BUILD A CHOPPER FOR $9000

BY JIM RUNDLE
www.jsrcustom.com

A compilation of useful information, techniques, and tips to save you money and aggravation on your first chopper build.

This book is copyrighted material and any reproduction or distribution without written consent from the author is forbidden .

COPYRIGHT 2009 JIM RUNDLE

Introduction

So You want to build a chopper! Wouldnt it be easier and cheaper to just buy someones used chopper? Maybe, maybe not. You can build a chopper with all NEW parts for as little as $9,000 . The knowledge and satisfaction you will get cannot be measured in dollars, and besides your friends will think youre cool. It will take you anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months, depending on the complexity and the paint scheme you choose. I have built bikes in less than 5 days, including making the frame, sheet metal, painting and assembly. I do NOT recommend you attempt this because at the end of 5 days you will be a useless zombie and the project will suffer. Take your time and enjoy, Its not nearly as hard a task as you might think. So lets get started.

Design Considerations

Rigid or suspended, chopper style, bobber, or pro street, wide tire or more conventional, extreme or basic. The list goes on and on. Will you ride long distances (100 miles at a time or more) or do you have a weak back? Are you a tough guy that doesnt give a s***? A lot to consider but its really a personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer, and you probably have already seen a bike just like the one you want to build. A wide tire rigid will ride a LOT better than a narrow tire rigid and in my opinion looks better and cleaner than a suspended bike. Simpler is better (and cheaper to build). Do you want a cool air ride bike that slams to the ground when you park? Sure, but the first time you pop an air line at 80mph you will probably think differently. Simpler is better. Wide tire bikes cost more to build. Frames cost more, wheels cost more, right side trannys cost more. If building a 280 rear or wider bike dont try to do it with a left side drive. Its bad engineering and handling. If you run a 3 primary with 280 left side drive you WILL drag the primary drive on left turns. A 250 rear is the maximum acceptable left side drive bike. Chopper style or Pro Street? A personal choice for a specific look. Some people will tell you choppers handle like s***. Could be, just depends who built or designed it. Always check the front end geometry. Dont just put on a front end just because it looks good. You can find a cool rake and trail calculator at www.perseperformance.com to get you started in the right direction. You will need to know your frame dimensions (rake,

neck height, front wheel dimensions for axle height). For your reference, the neck height on a standard softail is 34 to the top center neck bearing. The calculator will give you the OK for good trail and NOT OK for bad. Keep it between 4 and 5.5 and you will be OK and will have a safe handling motorcycle. The calculator also gives you the length of the front end. Sometimes this is a close estimate. If in doubt go 1 longer.

OK, so you have decided on the frame type and geometry. Who do you buy from? Depends on what you want to spend, $600 or $4000, the choice is yours but considering the title of this book, lets shoot for $600. The best place to start looking is ebay.There are lots of vendors who sell just slightly above wholesale.This goes for other components as well. Check around, unless youre personal friends with a frame manufacturer, you probably wont find a better deal than EBAY. Choose from a seller that offers a name brand and if youre building a big bike with lots of stretch, get a frame with 1 1/2 tubing, and bigger for the backbone. These frames can flex considerably and need all the rigidity they can get. Look for a seller that has good feedback and sells quality parts. When you buy on Ebay your purchases are usually protected for the purchase amount.

Drive Trains

Lets talk motors. 140HP? Why, are you a drag racer? Do you need to outrun cops? Just kidding, but seriously, I get asked all the time about 140ci motors and how fast are they? I dont know, never ridden one. Not sure I want to (well maybe just once).A 100ci motor with 100hp is PLENTY of power for any bike! It will do well over 100mph and get there quickly. Dont go smaller than 100ci for a wide tired bike (over250) or it could be a struggle for the motor to pull it. The more power, the more to break! Simple is better. The power difference between a 100ci and a 127ci motor is only slightly noticeable. The physical difference is not noticeable either. Nobody has to know you have a PUNEY 100ci motor with only 100hp. You will save money and repair bills down the road. S&S or Ultima? Your choice, both are good. Stock or built, your choice again, but remember what this book is about? You will have a choice of natural, black, or polished finish. I have used Ultima exclusively in our bikes, I love em. Never had a single problem other than timing being off from the factoy on a few. I used an S&S 113 motor on my first build, didnt like that motor at all. Might have been a lemon, but why pay more. I wont bash somebodys product, Its not my style. They make a good motor as does Ultima, but the Ultima WILL cost you less. Again, EBAY. There are motors on there for less than I pay directly from the manufacturer. Be sure to buy a factory motor with the factory warranty, not something that Hillbilly Joe put together in his kitchen. You have already decided on left or right side drive, so you need a transmission. More choices here,5 speed,6speed,hydraulic or cable actuator, natural, black, polished? Are you going to run a chain or belt final drive? Baker, Ultima, Accessories Unlimited, these are good choices. There are others out there,

havent used em, dont know a thing about em. The Baker will cost you a LOT more. We have used Ultima and ACC Unl with NO problems ever. If youre going to run a chain, dont buy a sprocket for the transmission just yet, you dont know the offset required. Hydraulic or cable? Depends mostly on your hand controls, and if you want to hide the hose in the frame it will be easier with hydraulic hose rather than a cable. A hydraulic unit WILL be easier to pull but they can be tempermental when trying to bleed. Primary drive, more choices. 3 bdl is the standard of the industry and works well. Ultima, Bdl, Primo, all good. I cant tell you anything about enclosed chain primarys, never used one, never been asked to.

Wheels

Spoke or Billet, your choice. Billet will cost more obviously. Chrome or polished aluminum? My preference is polished, just because of the ease of maintenance and the fact they can be repolished. Chrome looks like shit once it starts to pit or rust. DNA makes a very good wheel at a GREAT price, but they sell to dealers only. They are only available in chrome. SMT Machining (www.smtmachining.com) (will sell to the public but about 20% markup) makes a VERY good wheel for a little more money, available in chrome ,powder coated,or polished. Both offer matching pulleys and rotors, but only SMT offers matching sprockets. If you are running a 6 speed motor, go with a 65 tooth pulley,5 speed go with 70 tooth. Standard is 1 wide, check the frame specs to be sure. You will want 1 rear axle and front. Do not attempt to install the tires yourself! I recommend taking them to the bike shop for this, especially if you have a 250 or wider rear tire. It takes about 100psi to pop the tire on the bead and its scary as F*** and kind of dangerous. . A word on chain versus belt drive. Bigger motors (120ci and up) or high HP, go with chain. Use a belt for anything else, its a lot quieter and cleaner, and virtually no maintenance.

Front End

Conventional, inverted, springer? Again lots of choices and a personal preference and budget will determine this. Inverted offers more rigidity for those long front ends, but cost more. American Suspension (www.fork45) is my choice for inverted. Great stuff and affordable. Midwest MC Supply offers similar but cheaper examples. Midwest for conventional legs and SMT Machining for the trees. As far as springers go, I like Redneck Engineering for the value and quality. American Suspension offers some Sick springers but they will cost you.DNA also makes an economical springer.American suspension comes ready to mount filled with oil, not so with Midwest.

Forward Controls/Hand Controls

SMT Machining for forward controls, bar none. THE best quality and affordable. Lots of styles and finishes. Other brands can be found on EBAY. Hand controls are a personal preference, with clutch being either hydraulic or cable. Switches or no switches, brake switch or not. I have had good luck with Jaybrake and PM. Stay away from internal throttles if you can avoid them. I have not seen one yet I would trust 100% to be safe. A good dual or single cable throttle is the safest way to go and is the easiest on your hand.

The Mock Up

You have just about everything you need, except for sheet metal, well get to that later. You need some kind of lift. For 1 bike build a $100 ATV lift will work fine, if youre going to build more you might want the real deal (I have always used the ATV lift, my bikes are too long for the platform lifts). You should cover the top of the motor with blue painters masking tape to avoid dings. Start with the frame on the ground to put the motor in. Dont try and do it like those morons on tv and grab it with your chest, youll jack up your arms and chest all to hell. Grab the motor with your fingers in the exhaust ports while standing over it, facing the right (carb) side of the motor. You can easily lift the motor and set it in from the RIGHT side of the frame. Have someone guide you in, its just easier that way. Insert the Motor mount bolts in their holes to be sure they all go in. If not determine which ones are off. The motor should be parallel with the frame side rails. At this time we can move the frame with the motor to the lift. Next install the transmission plate and set the tranny in, again just loosely bolted. Next you will mount the primary drive plate to the motor and tranny. Just the plate at this time, not the pulley or clutch hub. Use all the bolts required and tighten them up snug. Now check that the primary plate is parallel with the frame and note any gaps in the motor or tranny mounting areas. Measure these gaps with feeler gauges and record, you will shim later. Snug this up so we can mount the rear wheel and determine alignment. If you are running a belt you need to get it in place now. Install whatever axle adjusters that came with the frame. You can slide the rear wheel into place, with the brake caliper bracket also, and run the axle through the frame and wheel. Place the belt (or chain)on the pulley (or sprocket),snug up the axle adjusters a bit, center the wheel in the frame, spin the

wheel a bit to center the belt, and see what kind of belt alignment you have. Determine any adjustments needed, either by moving motor mount bolt holes or using offset sprockets. With the wheel centered in the frame, measure for wheel spacers. You can now determine the mounting of the fender. Your frame design and manufacturer will determine this. You need AT LEAST 5/8 clearance between tire and fender. Dont try to get it closer, you will regret it. I use 1 OD vinyl tubing,3 pieces taped across the tire in appropriate locations. Make sure the wheel is at the belt or chain adjusted location where you will be running it. If you are running lights on the fender you will need wiring runners. I like to use OD copper tubing for this. Heli braze this on the underside of the fender where required. Make your wheel spacers and remount the wheel, double checking the alignment. Its much easier to do this now as opposed to when the frame is painted. Ok, we have the motor, tranny, rear wheel, and fender mounted. Starting to look BAD ASS, but we need a front end! Installing the triple trees is easier and safer with two people. Nothing will piss you off more than the lower tree spinning around and hitting the frame while you are trying to juggle everything and use a ratchet at the same time! Trust me, I know, get some help from the wife or the beer drinkin neighbor. Follow the manufacturers instructions for installing the legs, and go slowly. Use protective wrap on the tubes and spread the lower tree openings a little with a wooden wedge or similar item (not too much or you will pop the chrome) so you dont scratch them, because you cant fix it and it doesnt take much to ruin them. Now the front wheel can go on and we can check for spacers as you did on the rear. You can now set the fender in place. You dont need as much clearance, but at least 3/8. Set it in place, mark for the holes, measure for spacers, and determine the trim cut for the fender. Trim fender and mount with spacers. Now its lookin GOOD but you need a gas tank and some handlebars. The gas tank is THE focal point of any bike, choose wisely. Get one thats made of steel, not aluminum or some goofy fiberglass s***. Select and measure carefully or it could cost you a pretty penny. A reputable manufacturer (such as myself) will require some dimensions or a tracing of the frame on poster board to get it just right. Use some weatherstripping on the backbone to shim the tank at least 1/8,set the tank in place. You probably dont want to attempt to weld with the motor in place, but

make a note of placement and motor clearance for welding later. Handlebars are one of the toughest thing to decide on. Its best if you can borrow some that are similar to what you want and mount them to determine what changes you would make to them. If you try to guess from the start you WILL guess wrong. Sit on the bike and get a feel, looks are great but comfort is everything when you have to drive 100 miles at a time. Make sure they dont hit the gas tank when fully turned WITH THE HAND CONTROLS INSTALLED. Give yourself at least clearance. Determine what to do for a seat and how it will be mounted. You dont want to decide this after paint. Check the fit of all the other frame mounted components such as forward controls, top motor mount, horn, lights, exhaust, etc. Are you running wires inside the frame? Detemine holes for this. Double check everything. Just sit and stare at it for an hour or so. Something will pop up that you missed. Scribe around the motor mounting pads to mask off before paint. Also note to mask off tranny plate locations. You want all metal to metal contact here. OK, tear it down, off to paint (after you mount that gas tank). Unless you have some background in body work and paint, SEND IT OUT (unless you just like to paint the same thing 2 or 3 times). Trust me, I know!

Final Assembly,The Real Deal

You got the frame and sheet metal back from paint, its beautiful, and now youre scared. Dont be scared, the rest is easy. First is the motor into the frame like before but put some rags or padding where it might bump the frame going in. Remember measuring for shims? You lost that piece of scrap paper you wrote that on, didnt you? Oh well, just guess close, itll be ok. Just like before, tranny then belt drive. Check parallel and tighten to specs or follow belt drive instructions. Follow belt drive instructions for the install of clutch and pulley. Now its time to wire this beast. Simple or elaborate, I hope you know by now. I have included a wiring diagram for basic wiring, modify as required for your application. Use shrink tubing along with a real heat gun to make it all nice and neat. Wire Plus makes a cool little HI-LO relay to use if you have push button switches on your bars. You should have the rear fender in place, finishing any wiring needed for this. You can install the rear wheel as before, being sure to install the belt first if needed. Next you will want to run your oil lines. See the diagram for correct placement. Use masking tape to wrap the braided line and cut with a cutoff wheel. Be sure to blow out the line after cutting, you dont need that shit in your motor. Use the nice chrome hose clamps to keep it clean. Install the front end as before, but dont tighten clamps until you get the wheel in place. If you have wiring in the handlebars do it before you mount them, its way easier.

With the handlebars in place, you can install the hand controls. Make sure the throttle tube is nice and loose, a little light grease wont hurt. Now install the forward controls and the shift linkage. You can now measure for brake lines and clutch cable/line. Dont forget to put a rear brake switch somewhere in the rear line. I usually put this under the transmission. All the controls will use DOT5 brake fluid, dont mix with anything else. Get a brake fluid pump and fill from the caliper or clutch actuator, dont try to fill from the control and pump it through. You will be there for hours doing this. I use a syringe made for horses and attached a piece of 1/8 ID rubber tubing, works awesome. You should probably install the battery and check your wiring at this point, checking that all items work, EXCEPT the starter. Before you turn over the motor be sure to fill the oil tank with the recommended oil. If you havent installed an oil pressure gauge, do it now, Its good peace of mind to look down and see oil pressure. Now is a good time to fill the transmission with the recommended oil so you dont forget later. Install the exhaust pipes prior to turning over the motor. When first turning over the motor remove the spark plugs and ground against the head. Turn over 4-5 times until you see oil pressure build on the gauge. If this doesnt happen after a few tries, refer to the owners manual to prime the oil pump. Before installing the gas tank you will want to seal it. Use POR15 from US Tank sealer. It is the best stuff PERIOD. Dont use that funky cream s***, its worthless. You will want to do this as soon as you get it back from paint as it takes about 3 days to fully dry. Once dry install the gas tank, petcock, and gas lines and crossovers as required. Only fill with a small amount of gas to start with to check for leaks at the petcock and carb. By now we should have everything assembled and are ready to fire it up. Spark plugs in, gas on, choke on, OK hit it. All should be good, if not starting, check for gas at the carb first, sometimes it takes quite a bit of gas in the tank to reach the petcock. Only run for a minute or so, checking for any leaks and oil pressure. Never run for extended periods without a big fan running directly over the motor. Double check the brakes and electrical before your first ride, and make it a short ride. Bring the bike back and double check all fasteners and anything that might have vibrated loose. You WILL find something loose! Follow the motor users guide for proper break in procedures and follow them closely.

USEFULL TIPS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS STUFF

Loctite on everything, red for steel and blue for aluminum. Double check fasteners again, and keep your first few rides short. It is AMAZING what vibrates loose. It takes about 20 minutes for the battery to recover from each start of the motor. Minimum ground clearance should be 3 5/8 for a rigid. The rear end of the front fender should be at least 5 off the ground or you will catch it going off a sharp curb. On your first few rides with a chain drive bike, dont wear clothes you like. You will end up with all that sticky s*** on them from the chain. Some frames with swingarms will require that you put the belt in place before the swingarm. Dont forget, Ive done this about 5 times. When shopping for your major components, you WILL pay more at your local dealer. They have big overhead and also need to charge you taxes. You can save BIG by buying online, plus you will save on gas by not driving all over town looking for deals. If you are building a bike to sell, be careful what you spend on paint. Dont expect a big return on an extreme paint job, you will be disappointed and you will find that YOU are the biggest fan of your paint job. Black is beautiful !!

If you need welding done and cant do it yourself, find someone that can really weld, preferably TIG. Inexperienced welders can really F*** things up. I made a reference to SMT Machining, they are under a restructuring of the company and of the website www.smtmachining.com and a lot of their products are not shown. Just give them a call. Double check your states requirements for registration and titling before you start your build. Some states have requirements for horns, lights, etc. Use one of the new AGM batteries, they cost a bit more but are way better and can be mounted in any position. Use good crush nuts on motor and transmission bolts, even nylock nuts will loosen over time. If you need to purchase any items that are dealer only I will be glad to order them for you @ 5% over cost.

All information contained in this book is for reference only. The reader agrees to hold harmless Jim Rundle and/or JSR Custom LLC for any information contained herein. Motorcycle riding is dangerous, ride at your own risk.

OK, thats it. Ride safe and enjoy!