Comments on: Comment contest sponsored by Monstercraftsman

By: Björn

Björn — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:40:27 +0000

Well – built my own tensioner with no fancy tools – not very nice looking so please send me one of yours…..!!!

By: Harold Bartholow

Harold Bartholow — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:59:52 +0000

Idler wheel? Naa thats my boot spurs.

By: BLACKWIDOW

BLACKWIDOW — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:49:41 +0000

Bummer I missed it I need one of these. On my last bike the chain slap hit my electrical box and I thought it was engine knock boy did I feel dumb

By: tim

tim — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:08:33 +0000

congratulations earz, you lucky devil

By: Grease Nipples

Grease Nipples — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:06:02 +0000

I demand a recount!

lol

By: Ted

Ted — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 06:38:09 +0000

Earz – Congratulations, looks like you are the winner! I sent you an e-mail and informed Jon @ monstercraftsman. These types of contests are great. We get some exposure for our advertisers and someone ends up with a free part plus it helps build a better site.

Thanks to monstercraftsman.com for sponsoring.

By: Grease Nipples

Grease Nipples — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:31:23 +0000

I felt bad as soon as I posted my long comment because here I am, the poor guy spends $4k on his freedom machine and I come along and point out how stupid he is. But that’s not really my point at all. I meant planning is half the fun of the build. Personally, I wouldn’t ride any long distances, I’d go cheap and ride in town just to conserve dough until I figure out what comes next to get it running good. The CV carbs get a lot of bad press, a lot of people don’t like them, but they can do for the time being. Flatslides would be nice, but they can wait. I know me, and I know I’m exactly like the guys who spend too much; I get scattered and go in circles. It may be true that I’m *assuming* they get scattered, but come on, how else do you spend 4k? IMO, bikes like “Just Another Barhopper,” have the spirit of the build. It’s like a mixdown in a recording studio, where you can over-produce by adding too much to the mix, where the thing to do is take away until you are left with just the essentials. Many bikes don’t look meaner by adding to them. There’s such a thing as diminished returns when I compare an unpainted bike to a shiny bike and decide I prefer the rusty one better. Paint is good too, but a local guy told me the pearl stuff is almost $500 a quart, and that’s before application. Sometimes I see a great build and don’t even notice at first that the guy has used the stock headlight. Then I’m left scratching my head asking myself how the hell he got away with doing that. What made it work despite the headlight? Low is good, lots of good low builds, but don’t forget Ironheads have a high ground clearance, and they look fine. I never would have noticed that if I hadn’t spent hours staring at the builds. Spending too much and spoiling your own fun really should be the first thing to avoid.

By: jeff

jeff — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 01:34:24 +0000

thanks for the concern grease nips and Ted…i actually do have a manual, it came with the bike :)…i also have a mechanic buddy whos been helping me out…. http://www.twfmco.blogspot.com …it sounds like i’ve already followed most of your guys advice, i just probably had too high of expectations…hoping to have it ready soon, so i can get some pictures on here….thanks again, jeff

By: Reeb!

Reeb! — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:55:57 +0000

Comment

By: ludwig

ludwig — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:20:27 +0000

i love the videos of the gear and sk8 wheel tensioner. They look like good, solid, quality products. I’d love to own one.

By: Matt D

Matt D — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:52:26 +0000

This looks like a nice product. I will be putting one on my XS650 hardtail project.

By: Grease Nipples

Grease Nipples — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 06:11:52 +0000

Jeff, my opinion: the thing to do is plan first. Break the bike down into subsystems ie charging, lights, ignition, frame, carburetors, tank, etc. Do first things first. Don’t spend $ on new tires until the hardtail is done for instance. Buy tires last even; they might be old by the time your build is done anyway; if you wait then they’ll be fresh when you are ready. Then do the next thing that makes sense, building the bike in an order of operations. Don’t put cu$tom bling on it like a chrome maltese cross or pearl custom shop paint. Use the old throttle, levers, and headlight if they are still good for now. Motor hop-ups can wait (except the sump filter which must be patched right away). Be patient and do things one at a time. Don’t put a trick ignition on it if your black box still works for the time being. Don’t open the motor up while you wait for the hardtail to come back; you might botch something. When the frame comes back, you’ve got a roller. Next, do what has to be done to get it street legal ie tank, directionals, tires, fenders, brake lights. Use the stock forks. Some guys have parts lying around or friends with free parts and tools; the rest of us have to cough up some dough. Paint can wait (lots of good examples of the rusty look), or get two cans of $3 Krylon. Once it has a plate on it, you can do the next thing that gives you security, like a new ignition or alternator. Don’t go to the next subsystem until the previous one is done. IOW, don’t scatter your attention and money doing two things at once, there are too many distractions and subsystems. Like, don’t send away for new fork springs yet due to boredom while waiting for the welder. Think cheap, be patient, do one thing at a time. Lots of guys build barebones barhoppers for well under $2000, and some guys do even better, depending on what the donor cost them. $1500 might even do it. Mine started right up with a carb cleaning and fresh battery. And promptly over revved as soon as it warmed up. I don’t yet trust it, I expect issues, they are 30 years old now, but that’s the cost of an education for ya. Always ask for free advice online before you spend any money. They are almost as simple as a lawnmower, and there are free experts online for every subsystem on them. Don’t let yourself get over excited or financially overextended. Most of us aren’t going to be as good as gonzadeath, Fong Bros., blacksmithbilly, the guys from Holland, and many others, on our first build. Go slow. It is still a beautiful world.

By: Clint

Clint — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:39:48 +0000

Cool site and very inspirational for us backyard builders. Love the Fong bros bikes. Love all the different styles. Giving away free parts is sweet. Good lookin site and generous, what a combo.

By: jeff

jeff — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:32:04 +0000

i have no idea what your guys secret is, but i hate my xs650…its such a lemon…seems like everyone says theirs runs like a champ, kicked over 1st try after sitting in a barn for 20 years and was super cheap to build…my bike doesn’t even run 50% of the time and has already had close to $4000 dumped into it (over a 2year build), which is cheap if you are comparing it to those bikes that cost more than my car…but if you are paying bills that come with having a house, wife and kids (and the added cost of supplies of a special needs kid), theres nothing cheap about it…your freedom machine becomes the exact opposite…anyone on here want to buy a $4000 lemon?

By: Carl M

Carl M — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:06:43 +0000

I’m building my first xs650 frame is welded engines next. once i’m read win or not i will be putting one on my bike and i will by yours….great website and example videos.

By: tim

tim — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:23:26 +0000

i could really use one of your tensioners, i have a lot of vibration and slap, bad enuff that the chain is rubbing my exhaust where it crosses thru the frame, i could send before and after pics, i would be a perfect advertisement, hint, hint…..thanks ….i love this web site

By: bigpup

bigpup — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:22:39 +0000

Definetely a quality product, I would be proud to put one of your chain tensioners on my scoot. Great product and made in the U.S. will probably order one even if i don’t win it.

By: joe wiseguy

joe wiseguy — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 05:07:02 +0000

i have used several different chaing tensioners on my builds over the years. however the ones that have held up and worked the best are the ones i got from jon at monstercrafstman. by far the easiest to set up and weld in place, put on the chain, set the tension and forget them. the last 4 builds we have done all have this model. thanks for the good product.
joe-wiseguy
http://www.wiseguyscustoms.com
http://www.joewiseguy.com

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:35:10 +0000

It would look great on the XS Roadster I am building now. It should tackle the 4.5″ swing arm stretch and keep the slap off the paint. What do you think?

By: Earz

Earz — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:56:17 +0000

Wow, I’d really like to win that, but how do you enter?

Hehe…

By: wally

wally — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 03:19:36 +0000

well well another contest it gets better and better here.
great work guys on the contests i hope we get more of these.

By: theirie1

theirie1 — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 02:49:12 +0000

I’ll take one!

By: Capt_Zoom

Capt_Zoom — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:51:49 +0000

I could definitely use one of those.

By: shawn

shawn — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 21:56:39 +0000

nice! i want it!

By: Rusty Nutz

Rusty Nutz — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:21:40 +0000

Using a skateboard wheel is a subtle bit of propaganda to get young people interested in bobbers. I sense a conspiracy.

By: HAPPY DAN

HAPPY DAN — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:00:07 +0000

If we were all the same this world would be a boring place…..

By: kirk

kirk — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:50:20 +0000

i want one…

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:03:21 +0000

I really hope I win! just can’t get those tensioners where I live and I hear they are great. Kidding. Good luck everyone and more contests to come.

Jon
Monstercraftsman.com

By: Sam Gary

Sam Gary — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:00:37 +0000

awesome website guys, thanks.

By: john

john — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:29:57 +0000

“and you thought it was just another bar hopper”

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:45:24 +0000

What??!! New contest!!?? Let me be the first to say that monstercraftsmans tensioner would be a perfect addition to my 650 chop…so here’s a joke for ya.

Q: What’s the difference between a Harley and a Hoover?
A: The position of the dirtbag….

Enjoy!!

By: sean from boston

sean from boston — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:41:10 +0000

This is a cool thing of you guys to do. also you carry some good products!