The Helen Bike got some new details worked out. Even though this bike was basically finished in 2013, details like the tank badges and front fender edge were left undone. Since the badges for the Flaquita bike were being cut by Master Engraver Wade Oliver Wilson, of Mansfield, Texas, the Helen badges finally got addressed. The epoxy in the tank appears to have cracked as well, so it was stripped and re-lined, and of course, the rear edge of the fender was done.
These badges were blank for almost a decade. Not sorry I waited.
The aluminum was given a polish while the bike was out.
The work on the rear edge of the front fender entailed adding the rolled edge and blending into the rest of the edge. All this time, it was a raw cut edge, and did not look quite right. Very happy with the result.
Still one of my favorite bikes, simply because it is so comfortable to ride.
The rear wheel uses two deep wheel halves to get the wider wheel. You have to buy two wheels to make one, but it was a way to keep the original appearance and still get a fat rear tire.
Helen out in the violets.
My buddy Brian brought his CRFU50-M in for some maintenance and repair. He rides this bike hard, riding wheelies, taking small jumps, and generally zipping around with THE WOLRD FAMOUS WHEELIE-ING ELVI. It was in sad shape due to a couple of broken teeth on the primary gear.
After the engine was fixed, the front light was given a new custom bracket to replace the original stress-cracked one.
A new rear wheel was put on the bike, and some touch-up on the paint where some dings and scratches were worked out.
The left-hand brake was also repaired, and she is now ready for action.
This build has been on the back burner for too long. Started as a commission, the client was not digging the Rat rod direction the bike was headed, so it stalled out and has been sitting in the shop, generally in the way. I just decided this is the time to finish it, so a number of jobs are getting done to get this bike finished. A combination skid guard/ foot rest/ foot control assembly is just tacked together here. It still has a ways to go, but the basic structure can be seen.
A removable Bates brand sissy bar in front, and an integral rear Harley bitch bar along with the King-Queen seat are right in that early seventies, late sixties vibe. A Cal-Custom barefoot accelerator pedal is repurposed to make the foot brake. As soon as some Heim joints arrive, the brake rod will be built, and it should be functional. A nerf bar bumper is planned. The rear of the seat is supported by a scrap piece of fender (from the FXR project,) with some metal sides added. It makes for a minimal but sturdy support, and supports the seat as it was originally designed to do.
Plenty of space for your feet. The shifter can be foot or suicide shifted.
Still think a taller front would look better, but the steering on these bikes is minimal to begin with, and more rake makes it worse.
Still thinking of my Cox engine power miniature trike. It had big slicks on the back, and a huge Bosozoku- style rear seat. Not exactly what was done here, but it evokes the memory.