Nick – I started this build in the bowels of my basement, basically pointed it down my storm doors and heaved. Worked on it for about a year and got it completely torn apart, which was nice and all until I realized it took me a whole year to do the easy part. I walked downstairs one day and realized it looked like a junk yard and knew I was in trouble. So, I quit my job and started working on it fulltime. A HUGE amount of props goes out to Techshop Pittsburgh that had all the tools, welders, sandblasters, powdercoat booth, lathes and on and on and on that I needed to finish the build. Seriously tho, they have EVERYTHING check them out. Besides mounting and balancing the tires, the rest was done by yours truly and this is the result. My “Beast of Burden”.
Everything except the tank and the lights are hand crafted. I shaved and lowered the forks about an inch. The rear fender is a strip from a 55 gallon oil drum that I then sand bagged and smoothed on the plenishing hammer. The hardtail is also handmade, don’t ask about stretch and drop because I honestly don’t know I just did what looked right.
Stock pipes just cut short and stuffed with a baffle. Cut up the stock handlebars and welded them back up. Made the seat pan, laid the foam then used leather from a purse I got at Goodwill to finish the seat. Hey who said budget builds can’t be tight? Cole Foster tank.
Hughes Handbuilt supplied the pma upgraded charging system and I switched it from tdi to Pamco ignition system for the install. Made the electrical box from an old craftsman toolbox and it holds my fuses wires and capacitor, no battery kick only. Everything except the front rim and hub are powdercoated. Its my first build and I’m super pumped about it. Damn thing is a blast to ride too, went from York to Pittsburgh, with only one minor breakdown ha.
