As I mentioned in my editorial column this month, I have learned and continue to a lot from putting together this magazine. One of those lessons is what it takes to build a bike-it's not as easy as builders make it look. Thankfully, there are many companies out there making builders and home builder's lives easier with their products and catalogs. But always keep in mind that when building a true custom, every part must be custom fit and not everything will go as planned. That said, this is all I accomplished this month
When it came time to properly space the rear wheel and line up the final drive, I knew the chassis was going to have to be secured to the lift, but the wheel was to be removed a couple times and I didn't want the frame to touch the lift. K&L Supply was able to help me out with their new Fat Jack, Baker Drivetrain sent me a crazy 6-in-a-5-speed case transmission that we'll discuss in detail later, a Doherty Machine wheel spacing kit, and J&P Cycles sent out an EK 530 O-ring chain and Motion Pro chain-breaking tool.
 K&L Supply's MC455 Fat Jack...  K&L Supply's MC455 Fat Jack features a non-skid rubber pad on the top, it's 16 inches long, and 10 inches wide-strong enough to lift the heaviest dresser and small enough for easy storage. |  With a closed height of just...  With a closed height of just 3.5 inches, it'll fit under any stock bike and most customs. |  I'm not sure why you'd need...  I'm not sure why you'd need to lift your bike 13 inches with this center jack, but if you ever need to, the Fat Jack will do it. |
 Using a 1/2-inch ratchet and...  Using a 1/2-inch ratchet and a (gasp) metric socket, I raised the rear wheel off the bike lift surface easily with the Fat Jack. |  All hail Baker Drivetrain's...  All hail Baker Drivetrain's transmissions! Baker is always willing to listen to crazy ideas, and they're willing to do custom work involving their products. They built me a six-speed, in a five-speed case, kickstart only, with the starter ear cut off, and a .9-inch offset sprocket (look for a tech article on how they did it in an upcoming issue). I have to admit I wasn't the first to come up with this idea. Bill Dodge was, but I did come up with the idea independently, and found out that Bill beat me to it (dang). |  Installing a trans in a bare...  Installing a trans in a bare chassis is not hard work. I simply lined up the mounting studs with the holes pre-drilled in the Xtreme Cycle Design frame. |
 Next, I spaced the rear wheel...  Next, I spaced the rear wheel by lining up the tire in the center of the frame first. I then tied a string to the steering neck and brought it over the center of the rear tire. This will tell you where the wheel needs to be in the frame. |  Ernie and I shared one of...  Ernie and I shared one of Doherty Machine's Builder spacer kits that included almost every spacer a builder could need for 3/4-inch or 1-inch axles. |  I lined up the final drive...  I lined up the final drive next, making sure there was enough room so the chain (or belt) wouldn't rub against the tire. When working with wider tires, it can be a tight fit. |
 I kept in mind where the spacer...  I kept in mind where the spacer would touch the wheel assembly, at the wheel bearing. Then I measured from the bearing to the inside of the frame axle housing. |  The RC Components rear brake...  The RC Components rear brake caliper mount rides on the axle, but remember to incorporate the caliper mount when spacing the right side of the wheel. |  Once I finished spacing the...  Once I finished spacing the rear wheel and lined up the final drive, I checked my work by pulling the string tied to the steering neck over the rear tire again, and made sure that the chain didn't rub against the tire when attached to the trans sprocket. |
 Because this is a completely...  Because this is a completely custom application, I ordered the longest chain I could from J&P Cycles; an EK Quadra X 530 O-ring chain with a chrome finish. |  Knowing full well that I was...  Knowing full well that I was going to have to shorten the chain to work properly, I also ordered a Motion Pro chain-breaking tool from J&P as well. It features a folding handle for easy storage, it will work on 420 to 530 chains, and the replaceable pin is heat treated for strength and wear resistance. I threaded the chain over the RC sprocket and around the Baker sprocket, pulled the chain as tight as I could, and marked the link I thought should be removed. |  Using a box end wrench while...  Using a box end wrench while holding the handle of the chain-breaking tool, I pushed the riveted pin out of the link. |
 The Motion Pro tool pushed...  The Motion Pro tool pushed the pin out without damaging the chain. I didn't install the master link because I know I'm going to tear down the bike after it is completely mocked up, saving me time later. |  There you have it; the Baker...  There you have it; the Baker trans lined up with the RC rear wheel sprocket and a properly spaced rear wheel. Check back next month when I install the RC calipers! | |