Build a Cheap Custom Bobber From a Kit

Build a Cheap Custom Bobber From a Kit

Build a Cheap Custom Bobber From a Kit
By Allen Black

If you are a avid motorcyclist and a want to be bike builder, building a custom bike on a budget, should seem very interesting and exciting. The best deal in my opinion is the Kikker "HardKnock" 5150 Bobber kit which starts under $1500.00, which is shipped in 4 boxes and can be assembled in 4-8 hours. The bobber can be easily be made street legal, it is a kit will will have to be registered with your state and also comes with a MSO - ( Manufacture State of Origin ). The MSO will help in the process in receiving a state title.

What attracted me the most was the true bobber authentic looks and the price was not so bad either. It has many add-on features which helps it to fall under the custom motorcycle category. The kit only requires basic mechanic skills and tools, which is very nice. Another great feature is the gas mileage, over 100 miles on a full 1.3 gallon tank. I like the idea of saving money and the enjoyment of riding a motorcycle.

The kit had two choices for engine sizes- 125cc, 4-stroke engine with a semi-auto 4-speed transmission. Also a 200cc, 4-stroke with a semi-auto 5-speed transmission. More standard features include jockey shift & forward foot controls, kick & electric start, front and rear disk brakes, springer front suspension, which is only on the 125cc model. It has a top speed 57 miles per hour- 110cc model and 70-75 miles per hour- 200cc model. It is 80" long and has a seat height 25". Some add-on options are colors- gloss black with 8-ball, all flat black, metallic blue or gold w/rally stripe. Keeping with the bobber design are ape hangers or drag handlebars. Choose between two frame finishes- chrome or flat black. Wheel colors are flat black, red or chrome. Seat cover colors are black, white or leather. How about the cool bobber shifter knobs which are 8-ball or dice and tires choices are black or the classic whitewall. The final options to finish off that custom bike are upturned pipes, speedometer kits, license plate mount kits with LED light and knurled billet grips.

The Kikker Bobber is a great bike for the money. It has the appearance of a very expensive custom motorcycle. Kikker has a great support staff and the parts are readily available. Also being a kit, it would be great to brag on the builder- you. Build a Bobber, today!

Allen Black owner of ChoppersBobbers. Large selection of choppers, bobbers and accessories. For more information visit http://www.choppersbobbers.com, we have free informative articles, pics, videos and more. Enjoy.

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Owning Your Own Custom Harley Davidson

Owning Your Own Custom Harley Davidson
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Rockwell]Kevin Rockwell

You watched them roar by as a kid. You felt the urge as an adult. Then you made the choice to buy a Harley of your own. Now each and every Harley-Davidson rider wants to have a unique Harley that is distinct to any of the existing Harley in the world. This creates more pride and excitement to the owner. This is why a customized Harley-Davidson is the second factory of either a brand new or pre-owned Harleys. My first impression of a custom Harley was when I was ten. My dad's friend had a custom blue Electra Glide that had every possible accessory you could get on it. That thing was amazing. Too bad he would not give me a ride on it. But I got my motorcycle "Jones" later in my teens when I could buy my own.

So what is a customized Harley-Davidson?

Have you ever been to the big auto shows like the LA Auto Show or the Detroit Auto Show? Have you seen those custom made vehicles that are truly one of their kinds? Have you seen those one of a kind vehicles that shine like crazy and amaze the eye with their lines and details?

Well along those lines a customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle is a motorcycle that has been modified and fabricated to become the one and only of a particular look or theme. A customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle shows the world an insight into the owner's personal impression and the artistic expression in their motorcycle ride.

Why is owning a customized Harley-Davidson so hot these days?

No matter where you go in the world, a Harley-Davidson is a head turner. That only gets magnified if the ride is customized and modified to the nth degree as a customized Harley-Davidson. How much attraction could it get if the Harley has been modified with all the latest custom accessories available?

Unless you are on a tight budget it only makes sense to create a unique ride with your Harley-Davidson motorcycle that would signify your inner creativity, customization is the only resort. Thus, when a customized Harley hits a show or the road, no one can resist its power to turn heads. Customized Harley-Davidson's are hot because of these simple facts.
So where do you go to get custom Harley-Davidson services?

There several great sites out on the internet such as Cyril Huze, where you can get just the most amazing and eye popping add-ons for your Harley. You really have to see what he can do for your ride. Another spot on the net is Hog Painter. At Hog Painter you will find Tom who has over 24 years of custom painting experience and can transform your Harley motorcycle into a work of art. They will convert your Harley-Davidson into a more exciting machine to ride. They will make your Harley-Davidson the best one in town.

So search out and find the customization that your Harley deserves and make it into a ride worth turning heads every time you ride down the street in your town.

Do you love Harley-Davidson motorcycles? Then come on over and see them in video action. Share your love of Harleys and see our videos. Hot Harley Videos

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A Brief History of Indian Motorcycle - Part 1

A Brief History of Indian Motorcycle - Part 1
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_Joseph]Tim Joseph

Indian Motorcycle Co. was born as the Hendee Manufacturing Company by George M. Hendee and Carl Oscar Hedstrom (pictured above with the first prototype of Indian). It was the first American motorcycle company and the most popular in the world by the time the New York Times wrote the paragraph above. Both men were former bicycle racers who got together to build a 1.74 bhp, single cylinder engine in Hendee's home town of Springfield, MA. The bike was a huge success and sales increased drastically during the next 10 years.

Indian Motorcycle was very innovative. In 1901 the prototype and two production models we successfully designed, built and tested. Work began in previous years. In 1902 the first Indian motorcycles, featuring innovative belt-drives and streamline styling were sold to the public. In 1903 Indian co-founder and chief engineer Oscar Hedstrom set a world motorcycle speed record by riding 56 mph.

In 1904, the diamond framed Indian Single was made available in deep red. This color would become Indian's trademark. By this time production was up to over 500 bikes per year and would rise to 32,000 in 1913. It's best year ever.

In 1906 Indian built its first V-Twin engine. 101 years later the V-Twin is the most popular engine style in the world. The following year Indian made a strong showing in racing and record breaking. In 1914 Erwin "Cannonball" Baker, who set many long-distance record, rode an Indian across American from San Diego to New York in a record 11 days, 12 hours and 10 minutes. Baker's engine of choice in the following years was the Powerplus, a side-valve V-Twin which was introduced in 1916. It was a 1000cc, 42 degree V-Twin which was more powerful and quieter than previous designs, giving it a top speed of 60 mph. The design was highly successful both as a roadster and as a racing bike. It remained in production until 1924.

Oscar Hedstrom left Indian in 1913 over a disagreement with the Board of Directors regarding dubious practices to inflate the company's stock values. George Hendee resigned in 1916.

http://dickscottblog.blogspot.com

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Some Really Classic Motorcycles Made by Harley

Some Really Classic Motorcycles Made by Harley
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand]Victor Epand

There are some truly classic motorcycles on the market that add a thrilling blend of precision, style, and performance. Harley Davidson has had over one hundred years of developing motorcycles to help them in continuing to please consumer.

The 1957 Harley-Davidson XL Sportster is among more than one hundred fifty classic motorcycles from around the world that has become a collectible by many avid motorcycle enthusiasts. The 1966 Harley-Davidson Sprint motorcycle was an Italian-American hybrid that filled a gap in Harley's line. Introduced in 1961 as a result of a cooperative venture between Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy, the Sprint was powered by a 250-cc horizontal four-stroke single.

Despite being decidedly unlike Harley's traditional products of the time, the Sprint was quite popular with buyers. Little had changed by 1966, although styling had become somewhat more modern. Both street and on and off-road Scrambler models were offered by that time, and modified versions enjoyed a fair degree of competition success. Displacement increased to 350 cc for 1969 on the street-going Sprint, which is now called the SS, while the Scrambler version did not get the larger engine until 1972. Both models disappeared after 1974 to be replaced by two-stroke machines, also built by Aermacchi.

The 1948 Harley-Davidson FL is among the many classic motorcycles from America's iconic motorcycle marque, because it was big and brawny, loud and proud, and made Harley-Davidson is America on two wheels. It is no coincidence that the history of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson, founded in 1903, parallels that of the 20th Century, the American Century. Racers, cops, soldiers, stars, lawyers, and loners all seem to have found themselves on a Harley by experiencing the magic in these profiles and pictures of very special Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Harley Davidson began building motorcycles with the 1905 Harley-Davidson, then they followed up with the 1909 Harley-Davidson V-Twin. During the 1910s, Harley Davidson designed four motorcycles, which were the 1912 X8A, 1915 11F, 1916 J, and the 1918 18-J. Then in the 1920s, Harley Davidson only manufactured three motorcycles, which were the 1920 20-J, 1925 JD, and the 1927 BA.

During the 1930s and the 1940s, Harley Davidson continued with their great motorcycles with the introduction of ten fantastic motorcycles. These motorcycles were the 1931 Model D, 1934 VLD, 1936 EL, 1938 UL, 1942 WLA and XA, 1947 Servi-Car, 1948 FL, 1948 S-125, 1948 WL, and the 1949 FL Hydra-Glide. Harley designed nine motorcycles during the 1950s. These motorcycles were the 1951 Police Special, 1952 FL Hydra-Glide, 1954 FL Hydra-Glide, 1955 FL Hydra-Glide, 1956 KHK, 1957 XL Sportster, 1958 FL Duo-Glide, 1959 Police Special, and the 1959 XLCH Sportster.

During the 1960s, Harley Davidson came out with the 1963 Topper and FL Duo-Glide, 1964 XLCH Sportster, 1965 FL Electra-Glide, 1966 FLH Electra-Glide and Sprint, and the 1967 XLH Sportster. During the 1970s, Harley Davidson developed the the 1971 XLH Sportster and FX Super Glide, 1973 FL Electra-Glide, 1975 XL-1000, XR-750, and the SS-250, 1977 XLCR, 1978 FXS, FLHS Electra-Glide and the XL-1000 Sportster. Since the 1970s, Harley Davidson has developed closed to forty other wonderful additions to the Harley Davidson collection.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for sweatpants, sweatshirts, outdoor gear, sports clothing, and model motorcycles. Click here when you want to find sweatpants, sweatshirts, outdoor gear, sports.

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Indian Motorcycles - A Brief History

Indian Motorcycles - A Brief History
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Alan_Liptrot]Alan Liptrot

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Springfield Massachusetts saw the birth of a legend in the shape of 'The Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company'; its most famous models being the 'Scout' and the 'Chief', the latter being in production for an incredible thirty-one years.

The founders of the company, which was originally known as the 'Hendee Manufacturing Company', were George M. Hendee and Carl Oscar Hedstrom, a pair of former bicycle racers who joined forces to produce a 1 ¾ horsepower motorcycle. Sales began slowly, but soon increased giving the company a solid platform to build upon. These early bikes were belt-driven and by 1903 were performing well enough to allow Hedstrom to create a new motorcycle speed record of 56mph.

Aurora of Illinois supplied the engine that would power the 'Diamond framed Single', which carried the rich red that would become synonymous with Indian. Introduced in 1902, sales rose to 32,000 in 1913. 1907 saw the introduction of a V-twin which, along with Erwin 'Canonball' Baker would set many long distance records culminating with a trip from San Diego to New York in a record time of 11 days, 12 hours and ten minutes. As is the case today, competition inspired technical innovation and Indian went from strength to strength, winning the Isle of Man TT race in 1911. Not only that, but Indians finished second and third too.

The Indian Chief and Scout appeared in the early 1920's and went on to become the flagships of the company. By this time, both Hendee and Hedstrom had left the company. Both bikes won the admiration of the public, not only for their looks, but also for their durability, hence the saying, 'You can't wear out an Indian Scout, or its brother the Indian Chief. They are built like rocks to take hard knocks; it's the Harleys that cause the grief'.

By 1930 Indian had teamed up with 'Dupont Motors' who ended the production of Dupont cars to put every ounce of energy and resource into the development of the Indian. Their links with the paint industry saw a dramatic increase in colour choice, with 24 on offer by 1934. This is the time when the distinctive Indian head-dress logo first saw light of day on the tanks of the machines, and it wasn't long before the Indian factory became known as the 'Wigwam'.

By 1940, Indian has almost rivalled its major competitor Harley Davidson in sales. The company also produced engineless bicycles, air conditioning equipment, aircraft engines along with many other lines. This year also saw the introduction of the skirted fenders which were to define Indians for years to come. Another innovation that arrived at this time was the sprung frame which made the machine far superior to the Harley of the day. In its basic form, the Chief could reach 86mph, but with a little tuning over 100mph was possible.

Ralph B. Rogers was the leader of a consortium which bought a controlling interest in Indian in 1945, and on November 1st Dupont officially handed control to Rogers. Unfortunately Rogers discontinued the Scout to concentrate on models such as the 149 Arrow, the Warrior 250 and the Superscout 249. These bikes suffered from poor quality and a lack of development and by 1949 production had almost ground to a halt. In 1953 manufacturer of all Indian's models was ceased and the import of the 'Royal Enfield' from England began. These models were badged and sold as Indians throughout the rest of the decade. Later, the Indian name became the property of a company that imported 'Matchless' motorcycles, however the Indian name wasn't used.

In the 1960's, one Floyd Clymer began to use the Indian name on imported bikes from Italy, apparently without buying the trademark from the last known owner. When Clymer died in 1970, his widow sold the mark to Los Angeles attorney, Alan Newman who continued to import Italian machines, and later bikes from Taiwan, but by 1975 the company was in trouble and in 1977 was declared bankrupt. A legal battle ensued for the rights of the brand name, and eventually in 1988 the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Denver cleared the way for 'Gilroy' to resume the production of Indians. These bikes became known as the 'Gilroy Indians'. In 2006, a London based company took control and created a new factory in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Plans are being drawn up to produce a new chief, something we all look forward to.

Maybe the glory days of Indian will return, but we can't leave off without mentioning Bert Munro from New Zealand, who in the 1960's, with the aid of a 1920's Indian Scout created numerous land speed records as seen in the 2005 movie 'The World's Fastest Indian'

The original article, along with other motorcycle articles can be seen at http://www.motorbike-tours.co.uk The website is dedicated to motorcycle touring in Europe. The tours can be seen at http://www.motorbike-tours.co.uk/tour.htm

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Dark Custom™ Motorcycles

Harley Davidson, Big Dog, Big Bear, Martin Bros.bikes

Custom Chopper Build It, Or Buy It?

Complete Motorcycle Kits - Building a Chopper the Easy Way

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_Murray]Steve Murray

If you are looking to create your own, unique chopper, complete motorcycle kits can be extremely beneficial to your project. Motorcycle kits can end up saving you quite a bit of money and time because they provide the convenience of having all necessary parts in one place. Building custom motorcycles has become increasingly popular and so, there is a greater demand for complete motorcycle kits.

Most kits are dedicated to providing you with all necessary components to build your dream custom bike on your own. If you chose to get parts separately or used, you will not have the satisfaction of knowing that all the parts are new and will work well together. Many times, ordering parts online or from a mechanic will force you to wait and you may not even get what you want. With kits all parts will be available as and when you need them.

Motorcycle kits generally include all technical parts so you can build your custom bike. Parts such as the chassis, the engine and the wheels are all included, although, paint, decals and other parts related to the design will have to be purchased separately to add a touch of your personality to your custom bike. Mirrors and speedometers are also not included, but these items can usually be purchased for relatively low prices.

Many people who build their own custom bikes will advise you to buy parts used, however, although it may save you some money, you may not be making the best decision. Parts that you get from junkyards or sales may not work as well as new parts because they are too old. It is also impossible to know how old the part is, so you will not know how long it will last, or if it will even work with the rest of your bike.

You will want to make sure all of the parts are working correctly because it can affect your safety when building the bike as well as riding it. Using a kit is the best way to stay safe because you know where the parts are coming from and that they are brand new. If a part has been over used, it can actually endanger you. Many times, when building a custom from scratch, cutting corners to save money is not the best idea.

For those of us just getting into the hobby of building our own custom motorcycles or even experienced builders, a complete motorcycle kit can make the process go much smoother. Many of the complete kits come with detailed instructions so if this is your first time, you can still create the bike of your dreams. After you finish will all the technical parts, you can begin customising your bike and really make it your own.

Want to learn more about building your own motorcycle? Visit Custom Chops Free tips and advice on how to build your own chopper. http://customchops.com

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Want a Chopper? Build Your Own!

Want a Chopper? Build Your Own!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_Holmes]Michael Holmes
Motorcycle chopper kits are a growth industry. But what does that mean to you and me? Well one thing that we know is that we will have more choppers to ogle at. There is not a single day that goes by without more and more pictures of chopper bikes that have just been finished showing up in all the motorcycle magazines. Then at the weekends, when we are on our “hot” rides, we will see four or five show finish level bikes. There are more choppers around now than there have been in the last twenty five years.
Most of these choppers have been built from motorcycle chopper kits, the “bike in a box” approach. But hey, don’t knock it! Building your own chopper has never been easier. There are rolling chassis kits, complete bike kits, and frame manufacturers give you a multitude of choice when it comes to take the plunge and buy a motorcycle chopper kit.
Thirty years ago, the old school chopper builders had to start with a stock bike off-the-shelf and literally chop it to pieces. With the modern chopper kits, there is a viable alternative to taking the cutting torch to your favorite soft tail!
Nowadays, you have a cheap and easier way to build the bike from the ground up. When you take the cost of buying a new bike and the expense of chopping it, it works out much cheaper to start from step one, and your chopper kit. Instead of tossing away the parts that you'll never use again, you can start building your own bike with the parts that you really need. All the parts are included in the motorcycle chopper kit, along with comprehensive instructions.
One of the first questions that people ask when considering buying a kit is how will my bike stand outs from all the other chopper kits? Well think of it this way, you are going to buy a chopper kit. A pile of unassembled raw metal. No paint, no real finish, just a blank canvas. Is your taste in paint jobs likely to be the same as the next guy, who buys the very same kit? I don't think so. What about your taste in bolt-ons, seats, exhausts? Just because you buy the kit doesn’t mean every little thing has to be just so. That is the whole point isn’t it? It's very easy in this way to build your own custom chopper from a chopper kit.
Another big question is, “How long”? The answer to that is as long as it takes. Even on the kit bikes, which are supposed to be designed to fit together like a glove, you are going to run into some snags. It can’t be avoided!
If you want a more concrete guide, try this. An experienced kit builder (though not a professional) I spoke to reckons it took 10 full days to build his last chopper from a kit. For someone less experienced it could take a couple of days longer. Twelve 9 hour days works out at 108 hours. Over evenings and weekends, this could drag out to three or four weeks of living in a pile of motorcycle parts! So be prepared to literally live the experience if you are going to take the plunge.
What about the practical side? Well, there is no substitute for experience. The place to start building up your experience with the mechanical side of building to kit bike is with your current ride. Make sure all you can do the basic maintenance on your motorcycle, and then start to do some simple disassembling. Take off the tires, take off the exhaust, real basic stuff; all of this will help to build a new confidence in the shop side of things. You can also get some great videos on maintenance, and even on building the custom bike of your dreams. Read the books, watch the videos, and buy the t-shirt! Believe me, all the preparation you make will stand you in good stead.
If you really are hopeless at the mechanical side of things, why not pay someone else to help you build it, or even get them to build the whole thing for you? The cost of the kit plus labor could well work out cheaper than buying a chopper “off the shelf”.
And of course, when that beautiful chopper is standing on your driveway, and your friends are asking you “Was it worth it?” you can turn to the chopper, drag your hand across the flames on the tank and the polished chrome, turn back to them and say, “What do you think?”
Michael Holmes is a enthusiast for all thing motorcycle. His website, [http://www.motorcycleparts-accessories-andmore.com]http://www.motorcycleparts-accessories-andmore.com, is a great resource of articles aimed at motorcyclists of all levels, and includes a page specifically about the [http://www.motorcycleparts-accessories-andmore.com/motorcycle-kits-resources.html]motorcycle kits resources available online.
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