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New tech article

Hi there! We wanted to share an incredible tech article with you that was written by Panhead Jim. He's an expert in the field and his latest piece on changing tires is a must-read for anyone who wants to get their hands dirty in the garage. Even if you think you know all there is to know about the subject, we highly recommend giving it a read. You never know when you might learn a new tip or trick that could come in handy! So, go ahead and check out Panhead Jim's latest article on changing tires. You won't regret it!

Thanks to Panhead Jim and our friends at Shinko for their ongoing support!!

How to Bore and Hone Cylinders By Panhead Jim

Whether you are punching your 883 out to a 1200, or rebuilding a clapped-out Shovelhead, you are going to need your cylinders properly bored and honed. On the surface, the concept of boring and honing cylinders is pretty straightforward, but things get tricky when it comes to the actual execution. To do the job right, you need a variety of expensive machines, precision measuring devices and the knowledge and experience to correctly use them all. Even though it is unlikely that most of you reading this will ever bore and hone your own cylinders, it’s always important to know the proper procedure, so you can ask the right questions when you are looking for a reputable machine shop and be able to give your machinist the right information to do their job. For this article, I traveled down to Bill’s Cycle Salvage in Jacksonville, NC, and let their lead mechanic Dave take me through the entire process.

Back To The Basics: Fork Oil

Article by Panhead Jim - When it comes to changing fluids in your chopper, the engine oil and gear oil get all the glory. People spend hours debating what types are better, how often to change, etc., etc., but when was the last time you thought about changing your fork oil? Although not as critical as the others, fork oil is essential to a properly functioning front end and on a chopper, which is usually your only piece of suspension. Since my chopper project isn’t to the point that it even needs fork oil, I’m going to demonstrate changing the fork oil on my old ’64 Panhead. Read more.

Panhead Jim covers The 30 Second VL Oil Change

Before 1936, Harley-Davidson motors operated using a “total loss” oiling system. This meant that the oil was never recirculated back to the oil tank and instead it just ended up on the ground after going through the motor. It does pass through the primary to keep the primary chain lubed on the way out, but every ounce of oil you pour into the tank eventually ends up as a trail of drops and drips that leave a greasy trail back to your motorcycle.

Even with oil constantly belching out of the motor, the factory service manual recommends that you change the oil about every 750 miles. In my experience you never reach 750 miles between oil changes, especially if you are using modern oil control rings on your pistons. While using oil control rings sounds like a good improvement, it allows oil to build up in the crankcase which you then must drain more frequently since too much oil creates extra drag on the flywheels. Knowing that changing the oil would be a constant maintenance headache, Harley’s engineers did have the foresight to design the crankcase with a built-in drain to make this a quick and easy job. Located on the left rear side of the engine, a spring-loaded oil valve allows you to drain the oil with just the push of a button. Read more.

New Focus Feature by Panhead Jim

When summer finally rolls back around, one thing that everyone enjoys is a good outdoor music festival. What’s better than spending an afternoon hanging out with your friends, downing a few cold beers, and listening to some great music? Well, what if you threw in a bike, van, truck, and car show, just to give you something to look at between bands? Then you are probably going to be hungry and thirsty too, so how about adding some food trucks and breweries to help out? Add to that a few dozen vendors, art, and a burnout contest, and you are starting to get a hint of what the Power and Sound Revival held down in Julian, NC was all about. Read more

Panhead Jim visits Bad Fun Co.

In this post-pandemic world filled with political correctness and an ever-increasing list of rules and regulations, don’t we all deserve a bit of “bad fun”? Now before your minds head to some dark corner trying to figure out exactly what might go on at place called the Bad Fun Company, I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that it’s a shop in Youngsville, NC, that does tattoos and piercings as well as selling a variety of vintage and handmade goods. Owned and operated by the one and only Greg DeHoot, the Bad Fun Company has all your “bad ideas, good times” under one roof.

Read more.

Back to the Basics: Fork Oil

PANHEAD JIM GETS BACK TO BASICS WITH HIS LATEST HOW-TO. CHECK IT OUT HERE!

New Inside Feature!

Take a moment to meet Wes and Madi at Custom Destruction. Big thanks to Panhead Jim for putting this feature together!

New Riding Vintage Gear!

 

Pre-orders run until January 15. You can place your order at https://ridingvintage.bigcartel.com/

On the Road With Panhead Jim

Click here to check out Jim's first-hand account for the Music City Road Run. 

Focus Feature: The Allegheny Road Run

Article and photos by Panhead Jim - When you hear the name "Antique Motorcycle Club of America" what's the first thing that comes to mind? For most of us, the AMCA brings up images of swap meets filled with old motorcycle parts being sold by guys with even older beards. Unless you are a member, what you probably don't realize is that the best-kept secret isn't the swap meets, but the half dozen road runs the AMCA puts on each year across the US. These three-day events are always a great time, whether you come for the scenic roads, the camaraderie, or just the challenge of riding 1,000 miles on a vintage motorcycle in the span of a week. This year, I rode my 64 for panhead up to Ligonier, PA, for the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of the AMCA’s National Road Run. As is always the case with old motorcycles, it was a bit more of an adventure than I expected. Read more.

New Feature on ChopCult.com

The third annual Twin Rivers Chopper Campout is heading your way on Sept. 13th and 14th in Crumpler, NC. ChopCult contributor Panhead Jim gives us the lowdown on chopcult.com and shares imagery from years past. Enjoy!

New Focus Feature: 2nd Annual Backroad BBQ Run

Motorcycles, BBQ, camping, live music, free beer. All five are great on their own, but when you combine them into a weekend long event, you've got one hell of a party. Taking place on the banks of the Trent River down in Eastern, NC, Luke and Ronnie Woolard pulled out all the stops to make this second edition of the Backroad BBQ Run an awesome time for everyone, including that famous Southern hospitality and miles of country roads. Read more.

New Focus Feature: The 3rd Annual Congregation Show

Words and photos by Panhead Jim

I can almost guarantee that if you are reading this article, that you probably grew up hitting bikes shows at local Harley dealerships and independent shops. You remember the ones, where two dozen bikes show up in some parking lot on a Saturday morning, and if you were lucky, there was one cool motorcycle worth checking out. The thing was that one cool bike made the whole event worthwhile, and you probably spent the rest of the weekend talking about it. Now try to wrap your head around an event where there are over 100 motorcycles spread out in a century-old Ford factory, and every single bike is badass.

 Read more.

Upcoming Event: Backroad BBQ Run II

Click here to read Panhead Jim's article focusing on the upcoming Backroad BBQ Run. We want to thank Jim for his help and welcome him to the ChopCult Family.