If you follow the editorial columns in this magazine, you know how much we stress planning everything out before building a custom bike. Not only does it help you, but when you sit down to talk to a builder or order the parts for your own build, the more you will know about what you want, and the easier it will be to build the bike. That's the approach Kenny Kuykendall of Las Vegas, Nevada, took when he met with Mondo Porras of Denver's Choppers in nearby Henderson. Mondo told us: "He had it blue-printed down to the last nut and bolt. He did his homework."
So what did Kenny want? A really clean, rigid chopper with a long frontend and a big motor. To give it the big dimensions Kenny wanted, Denver's placed an order with Diamond Chassis for a rigid frame with 43 degrees of rake in the neck, 7inches of downtube stretch, and 4 inches more in the back-bone. The shop built a wide-glide frontend with 16-1/2 inches of extension to really stretch out the bike. To make the bike roll, a 21-inch Black Bike wheel was mounted between the forks with a Metzeler tire, and the 18-inch rear was covered in a comparatively modest Metzeler 200 tire. With 120 spokes in each, we're thinking the wheels get plenty of attention when Kenny's out on the town. Denver's completed the rolling chassis with an APS caliper/Daniel Boone rotor brake combination up front and a GMA brake setup for the rear.
In the power department, Mondo used a 113ci S&S Evo-style motor that had all the power Kenny wanted. Once it was uncrated and set into the frame, the shop completed it with dual Weber carbs, a Crane Hi-4 ignition, and WCC pipes. By adding a RevTech six-speed transmission, Primo clutch, and beltdrive, Denver's gave Kenny a driveline setup that sends power from the big mill to the rear wheel smoothly and efficiently.
The foundation of the Chopper was going along great, but a cool bike also needs style from its sheetmetal. A one-piece Fat Katz gas tank with flush-mounted cap was fit in place on the rigid frame, while a Ness front fender was tapped to add dimension up front. Denver's fabricated the chopped rear fender that sits on its internal struts, and finished out the sheetmetal package with a Diamond Chassis oil tank.
At this point, the mocked-up Chopper came apart for finishing. JD Cycle Art took the skin into the booth and colorized it with cobalt blue and silver before turning the gas tank over to Rock & Roll Paint for yellow and green graphics. While all that was going on, Artistic Powdercoating was giving the frame the cobalt-blue treatment to match.
All of this hard work would result in a great chopper, but what really makes it stand out is the cleanliness of the finished product. Take the hand control setup as an example. Not only do the Climax bars have internal cables and wiring, they also have internal master and clutch cylinders. Add to this the minimalist Climax hand controls, which almost look like extensions of the bars instead of separate pieces, and you have handholds that are about as clean as you can get. RPM foot controls and pegs also keep Kenny in charge of his ride at all times. Denver's carried the minimal idea on to the lighting, using only a Radiantz taillight and a Headwinds headlamp. Absolutely no turn signals were injured in the making of this motorcycle.
Mondo topped off the chopper with a Denver's solo seat, and when Kenny came by to get his ride, it was everything he'd planned it to be, down to the last nut and bolt.
SpecificationsGeneralOwner: Kenny KuykendallYear/Make: '02/Denver's ChoppersFabrication: Mondo and JerryAssembly: JerryBuild Time: Four months
EngineSize/Type: 113ci/S&SCases: S&SFlywheels: S&S.Rods: S&S.Pistons: S&S.Cylinders: S&S.Heads: S&SCam: S&SCarb: Dual WeberIgnition: Crane Hi-4Pipes: WCC
TransmissionYear/Type: '02/RevTech six-speedCase: RevTechGears: RevTechClutch: PrimoPrimary Drive: Brute III