Harley Davidson Sportser Project

[SiPMerlin150]

I'm going to attempt my first major project for a retirement gift for my dads work colleague, he loves his bikes and owns a fatboy Davidson, so suggested to make him a little something... He's no idea about this so..

Began looking at frame illustrations of a sportser model and sketched some plans, within 90 minutes of careful positioning, bending, cutting and welding, I produced the very basic construction of the frame.

There are some parts that still needed to be added, like the gearbox mounting area, and the front brace support and the axle mountings etc. but its still very early yet.

The frame material is some cheapo 2.5mm arc welding electrodes stripped of flux and sanded shiny.

I'll update this as the project develops. Bear with me!

 

[geoff 1]

This has got me going,Im building a full size one!
If you need any pics of the real thing just let me know what you want,the bike is living & getting built in my living room,so I aint got to go far!

 

[SiPMerlin150]

This has got me going,Im building a full size one!
If you need any pics of the real thing just let me know what you want,the bike is living & getting built in my living room,so I aint got to go far!

Hi Geoff, pictures will be great help! Could I have a top view photograph of the frame where the tank would mount? It would help me see where the frame joins to one section ajoining onto the fork mounts.

 

[Robotstar5]

Last week a Yamaha exhaust, this week a complete Harley

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Last week a Yamaha exhaust, this week a complete Harley

Yep! Well the yamaha exhaust is sorted, Woody.V8 sold me his stainless manifold set, so thats sorted when it arrives. This harley will take some time and i'm not rushing this one, I'll need the time to think of how to go about putting components together. It'll be fiddly, but fun!

 

[geoff 1]

This is a stock frame,most people use this with a hard tail welded on the back,not affecting this part of the frame,if you need more let me know!


IMG_1386 by geoff321, on Flickr


IMG_1388 by geoff321, on Flickr

Here is a heavily customed frame for the sportster,no original parts used,its got more rake at the headstock,(about 38 degrees),a 'swan neck',so the frame is streatched to the headstock,but notice the central downtube with rear engine mount on both frames in the side on pics,sportsters are a unit construction engine,most harleys are with a separate gearbox.
Hope this helps.


IMG_1136_1 by geoff321, on Flickr

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Hi geoff, thank you for those photos, they will come in very handy to refer to as it progresses. Are you in the stages of rebuilding the engine? Or a restorational project?

 

[geoff 1]

The bike is a 2001 883,it had 2000 miles on it when I got it,so the engine is all but new,I bought the machine as a donor bike for my chop project,& came across the one off frame as an abandoned project,with some adjustments the frame fits my needs.
I may convert to a 1200 some time,but the engine is so fresh it seems a shame to lift the heads off.
So basicaly It is a new build with just sportster front forks wheels & brakes,& engine,the rest being fabricated.
Heres a link to the frame builder,some nice frames/bikes on display so well worth a look for ideas with your project,he is a well respected frame builder.

http://www.customcycledevelopments.com/index.htm

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Progress up to now has seen the handlebars, fork mounts put in, and the frame adjusted to the proper shape. Once my flap discs arrive, I'll be able to polish up the frame better. Next task is the mounts for the rear axle and the handle bars and forks.

 

[geoff 1]

Thats coming along nicely!

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Thats coming along nicely!

Thanks! Just waiting upon some fresh steel and my flap disks, the rear axle mounts are welded in now. I cocked up on the frame a little, its a mix of a sportser and the newer 'Evo Line' (U.S Cop bike style?) sorry, not clued up on my bikes at all! so the frame may look different from a sportser as you know (then again theres so many variations and custom jobs, it will fit in!

 

[geoff 1]

Looking forward to this done,great little project,& lots of work!

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Looking forward to this done,great little project,& lots of work!

It'll take me a month or two, maybe just a month of spending a good 6hours per week

 

[SiPMerlin150]

A little update

Heres a little progress update, just spent some few hours on making the wheels.. They're only half finished, and still need a lot of work doing to them, the brake disks are also included on the wheels and the little bumps on the rims are for the tyre material to key into. The welds have brown residue due to use of straight co2 for shielding gas. I'm surprised how long my disposible is lasting, i've done a fair few welding jobs and its not run out yet..

Heres the wheels:

P.S. I love my new monodex cutter and scribing tool!

 

[geoff 1]

I have been doing a bit more to my project,not been easy getting time recently,(good excuses I have), Are you going to fabricate the whole bike,engine included?
One of the best small tools,more so with this type of project,also so very on larger sized stuff too, is a cordless Dremmel, & the endless tools you can get for them,worth a look.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

I have been doing a bit more to my project,not been easy getting time recently,(good excuses I have), Are you going to fabricate the whole bike,engine included?
One of the best small tools,more so with this type of project,also so very on larger sized stuff too, is a cordless Dremmel, & the endless tools you can get for them,worth a look.

Yeah, theres been a few moments where i've needed one, and we have one except for the drill heads are all missing... thats something to buy tommorow!

I'm looking at cheating and using some large bolts, chopping the heads off and using the threaded shafts of the bolts as the cooling finned parts of the cylinder bore and head... I'll use some small cuts of steel rod for the valve push-rods and cut a notch in the sides of each bolt to make the recess that the push rods would normally sit in... I make it sound straight forward but its going to be a trial and error and most fiddly job!

I've done the wheels spokeless both front and back...I haven't dared try to make spoked wheels (though I may in the future and add them to this bike at a later date.

Body filler is going to be used to shape the fuel tank, seat and to smooth out certain areas that will be seen. I'm not that good skill wise (inexperienced) and a lack of one or two tools can be a drawback.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Wheels update

After 2 hours of filler and breathing in sanding dust, (should of wore a mask, there wasn't much, honest!) The wheels are resembling what look like tyres. Still in a rough form, they need a lot of detail sanding.

Its a work in progress though

 

[normspanners]

the bike is living & getting built in my living room

Ha I had my trials bike in the kitchen and my wife came home and was screaming WHO WOULD HAVE A MOTORBIKE IN THE KITCHEN !!!!!!!!
I said thats NORMAL ? her responce was akin to------ no its not------!!!you can fill in the missing words

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Ha I had my trials bike in the kitchen and my wife came home and was screaming WHO WOULD HAVE A MOTORBIKE IN THE KITCHEN !!!!!!!!
I said thats NORMAL ? her responce was akin to------ no its not------!!!you can fill in the missing words

Women just don't understand... Sure we might put our bikes/welders/car bits in the kitchen or in the house, but you just go try putting your shoes under the bed or in the wardrobe at night...or find room for you bottle of showe gel on that bathroom shelf... At least our clutter is confined to one or two rooms of the house.....you can't escape from hers!

 

[geoff 1]

I get my wife to pollish the bike,it doesnt take much coercing,just liberal uce of the wooden chair & bull whip.