How To Build A Kit Bike

Scratch built motorcycles remain very popular. In order to simplify the process, many companies in the American V-twin aftermarket are selling kits. Three of these companies, Custom Chrome, Arlen Ness and Biker1s Choice, have excellent programs. All offer very complete kits that allow the builder to assemble a complete motorcycle without any additional purchases. All that1s missing is labor and paint. The book will document, with detailed photos and copy, the assembly from beginning to end, of three motorcycles from the firms mentioned above. Because of the technical nature of this book, there will be more images and less copy than in other Wolfgang Publication books. Each sequence will be illustrated by at least 200 images. Approximately 60% of these images will be in color. This book will also contain side-bars on tools and basic assembly techniques, all designed to aid the first time builder.

This book presents a step-by-step guide to building a West Coast Chopper's C.F.L. kit. Kit choppers are hot commodities. While few people can afford to buy a custom-built chopper from one of the high-end builders like Jesse James-bikes that often sell for $100,000 or more-many can afford to buy such bikes in kit form. Because of this, all the high-end builders sell their creations in kit form. For example, while Jesse James might build perhaps a dozen custom bikes per year, he sells hundreds of chopper kits. The same is true of any number of other builders like Matt Hotch, Cyril Huze, and Paul Yaffe. Authored by Mike Seate and featuring the photography of Joe Appel, this book is a step-by-step how-to guide for anyone building a kit chopper.

How to Build a Motorcycle leads you through all the key stages - from initially finding the right project for your skill level, to sourcing a base bike and safely taking on some full-on bike-building tasks. With clear, easy-to-follow instructions, proper advice and specially commissioned step-by-step illustrations throughout it is an ideal aid to getting your hands oily. Written by Gary Inman, the co-founder of independent motorcycle magazine Sideburn, and illustrated by Adi Gilbert who is best known for his bicycle and motorcycle drawings whose clients include Harley-Davidson, Guy Martin, Wired magazine, Sideburn magazine and Nike, this is a must-have for all motorcycle lovers. Read this book, even dip in and out where relevant. If it makes sense, schedule some time, clear your mind, pull on some old clothes, grab your toolbox and get going. The chapters in How to Build a Motorcycle will tell you how to complete a huge variety of tasks that will allow even the greenest of novices to get their hands dirty and start modifying with purpose. If you belong to this camp, start with some of the low-input, high-reward jobs, such as fitting bars, swapping the rear shocks or wiring in a new tail light. Even though these require relatively little work, they'll transform the look of your bike, and completing them will fill you with confidence to undertake the more difficult jobs, such as fitting more modern front forks or even making your own frame. The book comes with a glossy 32-page section on finished bikes and is a reference and the perfect gift for all fans, from those who merely like to tinker, to riders taking on a full build.

This book presents steps and numerous tips on how to build a safer street legal motorized bicycle. Even if your state does not have all these requirements, these typically make your bike safer. Please note that the motorized bicycle pictured on the cover of this book was a major project that took several months to build, as well as over $1,000. The street legal motorized bicycle described in this book is easier to build and a lot cheaper than what I built. It’s immensely important that you read the entire contents of each step before doing what’s suggested in a particular step. The truth is it would be best to read the entire contents of this book before building your bike. Please feel free though to deviate from any suggestions etc. that I list when building your bike if you think it is for the better.

Custom Bike Building Basics is the basic bible that at-home builders need to build and modify their own motorcycles. Readers will learn everything from the basic workplace and tool set to working with steel, welding steel, choosing a “donor bike” as the foundation, creating a plan, sheet metal fabrication, upholstery, wiring and more. Custom Bike Building Basics is the one book you need before you tear into that donor bike and begin the process of creating your own motorcycle.

Whether it's a big-bore, high-end custom sportbike you're after, or a naked, bare knuckles streetfighting drag racer, this book has the goods for getting you there. In three different scenarios, the nation's top builders give blow-by-blow instructions for completely rebuilding three popular streetbikes -- from performance modifications and exhaust systems to flawless finishes and detail work. Focusing on highly customized Hayabusa drag bikes, including a slammed and lowered Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa, John Dantzler of the Charlotte, North Carolina, shop Two Wheel Customs outlines the suspension and engine modifications that the serious street and quarter-mile racer can make. He takes a salvaged, late-model four-cylinder street machine and transforms it into the kind of machine that both professional stunt riders and corner-carving enthusiasts favor. Next, author Mike Seate covers the details on constructing and installing popular modifications -- everything from engine crash guards and wheelie bars to motocross-style handlebars and bikini fairings -- while stunt riders and streetfighter builders from the United States and Europe weigh in with tips and advice. Last but not least, the builders at Wisconsins Patrick's Performance and South Carolina's Coastal Motorcycles provide a step-by-step account of the construction of two high-end custom sportbikes -- transforming a Yamaha YZF R-1 and a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 into the kind of machines that are eye-popping everywhere-on the streets or on the motorcycle show circuit.

JoAnn Bortles is the founder and proprietor of Crazy Horse painting and has had her custom bike paint jobs featured on the covers of leading motorcycle magazines across the world. In this book, she shares the techniques and tips for the beginner or more advanced custom painter. Detailed, step-by-step, full-color instructions show how to do a variety of custom projects, from standard to evil skull flames, pinups, and pinstriping to a number of finish techniques as well. Sport bike custom paint techniques are also included.