Cafe racer rear frame loop

Building a cafe racer.....



Lee from Hambone Kustoms.

Bravo!

Keno's been working up north flyin' snow geese and dropping fuel, pepsi, and ripple chips on every ice flow north of La Ronge for a while now. He's been buggin' me to lend him the Murder Van so he can transport an uber mule of a sled up there so he has something to putt around on until spring. But I'm pretty sure the Murder Van's not quite ready for the abuse that a northern trek would put on'er and I can't afford to not have it running in it's optimal Muleage state. However, today Davey and I sprung the Yammy Bravo Mule from the ground so it can make a mystical journey up north later this week.

First we borrowed the ever faithful Elmer, Keno's community Silverado and head out to the valley where Bravo Mule lays baked in the sun and dirt. But of course Keno hooks us up with an empty truck, so first stop is the 7-11 for gas and ...welll... toquitos of course.


We get out to the farm ok and try starting the Bravo Mule, but it's not happening. I mean even if this thing does make it up north I can't see it getting him too far. It's enough to make even Lee a little nervous. Optimal muleage is one thing, but...

So we hoist it into the back, throw a chain around the skis and head back to town.


Feeling pretty good about the whole thing and thinking we'd made good time, we figure this means Keno owes us a frosty beverage.

So after all that, I think a slow and condescending clap is in order...Bra...vo!

Factory experimentation, DAH!

By 1929 Harley and Davidson were not exactly collecting #1's on the hills or on the tracks like they were in the earlier part of the century. That was possibly the reasoning behind them putting out an OHV 45" race motor called the DAH. This motor was first featured in a factory built hillclimber which there were several versions of
between 1929 and 1932. Some notable features of the bike include dual exhaust heads, trailing-link forks, a single gear transmission, and a Schebler racing carb to feed the alcohol burning engine. Ultimately the experimentation worked and in 1932 Joe Petrali won the National Hillclimb Championship with a double down-tube frame design.



Although I haven't found much info about this motor being used in street or flat track models, I have found a few pics that suggest these were produced at one point or another.


Note: some historians (drunk old bike dudes) credit this successful hillclimbing OHV bike with the popularity the Knucklheads recieved in '36. Although the two engines share nearly zero design traits, some believe that HD had proven it's ability to build OHV engines by first racing one up a 45 degree grade.

Flea market scores

Farm Fresh Flatty

Had no idea Fred Penner was into choppers.

Tab

Frame work today.

Frazetta Friday

Ham'merd

Went to checkout HamBone's progress last night and he plied me with liquor until I told him it was awesome.

Shed built

Shed built bikes require shed built tools. This one is borrowed from Brian at fiftyshaze. The gear jam is by yours truly.

disclaimer: the damaged done to this nut was not the result of this tool being used, but was either the result of some dumb-ass with more brawn than brains, or was attacked by a 530 chain at terminal velocity.

Cole is a rule'ah

This Dyna is gonna be fucking RAD! Holy shit!

Inspired to bash some mules

Got some reading material from Brian over at fiftyshaze yesterday including an often overlooked, but rarely regretted Canadian made publication, Motorcycho (go get one, you won't be sorry). In it, is a great article by Tim Weaver.

Tim tells a tale of days gone by when motorcycle racing events were run-what-ya-brung and hot-rodding your machine was done by dumpster diving behind the suzuki shop. Tim recalls a few hillclimbing machines he built back in the day when he had no money for gas or entry fees let alone cash to buy the latest metal mulisha ride gear.

I've been thinking a lot about these kinds of events lately. Old dirt track races, hillclimbs, field days, etc. Moto sports have become so specialized that it's imposible for the average joe to compete or even just have fun without an enclosed trailer of snap-on's and a million dollar machine. The days of running a street bike up a hill or a 2-stroke down the highway are all but gone.

So I'm taking Tim's challenge seriously and thinking about how we here at the Antiquated Mule can loosely organize some open events this summer. I'm already working on the possibility of plowing a dirt track oval out at the Sastard family farm and now want to look at some possibilities for an ad-hoc hillclimb as well. They'll be run-what-ya-brung events and if you crash and burn we can offer you a ride home or to the hospital, but the rest is on you. Anyone interested in helping to organize is welcome and anyone wanting to join in the fun is welcome.

Here's some classic shit to get you inspired.

California bound

Hambone Kustoms first international order. Some of my buck horns that I will be running on my chopper headed to Oxnard Cali. Be free my child and make me proud.


Lee from Hambone Kustoms.