Stampede Bike to Proper Chopper

     I used this bike for Stampede 9 and 10. After Stampede 10, the last Stampede, I changed up a few things to make the bike what I wanted from the beginning. I kept a few things so that in a couple of hours, I could change the bike back into a cross country racer.

     With the Stampede ended, it is unlikely that I will ride this bike back to the east coast again...but...I might.

My Stampede Bike, Done

 My Stampede bike is ready to go. 

My Stampede Bike for 2015, Paint

     I decided that I wanted to paint the bike myself and I wanted a high quality paint job, a high quality "rattle can" paint job. I don't have a paint gun or compressor and I've never done any automotive quality painting. So I started...
     I know a few of the basics. First get the metal as straight as possible and as clean as possible. I used a self etching primer and a sanding primer over that. For the fender I sanded the primer until any imperfections were filled. I wet sanded with 500 grit and 1200 grit, on the theory that the better the primer coat finish the better the final coat finish.

      I decided not to pull the engine to paint the frame so I masked it off and primed. I used a chassis paint for the frame, fender struts, seat mountings and other hardware. It has a good semi-gloss finish and, I hope, is extra tough. 
     For the fender I used Rust-Oleum gloss black automotive enamel. I had a couple of ideas about how to do a good rattle can paint job that were wrong, but after a couple of restarts, I got the paint on the fender and after 48 hours curing time, I wet sanded, very lightly, with 1200 grit just to knock off any orange peal. 
     I used Turtle Wax Polishing Compound and a small random orbital polisher, which brought the paint to a high gloss. 

     I sent the oil tank to Custom Coating in Ukiah. They used a chrome powder coat with a clear top coat. I am very  pleased with the finish.

     I put everything back together, I think it looks pretty good and I'm a lot more comfortable with what it takes to do a good paint job.

My Stampede Bike for 2015, Fabrication

     After tearing the bike apart, I took it to Paul Arvin at J.F.R. to weld on the hard tail section. 

Paul also fabbed the brake mount between the frame rails, seat mount, fender struts and oil tank mounts. In other words just about all the fab was Paul's work. I wanted it done right.

                             I know the seat looks a little out of scale it's the Mustang seat I used I used last year. It is large but proven comfortable. I'll change it for something more chopperish after the Stampede.

     The hard tail section is T.C. Bros, the fender and oil tank are Ledsled. I got the air bag for the seat from McMaster Carr. I used the same air bag for the 2013 Stampede and it worked well. Paul's contact info is J.F.R. Chopper Shop, 40 Maxwell Ct., Santa Rosa, California (707) 548-1839 
     Next comes paint.

My Stampede Bike for 2015, The Tear Down

     One of the things I learned from Stampede 9 was that a belt is far better than a chain. The chain needed constant adjustment, caused vibration and threw chain lube all over the place. So I decided to loose the kick starter and go with a belt drive.

     I ordered a TC Bros weld on hard tail, the price was right and it is well built. I chose a 2" stretch hard tail which uses the stock tire and a 137 tooth belt.

     So the red Sportster began it's new life, I started to tear it down to install the new hard tail section.

    

My Stampede Bikes

    

      My first Stampede was #7 in 2012. The race started in Barstow, California and finished 3000 miles later at the Green Leafe Inn in Pine Bluff, North Carolina. I built the Kawasaki (KZ1000p) Police bike for the race.  I strutted the bike and solid mounted the engine. I also sprung the seat and mounted a 3 gallon extra tank.  My time was 49 hours and 51 minutes. I finished 4th.

     For Stampede 8, in 2013, the rules changed and there was a 550 cc limit on engine size. So I sold the KZ and bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 500. 
     I used the struts I made for the previous years KZ1000p and solid mounted the engine. I mounted a trailer fender and made a rack to carry the three gallon gas tank. I also built an air bag seat suspension that worked well. The seat however was too small and hard and caused no end of discomfort. The bike looked a little more like a chopper even though it was still more of a rule beater.
     Stampede 8 started in Tokeland, Washington. The route covered 3600 miles to Pinebluff. I had electrical problems and did not finish. 
     I still make it to Pinebluff, too late, but I still got there.

     For Stampede 9, in 2014, the rules changed again and required a kick starter and allowed only 5 gallons of gasoline on the bike. I found a 2002 Sportster and added a kick starter made by Led Sled. The main tank held 3.3 gallons and I installed a axillary tank that held 1.5 gallons.

     Stampede 9 started in Oakland, California and covered 3200 miles the long way to Pine Bluff. I finished 2nd, just 23 minutes out of first place.

     My plan was to strut the bike for Stampede 9 and build a propper chopper for Stampede 10. For a time I vacillated, maybe the bike was too nice to cut up, but in the end I told myself to stick to the plan. I'll be writing about the "chop" in the near future.

     To read more about The Stampede click at the bottom of the page on - Labels: The Stampede.