clock... after my 10 mile test ride on it.


Gotta finish our suspension testing report tomorrow, then this weekend I need to clean up the shop. Tuesday we should be able to finish up the Softail and get it off the lift.


By Tuesday night this Sporty will be on the lift and the disassembly will commence.






This afternoon after bringing it to its new home from Alabama









The only things that we are planning on using are the front wheel, forks, part of the frame, engine, rear mc, and calipers...









...everything else will end up on ebay.







I'm pretty stoked to get moving on this. While driving down to pick it up I called Adam at Time Warp Paint (he did the paint on the DK Sporty) and he is up for doing the tins and the frame on this build too.


Kevin

[peteg59]

Looks like a great platform to start with, but its a 100th anniversary limited edition that will be a collectors item in another hundred years...Any idea how many of them were made in 03?

If this one indeed gets sacrificed, how much are you asking for the air cleaner badge?

[DK Custom Products]

Looks like a great platform to start with, but its a 100th anniversary limited edition that will be a collectors item in another hundred years...Any idea how many of them were made in 03?

If this one indeed gets sacrificed, how much are you asking for the air cleaner badge?

Yep, I'm pretty happy with this bike being the donor for the build. It is only the second time I've ever used Craigslist, and it has worked out well both times.

I am hoping to get it stripped down next week. Once I start removing parts I give them to Dwayne. He checks to see what they are going for and puts them on ebay.

I don't know how many they made, but this one has a lot of extras and is in really nice shape, so I should be able to sell a ton of stuff off it and help finance the build.

If you want the air cleaner badge, send him an email at Dwayne@DKCustomProducts.com and he will hook you up with a good price before he puts in on ebay.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Spent a good bit of time yesterday and today cleaning out the shop, making room to blow this Sporty apart and have room to organize everything.


Was a big job, had over a years worth of prototypes and take-offs just sitting around. Have a lot of open space now.









Most of the stuff on those two shelves are going to the DK shop tomorrow...will give me a lot of room to keep everything organized.













Did a bit of work on the Softail...hoping to finish it up tomorrow and get it off the lift.







Moved the donor into the shop. Started to take it apart, then remembered that Devin has not ridden it yet in stock form...so I stopped with the removal of the sissy bar and the windshield.







Once it is on the lift I am going to progress as quickly as I can...we'll see how fast that is with all the day to day of running the biz.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Got the Softail done last night.


Will be getting the Sporty on the lift today and pull apart as much as I can in the little time I will have later today.


Yesterday Devin took a ride on it...









...just to see what it was like before pulling it apart.


First time it's ever been ridden in the rain!







It has been garaged kept, never ridden in the rain, and averaged 600 miles a year of riding.




Click HERE for a quick walk around video of it...sounds really good.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Wanted more time today, but only had 2 hours, but I got a start...











Speedo, AC cover, tank & seat gone!









Coil, fender & headlight gone!







Different angle-











Crazy amount of wires and connectors inside the Riser...











...all this will be gone on the chop.











Battery cover and battery, gone!











Risers gone!









Hope to get a lot more done tomorrow.


Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

I did not have anytime on Wed. or Thurs. to work on the bike.


Today I carved out 3 hours and got a few things done.


First was removing the air cleaner. Ran into my first little problem. Someone had either used some red threadlocker, or cross-threaded one of the backplate fasteners into the carb.....AND they know they did it too! The fastener was a full 1/4" from being bottomed out against the backplate.


I drilled it and used and easy-out, but it broke the bolt flush at the carb face. I will deal with getting that out another day.











Next was removing all the handlebar controls. After that I wanted to save the fancy HD grip off the left side. Some goo gone and a few minutes waiting, off it came!











Next I put painters tape over all the chrome & then removed the heat shields.











More tape, and removed the horn.













Next to go were the foot-pegs, brake pedal, slip-ons & headers.











So nice to have plenty of room to put everything as it comes off.













Belt guards were easy. Then the next little challenge, the wheel axle had no anti-seize or grease on it at all...it had a bit of rust and corrosion, which made it extremely difficult to remove. A rubber mallet, punch, silicone spray, and a bunch of back and forth to get that spray in there, and tire....Gone!













Fender....Gone!













Swingarm removed (it had some grease on it).











Rear master cylinder and chrome oil tank cover...gone!







That is where I had to knock off for today.


I'm hoping to get a few hours this weekend and get everything else, except for the engine, off the frame!

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Had a bit of time today....Oil tank and battery box gone......wiring harness gone.For a carbed bike, this sure is a lot of wiring! And this is not all of it!Belt and back brake lines gone...Had to remove some of my tape job to get the derby cover off, so I could remove the clutch cable.Derby cover back on, footpeg, shift linkage and clutch cable gone.How I had to leave it today......I wanted to get the front end off and get the frame down on the blanket, even had hopes that I might be pulling the engine today. But it was not to be.I should get it down to the frame the next couple of hours that I have. Then will take the frame to the shop and cut it, and weld the TC Bros. hardtail on.Then we get to sit and look at it for a long while, deciding what tabs to cut, what areas we need to fill in and smooth out, fenders, tanks, etc., etc.

Kevin

[peteg59]

Decisions, decisions
Its almost like having a blank canvas, for a fabricator/artiste' to create a masterpiece from!
No pressure, Kevin.
The TT "world" is watching

Engine internals staying stock at this point in time?

[DK Custom Products]

Decisions, decisions
Its almost like having a blank canvas, for a fabricator/artiste' to create a masterpiece from!
No pressure, Kevin.
The TT "world" is watching

Engine internals staying stock at this point in time?

Yes, a blank canvas...let's see what we can do with it!
All that's happening to the engine is a Performance Plus Stage I and replacement of the notoriously weak factory clutch pack.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Got it down to the frame today.Removed the carb-

Top engine mount gone-Ready to remove the front end-Front end gone, laying it down to pull the frame off the engine-Last couple of engine mount bolts-Got the frame free of the engine!That's what needs some major surgery!Engine set aside for now-

Getting to this point was less than one days work....spread out over a week. Now the fun stuff begins!

We have a ton of work going on at the shop right now. It is going to be a few days before we can get the hardtail welded on.


Here's a pic of the TC Bros. Hardtail. Workmanship looks very nice. Very good instructions came with it. When we go to cutting and fitting, I'll let you know how well it all lines up.





Pic up next to the frame-




Later this week, after we get the hardtail welded on, that is when the cutting, grinding, reshaping & fabbing up parts will start. While it is only probably a week or two of actual work, it is going to have to be fit between our real work, so will probably take awhile. But I will be updating this thread as we go.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

Finally got some time today to get some work done on it!

Fixing to go past the point of no return!

Jiffy stand removed...

...marking out where to cut, measuring multiple times before taping for the cuts.


Cutting commences...


And a bit more.


What we cut off...


...and what we're keeping.


What we cut off weighed 27 lbs...then when you add the swingarm and shocks it is 47 lbs.What was left of the frame weighs 17 lbs.The hardtail section that got welded on weighs 26 lbs.So it was a net drop of 21 lbs., just in the frame.

Drilling the holes for the plug welds.



Got the outside deburred, and powder removed for welding.



And the inside deburred.


More in next post.

[consitter]

I suck at imagining stuff. I can't wait to see the end result...and I know it's gonna be awhile.