Have been accumulating parts for like six years to make a custom bike that has a bobber look. Last piece is Tech Cycles Cyclone primary with mid controls that I'm waiting on. Hopefully it's done early next year. So I figured I'd start the build. Raced AFM and WSMC for about ten years in CA and wrenched my GSXRs and SVs then, but never owned a Harley. Not claiming this will be a Harley at all, though, given the build is all aftermarket parts. I've already encountered a few builders glitches on making things work, as expected. For me, that's part of the fun and I'll have the knowledge of everything on the bike. Like to ride too but am way too old to race anymore so a large v-twin should be good for me. Wish I could weld and had a mill and lathe but I make do.

Plan is to assemble the bike and do the wiring harness then take to a good builder to weld tabs and such, do metal work on the tank and rear fender, dyno tune motor, check my work. Then title and plate (in Colorado), run in the bike and make sure everything works and adjust anything that needs adjusting/corrected. Then then strip it down to powdercoat the frame and paint the bodywork.

It's a project and I'm in no hurry. I will have questions and lots of times with this stuff there is no clear answer in the stock 84-99 manuals, aftermarket instructions are thin, and sometimes might need help from people who have maybe encountered the unknown unknown issues and challenges that I'll likely face along the way, so posting a thread here. Appreciate the read...

Major Components (have almost 100% of the little stuff as well other than maybe a few fasteners and odds and ends like hydraulic lines, fuel line... that I'll deal with as the build requires):

• Rolling Thunder softail frame, 1.5", stock rake, 180mm rear
• Rebuffini Redemption springer stock length
• Progressive 422's with RAP
• Ride Wright 30-Daddy 16" wheels, front 3.5", rear 5.5" cush drive with Alloy Art cush/sprocket (chain final)
• S&S V111 crate, Super E
• Cycle Electric stator, Drag Specialties HD rotor, Dynatec Twin Fire II coil
• Rick's universal MOSFET reg/rectifier and Antigravity 16-cell battery
• Tech Cycles Tornado 2kw starter
• Baker OD6 hydraulic
• Tech Cycles Cyclone 2" belt primary and clutch, with their mids made to fit that primary
• BSL Fat Tommy exhaust and BSL Bomb V2 Tattoo exhaust; The Fat Tommy pipes might interfere with mids so I bought the Bomb which I know will not
• Lyndall composite front rotors (bought in 2019 before they stopped making them)
• Wilwood GP310 front calipers on Twisted Choppers caliper brackets
• Lyndall steel rear rotor
• Wilwood Dynapro rear caliper on Twisted Chopper rear bracket
• Rebuffini Vendenge handlebar controls with Muller internal throttle control
• Motogadget parts like mo.unit Blue, m-button, all stuff for crafting the wiring harness which I can figure out
• Sprit Leather seat with Two-Bros air bladder kit
• Lights, bars, this and that...

First question: I see rear calipers mounted inside the swingarm tubes (stock), under the bottom tube, and even above the top tube. What would any of you recommend for a custom?

 

Looks like fun.. Everything looks OK but with an SnS 111, I wouldn't bother with a 2kw starter and LI battery. Antigravity is one of the best but with good cables and a 1.5 kw, you won't have any trouble with starting a 111 with a good AGM.. I'd stay away from Noco LI battery with any starter above 1.5 kw. I had a 2kw ultima in a 131 that would make it shut down.

 

Looking forward to seeing it come together.

 

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Thanks Max_Headflow. Taking this onboard.

 

I will post pics over time. Thanks

 

Given I already have the Antigravity I'll run with that. Its small size gives room for the mo.unit and wiring that an AGM would not so much. On the starter, Tech Cycles is supplying with the primary. The next step down is 1.8kw and then 1.4kw. I could check with Billy at TC whether I can still change to 1.8kw. Less overkill than 2.0kw if I'm reading you right, but still a bit overpowered for my peace of mind. Thanks

 

Well you can never have too much power.. The AntiGravity battery is fine, especially if you already have it.. The thing about going with a 2kw starter is that it needs a lot of CCAs. I ran one in my 131 for over 10 years, AGM batteries would only last about 2 years, LI would last 4. The exception was the Noco.. I switched over to a Shorai which has been working well but the Noco stressed the starter clutch so the starter eventually died so I switched to a 1.75 kw ultima which I'd bought some time ago..

As far as Evos go I have a 113 evo in a bobber with a 1.5 kw battery. CR was 10.8 to 1. Built the bike back in 2000. AGMs lasted 4 years until about 5 years ago when the dropped to about 2 years. After some messing around I found that the 4 gauge cables were getting resistance at the wire to lug connections.. Soldering them and it got me back to where I was before plus some.. I just rebuilt the motor (50K miles), bumped the CR to 11.0 and added compression releases. Still has plenty of cranking power with AGM.. The 111s are only 9.8 to 1.. I suspect they have the auto release cams.. Should be pretty easy to crank.

Add: nevermind about the cam compression release. Evos don't have them.

 

Great info here. The 16-cell AG has a stated 480CCA. I am reading threads about lots of starter/battery mismatch problems and am hoping my setup works out okay. Billy is high on the Tornado 2kw over the 1.8kw but would change the order.

 

If Billy has had good luck with setup, by all means go for it.. My 131 with a 2kw had a twin power LI that lasted 4 years before it started getting weak.. I do think it's a little overkill. I also had a 116 ci high compression 11.3 to 1 TC that would eat starter clutches and ring gears after 2 years on an AGM using a 1.5 kw starter. Last time I broke the starter bad and replaced with the stock starter and Shorai LI bat. That lasted over 4 years up until I blew up the motor.. The shorai finally failed when the regulator went bad at 64000 miles after rebuilding the motor as a 107.