BF7 Invited Builder Matt Jackson Update

Matt Jackson is on the homestretch...BF7 is 10 days away.

BF7 / 4Q Giveaway 46 Knuckle ( First Look )

Here is the first look at the BF7 / 4Q - 1946 Knucklehead Giveaway Bike. Yes you can win this bike on Sunday June 28 th at the show. To enter buy a poster/ticket combo online through Loser Machine . You must be present to win. Only $ 25.00 and someone will ride this chopper away into the sunset at Born-Free 7.

BF7 Invited Builder update-Kyle Edger

If you aren't familiar with the name Kyle Edgar yet, you should be! We poached him from the finalists of the Show Class People's Champ last year and asked him to be an Invited Builder for BF7 after awarding him Best Shovelhead at BF6 which was no easy task!
Kyle's award winning shovel brought a fresh look to the much attempted area of small, skinny, bikes and it looks as if he is working more of his magic with a big twin flathead this year. Stay tuned for more! Be sure to follow Kyle on instagram HERE he has a shop called Leadfist Cycles.

BF7 Invited Builder : Mick Evangelista

Every year we try to analyze the invited builder group..where they are from, the make of bike they build and their style. We do this to try and make sure we cover different areas of the country and the different styles of bikes being built....This is where Mick comes in. Mick from Mick's Chop Shop in Riverside Ca brings a style that we have not had in our invited builder group before...A tall,long & lean 70's style full show chopper. Mick's sexy Shovel from a few years back won best chopper and the award was given by the one and only Sugar Bear! That says something about the quality and style Mick possesses. This year he's building a classic 70's inspired full show Pan/Shovel that will feature one of his scratch built narrow springer's , a custom frame and some tasteful vintage touches. Look out for Mick's builder video and more build updates soon

 

 

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BF7 Invited Builder : Paul Cox

I have said this many times but has never rang truer...one of the hardest things we do is select the builders, but it is also can be one of the most fun & rewarding. We have had some really cool & interesting guys come through this process over the years and Paul Cox is one of those guys. It's really crazy how all this works...I remember watching Paul & Larry on Biker Build-off ( yes I watched every one & love them)  and being blown away with what they were doing..... flash forward a decade or so and now I'm putting on a show & he's in it...that's nuts!  Paul's body of work is amazing and goes way beyond building motorcycles. He is a old world craftsman, an artist, a true professional and a gentleman....builds a mean chopper too. Last year Paul went above & beyond to show the Born-Free crowd what he was capable of and he definitely delivered. He's back this year and just sent in a few pictures and words on what he is up to...     

 

I’m very proud to say that I’ve been asked back to be a part of this year’s Born Free

Show #7. When I built my bike for the show last year, The Guillotine, I felt really driven

to pull out all the stops and basically re-invent and re-engineer everything involved with

the project. This tends to be my approach to most things in my world, especially

motorcycles. I see something in front of me, and have a need to change, improve or

completely make it over from scratch. I feel a painful excitement when I know what I

“want” to do, but also know that there is not enough time to truly achieve it with balance

and grace. It’s a daily struggle. There should be a 12 step program for those of us with more ideas than time.

Anyway, as I planned this year’s attack, I had already started thinking of how to make

this ’46 Knuckle crazy from top to bottom. Huge displacement, about a dozen carbs, 5

magnetos, exposed flywheels with fully engraved cases inside and out. I was planning

an even crazier girder fork than last year with a frame full of steel overlays and lugs set

off by plating, paint, leafing and stripes. Then.... A certain peace crept up from my loins

like the warmth you feel slipping under the blood stained water of a slit wrist bathtub. I

said to myself, “This time, for once, I want to keep it simple.”

 

I picked up a 1946 HD Knucklehead FL engine from my friend and artist John

Copeland. This engine was originally owned by another pal, Andy Camay who sold it to

me years ago, then I sold it to John. It sat up on a shelf behind the bar at Black Bear for

about a year before I got it back for this project. Keeping it in the family. I’ve got the

engine completely apart, down to the bare cases at this point. My approach this time

around is to build a super clean and fun machine with classic details and a few modern

twists. As much as I appreciate original iron, I’ve never been a restoration guy. I’m a

chopper guy. So, if along the way I feel the original heads need more fins or external

drains, I’ll add em. If I want to shave some fins off the original cylinders or cut the relay

block off the cases, I will. I may do a dual Linkert set-up, but beyond that, I’m just going

to build a straight forward 74” Knuckle engine.

 

Another neat piece I’m working with on the project is a 1970’s era Little John 5-speed

overdrive transmission. This predates the HD 5-speed by about 10 years and is an

overdrive instead of just a close ratio. James, from Dudley’s Basement, a decades old

and respected Long Island bike shop, turned me on to this set-up. He had most of the

parts to build two of these rare gear boxes. I’ll pick the best parts of what I got from him

and try to assemble a reliable Little John trans to run behind the ’46. The shift lid is

specific to the Little John case because it has to be longer and guides an extra shift

fork. It’s a ratchet top style, that I may convert to non-ratchet for a simpler, more direct

shift pattern. Either way, it will be hand shift.

 

For the frame, in the light of my new-found aesthetic clarity, I’m going to hard-tail an

old Shovel frame I’ve had knocking around the shop, and clean up the original casting

for light molding and paint. I even thought about going super-sanitary with a tube neck

and no castings, but I do love the organic feeling of massaged lugs and mounts. I’ll

paint the bike here at my shop, and probably have my daughter Dylan jump in to help out.

The sheet metal is still a toss-up whether I go high or low with the tank. I have a little

piece of fender that I’ll probably start with, and maybe work some rod around the edges

to set off the shape. I’m still undecided on the oil tank, but I may weld up a couple old

spun aluminum cylinder halves that I have from a spinner in Queens. Otherwise, I

always dug the woven stainless horse shoe tanks that were being made in the Bronx

years ago. I had considered doing one last year, but didn’t. Maybe this time I will.

For wheels, I have a little spool hub for the front, and an aluminum Barnes quickchange

racing hub for the rear that I had already laced to a 17” Sun rim with stainless

spokes. This hub runs 4-bolt rotor and sprocket. I have a pair of Pirelli Scorpions laying

around for rubber, but I’ve been putting dual-sport tires on choppers for about 14 years now, so I may look into some other options there.

These are my general ideas and direction at this point. So far, I’m loving the feeling of

this project, and it’s a nice contrast to all the ones that I’ve done where I felt like it had to

be crazy and over the top. I still have a long way to go no matter how you look at it, so

it’s back to work for me right now. Good luck to all the fellow builders with your projects

and I cant wait to see. P

Win this bike! Jason Sheets' Panhead

Looks like Jason Sheets is basically done with his BF6 Invited Builder bike! His panhead turned out soooo sweet and how about that killer paintjob by Travis "Tuki" Hess?
Well kids, just remember you could win this bike on Saturday June 28th at Born-Free 6, but only if you've entered to win!!!! Online sales will stop June 16 so do it now!! CLICK HERE You'll have your choice of roughly 12 different bikes on Saturday and an awesome '47 Knucklehead Sunday!

And if you want to ride your vintage bike right into the show and park on the grass this year you'll need one of these for each day. CLICK HERE Get them before they are gone!

Invited Builder Video Series - Joe Cano

Defending Builder Invited Champ Joe Cano gives you a taste of his bike, shop and his city. Hands down the best music of any video to date! Come out to Born-Free and see this bike finished and if you want to own it you can! It's in the giveaway Promo.

Builder Update-Bobby "The Leg" Middleton

Bobby "the Leg" has been busy out in Chicago getting his Invited Builder bike ready for paint. Looks like he's basically done with all the custom fab work and he's left no square inch of his panshovel untouched! Dig the details... Be on the look out for this bike at Born-Free 6!
Follow Bobby on his blog HERE or on instagram HERE

Builder Update! Larry Pierce

There must be some good water out there in Alabama because our buddy and invited BF6 builder Larry is always havin' a good time buildin net stuff! Here's a quick look at what he's got cookin' for this year...


"Here are some pics of what i got so far. Motor and stainless neck and tubing for frame.

I just got my motor today, its a 48 UL basket case and I have a lead on a panhead transmission. I am gonna get started on the frame today or tomorrow.  Pumped about being invited back this year so....here we go again."

Thanks,

Larry

Garage Company Customs Inc.

688 Hwy 331

Columbiana, Al 35051

205-682-0040

205-533-8922 fax

garagecompanycustoms.com

Born-Free 5 Invited Builder Series-Duane Ballard

Duane Ballard has been kickin bikes and stitchin leather for years and is certainly known for his fine leather work and his crazy and clean Japanese digger style bikes! Well, He just finished a nice Kawasaki that might be the best yet and he did it for Born-Free 5! We are pleased to have Duane as an invited builder this year because he lives, eats, and breathes motorcycles ...which is what Born-Free is all about!
Come see Duane's and the rest fo our invited builder bikes this saturday!



Born-Free 5 Invited Builder Series-Duane Ballard from Born-Free on Vimeo.

Born-Free 5 Builder Series Video-Jeff Leighton

We are proud to present Jeff Leighton's Invited Builder video for Born-Free 5. Jeff is building a special bike this year with a panhead motor from a living legend. Enjoy and please repost!


Born-Free 5 Builder Series-Jeff Leighton from Born-Free on Vimeo.