Brian Beck is one of the builders at Black Hills Choppers in Spearfish, South Dakota. Brian spends all his time building bikes for other people and decided that he needed to take some time to build a bike for himself. He wanted a chopper with an old-school feel and more-than-enough power, but he didn't want to spend too much time or effort on brakes.
Brian started the build with an '03 Diamond rigid frame with 40 degrees of rake in the neck, 6 inches of stretch in the downtubes, and 2 inches in the backbone. The only suspension for the bike came in the form of a Mid-USA 12-inch-over fork in Diamond 6-degree triple-trees.
A 21-inch Xtreme Machine wheel was secured to the fork surrounded by an Avon Venom tire, and in the back, a matching 18x8.5-inch Xtreme wheel inside an Avon 250 was bolted to the frame with an Exile sprocket/rotor and two-piston caliper system that acts as the only brake for the whole bike - not a lot of stopping power but better than a drum brake.
The frame and rolling stock accounted for, the next step in the build required some V-twin motivation. Merch Performance builds some powerful motors and that's exactly what Brian wanted, so a 125ci Merch was bolted between the framerails with a 45mm Mikuni carburetor and a Martin Brothers black ceramic-coated exhaust. Behind the motor is an '03 Baker six-speed transmission receiving input from a Solitek open primary and Primo clutch.
Sheetmetal for the bike was going to be to the point, with no frills, just clean lines. Brian didn't feel that a front fender was necessary on a chopper, so he concentrated on a gas tank. He mounted a stretched Sporty-style tank high on the backbone. For a rear fender, a D&D Fat Katz blank was cut and smoothed to follow the line of the beefy 250 tire with a relief for the chain final drive. Instead of fender struts, Brian fabbed a unique, curving sissybar to support the fender. Fastened to the under-side of the seat area is a BHC oil tank. To complement the lines of the bike and set it apart from others, Brian used a set of BHC "Chopperz" handlebars that jut out from the risers at a 90-degree angle. Finally, the sheetmetal was sent out to Airea 5150 for a molding and painting session. 5150 covered the metal in a jet-black basecoat with red-metallic flames outlined in gold pinstriping.
Finishing the bike up with the final accessories was a breeze. Brian bolted a Headwinds headlight, PM contour controls, and Thunder Cycle Design grips to the frontend and handlebars. PM foot controls and pegs were secured to the frame, along with a Radiantz taillight and a cool red metallic-colored seat from High-End.
When we caught up with Brian, he and the bike were turning heads during Biketoberfest. He loves the way the bike looks, but he says he never smiles wider than when he cracks the throttle open - as long as he doesn't have to stop quickly.
Spec SheetGeneralOwner: Brian BeckYear/Make: '03/Dragonbilt RigidFabrication: DragonbiltAssembly: Brian Beck Build Time: Five Months
EngineSize/Type: 125ci MerchCases: MerchFlywheels: MerchRods: MerchPistons: MerchCylinders: MerchHeads: MerchCam: MerchCarb: MikuniIgnition: MerchPipes: Martin Brothers
TransmissionYear/Type: '03/BakerCase: BakerGears: BakerClutch: PrimoPrimary Drive: Solitek Evil Eye
Frame/SuspensionYear/Type: '03/Diamond RigidRake: 40-DegreesStretch: 6 Up And 2 OutForks: Mid-Usa Extension: 12 Inches OverTriple Trees: Diamond 6-Degree