Feb 8 2010
Busch Bros. latest far east inspired chop
- 12
After seeing Lance riding the hell out of his Tokyo thug chop, I got re-inspired to get chopping on my own XS. I’ve been a fan of Shinya Kimura’s samurai style for many years now, so I just hd to goose neck the frame.
Here are some very (VERY) rough in progress shots just to keep you posted. Stay tuned for more!
Busch Bros.
Danny
Sick start Danny. You guys are pretty busy. It looks like you have a pretty sweet shop setup. That front rim is a really good score. I have been keeping my eye out for a front drum break setup for sometime.
I can see it now and that stance is nice
Thanks for the kind words guys! We do manage to stay pretty occupied. Ted, the front wheel is actually a composite that we made up with a rear hoop off a ’71 Suzuki Titan and the front drum off a ’71 XS. It’s just in mockup right now, because the spokes for both the XS and Titan aren’t really right, so I have to measure up and do some math to get the right spokes. But I wanted to get that equal size front and back look, so it’s worth the trouble. When we were putting it together, I can’t tell you how many times I heard “You know how to lace a wheel?!?!” “Well, not really, but I’m willing to try anything once…”
Wow – thats a nice gooseneckframe!
Just do the rest like Shinya would do, cause hes something like god…or so, hehe.
Can´t wait to see some updates.
we’re working now on making the slugs for the splices. The top and now single down tube are 1 5/8, mating that to the stock frame is going to leave a little dip where it meets but it will be covered by the tank. There’s also another curved brace not shown coming off where the original engine top brace was that meets up with the downtube. The neck is now 39 degrees. Can’t wait to get this welded up to move on to the hard tail!
Got the slugs made, and am working on tacking up the front part of the frame. Without a real frame table, we’re using a carefully leveled lift, and measuring everything five times, welding once (well, maybe three times, heheh). Also, picked up some 16″ harley wires for a decent price, and they’re in much better shape than the old Yamaha hoops. And we got a lead on a girder front end from an Indian. It’s sunny and springlike in here in Seattle, and I don’t have a chop, ARGH!
when we getting an update with pics!
I agree with Reeb
Sorry for the delay, Lance and I were in a mad thrash getting my Suzuki Titan ready for Bonneville. Didn’t quite get it race legal, but was fun riding on the salt. the XS is coming along. Frame tacked, now playing with tank ideas
Pics later…
Love the neck, I’m also big fan of Shinya Kimura. His philosophy of letting the bike tell him the shape is real Zen-like. My wife has caught me several times staring at my project on the lift, when she asks what I’m lookin at, I say, “Not looking, listening for the bike to tell me what’s next.” She looks at me with that slightly indulgent gaze that women reserve for the men they love but don’t always understand.
Joe, I know exactly what you mean. That’s pretty much how me and Lance build things. We just kind of stare the pile of parts and metal, and listen, and things just happen. Call it divine inspiration, tapping into the great chopper chi, or whatever. You gotta let the machine tell you what it wants to become!
We’re designing the girder front right now, figuring how to get around the massive fatty front tire, but not big wide triples, etc. And we’re also considering a move to a more sunny locale than the PNW, so that’s sucking away our build time. But once we get it in a state that looks like it can roll, we’ll show it to y’all
i like the frame mods