Current Issue | April 2010, v20n3
Buyer’s Guide
Departments
American Idle Winner
IW readers and visitors to ironworksmag.com were as impressed as we were by Tim Bartoszek’s Road King. So impressed, in fact, they voted him the American Idle winner for the February 2010 issue.
15 Budget Boosting Bolt-Ons
Letters & Bloggers
IronWorks’ Heroes
As IronWorks celebrates its 20th Anniversary year, we’ll be checking in with people whose biking roots run long and deep, asking them to dredge up some memory nuggets from their personal history to share with all of us.
The Works
Feature Bikes
Mike Wilson’s XR124 by Stephen Berner
photos by Nick Vedros
At first glance this bike is easy to overlook. It is not an Easter egg, it is not a long-legged chopper, bagger nor a cut down bobber. What it is, is a straight up, junk-free performance and fun machine built by two guys who know about performance and fun, Mike Wilson of Dyno Mike’s Dynamic Chassis and Sandy Kosman of Kosman Specialties.
Departure Bike Works by M. Stemp
When you’ve run a thriving business for decades there must be a reason for that success. As Lee Clemens, owner (with his wife Brenda) of Departure Bike Works in Richmond, Virginia, explains, it’s not rocket science, either.
TPJ Customs’ Consuela by Stephen Berner
photos by Felicia Morgan and Henry Aparico
Inspiration comes from a variety of places. Some folks tap their past, their interests or take a good, hard look at the world around them for the lightning bolt that ignites the fire and drives them forward.
Showroom Customsby Andy Bean
Whisky and its sometimes unpredictable effects has been blamed for plenty of vehicle-related mishaps over time. But here’s an instance where the evil demon alcohol is responsible for contributing positively to motorized transportation.
Feature Stories
Best Western NE Tourby Sam Kanish
One of the great things about being a motorcycling journalist is that sometimes you get invited to participate in some really cool events. Like the Best Western/Harley-Davidson Media Tour I snagged last fall.
Riding the Selkirk Loop by Margie Siegal
We—twelve women motorcyclists—were enjoying the scenery and the good roads of the International Selkirk Loop as we wound through forests and past little towns, but the half grown black bear, climbing up the side of a ditch beside the road, was pretty special.
Bonneville 2009by John Endrizzi
photos by Scooter Grubb
Prior to 2004 there was no motorcycle-specific Land Speed Racing event held at Bonneville. Motorcycle riders had to attend car events if they wanted a pass down the Salt. Then came the BUB Speed Trials organized by Denis Manning, a person who’s been associated with motorcycle land speed racing since 1970.
Knucklehead Reunionby John Endrizzi
The Knucklehead Reunion has been an annual affair since its inception in 2004. The Reunion began as a social gathering of present and past members of Knucklehead Company LTD. This model specific club was founded on the premise that the Knucklehead is a stand out in the motorcycling world.
Knucklehead Reunionby John Endrizzi
The Knucklehead Reunion has been an annual affair since its inception in 2004. The Reunion began as a social gathering of present and past members of Knucklehead Company LTD. This model specific club was founded on the premise that the Knucklehead is a stand out in the motorcycling world.
Regulars
Steve B by Stephen Berner, Editor in Chief
Brian Klock by Brian Klock, KlockWerks
Bert Baker by Bert Baker, Baker Drivetrain
Margie Siegal by Margie Siegal
Technical Articles
IW Product Review by Stephen Berner
Condor, a long time player in the accessory market, offers a fine assortment of transport, support and security goods for motorcycles.
Electric by Karl Fahringer
Any one over the age of 40 probably knows, as you get older your eyes just don’t work as well as they use to. So it was no surprise to me when I began having trouble seeing while riding my old FXR after dark.
Metal by Ed Loprete
One of the first things I did when I bought my 2005 Softail (other than sanding off the paint) was to take off the backrest. Although it was a handy unit, it just didn’t fit the style I favor most—stripped down and simple. Honestly, I like that look much better than pretty and shiny—I favor black, flat black.
Engine by Joe Biker Malloy
To begin, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Joe Malloy, and you may know me as one of the partners of H+L Performance, an engine building company specializing in V-Twins.
The Power of Nitrous by Steve Bohn
There’s no better example of the old saying “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” than the multitude of techniques people use to coax more power from their engines. From simple means like freer flowing exhaust systems and air cleaners, to high-performance cams, bigger valves, and larger displacements, on to high price items liker super chargers, and turbo chargers, the sky’s the limit.
Stage 1 Upgrade by Neil Taylor
Rinehart True Duals set the market on fire when they were first introduced in 2003. But the advent of the redesigned 2009 Harley Davidson Touring chassis and its new under-transmission crossover exhaust demanded a complete revision to the now classic Rinehart True Duals. Gerald Rinehart answered the challenge with the all-new Rinehart Racing Xtreme True Dual Exhaust.
Paint by Doug Wozney
Every now and then we get the kind of challenging paint project that I find particularly enjoyable. When parts come into the shop totally abused, neglected, and worn out, it makes for dramatic before and after pictures. Paul Holdsworth’s FXRT RubberGlide is just that kind of project.
FXRT Project by Paul Holdsworth
While I had an idea of what theme I wanted for my FXRT’s refurbishment it was really Brian Klock who provided the art direction. His skills allowed me to turn my idea into reality, and this input also allowed Doug Wozney to work his craft.
IW Product Review by Adeline Cannone
In my perfect world, it’s 75 degrees, the roads are dry, and a delightful breeze reminds me that two wheels are much more fun than four. Yet not all days are quite that perfect, and long ago, after adding a shield to my 1971 Honda CB350, I discovered the upside of riding with a windshield.