Build Em...…..

Energy One
Th3InfamousI

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
This was a complete ground-up build, took a while just working on the weekends on it.

ProjectX
www.bigdogpartskingpin.com

Project X Build Frame Up

I wanted to keep it clean, the lines on the 08-11 Pitbull tank are a dead match fit for the frame in my opinion. HDM is currently finishing up the mounting kit to allow anyone with a 06-11K9 or Ridgeback bolt this style tank on. Give people a little chance to do a makeover. 08-11 Pitbull...
www.bigdogpartskingpin.com www.bigdogpartskingpin.com


I was going to do this whole big write-up and I spent a few hours on it and it's not done. But I don’t think anyone will read it so I just scraped it for now. Maybe I’ll post it later.

Figured I would get out a post for the folks who didn't get a chance to see it @ MastiffDaves back in Sept.

Part of my idea on this build ended up with an effort to make some parts available to others to modify their 06-11 K9 or Ridgeback fairly easily. Obviously as time/money permits you can put anything you dream together. The original Big Dog’s are a great platform, and as they get up in age, change hands, and get beat on parts need to be replaced and bikes need to get fixed. I believe strongly that something assembled by your own two hands will bring you tremendous more enjoyment in your own garage than buying something. Anyone can do it, if anyone knows my background I am not a mechanic. I just had a passion for working on my bikes and it steamrolled. Just takes time, research, drive, determination & a little common sense! And there's folks out there that would argue about my common sense, and I wouldn't disagree. Not sure how much of that I have either.:cheers:

I wanted to keep it clean, the lines on the 08-11 Pitbull tank are a dead match fit for the frame in my opinion. HDM is currently finishing up the mounting kit to allow anyone with a 06-11K9 or Ridgeback bolt this style tank on. Give people a little chance to do a makeover. 08-11 Pitbull tank is also 4.7 gallons so it's 1/2 gallon bigger than the K9 or Ridgeback tanks. I have put exactly 4.0 gallons in the tank twice at fuel ups and haven't hit reserve yet. I did hit the reserve when I was doing some testing and I drained it to see what I was working with and it was about 1/2 gallon of reserve.

I stuck with black cables and black braided oil lines & did all the electrical wiring myself so it's all in black braided cabling to blend in. The stainless braided would stick out like a sore thumb in my opinion. Narrow 2" open belt drive, narrow front end, keeping it clean and tight. Kind of a little old school/new school mashup with a narrower front end and a 300 tire.

The 140” will fit a K9/Ridgeback frame but with a little caution, rocker box gaskets can’t be changed without taking the motor out of the frame. It’s a tight FIT! You can't even get a finger between the frame and the cover it's about 1/8". Also, coil cover and air cleaner will need to be changed out as the heads are so tall the bolt holes on the original units won’t fit. This coil cover mount is actually an older model coil cover but it is made out of billet and after elongating the holes it would fit.

I’ll let you all know how the 140” high compression motor (10.8:1) holds up, bikes first trip was 1,000 miles to Arkansas and back. I managed to sneak in 250 miles first before taking off, so I finished breaking in the motor on the way there. It's rated for more HP (160) & Torque (170) than I'll probably ever use. It has not once gave me any signs that it wasn't asking for more throttle.

The Texas hand made Three Two Choppers custom springer is perfect! Handles like a dream, feels lighter, tighter in the slow turns (gas pumps) & steady as a rock at 90+ MPH. Rake & Trail was changed just a touch, which makes the slow turning easier. Ride height stayed the same and the bike is about 1.5" overall longer in length. Has Ohlins bushings, which are oil impregnated so there is zero maintenance required, no grease can be used it screws up the bushings.

It's still a little work in progress have a few things to finish up this winter, I am working on a front fender setup to use for long trips. I don't think springers should have fenders so this one will be as small as I possibly can make and easy on/off. Just to keep me or the bike from getting rooster tailed if I get caught in the rain, which you are almost guaranteed to do when you do long trips.


IMG_20210919_135737682_HDR.jpgIMG_20210919_135755063_HDR.jpgIMG_20211017_165447851_HDR.jpgIMG_20211017_165609007_HDR.jpgIMG_20210919_140710565_HDR.jpgIMG_20211017_171223722_HDR.jpg


Cheers!
 

Attachments

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chubs

chubs

Guru
Th3InfamousI said:
This was a complete ground-up build, took a while just working on the weekends on it.

ProjectX
www.bigdogpartskingpin.com

Project X Build Frame Up

I wanted to keep it clean, the lines on the 08-11 Pitbull tank are a dead match fit for the frame in my opinion. HDM is currently finishing up the mounting kit to allow anyone with a 06-11K9 or Ridgeback bolt this style tank on. Give people a little chance to do a makeover. 08-11 Pitbull...
www.bigdogpartskingpin.com www.bigdogpartskingpin.com


I was going to do this whole big write-up and I spent a few hours on it and it's not done. But I don’t think anyone will read it so I just scraped it for now. Maybe I’ll post it later.

Figured I would get out a post for the folks who didn't get a chance to see it @ MastiffDaves back in Sept.

Part of my idea on this build ended up with an effort to make some parts available to others to modify their 06-11 K9 or Ridgeback fairly easily. Obviously as time/money permits you can put anything you dream together. The original Big Dog’s are a great platform, and as they get up in age, change hands, and get beat on parts need to be replaced and bikes need to get fixed. I believe strongly that something assembled by your own two hands will bring you tremendous more enjoyment in your own garage than buying something. Anyone can do it, if anyone knows my background I am not a mechanic. I just had a passion for working on my bikes and it steamrolled. Just takes time, research, drive, determination & a little common sense! And there's folks out there that would argue about my common sense, and I wouldn't disagree. Not sure how much of that I have either.:cheers:

I wanted to keep it clean, the lines on the 08-11 Pitbull tank are a dead match fit for the frame in my opinion. HDM is currently finishing up the mounting kit to allow anyone with a 06-11K9 or Ridgeback bolt this style tank on. Give people a little chance to do a makeover. 08-11 Pitbull tank is also 4.7 gallons so it's 1/2 gallon bigger than the K9 or Ridgeback tanks. I have put exactly 4.0 gallons in the tank twice at fuel ups and haven't hit reserve yet. I did hit the reserve when I was doing some testing and I drained it to see what I was working with and it was about 1/2 gallon of reserve.

I stuck with black cables and black braided oil lines & did all the electrical wiring myself so it's all in black braided cabling to blend in. The stainless braided would stick out like a sore thumb in my opinion. Narrow 2" open belt drive, narrow front end, keeping it clean and tight. Kind of a little old school/new school mashup with a narrower front end and a 300 tire.

The 140” will fit a K9/Ridgeback frame but with a little caution, rocker box gaskets can’t be changed without taking the motor out of the frame. It’s a tight FIT! You can't even get a finger between the frame and the cover it's about 1/8". Also, coil cover and air cleaner will need to be changed out as the heads are so tall the bolt holes on the original units won’t fit. This coil cover mount is actually an older model coil cover but it is made out of billet and after elongating the holes it would fit.

I’ll let you all know how the 140” high compression motor (10.8:1) holds up, bikes first trip was 1,000 miles to Arkansas and back. I managed to sneak in 250 miles first before taking off, so I finished breaking in the motor on the way there. It's rated for more HP (160) & Torque (170) than I'll probably ever use. It has not once gave me any signs that it wasn't asking for more throttle.

The Texas hand made Three Two Choppers custom springer is perfect! Handles like a dream, feels lighter, tighter in the slow turns (gas pumps) & steady as a rock at 90+ MPH. Rake & Trail was changed just a touch, which makes the slow turning easier. Ride height stayed the same and the bike is about 1.5" overall longer in length. Has Ohlins bushings, which are oil impregnated so there is zero maintenance required, no grease can be used it screws up the bushings.

It's still a little work in progress have a few things to finish up this winter, I am working on a front fender setup to use for long trips. I don't think springers should have fenders so this one will be as small as I possibly can make and easy on/off. Just to keep me or the bike from getting rooster tailed if I get caught in the rain, which you are almost guaranteed to do when you do long trips.


View attachment 91929View attachment 91930View attachment 91931View attachment 91932View attachment 91933View attachment 91935


Cheers!
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just gotta say, that is one beautiful work of art that you've put together ! I'm lovin it!!
 
S

Sven

Well-Known Member
I believe strongly that something assembled by your own two hands will bring you tremendous more enjoyment in your own garage than buying something.
Click to expand...
Let me ask you this. During the build did you stay out in the garage, stand back and just looked at it more than you worked on it?

Anyone can do it, if anyone knows my background I am not a mechanic.
Click to expand...
BS. Takes the aptitude to put it together. Even though it assembles only one way, there are two builds; butchered or built. Nice execution.

I just had a passion for working on my bikes and it steamrolled.
Click to expand...
Not that hard, yes it's hard, all rolled up as one.

Just takes time, research, drive, determination & a little common sense!
Click to expand...
Time is waiting for the swap meet to come around. Research is looking down on the ground and oh I need this part that is stopping the build. Determination is get the build off my rack, flip it, what's next? Common sense is ask who was the last owner that should never have picked up a tool. Buyer beware.

And there's folks out there that would argue about my common sense, and I wouldn't disagree. Not sure how much of that I have either
Click to expand...
Building one is like anything else, either you know a little common sense, or you turn the slide backwards and idle down the street at about 20 mph or more. Neighbor down the street is the no-touch guy, but the guy across the street is more competent with his bike. So I'd argue there's a 50/50 chance that there is not too many who can do this kind of work competently.
 
Th3InfamousI

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
Sven said:
Let me ask you this. During the build did you stay out in the garage, stand back and just looked at it more than you worked on it?


BS. Takes the aptitude to put it together. Even though it assembles only one way, there are two builds; butchered or built. Nice execution.


Not that hard, yes it's hard, all rolled up as one.
Click to expand...
You are right, there was definitely some challenges to make things work and work correctly. I guess I just take that as part of the process.

Sven said:
Time is waiting for the swap meet to come around. Research is looking down on the ground and oh I need this part that is stopping the build. Determination is get the build off my rack, flip it, what's next? Common sense is ask who was the last owner that should never have picked up a tool. Buyer beware.
Click to expand...
That would be if you already know what you need for parts, there is sometimes were you are either seeing if something is available or have to make it yourself. I had a few late nights there was one Saturday where I started around noon and by the time I stopped I was hungry and wondered why, well it was 8AM the next day. There is also something to be said about "what's next", build it for yourself or build it to build another. Depends on what you want out of it.

Sven said:
Building one is like anything else, either you know a little common sense, or you turn the slide backwards and idle down the street at about 20 mph or more. Neighbor down the street is the no-touch guy, but the guy across the street is more competent with his bike. So I'd argue there's a 50/50 chance that there is not too many who can do this kind of work competently.
Click to expand...
You have a point some people are no touch type of people and your right that wouldn't be the right person to give it a go. However I think those wouldnt take on the project to begin with.

I have seen some peoples hack jobs on bikes, and your right I wouldn't recommend those guys do it either..

I guess I may have just been trying to be a little more encouraging...

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
 
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S

Sven

Well-Known Member
Hey, don't get me wrong, remember, I too encourage with the tech help to keep it in house... 'want it done right-do it yourself.'

I'm just a parts assembler. A drill, bar stock, a hacksaw and that's about my limit. So I know what it takes if you take something like this on. :2cents:

Edit:
Okay, I guess it's me sitting there and just looking before the next execution.
 
Th3InfamousI

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
Twistedspoke100 said:
That bike is BAD ASS! Can you tell us did the frame need any modification to get the trans and primary to bolt up? It is something I would strongly consider doing myself just to get the option of a open primary.
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Jwooky said:
I’d like to hear that too
Click to expand...
Sorry guys, just getting back here now.

Any questions, I'll be glad to answer.

It's a lot of extra labor and time for a belt drive unless your considering a full tear down anyways. Gives you an opportunity to fix everything anyways..haha. don't forget you'll need a different transmission all together.

Any frame builder should be able to do this in your area or a damn good welder. Obviously lining up the trans plate is absolutely critical. I wouldn't really recommend doing the transmission bracket yourself.

So the transmission mount and bolt pattern is very different for standard RSD than DSSC. Not just 6 vs 5 bolts. I've seen a few bikes that people have just drilled holes but when you do that you can't use the 5th bolt on the pulley side, so your left with 4 nuts holding it all on. If you don't change the transmission mount you also have to machine the bottom of the trans case as pulley side transmission mounting brackets from the frame is in the way for the case. Basically it would be a whole year down, strip, weld, new powder coat and reassemble.



The guy who did the transmission plate is retired, but I had Ross Cycles in Missouri do some more work and adjust the angle on the transmission bracket mounting on the primary side afterwards, so I have 422's that now bolt on. Problem is on the primary side only. If your doing all that work to not fix the narrow shock issue is a waste of time.

I'm sure Ross Cycles would have been able to do it all and if you bring him your bike he would do the teardown and rebuild for you. Josh up there powder coated this for me. I've been trying to get him on the forum maybe me calling his ass out will get him on here.

Oh one other thing, almost forgot the oil tank will need to be ground down and re-welded at the corner on the bottom of the 90 degree on the fill neck. Stock Harley inner primary is taller and just barely gets in the way.

I've got 100's of pictures and some time lapse videos on the assembly that I still need to go through but here's a picture of what I'm talking about. Looks like I took this when I was bending new oil lines and figuring out my routing.





Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
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