Daily Slideshow: Biltwell's Impossible Mexican Adventure
Some may call it stupidity while others declare it a stroke of genius, but regardless, the boys at Bitwell Inc. got a wild hair to race a modified 883 Sportster in the National Off-Road Racing Association's Mexico 1000. See how they fared inside!
Utter Madness or Stroke of Genius?
Biltwell Inc, a company that prides themselves on producing quality H-D parts at an affordable price, came up with the grand idea of competing in the 2018 NORRA Mexico 1000. While many consider the off-road, 1000+ mile trek from Ensenada to San José del Cabo to be a challenging and somewhat grueling event, most would say it is madness to attempt such a feat on a Harley-Davidson. That said, there is a fine line between madness and genius, so the boys at Biltwell were clearly straddling that line as they built and raced their 2000 Sportster 883 dubbed the "Frijole 833" down the Mexican coastline.
It All Started With A Sporty
The Biltwell steed started life as a 2000 Harley Sportster 883 weighing in at a hefty 519 pounds dry. The main goal of the build was to keep the bike looking relatively stock with factory components such as the original frame, engine, fuel & oil tanks, and the rear fender while also fabbing up bits and pieces that would help them conquer the tough terrain they were sure to face. Additionally, they were keen on dropping weight where possible because wrestling a Harley through the sand would be no easy task.
All The Fixin's
The suspension was obviously a main area of concern, so Gigacycle designed a new steering stem and top clamp to accommodate a GPR steering stabilizer and a set of Honda CRF250 forks that were resprung and revalved by Racetech. The swingarm was reinforced and a set of custom Elka shocks with near infinite adjustability were added to the rear. Biltwell turned to Sun Rims to lace up a 21" front wheel and 18" rear to accept knobby off-road tires. Other features include a custom seat, 2-into-1 exhaust, relocated foot pegs, skid plate, custom axle adjusters, shorter gearing, Lowrance navigation, and a Baja Designs headlight to name a few.
Frijole Fine Tuning
Bike assembly began late in 2017 with a target completion date of January 1, 2018, to allow for sufficient test time before the big event. Unfortunately, an extensive build takes time, so it wasn't until several weeks after their deadline that the Biltwell team took the bike out for its first test at the Hodge Road Loop in Barstow, CA. The team followed up with two additional tests to further dial in the suspension, ergonomics, and gearing. With the bike all buttoned-up by the end of February, Biltwell had a good 6 weeks to build and acquire additional spare parts as well as iron out the logistics for the event.
Game Time
Come April 22, the Biltwell team had made their way to Ensenada with the Frijole 833 in tow. With a difficult journey ahead, they decided to split the riding duties amongst 4 riders (Bryant, Moeller, Westy, & Otto) and left the mechanic duties to Rob "Rouser" Galan. Day one began with a 193 mile run from Ensenada down to San Felipe. Biltwell had prepared for this moment for months, so when their start time arrived, spectators were greeted with a healthy dose of American thunder.
She Pulls Like A Tractor
With the bike now surrounded by the Mexican desert, the riders found the old Harley incredibly easy to ride. Aside from the hefty 475 lbs that had to be slung around, the engine provided gobs of torque that would literally power through even the deepest of sands and silts. The weight of the bike was actually beneficial in certain rocky terrain as the Frijole would push right through without upsetting the motorcycle. That said, technical sections that required low-speed and precision demanded a little extra muscle from the rider. After 450 miles and two complete days of riding, the Biltwell team were feeling quite confident that they could make it to the finish.
Managing Maintenance
Although makeshift pitstops occurred every 60 miles or so for refueling and any necessary roadside maintenance, the harsh conditions required the bike to receive a proper once-over each night to ensure everything was in good working order. This included an engine and primary oil change, primary and chain adjustments, replacement of the air filter, draining of the catch can, spokes and brake inspections, and cables/chain lubrication. The Frijole Sportster continued to eat up the desert through days three and four, and despite a few minor get-offs, the bike and riders remained in one piece.
Guts & Glory
After traversing 1000+ miles of desert sand, rocks, silt, cacti, and even water crossings over five grueling days, the Biltwell Frijole 833 successfully completed the NORRA Mexico 1000. A total of 43 motorcycles started the journey, but only 32 of those finished the event. The Frijole finished 14th in the Modern Open Class and 27th overall. It is believed that Biltwell's bike is the only Harley-Davidson to ever compete in and finish the event, which is a huge accomplishment. The Biltwell team clearly did an awesome job with the build as they only had to replace a shift lever, a couple sets of wheels, chain sliders, chain roller bearings, and a rear sprocket over the course of the race. Congratulations to Team Biltwell and their amazing Frijole Harley-Davidson Sportster for showing us that such a feat can be accomplished if you work hard and set your mind to it!
For help with your Harley maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.
