In any type of art what's the first thing you do if your an artist of sorts? You visualize right? You have to create something in images or jot things down on paper to give you a path to follow. In art it mostly involves images. Bike building is no different you have to collect pictures to help you decide the outcome of your new ride to be, I am in that process right now, flipping through photo and photo of XL(H) to see if there's something that grabs me. Now I am not going to copy someones bike down to every nut and bolt but, I will instead use the foundation to create upon. That being said here's my inspiration.
Not sure who built this one or where I saw the picture but it's the freak-en best Sporty
I've ever seen hands down. Awesome build whoever you are.
This Evo Sporty has it all. Great stance, simplicity, function and is way cool BUT there are few things we're gonna do different or try to.
First let's analyze this scoot shall we?
Rigid frame - this is readily apparent , so we know this puppy is gonna have a somewhat hard ride. But I love it, and the frame stays in our build. Also, since we've now determined that we're going rigid we know we'll not be using our old Wishbone Rubber-mount Softail frame that we had from the previous build. So we'll clean that up, sand blast it down to bare metal and put it up for sale to help finance this project. We paid $5K for it so we'll ask $3.5K OBO as it's brand new pretty much (if I don't get any offers I just might use it after all). This inspiration scoot is using a twin straight down tubes, stock rake and stretch configuration or so it seems to me.
Springer front fork- I do not see a shock on the fork so we'll do without one too cuz really the shock just obstructs the beauty of the Springer in my eyes anyhow. This one's powder coated black which is where we'll differ, our engine is chrome so we're going to opt for a bit more shine on our build than this one's got so we'll either completely chrome out our Springer of we'll partially powder coat ours and chrome the rest. At this point we have time to think about it. OK since we know we're going with a Springer we can safely sell our old wide-glide Hydraulic set-up once we button it up and pop some fresh fork oil in her. We can sell the complete front fork setup for $1100.00 Ours is chrome this price is non chromed. Easy.
Engine we got covered. Ours is Chromed out so we'll be doing a bit more Chrome elsewhere on our bike than this one has. We also run the S&S E-Shorty as in the photo. Also ours is also a chain drive. My engine has been ported and polished, Contains S&S 3.5" pistons, S&S Push-rods and Andrews Cams among some of the mods I already did. To bring them pistons up to the 3.5" size and 1200cc displacement I had to bore out 1/2" out of each sleeve in the 883's jugs. No worries though there's plenty of meat in there for even several rebuilds afterwards.
Wheels- This ones got nice looking rubber and the wire half powdered half chromed look which is nice. Our old set of wheels includes the 19" 9 spoke front mag, 16" 9 spoke rear mag in great shape I can ask $300 OBO for the set and I'll leave the old rubber on them which looks new. I'll go with the 5.0 x 16's the inspiration scoot is using and the same rims. I'll keep my calipers and rotors and other hardware as well. So we're gonna hook up with those Avon 5.0 x 16 front and rears, and change from mag to spoked tubed wheel. The fat spoke really looks cool as well adding some beef to the wheel.
We don't need or like a front fender - either so I'll flog the original Sporty fender for $50. or leave it on the front fork assy. Same with the rear fender - it's a fatbob not quite suited to our purposes on this project so out it goes, besides a rear fatbob with light and plate bracket is well over $150 retail I'll have all parts sand blasted prior to posting them for sale. As for our new bobber, we'll have to splurge and buy a flat-style rear fender and cut it to bob size like our inspiration scoot. Also need to make/find the sissy bar our inspiration bike is wearing (it's sexy too).
The oil bag - for the softail will go with the frame (if it sells) it needs work and mods to actually work with the frame I'll tell the buyer what they need to do when the frame sells. I'ts a horseshoe oil bag with battery box inside for electric purposes. The inspiration bike sports a cylinder oil bag which is how I will go as well, and stash the battery below it.
Gas Tank - The original peanut sporty tank is long gone, so is the one piece 3.5 gal w/ old twin dash that I got after it, now I have a set of flat side 3.5 gal. early big twin tanks (which incidentally the softail frame is fitted for, the frame has the brackets already welded in place you just need to buy the hardware). The inspiration bike uses a peanut tank and we'll NOT go with that we're gonna use the split 3.5 gal. setup instead. (I hate stoppin for gas all the time.)
I have a Corbin Gunfighter seat which I may hang onto if I can adapt it to the Bobber if I should do a long haul on this rigid monster or just to change the look from time to time. BUT I am definitely going to fit the project bike with the same type spring solo seat as shown on the inspiration bike.
Bars and risers I'll do same as the inspiration however, I think I see that the inspiration bike still uses the stock handlebar controls (start/stop/horn/turn signals) I may try to customize that some to make it look more vintage. The ignition switch will of course be in the fuel tank dash. Will use vintage round mirrors which means I may have a nice set of old style Arlen Ness mirrors to flog for a $150 OBO. Also, I will install vintage grips.
Electric wise - Keeping a battery and charge system, Head light and for brake lights and rear turn signals (if i decide to use signals, might have to, to pass the safety or registration in FL?) I'll use orange bullets and two red/black light bullets for brake lights. Also need to wire in the dash board on the tank, I have the original Sporty wiring harness but I may go for simplicity and make a whole new harness, custom and clean to be as insignificant as possible (and hidden).
Also unlike the inspiration bike I'll go with Russell braided Stainless where ever I can. For oil lines, brake lines, control cables, etc.
Exhaust pipes - I like the inspiration bikes pipes but I am still in shopping mode on that one. There is a kit available from Paughco that has all these different assortments of bended pipe in it to allow you to custom fit your own design to your application (if you don't have pipe bending facilities) there's that route OR pick up the pipe vice and do it myself in 1 piece OR buy a different already pre-made style so the choices on pipes are enormous. I have no clue what happened to my original drag pipes but they were ready for replacement anyhow. This is the style I was thinking to replace the inspiration setup with what do ya think? OR I was hashing over the idea of makin a true dual set up with fishtails to fit the sporty engine and the custom frame?
Ground Pounder Pipes.
Anyhow, that's it for now I'll continue in a bit when I hatch some more ideas. Keep the rubber side down see y'all soon.
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