The AHDRA is gone, kaput – out of business – the 2013 Series has been cancelled.
No matter your take on politics or personality, it’s a shame that while we were all watching the latest TV chopper kookiness and faux-competitions, a real, genuine organization that helped promote American manufacturing and VTwin performance faded from view.
I am often in need of special tools that are not available in the marketplace, or when they are, come from unreliable sources and have very poor specs. Recently I have been tooling up our CNC milling machine with quick change tool holders based on the neat Tormach system that utilizes a R8 precision ¾ inch collet in the spindle and tool holders with ¾” shafts and a locating ring for precise and repeatable tool lengths. We have a good collection of holders here at Kraus Motor Co, but I am always in need of more for specialized applications. So I decided to make my own. I started by choosing the right material for the tools. Continue reading
This gallery contains 17 photos.
My Street Glide’s stock OEM horn had finally given up the ghost for good. What had at least passed for a lame flock of ducks had deteriorated into the bleating of a lone ewe then finally a frog and then … Continue reading
Do you have a trip that you’ve always wanted to take and are always looking for info about? Is there that one road you want to ride from one end to the other? Some people are fortunate enough to be able to arrange things to make these rides happen, and some of us keep on dreaming. If things go right, it happens, but we have to handle the things that we’ve accepted responsibility for first. Until then we keep on dreaming and planning, and the dream I keep having is to ride Route 66 from Chicago to California. Continue reading
I’m Kirk Taylor and my shop, Custom Design Studios, has been in business since 1988. We started by satisfying the needs of the motorcycle community because there weren’t many good, reliable painters in this area. Now, by way of background, I grew up in a machine shop where Pops was making Springer and Girder front ends back in the 70′s – so to dispel a common myth… I’m not just a bike painter. I do complete custom fabrication work, ground up customs and just about everything in between, including service – to pay the landlord. Continue reading
This gallery contains 60 photos.
Previously, we made a wooden buck for building our tank, now the fun begins. Select the material you want to use for the tank. Options commonly include steel, aluminum, and copper. Selection depends partially on your skill level. If you … Continue reading
So, you’ve probably noticed, 45dgree is kind of freewheeling…coasting.. the question begs – what’s the story?
When I launched 45dgree some years ago its mission was clear: it was a photo site I decided to have more control over my portfolio of Motorcycle and Abandoned America images, because I’d outgrown Flickr.
We’re all ears at 45dgree
Shaping your tank, making your buck/ Part 1 Continue reading
Virtually everyone has heard of Route 66, or Highway 101 in California. They are both great and legendary roads, don’t get me wrong. But let me tell you about the other end of the “101”.
Gasket Installation Techniques and Considerations
In these tough economic times, many riders are choosing to service their bikes at home rather than take them to their local shop or dealership. This can be a way to save a few bucks on labor. Keep in mind though, a qualified mechanic at a reputable shop will back his or her work which will give you piece of mind down the road, if your skills are sketchy. Continue reading
Seen in Brooklyn 2011
Russell Mitchell and his Exile crew first met the Rockstar Energy Drink guys during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, back in 2005. They immediately hit it off, and enjoyed a combined weeklong reign of terror in the notoriously raucous, Full Throttle Saloon. (A.K.A, The World’s Largest Biker Bar). Russell renamed Rockstar’s main protagonists Craig and Jordan, as ‘’Bill and Ted.’’ Continue reading
Lil’ Blackie
By 8 Ball Brian
Have you ever had or ridden; a bike that was just sweet as hell to look at, wicked fast in a straight line, but could become just plain wicked going down the road? I used to have one. A chopped ‘70 Norton Commando, that I called “Lil’ Blackie”. Continue reading
I’ve stated before that finding great bikes is no mean feat and without help from our fans, colleagues in the business and the talented builders we feature, the job would be much harder. Case in point, if bike finding activities were powered simply by our own sniffer, we’d have never have found this truffle to bring to the table. I met Leo, the builder of this great machine through a referral from Lock Baker (of E-Fab fame). After spending some time at E-Fab shooting the Spotlight Feature that appeared in a magazine, Lock asked if I’d like to see what some “guys I know” were up to. I said “absolutely” and that is how I came to meet Leo and be introduced to this machine. Continue reading
Seems that notable machines and interesting oldsters generally have back story’s – and this machine and it’s owner are no exception as both are historically notable and somewhat long in the tooth. The current owner of this 1952 Model K, , Daddy-O has a long, colorful history in both cars and bikes (all H-D) and is a local legend of sorts with a reputation as someone who can hold his own both mechanically and back in the day, with a spritz gun. Daddy-O, epitomizes the true blue enthusiast who rides as much as he can and maintains his own diverse H-D fleet in a more than capable manner and most of all, he supports his crew with tech capability, advice and his own well equipped shop. Continue reading
With way less than legal tread on my rear tire, I knew its days were numbered. When it developed a goose egg sized bubble on the sidewall after a stretch of a few miles doing ‘80 plus’ on the freeway coming home from a run to Vancouver, I knew it was time. A friend had brought over and given me a nearly new 16 inch Bridgestone rear tire, and the stage was set. Continue reading
This machine makes my heart go pitter pat….
V8 powered motorcycles are nowhere near as uncommon as they used to be, there have been many mild to wild rides built by speed demon bikers over recent years. British bike builder, Nick Argyle’s Rapom V8 is unquestionably the most powerful I’ve ever come across, with its massive 8.2 litre supercharged, 1,000bhp engine that was taken straight out of a monster truck. Continue reading
When Chris Rose of Caveman Custom Cycles bought this 1998 Dyna Low Rider back in 2006, his original intention was to clean up the bike, make some mild modifications, repaint it and put it up for sale at his shop in Warwick, Rhode Island. Continue reading
The Indian Chief was produced from the 1920’s up until the Springfield factory ceased production in 1953. It is undoubtedly a motorcycle that well represents the type of design that was popular in America at the time, and you could say to some degree it has a philosophy that has continued to this day, with America’s love of bigger is better! Continue reading
We received an email inquiring about a bike build from an European woman who has a apartment in New York City. She wanted something reliable, comfortable and able to handle the rigors of New York traffic. Continue reading
