Many interesting challenges surfaced for the crew during its build. They dug the frame for its flowing lines and curves, but it made creating functional jigs much more difficult. When it came time to fuel this baby, they wanted a tank that was different yet not too busy, so they handmade an aluminum one. The inverted handlebars almost didn't happen. Both the internal throttle and internal clutch required small pulleys for running the cables around nearly impossible corners. "Finding clearances from between the triple-trees and over the tank sucked," Dave said. The exhaust, with its reverse angles and corkscrew shape, was another component that bore the brunt of many hours. But they kept on keeping on. An intake complements the bike's lines, wrapping itself around the bike and settling over the Twin Cam 88ci engine. Speaking of the motor, the crew decided to install it from the bottom of the frame to make installation easier and faster, as well as to decrease the chances of scratching the paint.
If you've been following along, Pointless was built to make a point and possess meaning, and also to defy the literal definition of the word. Lots of points have been integrated into this bike-how many, we'll soon let you know. From the triple-trees to the foot controls, sharp ends pop up almost everywhere. Even the exhaust covers maintain the points theme that is seen throughout the bike. The rear points of the swingarm house both the brake lights and turn signals.
While much of building Pointless was never an easy task for the crew, in the end the key to making the bike work wasn't just in the details. "It's how everything works together to bring another Tempest creation into existence," Erick said. So just how many points did Tempest make? Figuratively speaking, we'll let you decide, but in mathematical terms, 23 and counting.