1941 Harley Davidson Knucklehead FL by Prism Supply
Speedway-styled 1941 Knucklehead is a show-winning build with innovative custom parts.
A-List Custom
Brothers Jake and Zach Hindes built their one-off 1941 Knucklehead chopper for Born Free 8 in 2016, and then proceeded to walk away with the Founder’s Choice award. No stranger to custom motorcycles, the Hindes brothers own Prism Motorcycle Supply Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. Located in the Camp North End area of the city, the brothers opened Prism Supply in 2012 in a former Model A factory.
Photos courtesy of Iron & Air
Custom Frame
The 1941 Knucklehead features a handmade stainless steel single-downtube frame, along with numerous other scratch-built parts. The two-inch under Springer front end mimics the design of a mid-1920s Peashooter Harley-Davidson. Both the front end and frame have been sandblasted to resemble cast steel. Talking about the build, Jake Hindes said, “Our idea was to make everything as custom as possible but keep a traditional vibe.”
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Knuckle Motorvation
Ben's V-Twins Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina rebuilt the 1941 Knucklehead engine. Matching the frame, the vintage motor has also been media-blasted to a matte finish with only a few chrome highlights. A Linkert carburetor capped with a minimal air filter feeds gas and air to the old iron's heads. Translating the Knucklehead's rotations into usable power is done through a 1958 Ratchet Top transmission hooked to a Rivera Primo clutch.
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Tank Relocation
The Hindes worked out an x-pipe configuration to locate the high-mounted megaphone exhaust exit on both sides of the bike. With the pipes occupying the space where the oil tank would normally reside, the brothers had to use a split fuel-oil tank. The left side megaphone required a pie cut on the pipe's underside to accommodate the final drive chain. A stainless steel seat cowl flows into a channeled Sportster fender.
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Tight Rake
The one-off Springer front end holds a 19-inch rim wrapped with a Coker tire. The steep 24-degree rake pushes the front end tight to the frame and makes for quick and nimble steering. The Knucklehead's tins and split fuel-oil tank were painted by Travis “Tuki” Hess, who also applied 'machined' gold-leaf scallop flames. Keen observers will notice the lack of a clutch lever or any other controls on the Prism Supply handlebars.
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Deceptive Floorboards
The Hindes brothers build has innovative controls 'hidden' in the custom floorboards. Zach Hindes said that they often get people who do not look closely saying “you can’t ride that bike, it doesn’t have brakes or a clutch on it.” Jake Hindes scaled down the stock floorboards and then CNC machined the custom parts. The clutch is integrated into the pivoting left floorboard, while the right side operates the brake.
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One-Off Winner
The 1941 Knucklehead was shown at the Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show in 2017. The headlights are from a vintage Ford pickup that have been fitted with LEDs. The four almost invisible 'taillights' are the power indicators from guitar amps. The small details and custom parts abound on this motorcycle but, as Zach Hindes stated, "we wanted to prove ourselves...but we’ll probably never make a stainless frame or Springer again.”
>>Let us know about this custom '41 Knucklehead right here in HDForums.com.
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