You know your company's slogan is perfect when people not only start repeating it, but living it. So when Star Motorcycles coined the term, "We build it, you make it your own," we figured that many riders would step up and personalize their own Road Star, Roadliner or Raider cruiser to suit their own tastes. And they have. But the message has hit even a more powerful chord as some historically important custom bikes have already been created around Star Motorcycles, taking Best in Show at some of the world's top custom shows. Still others have elevated the Star mission to even greater heights, and you're looking at one of them here.

The Ice Bike, based on a new 2008 Raider S, was donated by a California Star Motorcycles dealer and a Los Angeles sports-medicine clinic, and then customized for an auction benefiting the Kings Care Foundation, the LA Kings hockey team's official charity. When the gavel fell on February 24, the Ice Bike had raised an impressive $35,000 for this charitable organization serving young people in Los Angeles. Not only that, but the Ice Bike also became the evening's single largest-grossing auction lot and one of the top five auction items in the history of the charity event.

"It was literally a 10-week project in four weeks," says Ice Bike originator Jim Riley, the owner of a two-year-old Star Motorcycles dealership in Madera, Calif. Just a month before the Tip-A-King Fundraise auction, Riley and his brother in law, Dr. Robert Bray, Jr., CEO of the D.I.S.C. Spine and Sports Center in LA, hatched a plan to build and auction off a new Raider S. And then Riley shot into action. He rallied the support of a cadre of topflight customizers to handle paintwork, chrome and even the design and manufacture of special billet wheels.

One of the first orders of business was the dynamic purple and black paintjob, which features Kings logos, flying hockey pucks, and the signatures of Kings players beneath the shimmering clear coat.

With the tank, side panels and fenders underway at Ogawa Designs, master technicians David Reed and Edgar Johns began rebuilding the Raider with custom pipes from Tejas Thump Cycles, additional bright work from MecLec Chrome, and a mean custom seat from Rocky's - in Kings purple, naturally. Last up was a unique set of 21-inch front, 18-inch rear billet-aluminum Sinister wheels featuring CNC-machined crowns, the Kings' official emblem. The rear wheel carries an enormous 230mm tire for a look as muscular as the team's goalie. When Riley stated that the Ice Bike was constructed in a highly compressed timeframe, he wasn't kidding. After an intense month of work, the reformed Raider arrived at the Kings Arena for its public debut just 45 minutes ahead of schedule. And then Ice Bike fever began to build. With exposure at four Kings games and publicity on area television news networks, it quickly became the most anticipated item of the Tip-A-King Fundraise. But this wasn't just an ordinary auction. Held at Universal Studios Hollywood after hours, the event featured rides and attractions hosted by Kings players available for conversation and autographs. Anyone could attend, and the $85 entry fee was also earmarked for charity. After the conclusion of a silent auction for L.A. Kings collectibles, the Ice King took center stage - in fact, none other than an actual stage used for the TV show Fear Factor.

"There was a starting bid of $15,000," says Riley, "It slowly went to $20,000 before the auctioneer took some time to talk about the bike a little more. Then the bidding started again, went from $23,000 to $24,000 quickly, and narrowed to four bidders at $29,000. Then two remaining bidders took it to $32,000 and finally $35,000."

After the auction the Ice Bike's adventures were still building. It was featured in a special reception at Riley's Star Motorcycles dealership where it garnered still more media attention before finally going to its new owner, an LA-area businessman and hockey fan. Now that's what e call a Raider to Riches story!

-Special thanks to Yamaha and Jim Riley

In today's cruising world, the streets and TV channels are full of custom choppers costing $60K and $80K, with some even topping $100K. The die-hard backyard builder is left with quite a dilemma if his intention is to create a unique metric cruiser that'll command even a smidgeon of attention in this crowded field. Even in rural areas far from biker meccas like Daytona Beach or Hollywood, the streets are literally crawling with tricked-out custom bikes. When I looked into the garage at my bone-stock Honda VTX1800F, I wondered if it would ever look as cool as some of the bikes I had seen on the street (and in the pages of Motorcycle Cruiser). I loved riding the VTX, and it was dead reliable, so I didn't want to do anything to affect that aspect, but I did want to make modifications that'd set it apart from the others.

I spend more time on sportbikes than on cruisers, so the need for more power was at the top of my list; most of my budget went right into the engine. After eyeing some of the various add-on power options, I became attracted to turbochargers. While attending an AMA Prostar dragrace last year, I also noticed that Honda's professional pilot, Kent Stotz, had chosen Velocity Racing for his Honda racebike as well as his own VTX1800. That was enough to convince me to give Barry Henson at Velocity Racing a call.

The Velocity street kit for the VTX features a Garrett T-28 dual ball-bearing turbocharger and a rising-rate fuel pump that, in conjunction with an off-the-shelf Dynojet Power Commander, would ensure a 100 percent streetable bike that could be ridden every day. This system would be set at 8 psi and deliver more than a 60 percent increase in power compared to stock. Since the VTX is sold in so many different versions, Velocity has to hand-fit each bike with the necessary plumbing to make the system look as good as it does. After fabrication is completed, everything is then sent out for chrome plating. As the photos show, the fitment is nothing short of amazing. In fact, the turbo is tucked so nicely into the engine that your legs will hit the tank before they come close to the turbo or the pressurized up-pipe that feeds the new intake plenum. If you're sitting on the seat and looking down at the tank, the entire turbo system is hidden from view. The newly designed exhaust comes with full heat shielding and is included in the turbo package.

The only deviation from stock on the left side of the bike is the billet-aluminum rising-rate fuel pump. Since the bike's thirst for fuel is directly proportional to the level of boost, this device allows the fuel delivery to keep pace. The Dynojet Power Commander further fine-tunes the fuel map, resulting in a bike that really is as good as a stock VTX. The only internal engine modification is the clutch. With this much extra power, we wanted to ensure the Honda clutch would stay locked up, so MTC Engineering was chosen to supply a set of its heavy-duty clutch springs and fiber clutch plates. Other than that, the engine stayed stock (partly because Henson advised that no modifications were required, even on the 20 psi race kit). At a price of $12,000 (which includes installation), the Velocity turbo system isn't cheap, but if you consider the time and expense of an engine build that will yield a lot less power and perhaps less reliability, then it starts to make sense.

The next change was the paint job. It's my feeling that a custom paint job is the most personal and perhaps most difficult of all motorcycle modifications. I've been to Daytona Bike Week countless times and have attended plenty of shows, and the paint is usually what makes or breaks the bike for me. Since I have no artistic ability, my goal was to find a painter I trusted and leave the artistry to him. After looking at numerous artists in my area (Chattanooga, TN), I settled on Liquid Visions in Ringgold, GA. Gary Stroud is the in-house Picasso, and after seeing his work, I decided he'd be able to make my bike stand out. I gave him input about the colors I liked and also told him that the bike was a Honda-and I wanted it to look like one after he finished. To keep the cost reasonable, I disassembled the bike and presented Stroud with the parts I wanted painted, along with photos of a stock VTX as a reference. About five weeks later, Stroud called me to come take a look at the finished product. The paint was wild. It all started with a base coat of House of Kolor Tangerine, followed by careful airbrushing of the "real flames." To maintain the Honda look, Stroud borrowed the tribal flames from the photos I had left behind and augmented them with some metal flakes. Then a VTX logo was sprayed on each side of the tank, and finally, five coats of clear were applied to create depth. After leaving 25 copies of Ben Franklin with Stroud, I was well on my way to a custom bike.

The project was now starting to really look the way I wanted, but naturally, a few more things were on my list. The next goal was to get rid of the black brake lines, so I ordered up a custom Spiegler brake line kit from Honda Direct (hondadirectline.com). The kit maintains the Honda linked brakes but greatly improves the feel and look. This install is not for the fainthearted, though, as it includes 14 separate lines and requires removal of the tank and seat to access the factory parts. I also ordered chrome Kryakyn passenger rear pegs from Honda Direct to upgrade the plain-Jane rubber stockers. And if you want to add other shiny stuff, go no farther than your local dealer. I found a ton of stuff for nearly every VTX spec in the Honda accessory catalog, adding the following chrome bits: master cylinder cover, billet banjo bolt covers, billet oil dipstick, chrome driveshaft cover, swingarm pivot cover and a chrome driveshaft bolt cover. Honda parts have the best fitment and quality of any on the market.

After torquing everything down, I couldn't wait to get the "X" back on the road. Riding the bike this time was in some ways exactly the same; the engine is just as reliable as it was before the turbo, only faster. The dual ball-bearing turbo spools almost instantly and pushes the bike forward with an extra 50 horsepower. The only thing that stops the turbocharged fun is the rev-limiter. Even in top gear the bike will easily bounce the tach off the redline. Unlike many 130-plus-hp custom cruisers, this one starts easily and cruises the interstates as well as crowded city streets without overheating. Velocity does suggest 93-octane fuel just to be safe, but with the relatively low 9.0:1 stock compression ratio, even this is probably overkill. The bike is just as smooth as ever, but now it hits you with the kind of brute torque that a true power cruiser should deliver

Beauty is subjective, of course, but based on the stares my bike gets on the road and at local bike nights, I have to proclaim my mission "accomplished." Even among hard-core traditional bikers, the appeal seems universal. Maybe the chrome hair dryer hanging on the side of the engine is the lure, or perhaps it is the unmistakable whistle of the turbocharger that commands their attention. Or perchance it is the combination of a powerful yet functional Honda cruiser that looks like a bike costing a lot more. It wasn't exactly cheap, but when compared to the aforementioned customs, it seems like a bargain every time I leave one of them behind at a traffic light.

Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of you and/or your cruiser to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or evan.kay@primedia.com.

Matt Janeway, Zephyrhills, FL
2003 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic
A nonprofessional bike builder, Janeway transformed a "cosmetically challenged" (i.e. seriously beat-up) motorcycle into this retro-bobber custom. Fenders were reshaped using a hole saw and Dremel tool, with parts coming from sources like a Harley-Davidson police bike or fashioned by Janeway himself. The bike came with Cobra exhaust pipes, which were heat-wrapped and given different heat shields. However, the pice de rsistance is the paint work, done by Janeway with Dupli-Color Truck, Van and SUV spray paint.

Paul Chauvin
2005 Triumph Rocket III
"My 2005 Rocket III is a culmination of a longtime dream to customize the giant megacruiser. The list of extras includes Corbin Beetle bags, Progressive shocks, Kryakyn grips, highway pegs and rear bullet LED signals, Triumph freeway bars and windshield, Rivco risers, undertank blue LED accent lights and an insane paint job. I have been riding for 23 years and nothing has come close to the fun this bike provides."

Steve Carr
Buell X1
Carr sent in his photos of this eye-popping one-off-dubbed "Midnight Express"-and we stopped the presses to include it. That's a Buell X1 motor taking center stage, along with a Buell front end, wheels and brakes. The rest of the thing's suspended on a rare MCWorx frame (the softail version of the company's Streetfighter unit). Carr also had the stock Buell/PM rear wheel widened to 8.5 inches so he could mount a beefy 240mm Metzeler doughnut.

Richie Belyski, South Carolina
2000 Yamaha Road Star
"When my girlfriend said I needed to do something with my spare time, I bought a 2000 Yamaha Road Star, stripped it down, put on a 250 rear tire, raked the front end, did all the usual engine mods and added pipes, forward controls and an air-ride rear suspension. Then I had it repainted, added a chin spoiler, more chrome and redid the seat. Now my gal isn't complaining, while other folks just can't believe it's a Yamaha."

Martin Burnette,
Spokane, WA
1999 Yamaha V Star 1100
At first glance, you think, "Oh, just another pretty paint job and lots of chrome." But while Burnette added a few shiny bits, like the Baron Radi'us handlebars, he hand-polished the fork legs and stainless-steel fasteners, replacing some with chrome nut covers or acorn nuts. The paint was sprayed by Burnette himself, who learned that skill more than 30 years ago.

Tom Luke, South Beloit, IL
2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak
Mr. Luke doesn't care whether a motorcycle is "metric" or "American," hence his own genre-crossing BIG twin. The list of mods is extensive, including a custom wet-nitrous kit; Thunder Mfg. Big Bore cylinders, cams and air cleaner; a BUB Jug Hugger exhaust; and a Power Commander III for the EFI system, plus a slew of tasty bolted-on, chromed or polished pieces. Then there's the custom paint-a beautiful green-on-green "fade" flame job with a toothy, sunglasses-wearing piranha on the tank.

While catalogs are a great way for a manufacturer to display its products, consumers rarely just stumble upon them in the course of their daily affairs, and instead must actively seek them out. Naturally, aftermarket accessory manufacturers have to find other means to stir up enthusiast interest in their parts. Advertisements help, but due to size constraints are limited to focussing on either brand identity or individual items. Another popular attention-getting technique is hiring a big-name customizer to create a one-off project showcasing the company's components. While these bikes are always exciting to ogle at rallies and in magazines, the reality is that most cruiser owners don't have the time, tools, experience or money to create one of these exotics in their backyard. But that doesn't mean owners don't want to get creative when personalizing their ride. On the contrary, cruiser guys have an almost compulsive need to make their bikes their own.

Marc Wolfram, director of marketing at Kryakyn, approached Motorcycle Cruiser with the concept of building a custom bike that almost any cruiser owner could replicate in a home garage. The idea was to combine a variety of off-the-rack accessories from Kryakyn (since Wolfram works for the company) and a variety of other name-brand manufacturers. The main gist of the project was to show how much fun can be had undertaking a Road Star makeover. To illustrate his belief in the ease and fun factor of the plan, Wolfram invited us to watch the bike being built in a single day. Needless to say, we were intrigued.

To perform the actual wrench spinning, Wolfram selected Cruiser Customizing in Livermore, California. In its five years of existence, the online motorcycle-accessory company has earned the reputation of being client-oriented. Run by hard-core motorcycle enthusiasts, Cruiser Customizing believes in giving back to the riding community through sponsored rides and assisting customers with their specific riding needs. The fact that Cruiser Customizing is a big Kryakyn retailer probably played a role in its eventual selection, too.

The most time-consuming portion of any project-the gathering of parts-is perhaps also the least pleasurable. Yes, looking at the pretty pictures in the catalogs, ordering parts and even whipping out the old credit card take a back seat to the mind-numbing tedium of waiting for UPS or FedEx to ring the doorbell. Then comes the box inspection and shipping manifest verification to make sure everything arrives as ordered-and in the appropriate number of pieces. For those of you who don't cross-check the shipping manifest against the parts actually in the box, we have this prediction: Someday (if you haven't already), you will walk into your garage with thoughts of glorious wrenching ahead, only to discover that you're missing a crucial part. It'll stop you dead in your tracks. How do we know? One guess.

You may be wondering why this is being mentioned in an article about a custom bike spearheaded by an aftermarket manufacturer and a retailer. Surely the parts would arrive with the company rep or be pulled from stock at the retailer. And you would be right, if you were considering the Kryakyn parts. However, not all the pieces going on this bike would be just from Kryakyn. After all, the goal was to end up with a machine that was more than just a Road Star with bolt-ons. Other essential parts were sourced elsewhere. As with any customizing project, logistics problems were manifold, but without that, customizing wouldn't be as challenging, right?

The plan that Wolfram and the folks at Cruiser Customizing concocted was to turn a completely stock Road Star into a "bar hopper" in a single day. Now, before you start penning angry letters, we're pretty sure they meant coffee bars. In any case, all the added parts were designed to give the Road Star street cred and some attitude for those evenings on the boulevard.

The team assembled on a Thursday morning in the cavernous sales area of Cruiser Customizing, strapped the unsuspecting Road Star to a bike lift and began a front-to-back transformation. With Kyle Bradshaw, Cruiser Customizing's director of customer service, leading the gang of mostly three (but sometimes four) cruiser cosmeticians, the process began.

A boulevard bike needs an elemental look, so the wide handlebar was replaced with a 35-degree drag bar set atop 4-inch billet risers. This pairing set the Road Star apart from all the bikes with T-shaped straight drag bars running around town these days. The OE switch gear was dressed in chromed covers. ISO Flame Grips and wide-style levers replaced the stock parts, as did a chrome master cylinder cover. Topping out the handlebar was a pair of Maltese cross mirrors. The headlight was swapped with a slightly smaller but more shapely unit, and a tool bag was tucked away underneath. The finishing touch was a pair of LED silver bullet lights. In case you were curious, all these embellishments came from the Kryakyn catalog. The front fender remained unchanged, but beneath it an 18x3-inch Performance Machine Judge wheel with matching PM rotors was added. Two six-piston calipers replaced the stock units. A Metzeler Marathon tire provided the pavement interface.

The engine bay received a pair of performance modifications and a few well-placed baubles. The go-fast parts consisted of a Kryakyn Pro-R Hypercharger paired with Vance & Hines Shortshots Staggered dual exhausts. The hypercharger required the gas tank be removed and was perhaps the second most mechanically challenging modification performed on the Road Star. Still, it was probably nothing the average home mechanic couldn't manage in a few hours. The pipes bolt on easily and look amazing. Other shiny bits to take up residence on the engine were finned spark plug covers and pushrod top covers. The pushrod tubes also received some stick-on chrome flames.

Running gear wasn't ignored either-the floorboards acquired chrome covers as did the brake pedal, master cylinder and shift peg. The passenger area gained a set of Kaiser pegs, but lost a pillion, as the Mustang Vintage Solo seat and fender bib were slid into its place. A brand-new backrest with an integrated Maltese cross brake light was brought to the build by Wolfram for its debut. The whole pattern in the backrest ties in nicely with those in the handlebar risers, giving the bike a balanced appearance. Chrome swingarm covers and a sexy, curved license plate frame round out the dress-up goodies.

Now, what customizing effort would be complete without a challenge? In this case, it came in the form of the rear wheel and caliper assembly. The saga began with the initial shipping inspection-see, what'd we tell you?-when the wrong rear caliper and mount were found in the box. A phone call revealed that the part we ordered was out of stock, and since the shippers knew we were on a deadline, they included a universal mount and caliper. (Beware of the word "universal," which means you can make it fit, really.) With the first attempt to mount the wheel, a second discovery was made: The wheel had arrived with the wrong spacers. Consequently, when the axle was torqued-or simply tightened, for that matter-the wheel would not turn. So in the blink of an eye, a planned day of wrenching turned into a day and a half. After a quick trip to the hardware store, however, the right combination of washers was arrived at, and the wheel was bolted into place. Then, of course, the universal caliper mount had to be adapted to the Road Star. More trips to the hardware store ensued, but, ultimately, all was forgiven when the pieces finally settled into place.

Since the plan was to show how easy and fun it is to modify a cruiser with Kryakyn parts and a little creativity, we'd call the project a success. The bike has attitude that just about any novice mechanic could also grace upon his or her ride. Although the rear-wheel issue had experienced wrenches scratching their heads for a solution, in the real world (that means no deadline!), we'd have simply contacted Performance Machine and asked them to send the correct parts. Had we not run into these problems, the project would have been completed in one day, with enough time left over for a late dinner. Instead, the effort took about a day and a half. Still, not bad for a whole new look, eh?

Sometimes you go looking for a great feature motorcycle, and sometimes, as in the case of Armand Beaupre's classic 1970 Honda CB750 Four chopper, one finds you just standing by the roadside.

I was returning from the 2005 Honda Hoot when a serious brain fart caused me to run out of gas, exactly halfway between nowhere and no place. Stuck in a valley between two exits, the only way I had to go was up, and shoving an out-of-gas Triumph at that. After about 10 feet I decided pushing the bike was almost as bad an idea as running out of gas in the first place, so I stopped to catch my breath and contemplate my next move.

I don't think I sat for more than a minute before a small convoy of trucks and trailers pulled over. Armand Beaupre and his wife Sharon, along with several of their friends, were also returning from the Hoot and graciously stopped to offer what help they could. Who says chivalry is dead? He told me he didn't have a jug of gas onboard, which didn't exactly thrill me, but that he'd be happy to drain some from one of the bikes, which he did. When he opened up the trailer I noticed there was a late-model H-D in there, with some sort of chopper parked next to it. I really couldn't see much more than a dim outline, but being constantly on the prowl for the next feature bike I asked him if I might take a look at it. When he invited me in, I was floored; instead of some run-of-the-mill, non-descript custom, good old Armand had a very tasty chopper that featured an increasingly rare single-cam Honda CB750 mill stuffed into a modified Santee soft-tail frame. I was even more impressed when he mentioned that he'd owned the engine, along with the rest of the bike, since it was new.

Standing by the side of the road, Armand gave me a quick rundown on the bike. In the summer of 1970 he purchased the CB750 Honda, which at the time was the most sought-after bike in the universe, from his local Honda dealer. He rode it in more or less stock trim until 1986, when he purchased a Harley FLH. Through the next 18 Massachusetts winters the Honda remained stashed in his garden shed while he racked up miles on his dresser. Now don't get the wrong impression, Armand had never intended to abandon the Honda to the rust gods; quite the contrary. All along he'd meant to turn the bike into something special (as if an early Honda 750/Four could be anything but). Unfortunately, things happen, and despite his best intentions he never quite got around to it.

Then in 2004, perhaps feeling a little guilty, Armand decided to bite the bullet and get 'er done. At first he considered restoring the bike to showroom-new condition. Since he'd be starting with what was basically an intact motorcycle this wouldn't have been a particularly daunting task. Then he decided a nice custom based on the stock bike would be even better.

Armand had heard that when it came to customizing Honda 750s the go-to guys were the Carter brothers, Paul and John, proprietors of PJ's Cycle down in Columbia, Kentucky. In case you're unfamiliar with the Carters you should know that (a) they specialize in building Honda 750/4s, (b) they do very nice work, and (c) they like to build what they call "affordable choppers." Since all three attributes dovetailed nicely with Armand's plans he loaded up the somewhat crusty Honda and hauled it down to Columbia.

When it comes to building choppers it's always a good idea to start with a firm plan in mind. That being said it's never a bad thing to be somewhat flexible in your thinking, either. When Armand arrived at PJ's and had a look at elder brother Paul Carter's rigid-framed Honda 750 chopper he realized it was time to start flexing.

He and Paul brainstormed a bit and Paul took a few measurements, including Armand's physical dimensions, and made a few rough sketches. A few hours later, Armand pointed his headlights north, his bike, or at least most of it, still in the back of his truck. Only the engine and carburetors would be needed to create the bike he and Paul had decided to build.

PJ's began by freshening up the venerable four-banger. What was worn was replaced, but the motor was left entirely stock—not a bad plan considering those old 750s were plenty fast to begin with and reliable as an anvil to boot. Some judicious plating and polishing soon had the old mill shining like the proverbial new penny, while four individual Max drag pipes underscored the engine's aural appeal.

A Santee soft tail frame was used to provide the rigid look, without being too hard on Armand's backbone. The frame, originally meant to hold an American V-twin, needed some serious surgery before it'd accept the Japanese four. The twin downtubes were removed, the frame stretched 2 inches, and a single tube with lower wishbone installed.

Obviously, transplanting a four into a frame originally designed to hold a V-twin creates some driveline alignment issues, especially when you're planning to use a 200-section rear tire. The easy solution would have been to offset the engine and wheel so everything would line up. It wouldn't have been a particularly elegant solution but it would have worked, after a fashion. Paul and his crew preferred well-thought-out to easy, so they designed and built a jackshaft that transfers the drive from the engine to the rear tire, while allowing both to be perfectly centered in the frame.

To simplify the front-end assembly and to help keep overall costs down, a stock H-D Wide Glide fork was used. (This also gives the owner the option of replacing things like the bars and front wheel without having to jump through too many hoops should he desire a change down the road.) To complete the chassis assembly the Hardbody forward controls and Corbin-Gentry seat were mounted in accordance with the stocky Armand's measurements, a move that, according to Paul, resulted in the bike's being a bit more "compact" than it otherwise might have been.

The original plan, or actually plan B, since the original plan had been discarded at the outset, called for PJ's to rough out the bike, while Armand would finish up the details, including the paint after he got it back. Remember that flexible thing? It seems that every time Paul sent Armand a picture of the progress they'd made, Armand, a man who obviously knows a good thing when he sees it, became inclined to let Paul do just a little more work. Eventually, he said the hell with it, and let PJ's finish the bike, including the paint work, which they did in-house.

The end result speaks for itself—what Paul and his crew created is the epitome of an old-school metric chopper (although take it from me there were damn few this nice back in the day), using the engine that literally transformed motorcycling, showcased within modern components. As a side issue, the whole thing was built to stay within a realistic budget. It just shows what you can do when you're willing to remain flexible.

Let me go off on a tangent here. I was around when the Honda 750 hit the streets, and I remember all too well early efforts at customizing them. Chopping what was arguably the most sophisticated bike of all time seemed heretical at best, and frankly most of those early Honda choppers looked like something you should be throwing rocks at instead of riding. Being something t of a curmudgeon, the intervening years had done little to change my mind, at least until I ran across this bike. Now I realize that it was the execution that was flawed, not the concept.

From its inception, our Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 project would include two stages. In the first, we'd take a competent motorcycle and make it better—more what we would have wanted it to be from the factory. In the second, we would hand off our newly gussied-up cruiser to a customizer to show us all how real builders do things.

STAGE I

There's a funny thing about plans. While they always look carefully thought-out on the calendar, they rarely take into account the challenges encountered along the way. As any customizer (from the home-garage type to the grizzled pro) will tell you, the real story behind a custom bike is what happens while you're struggling to meet the demands of your schedule. Of course, trying to modify a relatively new-model bike for which aftermarket companies are still developing accessories will further complicate things.

Our list of absolutely necessary changes was short and—we thought—easily obtainable in the time we had. Weight loss was the major theme, with performance upgrades to complement the trim-down. While we like fat-look cruisers as much as anyone, we felt that, contrary to what the popular song may say, too much of everything may well be too much. So we began thinking fit and trim.

Off with Its Head(light)!

The first parts to come under our collective gaze were those associated with the headlight. Now, we're not saying the headlight isn't pretty. Still, we knew it set the tone for the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000's oversized nature we wanted to trim down. So after an hour or so of concerted wrenching, a mound of chrome sat on the garage floor and our V2K was 11 pounds lighter.

In the warm afterglow of a successful first step, we chose to ignore the challenges we'd just created for ourselves. First, our V2K no longer had a headlight and was, therefore, no longer street legal. Second, Kawasaki never intended for us to see the triple clamps, handlebar risers or the assorted wires and cables hidden under the headlight nacelle. Prior to this moment of understanding, we'd blithely thought we'd get the triple clamp chromed. Well, guess again, bucko. Quite simply, the triple clamp's casting was one of the ugliest things we'd ever seen. And rightfully so. Why would an OEM waste any money beautifying parts that were meant to be out of sight? So while we already knew we would be ordering a new headlight, a set of aftermarket triple clamps was added to the list. Only we couldn't find it anywhere. Apparently, we were a bit ahead of the curve, at the leading (or bleeding) edge on this little modification.

Pipe Down, Power Up

The next obvious place to remove excess poundage was the exhaust system. We looked around and found a svelte system in Cobra's catalog. The Speedster Shorts had the slim look we wanted, and the folks at Cobra said we'd be more than happy with the performance increase. Regular Motorcycle Cruiser readers are familiar with our aversion to overly loud pipes, so we were happy when the friendly Cobra representative said the pipes wouldn't offend our delicate sensibilities. A few days passed and a box arrived in our garage. The stock system, all 36 pounds of it, was already in the corner gathering dust. We immediately mounted the Cobra system. Now the V2K was another 16 pounds lighter and had an amazing exhaust note to boot.

That same afternoon we also installed a Baron Custom Accessories Big Air Kit ($290) and a Dynojet Research Power Commander fuel-injection-adjustment unit ($332). As many experienced engine massagers have discovered, you can find bigger power gains by opening up a cruiser motorcycle's intake side than you get when you change the exhaust system. It also costs less and makes far less racket than the switch to a loud exhaust system. The Baron Custom Accessories Big Air Kit offered an impressive increase in breathing capacity and also looked much less bulky and provided a better view of the big Vulcan 2000 engine.

The Power Commander permitted us to adjust the Vulcan 2000's fuel injection to accommodate this improved intake flow. Dynojet's Power Commander simply plugs inline with the stock Kawasaki ECU with original-style connectors. This fuel-injection-adjustment unit smoothes out the bike's mixture through the rpm range in stock form. However, to optimize the ECU's maps for our set up, we took the bike to L & L Motorsports, one of hundreds of dealers trained and authorized by Dynojet to tweak the adustments of the Power Commander and the one that Dynojet recommended in our area. You can find one in your area at www.powercommander.com when you want to improve your bike's EFI.

When the airbox and extraneous hoses were removed and the new parts added on, the V2K was about a pound heavier. OK, as with any diet, we hit a momentary plateau. But we kept patting ourselves on the back because the bike was still 25 pounds lighter than stock, dropping the V2K below 800 pounds.

Held Up by Suspenders

While we were in diet mode, we also set out to improve some of the V2K's systems. First and most importantly, we addressed the rear suspension. We called two of our favorite suspension companies to see what they had. Works Performance said it hadn't had access to a Vulcan 2000 to develop a shock for it, and if we would be nice enough to loan the company ours for a week or two, it'd whip one up. Our call to Progressive Suspension revealed that, not only did it have a shock, it'd be happy to ship one out the next day. We called Works Performance to say thanks, but, you know, deadlines and all. Works was very pleasant about the whole thing.

Time passed. No shock arrived. A phone call revealed that parts of the shock were expected in the next day or so. After another couple of weeks passed, we contacted Progressive Suspension to find out where the shock was. The company was being held hostage by parts that still hadn't arrived and couldn't build the shock until it got them. So, faced with looming deadlines, we contacted Works Performance and asked...shuffle, shuffle...if it was still, uh, willing to develop a shock for us.

You'd think that after all these years in the motorcycle business we'd have acquired a taste for crow, but we still have to choke it down. Fortunately, Works Performance was more than willing. After leaving the V2K with the company for a couple of weeks, we had the first off-the-assembly-line shock for the V2K. (A brief aside: As this issue was going to press, the Progressive shock arrived on our doorstep, so its supply bottleneck has been resolved. Unfortunately, we weren't able to test it since the V2K was being packed away for the next stage.)

Fending for Ourselves?

While we were waiting on the shock, we had other side projects going. We were trying to find some stylish fiberglass fenders to replace the heavy steel ones gracing the V2K. Yes, we know metal is the be-all, end-all of cruisers, but we were on a weight-loss mission. The only problem was that we hadn't found a set of fiberglass fenders we could fall in love with. So we kept looking.

Right about this time we were contacted by Stephen Garrett Design about the collection of Vulcan 2000 parts being developed by the company. Two of them just happened to be fiberglass fenders and (hooray) billet triple clamps! The fenders give the big Vulcan a decidedly sporty look. The triple clamps are machined from solid billet and rake the front five degrees—enough to alter the bike's look without turning it into a chopper. As soon as we saw pictures of the triple clamps, we ordered a set without predrilled holes for a headlight mount. (We wanted to do this ourselves.) Unfortunately, the billet aluminum order for Stephen Garrett Design and its sister company, wheel manufacturer Cruise Concepts, was delayed, preventing delivery of the triple clamp in time for our deadline. Dang. We began looking for voodoo dolls around the office to explain this rash of out-of-everyone's-control delays.

On a more positive note, we ordered and installed a set of Goodridge braided steel brake lines ($124 front and $69 rear). While the stock Kawasaki brakes were quite good, the new lines delivered even better feel at the lever, allowing remarkably quick stops from our still-beefy Vulcan. Readers should note, however, that the front lines took the more sportbike-like approach by bringing two lines up to the master cylinder rather than splitting them at the bottom of the triple clamp. While this makes bleeding the lines a breeze, cruisers who want a minimalist look at the master cylinder (particularly those who go to the trouble of running all the wiring through the handlebar) will want to custom-build their lines (Goodridge offers all the parts you need) to keep the clutter to a minimum. (See "Made to Order" in Motorcycle Cruiser's June 1998 issue.)

Progress Report

The results of our in-progress project are functionally impressive—if not yet visually so. The Works Performance shock dramatically improved the V2K's ride. By swapping out the approximately 960-pound stock spring for a 900-pound unit, the ride felt plusher without going soft. The developer said his philosophy was to soften the spring for smoother initial travel and use high-speed damping to prevent bottoming. Also, by better pairing the rebound damping with the compression, the Works shock doesn't kick back over harsh freeway bumps as the stocker did. The shock has an 18-position rebound damping adjuster to further help tune performance. (We found clicks six to eight from full stiff to be the best for our riding style.) The ride is still on the firm side, but this makes sense when you consider the suspension has to control just shy of 1000 pounds with a decent-sized rider aboard. The Works shock also has about 50 percent more oil capacity (thanks to its larger-diameter body) for fade-free bump absorption over rough pavement. The shock is available in stock length or 1.25 inches lower than stock (to allow for three inches of wheel travel) for approximately $589.

If we were impressed by the V2K's ride improvement, we were amazed by the power output of the combined Baron Big Air Kit, Cobra Speedster Shorts and Power Commander. Although peak horsepower isn't the most important part of this modification, these are the numbers people always look at first. In stock trim, the V2K put out 93.4 horsepower and 117.1 foot-pounds of torque. After having a custom fuel map created by L&L Motorsports, the numbers jumped to 106.3 hp and 131.0 foot-pounds—a 12 percent and 11 percent increase respectively. While that might be nice, the numbers at partial throttle make the biggest impression from the saddle. At every throttle position above 2000 rpm, the modified fuel system makes more power. For example, at 40 percent throttle at 3000 rpm, the V2K makes almost eight more ponies. What this means out on the street is that simply rolling on the throttle gives you much better response than before. You don't need to run the engine out to the rev limit to benefit from the upgrades! However, when you do choose to wind out the engine, the combination of the intake honk, exhaust note and power increase is intoxicating.

These first chnages had made our Vulcan 2000 much more fun to ride. The suspension is what we wish it had been out of the box. The brakes offer much better feel for hauling the still-heavy machine down from speed. The engine itself is simply too much fun.

However, the V2K clearly needed a visual overhaul. Wires were hanging out in the breeze by the triple clamp, which is pretty darn ugly in its own right. It was time to pack this puppy up and ship it to a Texas fat farm for further weight reduction and a little cosmetic surgery.

STAGE II: MAJOR TRANSFORMATION

The expression is one we've seen from builders before—although we're usually seeing it as we're photographing a bike before it is rolled onto a trailer to go to a rally for its unveiling. This time, however, the debut is a little more private, as builder Stephen Garrett rolls the finished Vulcan 2000 Project (by now, simply "V2K" in our shorthand) out of his trailer. Garrett and his wife have just driven 1600 miles from Texas to Los Angeles, only stopping for occasional naps when they were both too tired to drive. Before that, Garrett had been up for the better part of three days making the final touches to the V2K. Garrett's eyes say it all: pride, exhaustion and a bit of nervous excitement at the prospect of showing the bike that had been the focus of countless phone calls and e-mails. As he backs the bike out of the trailer on this quiet suburban street, the evening sun wraps around the paint on the shapely bodywork.

Perhaps it was fate that had Garrett contact us while we were specifically seeking a new triple clamp to replace the stock one that was used to mount the headlight nacelle we had removed. As we talked to Garrett about parts for V2K, we realized that we had found our builder. In addition to the triple clamp we needed, he was also developing fiberglass fenders to fit Vulcan 2000s. All we had to do was get the bike from our garage in Los Angeles to his shop in Texas. In a matter of days, we said goodbye to our Kawasaki as it was loaded on a truck for its trip to Texas.

You Can't Be Too Thin

In our discussions with Garrett, he convinced us that, while our goals of lightening V2K were noble, we were ultimately fighting against the mass of the engine and chassis required to support it. We should embrace, rather than try to deny, the bike's big-boned nature and make it part of the look—only change the focus to that of a more muscular machine. To that end, Garrett convinced us that we should allow him to mount a massive, low-profile 250/40 R18 Avon Venom rear tire. This choice would have a slimming effect on V2K's profile. When viewed from the rear, there would be no question of the power put out by the two-liter twin. We were sold.

Garrett began the customization by modifying the swingarm to lower the ride height by almost four inches when coupled with the stock length Works Performance shock. Amazingly, he did not have to widen the swingarm to accept the 18 x 8.5-inch rear wheel. The 21 x 3.25-inch front wheel also did not require any modifications to the fork since the Cruise Concepts Cerberus wheel utilizes the stock brake discs and, consequently, the stock caliper mounting points. The Five Armed Cerberus wheels are the first pattern billet wheels Cruise Concepts has released for the VN2000 and are currently shipping to customers. The rear wheel is particularly dramatic since, on the big Vulcan's rear pulley, there is no oversized hub required to accommodate a shaft drive. While these changes rendered the stock fenders obsolete, we always planned to jettison them for lighter, fiberglass ones. The frame rails did not have to be altered to accept the 250 series rear tire. (Kinda makes you wonder if Kawasaki built the 2000 to be customized, doesn't it.)

On the front of the bike, a few modifications had to be made before the Garrett Design triple clamp could be fit to the bike. First, all of the crud associated with the fork covers had to be removed. Next, to tie the new front end together, the fork sliders were polished to match the shiny billet triple clamp. The other components to hit the buffing wheel were the calipers and the stock discs. Cleaning and polishing these parts added to the visual appeal while allowing the money saved to be used on other parts of the bike. While some people might go as far as chroming these components, we think that mixing different kinds of metal and chrome gives a more eclectic feel to a cruiser than simply dipping all the shiny parts in chrome.

Color Me Orange (with a bit of Kawasaki Green

While these modifications were under way, the topic of much thought and discussion surrounded the color scheme of V2K. The original plan was to paint just the bodywork and leave the frame dressed in its factory black clothing. Well, PPG and Tyler Paint and Body Supply stepped in with a new paint named "Oh So Orange." Once we'd seen how radically the paint flip-flopped from brilliant pearl orange to pearl emerald green with the change in light, we were hooked. The decision was made to coat the bodywork and frame in this paint—without graphics. Our reasoning for following this path was we've built bikes with completely over-the-top graphics and more subtle ones (see our April and December 1997 issues) and thought it would be nice to try something dressed in one color alongside the shiny stuff. Oh, and then there's the little thing that the builder (whose opinion we were beginning to trust implicitly) wanted to do it this way.

Before the paint could be applied, however, the bodywork had to be built. Garrett's previous company built aftermarket fiberglass parts for trucks, so he's familiar with the process. He begins by building big, funky looking plugs, which are basically 50-pound fenders constructed of wood, fiberglass and Bondo. Then the fenders are shaped, reshaped, slathered with more Bondo and reshaped again. Garrett claims he used about nine gallons of Bondo before he'd arrived at the shape of the two fenders. The next step is sanding and prepping the fender just like you would for painting—even applying gelcoat primer. Once this is done, a reverse fiberglass mold is created from the fender. The upshot of all Garrett's hard work is that he will be able to reproduce these fenders for other customers. The challenge for V2K's rear fender was to make it low enough to maintain the clean lines Garrett desired while still allowing the rear suspension to travel through its range of motion. Once this was achieved, he played with the shape of the fender's trailing edge until he was satisfied. The job of wrapping the sleek front fender around the 21-inch wheel and tire was less complicated (since it didn't have to accommodate suspension travel) but no less detail oriented.

Most but not all of V2K's bodywork was altered. Garrett left the tank unchanged with the exception of paint color. He felt that the tank was just about the perfect shape from the factory. The frame received a little more attention prior to painting. Welds were smoothed, holes were filled, and unnecessary tabs were cut off to make the stock chassis as pretty as it could be. Once the decision to change the frame from black to orange was made, Garrett knew he had to get the black wrinkle paint off the engine. Hours of sanding ensued, and even that doesn't do justice to the labor involved in getting the wrinkle paint off the engine. However, when you see the 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago Titanium paint gracing the engine next to the orange of the frame (both applied by M.A.B. Grafix), it's pretty obvious that the effort was worth it. The color of the paint also gives the impression that extra portions of the engine were polished, but Garrett claims it's completely stock. Only a Baron's Big Air Kit and a billet timing cover grace the engine with their shine. The Cobra Speedster Shorts installed in the performance portion of the project also add to the engine's good looks.

Final Details

As with most custom projects, once the major chassis and rolling gear modifications are complete, the most challenging part of the building begins—deciding what components to accessorize the new bike with. Garrett took a measured approach with V2K. Rather than swapping every possible part with a chrome replacement from the aftermarket, he left a smattering of OE parts installed. For example, the instrument cluster's bezel and the fender rails are both standard equipment. Sure, he could have changed them, but they looked good with the bike's new lines, so why do it just for the sake of doing it? Instead, he focused on making measured changes to portions of the bike. The handlebar is an L.A. Choppers Z-Bar coupled to a set of Harley-based Arlen Ness switch gear/hand controls and grips. An Aeromach Extreme Oval Mirror mounted to a Slayer provide a stylish but minimalist rear view. A pair of custom-length Barnett cables transmit the rider's input to the engine. (A short note about mixing Harley and metric controls: The ends on the cables are often different, so you have to specify which fittings should be mounted to which end of custom cables.) The finishing touch for the front end was an Adjure seven-inch smooth headlight (which like the Ness grips, came from ) coupled with a set of Lazer Star LED turn signal/running lights from JP Cycles.

One of the coolest touches of Garrett's triple clamp is how he (in one of those crazy ideas you get when building a bike) decided to turn the bottom triple clamp into a brake distribution block. In other words, one Goodridge line runs from the master cylinder, through the upper triple clamp, and screws into the top of the lower triple clamp. The stainless lines for each of the calipers then screw into the bottom of the lower triple clamp. How'd he do that? He drilled holes from the back of the lower triple clamp to create the distribution block's pathways. These holes were then plugged. The three mounting points for the brake line fittings were drilled into these pathways, then tapped. Just pause for a second and think about the careful planning that has to go into this stunt: There are already several bolt-holes in the lower clamp—including the press fitting for the steering stem. A bunch of variables could have turned this into an expensive-but-pretty paperweight.

The transformation is complete. We may not have attained all the lofty goals we hoped for when we first decided to do this a year before. Any firther weight loss would require a special frame, for example. But our final product is lighter, rides better, and definitely has a more streetwise character.

RESOURCES

Builder:

Stephen Garrett Design
903-842-3768
www.texasmetrics.com

Suspension:

Works Performance
(818) 701-1010
worksperformance.com

Paint

For more articles on how to customize and modify your motorcycle, see the Custom section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.

Photo Gallery: Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Project V2K - Custom - Motorcycle Cruiser

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]]>Tue, 01 Feb 2005 20:02:00 -0800Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom - Dream Bike

When people actually think about custom cruisers, they generally imagine either the builder/artist following a vision of what he thinks the bike should be or the builder following the ideas of a client who has the vision but not the skills to bring it to reality. Most people, however, don't realize there is a third route to owning your dream custom. When Bonnie Pfiester decided she'd gone as far as she could go with dressing up her Vulcan, she set out to decide exactly what features she wanted on her ideal cruiser. She began by buying every motorcycle magazine she could find to research what styles appealed to her. Next, she went to tons of bike shows armed with a camera. Once she had gathered all this information, she sat down and studied her favorite modifications.

Gradually, a collage of her bike began to reveal itself. Extreme cruisers really attracted her-the pro-street look in particular. So, a big rear tire, low seat and looong front end were definitely on the list. Since she has long legs, Pfiester also wanted a stretched-out riding position with forward controls. The fit and finish needed to be top-notch to compare to the bikes she'd seen at all the shows. Once she had the broad strokes of her custom cruiser outlined, she sat back and waited. Now this wasn't a passive waiting, but rather an active one that involved reading all the cycle-trading magazines, classifieds and web sites. With a long-term vision in mind, she was able to resist bikes that might have interested her while waiting for her bike to reveal itself. Eventually, she discovered her bike for sale on the Wicked Custom Cycles web site (www.wickedcustomcycles.com).

The trip from her home midway up the eastern coast of Florida to Miami wasn't a short one, but she knew she'd have to see the bike in person to make the final decision. After many phone calls to Wicked Custom Cycles, they agreed to meet halfway. When she saw the bike on the trailer, Pfiester says it was love at first sight. Although she'd liked it from the photos posted on the web, seeing the bike in three dimensions clinched the deal. She bought the bike on the spot and took it home that day. Actually, in her interview, Pfiester said more than once that she stole the bike, since she felt it was worth way more than she paid for it. This is the beauty of knowing what you want and waiting for the right bike to appear. If you're patient, you'll get the bike you desire for a better price than you think.

When we contacted the bike's builder, Robert Pristau, at Wicked Custom Cycles, he laughed when he heard Pfiester said she'd stolen the bike from him. He said he was glad she was happy with the bike but felt he'd gotten a fair deal on it. This V-Star 650 had been Pristau's business partner's bike and had gone through several customization phases with modifications being laid on top of modifications, making it impossible to quantify how much labor actually went into the bike because it occurred over a long period of time.

The inspiration for this V-Star 650 was Pristau's V-Star 1100. When his partner saw the bike, he said he wanted his rear fender done the same way-only more so. What started as simply cutting the rear fender took on a life of its own. While the V-Star may look like it has an oversized tire, the rubber is a stock size with a flame tread pattern. The tire looks bigger because of the way Pristau cut and wrapped a Fat Cats fender around it. The curved fender support rods accentuate the fender's shape. The bike was lowered via struts, turning it into a hardtail. There are plates welded into the rear portion of the frame so the frame's curve matches the arc created by the fender and the rear wheel. While he was doing that he redid all the frame's sheet metal to render it weld- and seam-free. A disc kit covering the stock wheel is the back end's final touch.

The previously stretched tank was stretched even more to match the minimized seat, which rests directly on the frame/fender and is covered with ostrich skin. Arlen Ness instruments are frenched into the tank for a completely integrated look. The speedo, however, doesn't work because Pristau didn't want to sully the front end with the cable. The front had been raked out 47 degrees in the first round of mods, but he swapped the triple clamps to get another five degrees. The fork legs are also seven inches longer than stock. The angle is further highlighted by switching the 18-inch front wheel to a 21- x 2.15-inch one. An aftermarket front fender was trimmed down to suit the bike's. The handlebar capping this slick assembly was bent by Pristau himself. The headlights are simply off-the-rack fog lights Pristau modified and sent to Southern Plating Specialties for chroming. Air Rush applied the same base color to the entire bike-even the calipers, wheel hubs and some engine components wear it. The tank sports a pair of evil clowns that are also based on the same color scheme. With this monochromatic approach, the chromed bits really stand out for a clean, simplistic look.

As far as performance, the stock engine received a Hypercharger and jet kit to match the Bub pipes Pristau modified by cutting them shorter and turning out the tips. Pfiester laughs when asked what it's like to ride this stretched V-Star, saying it isn't easy. But that hasn't stopped her from riding it everywhere from Sturgis to Biketoberfest. She says lots of men she meets say they'd like to get a bike like this for their wives because the seat is so low (it only comes up to her knee), not realizing it is clearly not a beginner's bike. For example, she says the turning radius makes for 15-point U-turns instead of three-point ones. Still, even with 52 degrees of rake, her V-Star doesn't suffer from the massive front-wheel flop some choppers do. She also says the Yamaha's engine is remarkably smooth, much smoother than some of her husband's previous bikes. With only two inches of ground clearance, some special precautions need to be taken when riding. For example, Pfiester rides around speed bumps, saying that's just the price you pay to have a cool custom ride. We'd have to agree, but don't know if we could delay gratification until the perfect bike came along, like Bonnie Pfiester did.

Wicked Custom Cycles
(305) 557-8001
www.wickedcustomcycles.com

Photo Gallery: Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom - Dream Bike - Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine

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