Hell Yes.

Can You Read This?

This blog headline isn't a test, it is meant to make a point. We take for granted things like being taught to read as kids and having the books to learn from, and not everyone is that lucky. We are trying to do our part to help by selling a few items and donating all the profits to a charity called Room To Read. Our goal is to raise $12,000 by the end of June 2011. This will build three reading rooms or libraries in developing countries and help impoverished children get an education and help break the cycle of poverty.
The Moto Mouse art was done by our friend Alan Stedman. You may recognize his work from the paper biker dolls in DiCE Magazine and from the cover of DiCE magazine #36. He did up this illustration for this shirt to help out with the Room to Read charity we support. The profit from every Moto Mouse shirt sold will be donated to Room To Read. You can buy a cool shirt and help support this charity HERE! We have been doing the same thing with out Winged Wheel Patch for over an month now, so if the shirt isn't your thing or is too much these guys are pretty cool and are only $5 bucks, that's a pack of smokes or a Starbucks coffee.
One last thing, do us a favor and re-post this or share it on your facebook page and help us try and do some good! Cheers Kyle

Lowbrow Panhead: Extending the Triumph Fork Stem

As much fun as it is playing mock up, I decided I had better get my ass in gear and get some fabrication work done on this beast so I could actually start it up and ride it down the street under it's own power at some point. I want to knock out the work I need to do to finish the front end, which includes fabricating some fork stops, shaving some lugs from the top tree and lengthening the stem on the Triumph front end to fit the rigid HD frame properly.


If you look carefully down inside that top nut (which is just for mockup, I have a nice stainless one when the bike is getting final assembled) you can see about a half inch of threads showing. That is because the HD frame neck is longer than a Triumph. I need to extend the stem almost exactly a half inch to engage the top nut more fully and stave off a possible tumble down the road.

I kind of got into it and didn't take any photos this evening until I was ready to weld. Nothing too exciting, a couple hours dicking around on the lathe and filing, cutting, etc. The usual drill. I turned down the stepped spacer you see out of 1" OD solid cold rolled steel. A half inch fits into each half of the stem and the center is the extension to lengthen the stem. A heavy chamfer on all pieces makes for good penetration and also keeps the weld flush with the surface so the stem will slide through the bearings still.

V-blocks rule. My buddy George lent me these for this job, and it made it so easy to keep everything in line. Here the stem is clamped in place, ready to weld. The 'V' shape of the body of the clamp keeps the round stem perfectly centered.


Some TIG action, jumping around and rotating the stem until both welds were done. Welded up very nice and easy. It is sitting in the v-block on the bench still, I will let it cool down and go ahead and mount it up on the bike. I am stoked to have knocked this out tonight, lately it seems like everything I try and do becomes problematic, it is nice to check one thing off the list at least!

Tyler

Back in stock!

Tyler sent out a newsletter today but didn't mention that we have a bunch of products back in stock! We have been ordering like crazy and starting to fill our new shop up! One of the hardest things for us is keeping everything in stock, many of these parts are hand made in small shops, are only made by one supplier or are just hard to find but we keep at it trying to get them in and keep them in stock. We just got in some of the chrome Aris style headlights, reverse cone mufflers and another shipment from Fork (in Japan). These are all limited so get them while you can!Make sure to check out our NEW PRODUCTS page also, we have been adding a ton of new parts and apparel. Thanks for all your support!

Revenge Run 2: Outer Banks North Carolina April 22nd & 23rd

Revenge Run 2.. check it out and get some nice riding, island camping and partying checked off thie list for the weekend of April 22nd & 23rd!

The Triumph Motorcycle Has Never Been So Futuristic.

The popular video tune and service DVDs by Four Aces Cycle and Lowbrow Customs are now available as apps on the Apple App Store for your iPhone or iPad. This means ace mechanic Wes White is now portable along with you, giving you killer quality video with no buffering or loading and with searchable menus. Currently available on the iTunes store are the Triumph 650 Rebuild, English 101 and English 102 films. High technology to help you keep your vintage iron on the road and running strong.

Customer Bike Spotlight: Speakeasy Cycles Kawasaki W650

Woolie from Speakeasy Cycles sent these pics of a Kawasaki W650 that he built for Billy Joel. You can see more of Woolie's work on the Speakeasy Cycles, Inc. facebook page. Very cool, those W650 motors sure look nice.

Lowbrow Panhead: It's a Roller.

I am in my office, a.k.a. the old Lowbrow shop before we moved into our new warehouse this past week. How sweet it is, working on my bike where Kyle's desk used to be. Less than a week ago it was hard to walk from one end of this room to the other, a hive of activity, now it is mainly empty and I am alone, working on my bike. Rad.

Got my wheels all laced up, my friend Todd got the tires mounted for me and I got it together as a roller this evening. The forks are early 50's Triumph and still need a bit of work, the lowers plated or painted, and I am going to shorten them up a hair. Dropped the motor that I picked up from Gasbox yesterday in the frame, looks great I can't wait to ride this bike!

Jesse Bassett & The Gasbox in Cleveland, Ohio

Jesse Bassett runs The Gasbox in Cleveland, Ohio. The '65 BSA Lightning he built pictured above was just featured on the Cyril Huze blog, check it out. He also does other things like build motors, do fabrication work of all kinds and crack jokes. Check out The Gasbox blog to see what he is up to, the shop is always chock full of interesting stuff. He just finished my Panhead motor rebuild, hope to stop by tomorrow and pick it up, along with more of his fenders that we carry (so they should be back in stock tomorrow!).

Born Free 3 Promo!

You are not going to want to miss this one! We donated a dual cap alien tank to the Born Free 3 show which will be painted by Harpoon and GIVEN away! Yes....free.....(I wonder if I am eligible....hmmmm) Below is a sketch of what he is thinking, I understand House of Kolor Kandy Champagne with Kandy Rootbeer flames may be involved!

From the Born Free blog: So here is the deal in a nutshell:: Buy 2 posters or more (you must buy 2 to get you entered) and that will enter you to win the tank painted by Harpoon at Yoshi's next month.You do not need to be present to win...We will pick the winner the night of the party and that person will get the tank!! If you are there fantastic if not I will send it to you.How can you lose...buy a couple killer posters w/ a chance to win a Knucklehead at Born Free and also get a shot at a handsome chopper tank!! We will have more details soon and a little taste of what Harpoon will be doing....

Buy your Posters and tickets HERE!

The Big Day!

Finally after the holidays, some delays, shows and travel we are finally moved into our new building! The weather cooperated this weekend and a bunch of our friends showed up to help, a special thanks to them all! Everyone put up with my crabby ass, I got the flu yesterday so I was not the happiest camper the past couple days. We have 99% of our stock moved in, now Katy, Tyler, our Dad and myself will spend tomorrow trying to get it organized so we can keep orders going out like normal on Monday. This will be a huge change for us actually having some room to grow and add even more products! I will try to get some more picture posted as we get more dialed in the next couple weeks!

Our new helmet rack (this is just the Novelty helmets, there is a huge DOT shelf also!)

"Handlebar Row" Just a few pairs in stock!

Lowbrow Panhead: In Progress... EDR Bound!

With less than 3 months before El Diablo Run, I figured I better focus on my Panhead, as a frame and a small pile of parts wouldn't get me very far into Mexico. Getting the repop wishbone frame dialed in, decided to cut out the extra junk on the neck and window pane it. I saw this last time I was in California on a slab side Shovel that friend Jeff Leighton built. It is a great way to clean up the neck, and I decided to cut some of the unused castings from the top as well while I was at it. Here are a smattering of photos showing a bit of the process.

Bench*Mark!!!

We just got a big shipment in from Kim at Bench*Mark, I just updated the inventory on the website so get 'em before they're gone! If you miss them don't email me it will be awhile until he gets our next order made!
These are amazing quality parts, handmade in the USA, and super reasonably priced! I had the chance to go to Kim's new shop a couple weeks ago and see all the work that goes into making these. I have to say I am glad I am not the one doing all that work!

Customer Bike Spotlight: Adam's 69 Triumph T120R

We are back to work and recovering after an amazing time at the Biltwell Bro-Down! I will get some pics up from the show and event as soon as we get caught up. In the meantime check out Adam's T120R, he spends his days selling and servicing euro bikes but has been building this the last 2 years in his spare time.
Here's what Adam has to say:
The short story on this '69 T120R is that i've had it forever and before that it was my Ol man's until he moved onto v-twins. Its been through many changes, versions and so on as many bikes do though out their life. Currently Im using the original frame & motor{matching numbers}, wheels{refurbished and laced with stainless spokes} and front end{new tubes, bushings, etc}. Stuck on the back is a Choppahead 4" over hardtail, original front fender, a sweet lil spring seat on Biltwell brackets, Elswick cycles oil tank and a side mount plate & lite set up.

Im thinking of running the CB tank, as I love the profile and I found it on the side of Rt.102 in someones trash pile. I dig the look of the aluminum drag bars, simple controls and skinny headlight up front. All of the fab work has been completed by myself in my limited spare time at my home shop here in the 603. This includes all of the bracketry, electrical/battery box, oil filter set-up, fender mounts and so on.
Hard sayin' when it will all get finished...Probably just in time to change it up again.

Bro-Down in Progress

In Cincy right now!

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V-Twin Expo 2011

We're sitting in a seminar right now listening to Chris Callen from Cycle Source magazine and Bill Bryant from Biltwell participate in a seminar on marketing tech tips and tricks. Really good stuff and its great to see people who matter in our industry invited to speak! Well get more coverage on the show and the Bro-Down tonight!

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Triumph Pre Unit Drag Bike Progress Photos

Pretty excited about how this is coming along, and quickly, with my late night hours in the shop working on it. I made some tubular alloy gas tanks a week or two ago and here they are fresh from the polisher. I couldn't be more stoked on these! Also, the polished up 1970 Yamaha XS1 front brake hub all polished up, brake plate is getting worked on now. I got exci.ted and had to mock the bike up with tire and such to check it out. Sending out my rims and hubs to get laced up at Buchanan's tomorrow morning. I have my eye on the prize, I can't wait to be bombing the clutch on this bike on a drag strip in the springtime. Death or glory!

The Dixie Roundup....

From the Garage Company Customs Blog: The South shall rise again!! Bike show at the shop with Dice party afterwards. April 30th, don't miss it…

From us: Put this on your calendar, it's going to be a blast these guys know how to throw a party! I am sure there will be a few Haints around, they put the Dick back in Dixie! We should be seeing Larry and the guys this weeknd at the V-Twin expo, and the Bro-Down. If you are in Cincinnati Friday or Saturday you better not miss it this year!

El Diablo Pre-run a.k.a. Planning Routes

This past weekend I flew out to meet up with Bill and McGoo from Biltwell and their friend Matt to go pre run the 2011 El Diablo Run, and man what a blast! This event is going to be amazing if this little trip was any indication, add in 300 crazed bikers thundering down the desolate Baja Mexico roads and I can't even imagine! On the way we stopped in to visit Kim Boyle from Benchmark in his new shop. We got to have some breakfast, check out the new digs and bikes and talk a little business. I seriously have machine envy, who wouldn't want a CNC mill in their garage?
After a couple hours we headed down to Mexicali and crossed the border with no issue and started making time down the road. I hadn't been in Mexico for a couple years but as always it amazed me how different it is as soon as you cross the border. We made our way down to San Felipe the first stop on the EDR and checked into our cabanas. We made our way into town for a couple drinks and started hitting a few bars including the bar where Harrison Ford got busted with the hooker. I forget the name but I could show you how to get there! The American bartender chatted it up with us and played some dice drinking game and more drinking was done. After a late night stagger back to camp we hit the hay in the open air cabanas. There is something to be said about waking up and looking out onto the Sea of Cortez with the sun coming up...amazing doesn't cut it.
The food....need I say more? Good everywhere!
We then hit the road towards Ensenada, the second stop on the EDR, but the guys knowing my infatuation with Baja racing, and that I hadn't been there yet decided to take a shortcut through the mountains on the Baja 500 race course. Matt was a huge help too, he and Bill had been going there for years and Matt is starting up a Baja tour company called Camp4lo. Well, long story short the rains washed alot of the roads out and made the difficult course amazingly difficult; We met a couple really special guys who wanted to show us their "little ranch"; We had to backtrack a few times trying to find a way around and 6 hrs 100 mile later we ended up back at the highway where we started. But it was the best, most fun detour ever! Bill's Toyota also earned my respect, we turned that 2010 into maybe a 2005 after that beating!
We ended the night in downtown Ensenada with some much needed showers dinner, and a few Mexican beers. Oh yeah and the hour long parade of tractor trailers blaring their horns and running down main street....evidently a pre-party for Mardi Gras. You have to love a culture who pre-parties!
In summary this was an amazing weekend with just the 4 of us in a truck, imagine what you would see from the seat of a bike? Don't miss out, put the EDR on your calendar.