The big news this year: Custom Cafe Commandos!!!!!!!
The response from the red and yellow tank bikes was extreme! Want one? Email us!
The shortline and longline platform bikes are still available (see the pix in the galleries).
Forced to go to wordpress…….
My apologies. Until I can get a better website, MS has forced everyone into this WordPress thing.
In MC news I’ve picked up a 68 Atlas and have it running! It’s got a Manx seat on it and I’m modifying an alloy tank I made a while back to fit on it. It looks the biz! I’m also seemingly working on my straight flush of unit Triumph 650’s. All I’m missing are a 63, 64, 74, 75 and an E model. Any leads?
UNTIL I GET THIS SORTED, PICTURES ARE AT: http://www.manxmc.smugmug.com/
If there’s anything to be liked about this forced rework of my website, it’s the theme! I kinda like the “well-loved service manual” look!
SEMA was a blast! If you have the credentials to attend, I highly recommend it!
BBQ August 28th
Greetings fellow gearheads!
If you haven’t heard already, I thought I’d better get the word out on the BBQ on august 28th at my lair just past Conifer on 285. It’ll be a tinker party kinda thing, very laid back with a bunch of people from other clubs and interests. I’ll clear off the bike lifts and open the garage for your wrenching pleasure. If anyone knows of a band that’ll play cheap let me know! I thought I’d ask Brett Michaels but he’ll probably be dead again……..
I’ll fire up the grill and buy some bratz n’ burgers. Bring whatever else you’d like including alky.
Bring whoever as long as they’re cool.
1 PM till whenever, Email me here for directions.
Cheers! Nick
x75triumph@hotmail.com
www.manxmc.com
If you haven’t heard already, I thought I’d better get the word out on the BBQ on august 28th at my lair just past Conifer on 285. It’ll be a tinker party kinda thing, very laid back with a bunch of people from other clubs and interests. I’ll clear off the bike lifts and open the garage for your wrenching pleasure. If anyone knows of a band that’ll play cheap let me know! I thought I’d ask Brett Michaels but he’ll probably be dead again……..
I’ll fire up the grill and buy some bratz n’ burgers. Bring whatever else you’d like including alky.
Bring whoever as long as they’re cool.
1 PM till whenever, Email me here for directions.
Cheers! Nick
x75triumph@hotmail.com
www.manxmc.com
I don’t want to go on the cart!
I just heard that there’s a group of people that apparently think I’m dead. At least that was the rumour I heard. One person was genuinely surprised when I answered my phone. As Sam Clemmons once said, "Rumours of my demise are greatly exaggerated!" I can attest with reasonable certainty that I’m pretty sure I’m not dead. Unless I am.
Another rumour is that the 800 Triton pictured above is for sale by my jubilant widow. No. It isn’t. I am however going to finally finish the tank seaming (sanding the edges).
In reality based news, a gasket set and freshly bored jugs have materialized on the bench. Those bits are for the 77 1000cc ironhead Harley motor I’m putting together for my next Bonneville racer. This frame will be stainless and should survive the salt better than the 4130 frames I’ve done so far. 304 Stainless is still plenty strong for a double loop frame with the engine as a stressed member. Wish me luck on mitring the tubes for the headstock without workhardening everything to death.
If you’re going to partake of the salt this year, let me know how the course is. I’ll probably skip it this year. I’m shooting for the Isle of Man this spring.
Onward and upward
Much ado about nothing as it turns out………… Moving on…………
Given the economy and a significant lifestyle change, I’m scaling back operations, but not going away.
- Hydroforming research and development will go on. If anyone knows of a good patent attorney, please contact me. It’s time.
- Frame building will go on.
- Bonneville racing will go on, but probably not this year.
- Hinckley twin and triple kit development continues.
If you’d like a high end cafe racer built with a custom featherbed frame built to your measurements and specs. Contact me. Sorry, no more restos or projects.
I need to see if Mike Seate is still interested in a writeup for Cafe Racer magazine http://www.caferacermag.com/. It’s a great read! Check it out!
Oh, and the new pix? Those are Rex McCandless’s original jigs for the featherbed frame! See the full article at http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/.
Tank production, a featherbed Harley and the slimline Thunderbird
Tank production runs have started! Due to the overwhelming response from everyone at Bonneville speedweek and around the world, I’m going to start keeping these in stock. They’ll be marketed directly and through ebay as they are finished.
And now for something completely different! An ironhead in a featherbed frame. This should be fun! Stay tuned.
I’m finally getting around to working out the details on the 67 slimline with the 60 Triumph 650 twin in it. The forks will be Ceriani 35mm, the tank I’ll make and the seat and oil tank will be Manxish.
Alloy tanks!
So this is my prototype alloy tank! I was motivated to get this started when the caswells lining peeled out of the red fibercrap tank on the bike. Since I killed a few motors due to epoxy leeching out of fiberglass tanks, I didn’t dare risk the 800 motor. The hydroforming press works great on the .080 ally! I was using .040 on the test runs and it really tucked up badly. It was nothing that a lot of english wheeling couldn’t fix, but I liked the durability of the thicker material. The overall weight gain is negligable and I won’t have a nervous breakdown if I drop my keys on it!
As it stands now, I can make a tank top in about 4 hours from cutting the blank to welding the rear seams. It’s the bottom that takes the time! It has to fit the top and the bike. Not easy! The front yoke and bottom sections need some process work. Ultimately it would be preffered to have press molds for those too. So far, total process time is about 4 days without polishing.
The next tank will be for the slimline featherbed Triton I’m building. Either that or the commando cafe I’ll be starting shortly. I suppose I should really focus on a tank for the spine frame bikes. Send me your thoughts! Which do you want first?
Manx motorcycle mfg and fab 