tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45985098764465092024-03-05T16:49:24.625-08:00Twinline Motorcycles Cafe' Racer ProjectsThis blog is dedicated to the Cafe' Racer Projects that my motorcycle shop in seattle washington specializes in. This is a way to share the work we are doing as well as progress on projects that our customers have commisioned.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-7476497429837824062011-01-14T15:15:00.000-08:002011-01-14T15:25:07.922-08:00Heya... So if anyone is looking at this blog....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://twinlinemotorcycles.com"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QcuyddNkiyW6GreGYuXtL4Xu77ikTfokAt5sVkHxhLK2QRLYM4CGkGfChOPSCMLHsLoB3ADCHOqPPL_BCcbyqpbG4TMwhqmMx9pM6AfvF_uev4iTZJiOiSXzCxosWMoVeQ3e_MKNyA/s400/NewSite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562186052739661010" border="0" /></a><br />We have a new site up with our blog in it and a facebook deal. So go to<br /><a href="http://twinlinemotorcycles.com/">http://twinlinemotorcycles.com<br /></a> and check it out it is still not complete but I'm working on it. Thanks<br /><br />Ian<br /><br />PS. We have a show in Portland Feb 5th go to <a href="http://theonemotorcycleshow.com/">http://theonemotorcycleshow.com/</a><br /><br />Should be good times.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-80378309990517252282008-11-14T08:07:00.000-08:002008-11-14T09:15:19.348-08:00Shop Business Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwgUEZLzqI_BDxIsQDs6gxu4yGuxM8Wv10xhSN39txYoH8uPXf0P2fylQFtM9sboOVBrYPugqjy_Z-9yGZzqvf99V5VuVFguTYJF7AqPhybZfJzgN4K1f1_5J7eVtF3vqT4uh9aphrA/s1600-h/CIMG0639.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268559324371662434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwgUEZLzqI_BDxIsQDs6gxu4yGuxM8Wv10xhSN39txYoH8uPXf0P2fylQFtM9sboOVBrYPugqjy_Z-9yGZzqvf99V5VuVFguTYJF7AqPhybZfJzgN4K1f1_5J7eVtF3vqT4uh9aphrA/s320/CIMG0639.JPG" border="0" /></a>Since so much has happened in the last 5 month I'll just give all the fun things a line or two. The story and pics and story are not in a great chronological order. But it's all in there. Racing is all fun and games until you break your collar bone. It is still broken. Most likely gonna have surgery next spring after everything settles down with the new Baby.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85V4srHPe-j1V9yUWl2qvMJutEUfFETeGaAE3UX9STc6fIxCbqTlsjkm9rJSvo2k30nATnL5PWQUfIQc_KgrL6xW6E5b75zlyFNhUZe3NV4XVrWcxqSg7EybpjpP_xhxLGpupSGYNMg/s1600-h/goldheadCIMG0356.jpg"></a><br />We are busy as all get out and have about a 2-3 month backlog, and we need to get some more space and more good mechanics.<br /> <div><div><div><br /><div></div><div>Ike is finally 21! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hA5LjzQJtHOcpdpbrbBcpAdsUpM36Fp_vHn6coqJRT72IWY1tYrwYqftSlBDlWSnjLtk83YQbWUa5nQj5yCnda6KE-_UY7qmqIyhiKqmJgulQIQKw-QNanagPGcQWBkNTdVwjbx-Aw/s1600-h/goldheadCIMG0008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268557397458625234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hA5LjzQJtHOcpdpbrbBcpAdsUpM36Fp_vHn6coqJRT72IWY1tYrwYqftSlBDlWSnjLtk83YQbWUa5nQj5yCnda6KE-_UY7qmqIyhiKqmJgulQIQKw-QNanagPGcQWBkNTdVwjbx-Aw/s320/goldheadCIMG0008.jpg" border="0" /></a>He has something to say.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLN7jDJ5Hg7Gr-DocNdX-QVYabM6EcE-082u418KMnWSDOnCuESOukj49_IMORjMgKwlKn37a4RCHYk01LFoBsX-BYkWc-U4t7w2W3Vk4DzZEauyzMSnZQwPHyKuEgsd17Khi_bx6ggw/s1600-h/goldheadCIMG0261.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268558166290804226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLN7jDJ5Hg7Gr-DocNdX-QVYabM6EcE-082u418KMnWSDOnCuESOukj49_IMORjMgKwlKn37a4RCHYk01LFoBsX-BYkWc-U4t7w2W3Vk4DzZEauyzMSnZQwPHyKuEgsd17Khi_bx6ggw/s320/goldheadCIMG0261.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Brandon was hit by a car turning left on his way home, he lost a foot. The Northwest Ruckus Association, The Cretins, Twinline, and a strong community of motorcyclists raised some cash at our Cafe Sprint ride in September. It was a great party. Brandon is doing well.<br /> I was welcomed to my new neighborhood (columbia city) with a $750 non speeding ticket from the local constable, just after I moved my family.<br /><br />I lost two great guys from my shop last last week. They both have had life turn some twists. Eric (having a famly) and Kyle (helping his family) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqUHkYFfkalvoU-TByO4hehiO2YNM4Xh1_41mU1x5kkayktFBPRNRVUW1mwDO1fQ_p7PTFZEE1XdjFqUMU0uHUNrCyxCPlhfoQCIE0G-7j-1uSC22EQNjR4JHISbVUAfkOeHKwhvYQg/s1600-h/goldheadCIMG0631.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268558517115639058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqUHkYFfkalvoU-TByO4hehiO2YNM4Xh1_41mU1x5kkayktFBPRNRVUW1mwDO1fQ_p7PTFZEE1XdjFqUMU0uHUNrCyxCPlhfoQCIE0G-7j-1uSC22EQNjR4JHISbVUAfkOeHKwhvYQg/s320/goldheadCIMG0631.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I did bring on a new mechanic, he even has some credentials - his name is Brandon. I look forward to getting to know him.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iTJu9ebQdd7wBISHTnOvikhFXVe-J_-g3qaZtyN-NShBhvaBmAdhSJ3M3CkyPzJKd32oOf_abj1Z4EGqmNewPmi71d-K167CwF77KSxZ9PnalmmvEAF8N-lizl-OKN63XiD8jhNfkw/s1600-h/goldheadCIMG0344.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268559024128860786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iTJu9ebQdd7wBISHTnOvikhFXVe-J_-g3qaZtyN-NShBhvaBmAdhSJ3M3CkyPzJKd32oOf_abj1Z4EGqmNewPmi71d-K167CwF77KSxZ9PnalmmvEAF8N-lizl-OKN63XiD8jhNfkw/s320/goldheadCIMG0344.jpg" border="0" /></a>This has all been a challenge in five months I have been wrenching with a broken bone, lost some great talent, and my shop continues to grow. Business is a tough learning curve and I am still learning. Thank you everyone that helps make this experience happen for me. I am passionate about motorcycles.... even though I'm not supposed to ride them.<br />(Matt the guy on the left crashed his CBR1000 when he was trying to race against the ol' xs650 bomber) Never race against a 21 year old with an ego. </div></div></div></div>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-68919380598435747702008-07-15T14:52:00.000-07:002008-07-15T21:23:41.918-07:00Last time I was at Twinline, I decided I felt enough residual energy from the day to learn a bit of mechanicking. So, after I finished what I was doing on the computer, Ian gave me his race-bike cylinder to clean out.<br /><br />"Normally I don't start interns on rebuilding engines, but this just happens to be what I'm working on tonight," he said.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20Race%20Bike%20Probs/smallCIMG0272.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20Race%20Bike%20Probs/smallCIMG0272.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I spiffed that cylinder up real nice and learned how to work the air nozzle to dry it. (Isaac jumped when I let loose the first blast right behind him.) Then I gooped up the bores with some kind of grease, which was fun.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20Race%20Bike%20Probs/smallCIMG0273.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20Race%20Bike%20Probs/smallCIMG0273.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Next on the agenda was sliding the cylinder onto the pistons, a tricky maneuver. I volunteered to help, but Ian selected Isaac as his assistant for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with Isaac's scads of experience compared to my zero experience--I don't know. I wandered over to chat with Brian so as not disturb the procedure.<br /><br />Brian was messing with some electrical stuff, making lights blink on and off. I supplied a river of helpful advice, based on the way I imagined electricity should work.<br /><br />Suddenly, disaster struck from the direction of Ian's work table: one of the piston rings broke. Those particular pistons had taken a week to arrive from eBay.<br /><br />Then, even worse: "Dude, it scratched the bore," Isaac pointed out.<br /><br />Ian went through various stages of grief. Since I have an electronics disruption field, which makes digital and electrical things go wonky, I have grown accustomed to taking the blame when things go wrong in my vicinity.<br /><br />When he got to the anger stage, Ian yelled, "Superball!"<br /><br />"It wasn't me!" I said. "There's nothing electrical about that! Yet."<br /><br />So I got to be Ian's sounding board until he reached a modicum of acceptance. We called it good for the night.<br /><br />I received a text from Ian a few days later: "No shop this week, yo. Me hurt good." That's the last I heard until today.<br /><br />It turns out he high-sided the same bike (not his race bike--still a touchy subject) twice over the course of three weeks, with the same injuries (elbow and shoulder).<br /><br />Yep, racing can hurt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-43611809066240142082008-06-09T15:33:00.000-07:002008-06-10T20:40:32.164-07:00Ian's 400F, Continued<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/Ian's%20400F%20Continued/smallCIMG0238.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/Ian's%20400F%20Continued/smallCIMG0238.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Ian took out "ye old grinder and sawsall" and went to town on ripping open a hole under his pet 400F's sidecover. He took out the battery box and ground down every tab, nub, and other bit of metal daring to block the beautiful view through an open 400 Four.<br /><br />A small battery will go under the seat, making the bike pretty much kick-start only. Ian may leave the starter motor in it, though, "just for fun."<br /><br />Now that the first stage of roughing out how he wants it to look is done, Ian can go about finishing it with clip-ons and a wheel package: buffed-up hubs and aluminum rims. When you take off the pounds of a steel wheel, steering is a whole lot nicer.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/Ian's%20400F%20Continued/smallCIMG0228.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/Ian's%20400F%20Continued/smallCIMG0228.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So far, the bike has lacked a seat. Ian's trying to get a new one done as quickly as possible, so he can ride the bike raw. The new seat complements the "roundness and squarishness" of the tank--meaning the seat is pretty boxy with some nice curves. It's almost done. Ian just needs to rip up the backside (as shown by the black Sharpie line), stuff in a half-moon LED taillight, and weld some more steel back there to close it up.<br /><br />"It should be striking when it's all done," he said. "It'll be mean. You wouldn't want to run into it."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-72368989122672798442008-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:002008-06-06T21:12:54.098-07:00Ian's 400F<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0224.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0224.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Though this 400F has been for sale, Ian hasn't been trying too hard to sell it. Though some people have expressed interest in it as it is, he wants to build it into a cafe bike--make it his own, private project.<br /><br />"This thing is mechanically solid," Ian said. "It doesn't even have any slap on the cam-chain adjustment. We kind of miss the Knockout 360, because that was going to be our personal shop bike, so I'm going make this into a really nice cafe 400 with a custom seat. I want to make a bike I can rock around on."<br /><br />So he's thrown it into the pile of work already on the list--something he can work on during the couple of evenings that he sets aside each week to get caught up on stuff and to do pet projects.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0223.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0223.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The changes the 400F needs are all pretty much cosmetic. It'll have one of Ian's trademark steel seats, a single speedo (no tachometer), a drilled rotor, and a cleaned-up engine--though it already runs perfectly fine. The electronics and battery, currently blocking the view between the subframe and the frame, will move out of the way, the shocks and tires will probably get upgraded, and Ian will do anything else Ian wants to do.<br /><br />Ian plans to keep the header pipe--the exhaust pipe--and do something fancy-schmancy with the mirrors. He may switch to clip-ons and will replace the turn signals and taillight with something "a lot more sleek."<br /><br />What about the wheels?<br /><br />"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the wheels," Ian said. "I might rebuild 'em. I might buff 'em up nice and shiny. Maybe I'll put in some aluminum rims."<br /><br />So it's a dream in the making.<br /><br />When he's done everything he wants to do with it, will he consider selling it?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0222.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Ian's%20400F/smallCIMG0222.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"Well . . . everything I have is technically for sale, except my TX and my SR500," Ian admitted. "I guess I'd part with this bike if somebody funded it for $5,000 or more. I keep asking for more money on these things because I keep having to part with good bikes, and I never have one to ride myself. I've been having fun on this one."<br /><br />Reluctant as Ian might be, chances are that someone with grander dreams could also probably negotiate, with a good-sized deposit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-86736658683573316522008-06-06T15:52:00.000-07:002008-06-06T21:11:04.095-07:00Winter FruitThe boys of Twinline have been busting ass all winter on several custom projects. I've talked about the Knockout 360 and Project Goldhead. Here are some more coming down the pipe, all to finish by September.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallCB550F.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallCB550F.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This 1974 CB550 Four has a rebuilt motor. It has a custom exhaust pipe and a Supertrap muffler and will be disk-tuned soon. A Supertrap diffuses overall noise while emitting a deep rumble that should scare the crap out of people who don't expect a medium-bore 550 to "come up growling into its territory," as Ian put it.<br /><br />The bike will have Clubman bars. Clubmans stick through the top of the bike and are higher than clip-ons, which are race-style. (Clip-ons clip onto the front fork.)<br /><br />The 550 Four will go two-up--that is, allow for a rider and a passenger. As I got this definition from Ian, he lapsed into Italian, a.k.a. "Ducatese":<br /><br />"One-up is solo--<i>mono-posto,</i>" Ian said. "Duo is <i>bi-posto.</i>"<br /><br />Alrighty, then.<br /><br />Already, the 550 Four has a drilled rotor, a rebuilt frame, and new Avons. (Avon tires are good for a wide range of vintage applications.)<br /><br />The photo doesn't do this bike justice. The powder-coated frame is actually a kind of metallic-flake silver. A Norton-racing-yellow tank and matching sidecovers will complement the frame. (Sidecovers are the things that cover the electronics and battery.)<br /><br />"It's gonna look pretty fuckin' dope when it's all done," Ian said.<br /><br />This bike should be done by the end of the month. The boys are just waiting to get it back from painting to put on the final touches. When all is said and done, it should haul ass and look good doing it, just the way we like it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallYoshi%20400RR.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallYoshi%20400RR.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Next we have a 1975 CB400 Four. It has a powder-coated frame, a 466 big-bore Yoshimura kit, and a genuine Yoshimura pipe. It's getting a custom seat. Of all of our winter-fruit bikes, it will probably be the biggest sleeper. The only tell-tale sign that it's a little special is the Yoshi stamp on the pipe to match the Yoshimura "pistons of glory" (yep, that's an Ian quote) inside it.<br /><br />"The only time you're going to notice the pistons is the lovely sound they make as they leave you in the dirt," Ian said.<br /><br />This thing should have about 40 hp at the rear wheel and weigh only about 360 or 375. Upon doing some Dyno time, it should get up to about 130 mph. It's getting close to completion and has had the business done to it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallConlon%20Rocket.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallConlon%20Rocket.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Next is the Rocket. One of Twinline's interns and his dad are building it together on Daddy's dime. They've scrubbed every nook and cranny. It's turning into a great original-type rebuild with Clubman bars and drilled rotors. Everything's been buffed, polished, and powder-coated. It'll probably get new paint, too.<br /><br />Ian's assessment?<br /><br />"It is going to show off like nobody's business."<br /><br />Yeah.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallProject%20Gold%20Head.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallProject%20Gold%20Head.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The Goldhead is also still in the works. It's the best custom work we've ever done, largely thanks to the funding that backs it. More on that when we finish it up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallBRG%20400F.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallBRG%20400F.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This one is no slouch, either: the British Racing Green (BRG) 400F. (Okay, it's blue right now. . . .) The owner originally wanted to go military-flat green, but after the frame came together--and the engine turned out so nice, and we collected all the accoutrements--this bike needed to be racing green. So . . . full-on, hardcore, British green it will be, with traditional silver pinstriping. We also have a wheel package and will powder-coat rims, hubs--this, that, and the other. It will be beautiful when it's done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallCB200RR.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallCB200RR.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Here we've got a CB200 RR, with an electronic ignition, Mikuni carbs, and some CL high-pipes that have been hacked at the muffler, so they're optimally loud and horsepowery. Then, of course, Motobits rear sets, Bridgestone BT39 race-spec tires (the kind that 160 racers race on), and some Hagon shocks. We just became a dealer for Hagon. (Woo hoo!)<br /><br />This bike is actually two days away from firing and looking good. Don't judge by the picture; they always look worse before they finally come together. The brakes have been done. The rotor's been drilled. It's just gotta go through paint, but the weather has been uncooperative.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallDope%20Cafe'%20SR500%20%232.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Winter%20Fruit/smallDope%20Cafe'%20SR500%20%232.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Finally, we have this SR500, which will be a cafe bike. We've got some aluminum rims for it. We have a White Brothers exhaust, now customly ceramic-coated. We've got the Supertrap to acknowledge all the hard work and development that's getting the most out of the little engine without blowing it up. We've got a flat-slide Mikuni carburetor. A custom seat is on the way. We'll be running clip-ons. No electronics will show: they're all going to be tucked up underneath the seat the way we like 'em.<br /><br />We're going to go solo-dial on this one (just a speedo; no tach), and we'll get it tuned up and ready to be the hooligan bike it was designed to be.<br /><br />Why go solo-dial?<br /><br />"All of these single-overhead-cam beasts don't really care for revving beyond what you need," Ian said. "They're built to accelerate as quick as they can; the motor over-revs past its power production."<br /><br />What he means is that you don't need a tachometer because, as you run out of acceleration, you go, "Oh, I'm running out of steam; I'm going to shift." So you shift. All of a sudden, you've got power again.<br /><br />"That's the loveliness of the single-overhead-cam, two-valve-per-cylinder motor," Ian said, "and that is the Dope Cafe SR500."<br /><br />We don't really have another nickname for it. Don't laugh. These things happen.<br /><br />The Dope should roll out of here at the end of the month.<br /><br />"It's gonna be pretty burly when we're done with it," Ian said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-14650580462742789532008-05-30T12:02:00.000-07:002008-05-30T21:12:50.978-07:00European InvasionThe European invasion has begun.<br /><br />Twinline has been taking in European stuff from the beginning, but word has only just gotten around that the guys can master these bikes as well as Japanese ones. It happened overnight. We had no British stuff at all, and then wham! We got hit by six projects in a week and a half. <br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0178.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0178.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />One guy wants us to do a cafe seat for his Triumph. Another Triumph is in the works. We've taken in a '68 BSA Lightning, followed shortly thereafter by a '71 or '72 Norton Commando 850. The Italians didn't want to be left out, so a '61 Ducati has appeared as well.<br /><br />"It's gonna be fun to work on these bikes," Ian said. "They're designed differently and have a different character than Japanese bikes, so they're a refreshing change of pace after having our heads in the belly of the Japanese beast for two years."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0177.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0177.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The guys already solved the BSA's electrical problem. We just got the parts for the Triumph pictured. The Norton is waiting its turn.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0183.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0183.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"We're keeping the Norton in the shop because it's really gorgeous and we want to look at it for as long as we can," Ian grinned. "Ah--but we can't wait to ride it, either."<br /><br />The owner took two years of weekends and evenings to put the Norton together. He did fantastic work but couldn't get it to start.<br /><br />"It's hard for a person to work on a big project without somebody to bounce ideas off of," Ian said. "Plus, the weather's getting really nice and the owner doesn't want to waste weekends trying to get the bike started. He kicked it for two hours straight and couldn't get it to go. Hopefully we won't have to kick it for two hours, but we will if we need to. We'll figure out what's going on with it."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0186.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/European%20Invasion/CIMG0186.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The (well-funded) Ducati will be a 250 Manza cafe bike--Ferrari red. We'll document it well.<br /><br />"It's gonna be hot," Ian said. "Way hot."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-23408288912490481502008-05-21T13:33:00.000-07:002008-05-27T21:21:09.917-07:00We're Famous!This is what happens when they do a writeup about a little bike shop in the <i>PI:</i><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Famous/smallbusyshop.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Famous/smallbusyshop.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />That doesn't even show the bikes out front in various stages of deconstruction--and it's before the European Invasion (see blog to come). The guys now have to do a kind of sliding-puzzle game each time they switch out the bikes they're working on.<br /><br />Here's the article:<br /><br />http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/360306_needle24.html<br /><br /><i>Sound Rider</i> magazine also did a piece on us:<br /><br />http://www.soundrider.com/current/may08/twinline_motorcycles.htm<br /><br />KUOW just covered us next past week:<br /><br />http://www.kuow.org/defaultProgram.asp?ID=14984<br /><br />A <i>Seattle Metropolitan</i> article is soon to come. I think we might need to expand our capacity.<br /><br />Bring it on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-2955278153757008072008-05-15T18:38:00.000-07:002008-05-27T21:18:13.834-07:00KO 360: Out the Door<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0195.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0195.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The Knockout 360 finished with Hellbillie coming down and throwing pinstriping on it (see previous KO 360 blog). Ian gave Ben license to do whatever he wanted, "as long as it looked awesome." Ben ran with it, accentuating the bike's waspish shape in gloss black against the flat black coat.<br /><br />"When you trust that your artist is gonna turn up with something good, he does," Ian said.<br /><br />The guys have put some miles on the KO. They decided to change out the sprockets, giving the bike a higher top speed so it doesn't buzz all over the place at 70 mph.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0197.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0197.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />They also ran it on the Dyno at the Dyno Party. It has about 25 horsepower at the rear wheel and about 16 pounds of torque from 3,000 rpms to about 9,000 rpms--absolutely, perfectly flat.<br /><br />One thing the guys test for is loudness. The KO is plenty loud.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0201.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0201.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Last Friday night, when Ian was in to tinker with some electrical stuff, he took the KO out toward the Cretins' clubhouse, where they were having a Max RPMs weekend and poker night. A train was in the way. So, instead, Ian took the 99 all the way downtown and rode back down 1st through Mariners traffic--just as a game let out.<br /><br />"There were millions of people on the road," he said. "I went through a parking lot to get around them. The timing plate had been knocked a little bit, so the bike wasn't idling perfectly at the bottom and I had to keep blipping it to keep it alive--crank the throttle here and there just so it would go. It scared the crap out of people. They scattered like rats. It was great, and the bike did great. It's a lot of fun to ride. You could safety-wire this thing for road-racing if there was a class to handle it. It would do well, because it's quick and lightweight and has a heck of a motor under it. It's tuned really, really well."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0200.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/KO%20Final/smallCIMG0200.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So this bike is beautiful and fun. And obnoxious. That's pretty much the definition of a Twinline bike.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-35658020912510616262008-04-24T15:29:00.000-07:002008-05-06T20:42:20.317-07:00The Dyno PartyWe had to put off this blog for the Dyno Party, which happened April 12, because nobody had been in charge of getting pictures. Then somebody brought us one, so Ian took a picture of it on the wall with his cell phone.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/CIMG0134.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/CIMG0134.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Bunch o' hooligans.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2218.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2218.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Here's the whole pic--one might say the panoramic view. This is so you can see the guy in the red hat. What he's doing is anyone's guess.<br /><br />The party was a blast--literally. Everybody had to stand at the opposite end of the shop from the Dyno, presumably for safety reasons but really, probably, because it was so freakin' loud.<br /><br />Fortunately, the keg was right there where everyone was standing.<br /><br />I met a bunch of great folks: a chick with brilliant blue eyes, a tall, skinny guy who told me about Buckaroo's in Fremont, and a kid who rode around in South America. That last guy might also be the one who has a Suzuki DRZ 400, which I think I want. If any of you care to shoot me a line and remind me of your names, I'd love to stay in touch. But I digress.<br /><br />With all the beer and barbecue and Dyno runs sold, we raised about $500 for racing projects and Dyno'ed some kick-ass bikes. Yeah!!!<br /><br />The next event we've got planned: a "cafe sprint" around town in July on whatever you've got that runs (because we realize that some cafe bikes out there don't run--not naming any names). We'll fill you in on that as we get closer.<br /><br />Oh--and some more pics have trickled in, because someone had the wherewithal. Methinks we have a new offical photographer in the man Chris . . . ?<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2219.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2219.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Gotta wear shades.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2220.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2220.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Wild Rucki, in from the plains. The NRA (Northwest Ruckus Alliance) came out in full force.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2221.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2221.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Brandon, the barbecuer and money-taker. Note the fabricated sheet-metal spatula, created to fill the void of nobody bringing a spatula.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2222.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2222.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />More hot steeds.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2225.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2225.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Guys, doing that thing. This wild lawnmower of a machine (owner: Paul) almost got its rear wheel up to 1 horsepower.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2226.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2226.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Wow, what a great Dyno.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2227.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20Parrrrty/IMG_2227.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Ian, what the heck are you doing? This guy wants to ride some more.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks to everyone who came to our first Dyno Party! Cya at the next one, next year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-79343970289235332682008-04-15T17:59:00.000-07:002008-11-14T09:26:29.314-08:00RD350 GoldheadProject "Goldhead" is this 1975 Yamaha RD 350 that a customer brought to us. After he bought it, he took it back to his house and dismantled it. He found all sorts of cool bits for it, like a very striking gold head (hence the name), new pipes, an electronic ignition, rear sets, and a fancy-schmancy swingarm--in fact, about 99 percent of the parts needed to put the thing back together.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here it is as the customer found it on Craigslist--something like a confused drag bike or dirt tracker. Hard to say really what it's trying to be, but it's interesting. It's a good color, at least. I learned from Ian that yellow is the fastest of all colors: any yellow bike travels somewhat faster than the speed of light. (Thanks, Ian. I learn something new every time I come in here.) Not that it will be yellow when we're done with it. I'll leave you guessing as to what color it's going to be.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So the customer showed up at Twinline with the bike in a bunch of boxes. Ian and Isaac slapped another tank on the back to see what a chopped-up tank might look like as a seat. They decided that it looked pretty good.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As sometimes happens, the bike has taken on a life of its own. Orignally just a matter of putting a basket case together, it's now way into deep custom work. But you gotta go with how these things want to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's the aluminum swingarm that the customer brought in. They jabbed the screwdriver in there to see if the thing would fit. Voila! It does.<br /><br /><br />The guys prepped the bike to make a mockup, grinding tabs off and building the seat. The idea is that it will be a sleeper bike. It's gonna be under 300 pounds and have about 60 hp in the rear wheel, which should embarrass a lot of sport bikes. The customer, a proficient rider, will make full use of the Goldhead's abilities.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's Isaac cutting the tank in half to create the seat. Oooooh, sparks.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's all prepped for a powder coat, which is a thermal painting process that cooks paint to the metal so you can't knock it off. This will we a pretty simple powder coat, so we'll get into technicalities when we do a more difficult one.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's what it looks like when they actually put it together.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"It's the kind of bike that doesn't put the wheel down until you hit fifth gear," Ian said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-53212478156809001122008-03-25T21:41:00.000-07:002008-04-04T21:06:25.922-07:00Dyno Test Night<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/small1970%20Honda%20CL%20175%20guinea%20pig.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/small1970%20Honda%20CL%20175%20guinea%20pig.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Tonight has been the first night for testing a customer's bike on the Dyno. The guinea pig was a 1970 Honda CL175, owned by a guy named Ian, hereby referred to as Ian #2. ("Two Ians don't make an Isaac," an anonymous person said.)<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIan%20%232.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIan%20%232.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen%20takin%20a%20dip.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen%20takin%20a%20dip.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The guys got the Dyno set up while Ben from Hellbillie pinstriped the KO 360, Isaac worked on the bike he's going to race this weekend, and Ty took apart and put back together a petcock, which is the thing that turns fuel on and off. (<i>I</i> didn't name it.)<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen%20take%201.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen%20take%201.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIsaac's%20custom%20intake%20manifold.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIsaac's%20custom%20intake%20manifold.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallTy%20putting%20together%20a%20petcock.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallTy%20putting%20together%20a%20petcock.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIan%20running%20it.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallIan%20running%20it.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />As I write this, they're taking the guinea pig through its third run. Damn, it's loud, even from the office.<br /><br />The first run on the guinea pig resulted in Ian #1, Ian #2, Jesse the Bystander, and me clustered around the monitor, reviewing the graphs. Ian #1 declared it a good baseline.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallJesse%20the%20bystander.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallJesse%20the%20bystander.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallUh%20oh,%20something%20sparked.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallUh%20oh,%20something%20sparked.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Things went awry with the second run. I noticed something sparking as Ian kicked it into high RPMs, but who was I to say it wasn't supposed to do that? Anyway, nobody could have heard me had I spoken up, is my excuse.<br /><br />Isaac wandered by, noticed the sparks, and signaled Ian to cut it.<br /><br />So the sparks <i>were</i> bad.<br /><br />For the next hour, the bike has been dismantled and remantled to fix the problem. Gas got all over everything when they removed the fuel tank.<br /><br />"That's gonna make for a really good fire the next time there are sparks," I commented evilly.<br /><br />When they got it going again just now, Isaac said, "It sounds better than last time."<br /><br />Well, that's good.<br /><br />As I hung out on the work table, I noticed that one or two of the guys had beers. Where'd they get them? I searched both refrigerators, to no avail. To my delight, when I returned to my perch, I heard the lovely <i>crack/fizz</i> sound of a beer can opening. The beer belonged to Ben, who kindly gave me his second-to-last one--and then, as he was leaving, his last one! I can never praise Hellbillie's work enough.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallSuperball%20drinking%20Ben's%20PBR.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallSuperball%20drinking%20Ben's%20PBR.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallZee%20pinstriping.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallZee%20pinstriping.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallZee%20pinstriping,%20part%20deux.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallZee%20pinstriping,%20part%20deux.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen's%20box.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno%20test%20night/smallBen's%20box.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-10832549917253276892008-03-18T21:00:00.000-07:002008-03-31T22:55:12.207-07:00KO<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0053.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0053.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The KO is moving along rapidly. It has a buyer already.<br /><br />"He's stoked to be getting this bike," Ian said. "He has some vision along with us, and we're finishing it off kind of how we saw fit.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0054.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0054.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />"It's painted a nice, flat black. We Bondo-ed in all the little dents, dings, and others. We pounded in the scallops--the side cut-outs for the knees--a little bit more, and we finished off the wiring so it all works perfectly. We got the pipes back and new tires. We're rebuilding the brakes and waiting for new stainless-steel brake lines.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0055.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/smallCIMG0055.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />"Then, on Saturday, we're gonna get the pinstriping done. This bike is just gonna be frickin' hot-looking when it's complete."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-54083062028465176172008-03-10T21:49:00.000-07:002008-03-18T20:59:04.229-07:00TyI'm getting into this interviewing thing. It reminds me of my college journalism class, except it's funner. The catch is, I've been working with a borrowed tape recorder that's at least a decade old. I also have an electronics disruption field, which means that an improbable number of electronic devices go fritzy around me.<br /><br />So it's not my fault that the tape recorder randomly edited out about half of my interview with Ty, a Twinline intern since October. At least, I think he said he started in October. The recorder edited out that part.<br /><br />"Does it pick up 'mumble' all right?" Ty asked, eyeing said device.<br /><br />"Yes," I said, "but only if I set it much closer to you than to my loud mouth."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallCIMG0050.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallCIMG0050.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Ty started at Twinline only a couple of months after he learned how to ride, which makes him a newbier newby at motorcycle mechanics than I am. (He did have an idea or two about why my bike has started surging and jerking, though. I think I'm gonna try a new air filter, spark plugs, and an oil change.)<br /><br />"Riding is something I always wanted to do," Ty said. "I just never got around to it. My girlfriend got both of us riding lessons for my birthday, and that led to us buying a bike."<br /><br />Okay, so he's a new rider. I knew what that meant for me: dumping the bike . . . a couple of times.<br /><br />"I haven't dumped it," Ty said. "I guess the first time I do it is the last time."<br /><br />I laughed.<br /><br />Already, Ty plans to make motorcycles his career. It gets into your blood fast, it does.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallP1010081.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallP1010081.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />"I just want to be around bikes," he said. "I haven't done much, but I want to do more. I like the creative aspect."<br /><br />He started work at the Eastside Harley-Davidson the day I interviewed him.<br /><br />"The first day there went good," he said, "but it was a little nerve-wracking. Those guys do things way different than they do here. The guys here just give me shit--call me 'HD Boy' and tell me to have fun pushing the big bikes around. They're great for learning."<br /><br />"What would you get if you could have any bike?" I asked.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallCIMG0052.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ty/smallCIMG0052.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"If I had a garage and the money, I'd have a number of different bikes. There are aspects of different bikes that I like."<br /><br />"Like what?"<br /><br />The tape recorder deemed the answer unsuitable for publication.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-66837639740685729802008-02-28T10:12:00.000-08:002008-03-07T21:03:18.943-08:00The Dyno<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0008.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0008.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />A recent addition to the shop has been a dynamometer, a.k.a. the Dyno. Ian came across it via some techs at the downtown Harley shop, who didn't want to run it in their neighborhood.<br /><br />A dyno is a like a treadmill for motorcycles, with a 350-pound steel drum on which the bike's wheel spins. A computer records and analyzes the bike's performance.<br /><br />"It looks kind of rusty," I said.<br /><br />"The rust is part of the uh . . . charm . . . yeah," Ian said. "One of these things brand new is like fifteen grand. For our tiny little vintage shop to get hold of a performance dyno is huge. It just doesn't happen."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0009.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />To make room for the Dyno, Ian cleared out his "pile of crap," including "rat bikes" and parts bikes, and stuck it outside to rot in the rain.<br /><br />"What's a rat bike?" I asked, picturing something out of Ed Roth. (I never pass up a good tangent.)<br /><br />"It's any rusted-out bike that has sat around forever in a garage or a backyard," Ian said. "Some people build rat-style bikes, but basically rat bikes are roaches. There's no way to get rid of them except for the junk man or a shop like mine. We only use them for parts, so they're pretty much dead souls. If somebody stole one, I wouldn't really care too much. I'd just find another one for fifty bucks."<br /><br />Poor things.<br /><br />But back to the Dyno.<br /><br />Ian's finishing up the platform, which still needs a ramp. The computer brain, which diagnoses all the information, is being serviced at Dynojet. The computer also needs a monitor--as well as a printer for printing out the runs.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0010.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/Dyno/smallCIMG0010.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />"We're going to post the kings of certain classes up here," Ian said, "so that everybody knows who's the biggest dog in town to beat."<br /><br />Ian had to steal from the Twinline Motorcycles race fund to cover the Dyno. He's planning a "dyno party" to top the fund back up.<br /><br />"We'll do a keg and some live music and run motorcycles on the Dyno," Ian said. "This'll help us raise some money, so that we can go out and be competitive and have a good time at the raceway."<br /><br />Ian plans to throw the party at the shop on a Saturday night in April.<br /><br />"Hopefully it'll hit some nice weather," he said. "I think we're probably going to get forty or fifty bikes through that night, which is insane. It'll be eighteen bucks for a single run on it, and it'll be fifty bucks for three."<br /><br />The party aside, Ian intends to use the Dyno primarily for vintage customers and for rebuilding motors for Twinline cafe bikes.<br /><br />"We could line sport bikes out the door all day long," Ian said, "but that's not really what we want to do with it. We'll rent it out sometimes, but we're putting it in so we can build motors and build horsepower for our customers. This will also help with our vintage racing, because we'll be able to build horsepower for race bikes."<br /><br />Ian wants to cater to vintage racers, so when somebody says, for example, "I need 45 horsepower," Ian can back up the completed work with a dyno report.<br /><br />"The Dyno was just too awesome for me to pass by," Ian said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-81370014343671675612008-02-25T19:50:00.000-08:002008-03-07T20:57:32.515-08:00Isaac<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallP1010068.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallP1010068.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><div>Last Friday, amid the mild chaos of friends, beer, and the buzzing of Ian's work on the Dyno (article to come on <i>that</i>), I endeavored to interview Isaac, Ian's only paid employee so far. Isaac started at Twinline Motorcycles a month after Ian opened for business in 2006.<br /><br />"I wasn't into motorcycles when I was a kid," Isaac said. "I was more into racing RC [remote-control] cars. They have little gas motors, and they can get pretty fast. I had to rebuild the engine just about every race, so I learned the mechanics of them and what went into building a good motor."</div><br /><div> </div>Then Isaac's buddy bought an '86 250 Ninja that needed some fixing up. It was the first bike Isaac ever rode, and he decided to fix it up.<br /><div> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallP1010067.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallP1010067.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><div>"My parents were totally against it," he said. "I had to mow lawns for-fuckin'-ever. I got a big ticket on that bike for riding without a license, speeding, no mirrors . . . . I didn't know the cops were behind me. They didn't use their sirens. They called it evading and all this other bullshit, so I couldn't get my license until I was 18."<br /><br />Isaac finished the 250. Then another buddy, doing some backyard cleaning, asked if Isaac wanted a little 125. Yep, Isaac did.</div><br /><div> </div>"So he dropped that off at my house," Isaac said. "It was five bucks for the title. I was going to sell it just to get some money, because I didn't have a job and it was in pretty good shape. It had a bent valve, though, so it wouldn't idle or do anything under 5,000 rpms."<br /><div> </div><br /><div>"What's a valve?" I wondered. I'd heard of valves, but that was about the extent of it.</div><br /><div> </div>I got a good description.<br /><div><br />"As the piston's coming down," Isaac said, "the intake valve sucks in air and fuel. Then the piston comes up, compresses them, and goes <i>boom.</i> The piston goes down, and the inertia of the crankshaft brings the piston back up. The exhaust valve opens and lets all the exhaust out, and that's how the exhaust goes into your pipe."</div><br /><div> </div>My brain's intake valve sucked in this new information and, I'm sure, will soon convert it into enough power to dominate the world (but don't tell anyone).<br /><div> </div><br /><div>"When the intake valve closes," Isaac continued, "the pressure builds up. So when it's cracked open a little bit, it doesn't seal up and cause combustion. You don't get very much power. So I tore into the bike, and I found out the problem. It was no big deal. I ordered a new valve, dropped it in, and called it good.</div><br /><div> </div>"Then I started playing around with horsepower tricks. I smoothed out the passageways from the carburetor to the intake valve, because usually there are a whole bunch of bumps in there from casting that the factory doesn't smooth out because it would take too long.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>"Then I cut the exhaust pipe to make it louder. A bike like mine is so small, most people can't see it, so it's better if you hear it.</div><br /><div> </div>"I started cafe-ing it out. I dropped the handlebars. I moved the rear sets from the swing-arm to the frame."<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Swing-arm?</div><br /><div> </div>"The swing-arm is what the rear wheel attaches to," Isaac explained. "It's called the swing-arm because it swings with the suspension. The sets were mounted on that, which feels kind of weird when you're riding. You hit a bump, and your feet come up. So I put them on the frame in the same spot, with a different connector."<br /><div><br />The more Isaac worked on the bike, the more he loved it. He did as much as he could without a license, up to riding around the block. He took an Auto Body class.</div><br /><div> </div>"I didn't want to paint car parts," Isaac said, "so I decided to bring the bike in and paint that. While I was in there, I also made a cool-ass seat. It was a whole bunch of pieces of steel that I just kind of bent around. I welded them in and cut off what I didn't want. Most of the time, seats are fiberglass, but I didn't know how to work with fiberglass."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/small1974%20Honda%20CB125S%203.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/small1974%20Honda%20CB125S%203.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><div><br />This is right in line with Twinline bikes. A Twinline bike usually gets a tunnel seat: a piece of sheet metal bent into a tunnel shape, which is aerodynamic and has room for a taillight under it.<br /><br />"So that's basically how my love affair with cafe bikes started," Isaac said. "I had no idea what was out there. My parents split up, so my dad and I moved out to West Seattle.</div><br /><div> </div>"I was out looking for a job at Delta Marine. They make kick-ass boats--really expensive ones--but their hours weren't going to work for me. I was driving home and got lost. I drove by here and saw a whole bunch of vintage bikes! So I tried calling, but Ian was never here because he just had his baby. Matt and John didn't know what was going on about a job opening, so I decided to stop by and hang out. I brought my truck down, and everyone loved that. It's a '63 Ford Econoline--a van with a truck bed on it. It's pretty cool. Orange and black. I brought my bike down, and they loved that even more. Then I got to see all of their bikes, and that was awesome. Then Matt and John asked me to go hang out with the Cretins. It was totally eye-opening to see all these other people with cafe bikes. I didn't know that anyone in the Northwest was doing it. Georgetown is the right place."<br /><div> </div><br /><div>"Tell me about your differences with Ian," I said.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallCIMG0011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/ike/smallCIMG0011.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"Ian and I butt heads about everything," Isaac said, "but it's not a bad relationship. Our creativities are on totally different levels, but it's not in levels of quality. It's all just in levels of taste, like the Bat Seat. The Bat Bike is growing on me, though."</div><br /><div> </div>"What are your plans for the rest of your life?"<br /><div> </div><br /><div>"I want to do this for the rest of my life. I'm so young right now that I don't really get all the credit for what I do. People are like, 'Oh, this kid's building motors. He's only 20 years old. What the fuck does he know?' But if I put enough bikes out there . . . ."</div><br /><div> </div>Isaac now owns four bikes, including his white <i>Transformers</i> bike, which is coming along, and his next big project: a bike he's building for racing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-60835921038940759862008-02-15T10:21:00.000-08:002008-02-19T21:51:35.710-08:00KO 360What Isaac has dubbed the "Knockout 360" is a 1974 Honda CB 360 twin. This model had slick shifting, was a six-speed (versus the five-speed 350), and had superior--albeit vibrate-y--power, but it sat on the showroom floor.<br /><br />The KO 360's previous owner had turned it into a chopper with plus-ten-inch forks--raking it out, setting it sky-high, and making it uncomfortable to ride. The guy who consigned it, upon later finding out that Ian shortened the forks, said, "Oh, good, I'm glad you took those things down. That was tough to ride around on."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/ko360%20old.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/ko360%20old.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Ian and Isaac had just begun work on the KO twenty minutes before I first came on the scene at Twinline.<br /><br />Look at these handlebars," Ian said. "They're disgusting. They're like, 'Yeah! <i>Easy Rider!</i>'--but with a reject Honda 360. This bike can really be fast, though--and it's gonna be."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/tore%20down.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/tore%20down.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So we started taking the bike down to nothing, stripping weight off of it. Removing 7 pounds from a bike is equivalent to adding 1 horsepower for acceleration.<br /><br />For the taillight, Ian got a chopper-style lens shaped like a diamond and then took seven hours to build a scrap-steel seat to complement it.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/new%20seat.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/new%20seat.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"Usually I go with cat-eye lenses--elliptical lenses--that reflect the roundness of the bike," he said. "They're smooth and blend in pretty well. But with this one, I wanted something more angular."<br /><br />During the seat build, Isaac offered constructive criticism. "That looks awful," he said. "It's like the Bat Bike." This from the guy who wants to put the <i>Transformers</i> symbol on his bike.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/bad%20ass%20seat.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/bad%20ass%20seat.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"Dude, this is cool," Ian protested.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/damn.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/damn.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Later, Ian told me, "Isaac's a genius, but he's also a twenty-year-old kid. People come to him and say, 'What should I do with this?' He gives them the answer, but he doesn't tell them about the twelve other things they have to take into consideration. So they go out, follow his advice, and wonder why there are problems. He says, 'Oh, after you do that, you have to do this and this and this and this and this.' And they go, 'Uh, <i>what?!</i>' The twelve other things aren't a big deal to him, but to everyone else in the world, they are.<br /><br />"I like to be challenged and I like to challenge him, though," Ian said. "When we collaborate, we're really happy with the way things turn out."<br /><br />When Ian got the seat finished, Isaac said, "Okay, yeah, that did turn out nice, even if it <i>is</i> the Bat Bike."<br /><br />"This has no need to be the Bat Bike," Ian said. "It's it's own thing."<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/like%20a%20bike.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/like%20a%20bike.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />In addition to constructing a new seat, the guys have rebuilt the carbs, put on new tires, drilled out the rotor, and put homemade, race-style, ghetto rear sets on it. Ian built a wiring harness from scratch, forgoing turn signals, high-beams, and an electric starter in order to save about three pounds.<br /><br />"The old, hack wiring job was a fire hazard," Ian said, "but I don't know how mine is going to work until I actually get the motor running."<br /><br />They're running a non-standard-size battery and building out underneath it to hide it, since there will be no side-covers on this bike.<br /><br />"It will still be a very serviceable bike," Ian said. "My goal is to be able to service the bikes that I sell, because what's the fun of having a custom bike that nobody can work on? We can take apart our bikes and put them back together in no time. All the work is in getting them from their crummy condition to where we want them.<br /><br />The guys have also made a custom tailpipe, painted Ian's favorite color: flat black. They also painted the forks black. Guess what color they're painting the rest of the bike?<br /><br />Next, the KO will get a new chain. It will get its motor running and a proper tune-up--a lost art, according to Ian. Ben from Hellbilly will follow up the paint job with free-form, gloss-black pinstriping.<br /><br />"Ben's one of the most talented pinstripers, period," Ian said.<br /><br />It'll get new handgrips. Shorter brake and clutch cables. An engine cleaning, to make it sparkly.<br /><br />"One of my interns, Brian, is phenomenal at that," Ian said. "Everybody has their strengths. I try to put them where they want to be and where they're really good at contributing, and I try to push them to learn what they don't know--what they're not so comfortable with--and be there to get them through it. Once they're through it, they go, 'That's not so bad!' That's just how life is."<br /><br />The KO is now more than halfway done, with just a couple of days' work left. When it's done, it will probably weigh about fifty pounds less than it did in stock form, and it should hug the road.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-50904392036904450642008-02-07T14:29:00.000-08:002008-02-12T21:12:53.580-08:00Superball Jess: Your New Blogger<a href="http://www.blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/Jessica's%20Blogging/360%20KO/Jessica.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I'm Jessica, a.k.a. Superball, joining Twinline Motorcycles to do some blogging in exchange for learning motorcycle mechanics. I found Ian on Craigslist while looking for random little jobs to fill out my job collection. (I have five.) I didn't even know it was possible to hope for something like this: the chance to learn motorcycles inside and out, essentially for free, from kick-ass teachers who make their living doing this stuff.</div><br /><br /><div>I've got a lot to learn. I love to ride--in fact, have rarely gotten around town in any other way during the past five years--but riding is about all I know when it comes to motorcycles. An example is in order: My boyfriend, Jack, has a 1971 Honda 350, and I mentioned that to Ian and Isaac.</div><br /><br /><div>"Oh, yeah?" they said. "Is it a twin or a four?"</div><br /><br /><div>"Um . . ." I said.</div><br /><br /><div>"Does it have one exhaust pipe or two?"</div><br /><br /><div>"Ya know, I never really took much note of the number of exhaust pipes," I admitted.</div><br /><br /><div>They didn't laugh. They didn't even blink. Well, maybe they blinked, but only once. All they said was, "That's all right. Hang around here enough, and you'll be an expert in months."</div><br /><br /><div>Sweet.</div><br /><br /><div>So how did I reach this sorry state of affairs? Well, unlike apparently every other biker in the world, I haven't been riding since I was a kid. After I got to ride on my dad's bike maybe once, he traded it for a gun. That has annoyed me to this day, but now I think my mother had a lot to do with it. (When I first told her I was getting a motorcycle, her response was similar to when, at age 18, I told her I was getting married: "Oh, <em>no!</em>" Of course, if I'd grown up on bikes, I'd be the first chick in the Moto GP about now.)</div><br /><br /><div>As soon as I finished growing up, I got married. My husband didn't want me to get a motorcycle. As soon as I got divorced, I bought my 2000 BMW f650 from a friend, who was a great riding mentor but didn't teach much in the way of mechanics. After failing to convince a BMW dealer to let me watch an oil change, I got a boyfriend who rides. I now know how to change my oil <em>and</em> spark plugs. (Hold the applause, please.) I'll need to know a lot more than that, though, if I'm ever gonna make it to Tierra del Fuego, not to mention Madagascar or Mongolia, on Jack's and my Big Trip.</div><br /><br /><div>Now I've met Ian and Isaac a couple of times. This last time, Ian planned to set me up for blogging, but the website was down--probably the fault of my electronics disruption field.</div><br /><br /><div>With that plan thwarted, they let me dive in head first with them on one of their pet projects: a 1974 Honda 360. I got to unscrew the handebars, headlight, and instrument panel. While Isaac held the bike, I pulled off the front wheel. Then I unscrewed the front fender and brake. (I seem to take to this unscrewing. I'll keep you posted when I try the reverse.)</div><br /><br /><div>And all of this on a hangover. (Okay, I was recovering from a few days of a bug that <em>started</em> with a hangover, but let's not split hairs.)</div><br /><br /><div>So it begins.</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-10846945404659152352007-07-10T21:05:00.000-07:002007-07-10T22:10:34.826-07:00CB 750 Cafe'<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010033.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010033.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Where do I begin..... I guess a picture says a thousand words.... We built this bike and sold it to a guy from NY NY he said, come on guys I know you can do better,(sorry choppie, but we are resurrecting the bruiser more to come on that project soon)lets do a gold frame and chrome swing arm, fiber glass tank, lots of shinny bits and lots of holes, get a fantastic pipe to finish off that fresh motor (the motor is very very nice I had no problems cruising at a buck 10 and lots of room to go)and a fancy paint job to boot, and a Harley wheel on the back with some fat meat to hold the beasty to the ground. So he asked me if I was up to doing my best work and I said hell yeah. I want this bike to go beyond all expectations. Especially mine.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007ubtcontact.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007ubtcontact.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So we begin the planning process, tank, parts, procurement, who can do the powder coating, the paint, striping, fabrication, and how are we gonna take all these ideas, and parts and put them all together in a way that does not look like a bunch of stuff crammed together, which it is. The vision of this bike is to be seamless from tip to tail. Let no detail be over looked. <br /><br />So we ordered a seat and tank from airtech..... took a bit o time but super quality<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007hardly%20rim.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007hardly%20rim.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Found a nice ole' rusty Harley wheel 17x5 incher nice and fat to be spun on to a 750 hub<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007thanks%20carpy.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007thanks%20carpy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This Yosh Pipe was procured by Carpy all the way from Japan. Thanks mate! I still owe you a beer.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007P1010106.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007P1010106.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Whoops we have a style failure, the airtech seat as nice as it is, is too frigging big, we took and pole and found that less than 1/2 of all bonafide cafe' bike enthusiasts found the look to be less than desirable. So back to the drawing board and we had to fab this one out of metal,does not save much weight but it looks good.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007P1010138.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007P1010138.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />And now we are here with all the stuff we need in the same place and at the same time, we mount, weld, and grind off all things unnecessary then fill and grind again so it will not be a nasty distraction after we go to coat. Then we disassemble the bruiser and send all the bits out.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007lookin%20good.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007lookin%20good.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />How am I looknin now? <br /><br />Looking soooo good.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007gold%20frame.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007gold%20frame.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Here we are at gold (2 coats-o-powder and a clear. Thanks Brady) and a Vipex rear shock (another long story). This bike will now start to take shape. <br /><br />That is where we are at after months of back and forth and faxes and hour long conversations (dealing with east coast west coast thing), but damn it is worth the hassle, as every one that has put there ass in to this project is standing very proud.<br /><br />I can not wait to see how this comes together. <br /><br />So double up your Vodka and get ready for more posts.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-38937392097059493242007-07-10T20:56:00.001-07:002007-07-10T21:04:50.050-07:00XS Bomber hits the road<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007xs%20taped%20on%20battery.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007xs%20taped%20on%20battery.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />We could not wait a day for the seat and tank to come back from hellbilly our striper. So we had take her down the street. So we taped on the battery and fashioned a tank from an xs of some year and made it work. Ike came back with the big olde' grin and proclaimed that the bike was ~ Flippin fast ~ at a 1/4 throttle and under 4k rpms. So as fast as she is we will wait 'till we get the front brake installed before she goes out again.<br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007xs%20nice%20friggin%20tank.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/7-10-07/071007xs%20nice%20friggin%20tank.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Lucky us we had the anti-wheelie brake. This bike is gonna wear rear tires out fast.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-75817528101855547092007-06-20T23:11:00.000-07:002007-06-20T23:24:40.856-07:00残酷<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010023.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010023.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010022.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010022.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />That is the Japanese translation for the word brutal (at least acording to google beta (english to conji) translation) This bike is a brutal cafe' racer, infact it was a racer and now we have to make it work on the street. Not so easy as we do not know exactly what is in it. We do know it has a big bore (size unknown) and a lumpy cam (we do not know how lumpy) but we are sure it will idle at less than 2k RPM , dual disk, and it is very, very loud. We are not done yet and it just looks mean. This bike is waiting for it's seat and tank to come back from on of our painters. right now we are dialing in the jetting, we have 105's in now and shows only white on the plugs. Gonna have to drop 110's or 115's in this beasty. <br /><br />We have the Chad on this one.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-30005550560276117102007-06-20T22:47:00.000-07:002007-06-20T22:58:44.811-07:00The throttle and clutch and a whole lot-o-grinding.<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010033.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010033.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010028.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010028.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010024.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/6-20-07/062007P1010024.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So today the Bomber took several steps forward towards being my personal escort for the next couple of weeks. early this morning I cut down the throttle and clutch cables so that they will not be hanging out and waiting for some one to hang laundry on them. The 1/4 turn throttle is going to be fun. <br /><br />And here is Matt gringding another 3 lbs off the frame, who needs a centerstand. (just use a jack)Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-8788538199389947272007-06-20T22:34:00.000-07:002007-06-20T22:45:14.761-07:00Tidler Tour<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1656.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1656.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1653.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1653.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1652.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1652.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1650.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1650.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1648.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1648.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1643.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1643.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1639.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1639.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1657.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/TidlerTour/CIMG1657.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Thanks to the VME! Half of my shop and our fathers made it out and about on Vashon Island this year. We need to build more small bore bikes and have more people come out. Great event and better than a crummy olde' game of golf.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-56475004059181569632007-06-16T22:56:00.001-07:002007-06-16T23:16:55.498-07:00Now that is an armadillo!<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/honda%20bull%20horns.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/honda%20bull%20horns.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> I think that this picture speaks for it's self. <br /><br />It's been a long week and I'm going to bed, because tomorrow for fathers day me and my father will be on the tidler tour. I'll take some pics.<br /><br />(Pic remastered by Mike)Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598509876446509.post-63359504286901400822007-06-15T00:05:00.001-07:002007-06-15T10:45:25.228-07:00The Shop Mechanic Army<a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010163.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010163.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>This is The Chad, I was lucky enough to have him come to my shop one day looking for some cafe' mirrors and I found that he was a refugee HD tech and was flipping Cafe' bikes, so we worked out a deal and now chad builds custom cafe' bike at my shop. He is usually heard saying "Custom" at the top of his lungs and hacking or bending some piece of a fame or bracket off to accomplish his goals. <br /><a href="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010166.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://blog.twinlinemotorcycles.com/blog%20pics/general%20old/tn_P1010166.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />This is Isaac here grinding away. He is a talented motor builder with an attention to detail that would shock most engineers. As pleasant as he is he'll tell you what he thinks of your Virago if you ask him to make it run, or try and sit on his motorcycle (a lovely cb125). <br /><br />I'm lucky to have both these guys in the shop as obviously I spend all my time writing this blog.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03051969358067689861noreply@blogger.com