A feeling of nostalgia is one of the first responses evoked by any one of Hank Young's bikes. His sentimental two-wheeled creations combine the spirits of our motorcycle and automotive heritage, often taking us back to some earlier time. Most of Hank's bikes have parts from eras we may not have experienced ourselves, yet somehow we get a sense of that time period just by looking at them. Nostalgic hints, vintage appeal, and a mixture of the past and present, effortlessly woven into one-that's Young Choppers.
But if you were to ask Hank what his bikes are best known for, you'd get a simpler explanation: car parts. Old American car parts are incorporated into virtually all of his choppers. Hank's penchant for American iron comes from his roots in the automotive industry, not to mention being raised in a motorcycle and rodder family. Naturally, he became interested in both the two- and four-wheeled worlds; he even started out as a hot rod custom car builder-until he decided to build bikes instead. When Hank doesn't have a part for a chopper, he takes a car part and modifies it to fit the bike.
This bike, as with most of Young's chops, combines old car parts with technical innovations, yet it sets itself apart from many of his other builds in one important regard: free rein. Owner Brad Coldiron gave unrestricted bike-building liberty to Hank, and "basically gave me a blank check and said 'surprise me,'" according to Hank. He added, "My favorite bikes are my own personal bikes because I can do whatever-the same reason this bike turned out to be one of my favorites."
There are usually one or two customer specs to fulfill with a Young build, whether it's the motor or paint job, but this bike was completely dreamed up by Hank. "I mixed a vintage bike with 21st-century brakes and motor, and then added a green and orange paint job like the factory race bikes of the '30s," he said. In keeping with the latest powerplants, he decided on a 93ci '05 S&S Evo fitted with an S&S Super E carb and Young Air Horn air cleaner. A set of custom-made straight exhaust pipes finished off the motor.