50 From Hot Rods to Hot
Harleys
Lil’ John’s Big Project.
-by Brenda Buttner
54 Arlen Ness Strikes Again
A Glide that soars.
76 Inventing ATK
Made in Utah.
86 Masterful Miniatures
Delicate details.
-by Kirk Bell
92 A Model Museum
Small-scale scuderia.
-by Joe Parkhurst
SPECIAL SUPER
STANDARDS SECTION
34 Mean Green
ZR Lawson Replica.
-by Peter Egan
38 Viva 19
Just like Fast Freddie’s.
-by Allan Girdler
42 Super Monster
Beastly beautification.
-by Steve Anderson
46 Yellow Peril
CIV'S Big Stick.
-by Matthew Miles
72 ATK 605 Dual Sport
Street-legal dirt Thumper.
60 Bargain Hunters
Kawasaki Ninja 500 vs. Suzuki Katana
600 vs. Suzuki GS500E vs. Yamaha
FZR600 vs. Yamaha Seca II.
56 Thor Explore Gear
MX alternative.
57 Harley-Davidson
Motorcycle Care System |
Gas buster. £
2
71 Dainese Set Gloves
For hands on the go. c____
Kev-Co/Stubbs 5100 *
Kidney Belt
Guarding your girth.
EZZHACTTmtch IZZZJ
94 Making Good
John Kocinski back on track.
-by Jon F. Thompson
F COLUMNS
12 UPFRONT
Higher standards.
-by David Edwards
14 LEANINGS
Should you buy a German bike?
-by Peter Egan
16 TDC
Class struggles.
-bv Kevin Cameron
20 Letters
22 New Ideas
24 Roundup
120 Service
28 CW Showcase
130 Slipstream
IF THERE WERE A CUSTOMIZING COMPETITION IN THE
Olympics, Arlen Ness would surely carry home
more gold (or would it be chrome?) than anyone
else. Using an agile and active imagination-and lots of
built-from-scratch parts-the acknowledged King of Customs
has been muscling motorcycles into the shape and style of
his dreams for 25 years now.
“Extensively modified,” is how Ness describes his bikes,
but anyone who has seen the Big Red Bike, The Sled or
Two Bad knows that’s an understatement. His customs may
have Harley engines at their rich, rumbling hearts, but
there’s no doubt Ness gives them their body and soul.
A recent experiment at Ness’ shop in San Leandro,
California, is no exception. For this custom, the designer
decided to use a new Harley Dyna Glide frame, instead of
the FXR Low Rider frames he usually prefers, as the foun-
dation for a flight of fancy. “It was a fun project,” Ness
says. “The frame is nicer to work with than the FXR in
some ways.”
Nicer, perhaps, but certainly not easier. Before he even
thought about sculpting one of his motorcycle masterpieces
on the ’92 Dyna chassis, Ness knew he needed to do some-
thing about its seat height. “On a stock Dyna, you feel
you’re sitting on top of the motorcycle,” he explains. “The
real Harley feel-what people like about them-is that you sit
right in ’em.”
He tackled the rear end first, chopping it and sliding the
rear subframe 2 inches down the backbone of the frame.
Next, Ness took on the front end. It was lowered and then
stretched 2 inches, with about 5 extra degrees of rake
thrown in for good measure.
Once this lower silhouette was in place, Ness could finally
start engraving the famous Arlen autograph on the Dyna,
using custom parts he billet-machined. From front fender to
taillight, the bike is almost all Ness parts.
But the man who has found success in excess decided to
tone it down this time. The Glide’s slung-back sleekness
doesn’t come with a second set of bodywork, as one of his
recent creations, The Sled, does. Nor is it a four-carbed,...
And much more!
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