IronWorks Magazine » Featured Bikes

A “Salt Ghost”

Snakebit Sam — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:47:34 +0000

Since the BUB Speed Trials are just finishing up today out at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah we thought we’d show you this veteran salt racer. The “Salt Ghost” as it’s been dubbed has been barreling down the dry lake bed at El Mirage in California since the early ’60s. The bike features a 1961 Bonneville engine tucked into a 1948 rigid Triumph frame. The gas is held in an OEM 1957 Tiger 100R/R tank with the original paint still on it. This classic is owned by Wes White and Tyler Malinky.

Source and image: Bike EXIF

Posted by Sam Kanish

I can’t help myself

Stephen Berner — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:01:46 +0000

I couldn’t wait, I just had to share this bike .

Finally had a chance to catch up with Leo, a talented first time bike builder today. Shot two of his machines, they are his first two builds. Very cool guy, very cool bikes, right out of the gate he comes up with winners, sweet!

These machines will be featured in upcoming issues of IronWorks, but for now – meet Leo!

-stephen berner

1919 (?) Excelsior Racer

Snakebit Sam — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:15:49 +0000

Paul Brodie out there in the far northwest of the US in Washington state built this cafe racer styled bike. He reverse engineered and then made this 1000cc recreation of the engine used in a 1919 Excelsior boardtrack racer. Along the way he bolted parts from just about every manufacturer that was associated with cafe racer style bikes. What came out is this beauty, the 358.

Source and image: Bike EXIF

Posted by Sam Kanish

“Guerilla” 883

Snakebit Sam — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:09:41 +0000

I bet your Iron 883 Sportster doesn’t look like this bike named “Guerilla”. This highly customized one comes out of the Rough Crafts shop in Taipei, Taiwan. Due to the stringent regulations in Taiwan they had to make the bike look as stock as possible. About the only things from the original bike are the frame and engine. Rough Crafts made just about everything else on the bike in house. They also shortened the front forks a couple inches. It sort of looks like a cross between a Nightster and a 48.

Source and image: Bike EXIF

Posted by Sam Kanish

Troy’s ’51 Pan

Snakebit Sam — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:37:45 +0000

By now you know we’re suckers for old school looking choppers and bobbers. This Panhead fits right into the old bare bones look. Troy Critchlow owns this bike with a 1951 FL motor sitting in a ’49 wishbone frame with an offset springer. The tranny is from a ’39 EL but has newer Panhead gears. To complete this hybrid the motor sports a Linkert carb and Morris Magneto. Troy hand crafted the stainless exhaust and sissy bar.

Source: Bike EXIF

Image Troy Critchlow

Posted by Sam Kanish

Custom Henderson

Snakebit Sam — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:26:55 +0000

Back before it’s demise in 1931 the Excelsior Motor Company, along with Harley-Davidson and Indian, was considered one of the “Big 3″ of motorcycle manufacturers. One of their brands was the Henderson. These were the originals, not the resurrected ones of a few years ago. Now customizing back in those days was quite different than today. Back then they added sheet metal instead of taking it off.

So it is with this “Art Deco” style bike built in 1936 by O. Ray Courtney. He added his touches to a 1930 Henderson which was probably their Streamliner version. Streamlining was popular back in those days as car manufacturers and railroads also produced streamlined vehicles. Occasionally this bike can still be seen cruising around Syracuse, New York.

Source: Bike EXIF

Image: Pete Plassman

Posted by Sam Kanish

Mike’s Sporty Bobber

Snakebit Sam — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:20:39 +0000

I was out riding along last weekend when I came around a curve in Petrolia, Pennsylvania and spotted a bike under a canopy with a “For Sale” sign on it. Of course I had to slow down to sneak a peak at it. Something about the bike piqued my interest so naturally I had to turn around and get a better look at it.

It was a Sportster but it had a springer and 16″ wheels on it so I stopped to check it out. Mike, the bikes owner and builder, had come out to talk to a potential buyer (not me) so I got some info about it. It was a 2002 1200 XL that Mike then installed a 2″ under DNA springer to. Liking the better ride that the bigger wheels gave he installed a 16″ rear wheel to the springer by just turning it around so the rotor was on the right and then reinstalling the directional tire.

Mike finished the bobber look with a solo seat and a set of 2″ drag pipes. He’s selling the bike due to some health issues and his wife wanting to ride more with him. They’ll be riding on his Shovelhead because it’s bigger and has two seats. No it’s not a custom bike that was commissioned from a well known builder. Just a bike a guy used some simple engineering and his skills to put together in his garage. Just like back in the old days.

Post By Sam Kanish

Ace ’57 Pan

Snakebit Sam — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:14:40 +0000

This classic looking 1957 Panhead bobber was built for a customer in Japan by the Ace Motorcycle shop in Kobe, Japan. The builders were given a used 1957 FL bought in the US and some basic ideas of what the owner wanted. The builders at Ace came up with this gem. They used a narrowed “Glide front end with the front wheel from a K-model. A set of fatbob tanks were also narrowed to give it a lean look. The solo seat was custom made. It looks like the Japanese like our antique bobbers.

Sources amd images: Bike EXIF and Greasy Kulture

Posted by Sam Kanish

Black Sunshine Customs….Goldy Locs!

Stephen Berner — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:36:27 +0000

Well hey now! Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably seen this Black Sunshine Customs, Goldy Locs featured in one of the VTwin periodicals. It is a pretty boss and distinctive machine, dressed in it’s ten mile deep gold metal flake.A killer machine to view in the flesh, very detailed and very pretty, I can attest that the talented man who built it – Brian Elliott, owner of Black Sunshine Customs – does indeed, ride it like he stole it.

This calling card build, has lots of small and large details that show great taste and restraint but also clearly demonstrate the ability to go all out – and maybe beyond a bit. Brian obviously has respect for the past, but he clearly is not afraid to go his own way.

After seeing Brian at the SmokeOut his past week – i figured – it’s time… for Goldy Locs to bust out and off my hard drive.

I didnt do a great job shooting the bike this set during Daytona 2010 @ the Limpnickie Lot, it just wasn’t the right time or place, but i couldn’t help myself and knocked these quickies off…., maybe I will get a chance to do it right someday…, eh Brian?

Happy 4th!

images: stephen berner

Feature teaser > 6.19.10

Stephen Berner — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:06:47 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

David’s Pan? Bobber

Snakebit Sam — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:30:39 +0000

This classic looking machine belongs to David from Toulouse, France. David put a lot of time and thought into this machine. First of all he mated a vintage springer onto a 1952 frame. You don’t notice it at first but that’s a disc brake on the front wheel. That’s not the only thing that is cleverly disguised on this classic looking old school bobber. That’s an Evo 2 engine sitting in that frame. Look closely and you can see the points cover. With the Sporty tank, solo seat and ’60s style M bars this bike has the look of a classic.

Source and images: Southsiders MC

Posted by Sam Kanish

feature teaser > 6.29.10

Stephen Berner — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:10:16 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Feature teaser > 6.24.10

Stephen Berner — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:08:31 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Take The A Train

Snakebit Sam — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:15:36 +0000

You say your Night Train doesn’t look like this? Well neither does anyone else. Richard Krall took this 2007 Harley Night Train and turned it into the hot rod scoot you see here. First of all for better handling he replaced the stock front end with one off a Suzuki 750. He had to machine off some of the hub to make the slotted aluminum Fat Bob front wheel fit the new front forks. He also fabricated the seat and modified the gas tank using the hinged air box off a V-Rod. The front fender and headlight cowl also came from a V-Rod. Both wheels were powder-coated black and the red stripes were added later. To help make this beast breath better Krall added a Screamin’ Eagle air intake and D&D Performance 2-1 exhaust. I’m betting it runs as good as it looks. Richard Krall looks like he put this Night Train on the right track.

Source and images: Bike EXIF

Poasted by Sam Kanish

Bobbed Sporty

Snakebit Sam — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:27:35 +0000

Richard Dunn picked up this 1975 Sporty as a basketcase and set upon rebuilding it into the little hot rod you see now. First he welded a hardtail section onto the stock frame to give it the old school look. Then he lowered the front forks by 3 inches to let it hug the street. He liked the stock 7 spoke cast wheels so he put them back on along with a solo seat by Bass Metal Craft. All the work Richard did turned this former basketcase into a classic styled bobber.

Source and image: Bike EXIF

Posted by Sam Kanish

Feature teaser > 6.6.10

Stephen Berner — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:00:19 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Feature teaser > 5.31.10

Stephen Berner — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:57:37 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Feature teaser > 5.25.10

Stephen Berner — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:56:00 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Feature teaser > 5.19.10

Stephen Berner — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:54:24 +0000

Here is a taste of a future IronWorks feature bike, we’ve got good stuff headed your way!

Can you identify whose bike it is?

-stephen berner

Preview of August Issue

Stephen Berner — Sat, 08 May 2010 05:13:36 +0000

This outstanding bike will be in our August issue.
I wanted you all to know in advance, in case you thought we’d been napping this Spring…

Support IronWorks! Subscribe today!

-stephen berner

can you identify the rider?