I built this rigid-framed, five speed, belt-drive Evo as an experiment
to see if I could build a fast, light, dependable, good-looking Big
Twin for under ten grand. I think I succeeded. Read on...

I started with a new Paughco frame ($480), and a motor & tranny
from an '88 Heritage. The guy who owned the Heritage had it stolen
at a restaurant two years earlier and had given it up for lost until he
got a call from the Hialeah police telling him they had found just his
motor and tranny in a warehouse with (most of) twelve other bikes.
He didn't have the money to rebuild so I got them cheap.

If it somewhat resembles a Softail that's because I used a lot of parts left
over from my Fat Boy. But unlike a Softail this bike weighs the same as
a Sportster. The fiberglass rear fender's from Frenchy (maker of the only
helmet I'll wear), and is very light. Each part was carefully chosen for its
weight and cost. When I got the top end off I found it to be in excellent
shape so I just freshened up the heads and milled .050" from them to get
"more pop per drop". The finished motor idles smoothly at 300 rpm. One
concession to weight was the five gallon Fat Bobs, donated by Big Kenny.

Is this lake starting to look familiar? That's because it's at the park
right down the street from me. You gotta admit, it makes a nice back-
ground. I never intended to keep this bike but I hated parting with it,
it's so fun to ride. For those of you that have never ridden a rigid framed
bike I can tell you it's not as bad as you think. I always run the rear
tire at about half pressure. The ride is similar to a lowered Softail, but
with no rear suspension the rear wheel always tracks true & wallow-free.
It may hop a little on bumpy turns, but it quickly gets back in line.

 

I know the rocker covers look a little hokey but the original owner of
the motor had put black rocker box center spacers on and these
seemed to suit this bike better. Notice the vertical oil filter. I welded a
section of galvanized pipe to the frame for a mount. The S&S is my
favorite carb because (1) it's American made, (2) it's the easiest to
tune, and (3) it works. But I'd use it for the first reason alone.

Another view of the motor. I painted the cylinders black so it wouldn't stand out
as an Evo (you'd be surprised how many people mistake it for a Pan). I didn't use
heat shields on the pipes to save weight and money. Instead I ceramic-coated the
inside of them. If you do it right it works. Although I've ridden it to the end of the
Keys and back, I wouldn't want this for my daily rider. You get into a habit of
clenching your butt when you see a pothole approaching. Don't laugh, it helps.

I just love this pic. The Five gallon tanks make all the difference, visually and on
the road. I later changed this headlight to a 6" Springer style, it seemed to fill in
the fork better. I used these handlebars because not only are they the most
comfortable ones ever put on a Harley, they fit easily through my front door.
All normally exposed wires (except spark plug wires) are run through the frame.

Speedo and dash are '62-'67, tank emblems are '47-'50, tank strap is CCI, they
don't make one like this without the eagle. Since tanks are from a late Shovelhead
FXWG, the caps are the threaded screw-in kind. A tip for anyone installing old-
style Fat Bobs: take as much time as is required to achieve perfect tab alignment;
if you don't, either the tab or the tank will eventually crack from metal fatigue.

Yes, you can build a bike on the coffee table, as long as Todd built the table. You
can even sit on the completed bike without worry. It's nice working in air conditioning
with the TV on, the phone handy and the fridge just steps away. When I get tired,
the couch is right there. I sometimes work 48 hours without sleep, though.

Almost finished with the mock-up. It will be assembled two or three times before
paint (not necessary when building a completely stock bike). A little trick I use: a
dab of epoxy works well to hold tabs in place for welding. That 7/16" bolt you see
under the steering head keeps the fork straight while working on the bike. It works
on any bike with a padlock tab. I used a 70 tooth rear sprocket to give it plenty of
low end guts; my personal ride has the same gearing up front, but a 61 tooth rear
sprocket for comfortable highway cruising. That's the clutch shell in front of the bike.

The finished frame. While waiting for paint to dry I try to keep busy with other
aspects of the build. There's always something that needs doing, like trimming
and sanding that rear fender you see. Notice the finished motor in the background
(tell the truth, it does look a lot like a Pan here, doesn't it?). I always bake high-
heat painted items, like cylinders, in the oven before putting them into use.

 
A parting shot showing my successful (I feel) Evo rigid project alongside
of my personal Softail. This picture shows the 6" springer headlight. Yes,
both bikes are red, yes, they both have the same seat, and yes, they both
have the same tank emblems. Personal taste is why there is such a variety 
of Harleys out there (and why I added a page called Your Bike Here!).

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If you have any questions about any of my bike builds, don't hesitate to email me or ask on the board.