Attention Hot Bike Readers! We would like to start by asking you, the reader, to help us with your ride submissions. There is no shortage of Readers' Rides coming across the editor's desks; however, only about 1/4 of them can be used. The reason: bad photos, little or no info about the bike, and even worse, no contact info to get better photos or the needed bike specs. So before you put a stamp on that envelope or send out that e-mail, make sure that you have filled out the basics: Your name, phone number and/or e-mail, where you're from. Then fill out a spec sheet-all you need to do is copy the info from the magazine: Motor, trans, frame, wheels, and so on. Last, a brief history about you and your bike. Now that you know exactly what we're looking for, we can't wait to see what you're going to send in. Thanks!
Change it Up
Patrick Alberts of Green Bay, Wisconsin, bought this '97 Fat Boy back in 1999 and has been working on it ever since. It started out maroon with gold pin striping on different sheetmetal. Once Patrick was tired of that look he stripped it down to the frame and started over going red with flames, but then got tired of that look as well. This is the third time the bike has been completely re-done from the frame up. With a candy cobalt blue paint and white marbilizer and adding blue metallic flake the colors are very deep blue. Patrick even added skulls using stencils but he did the air brushing around them himself. He is very happy with the way the bike turned out, but he's not sure how long it will stay this way.
Good Ol' Red, White and Blue
John Niswender lives outside of Inman, South Carolina, and wanted to build something different. John has been in the motorcycle industry for more than 40 years and has owned 41 motorcycles. Everything from dirt to street, Honda to Harley, but he wanted to build a bike from the ground up, not some $100,000 show bike that he saw on TV, but something for less then $20,000 that he would do most of the work on to save even more money. He bought a '05 FabTech frame and an 80ci H-D crate motor and started the build. In no time the bike was done and came in under budget with a little help from a few friends. John rides his full custom, home-built bike with pride and feels that he could show the guys on TV a few things.
Necessary Evil
Michael Vollero is from East Haven, Connecticut, and over the past four years he has been building this bike he likes to call Necessary Evil. It all started the day he got his hands on a War Eagle frame along with a 113ci fully polished Ultima motor and six-speed trans. He said it took so long due to the lack of funds he had to spend, but felt it was worth it once it was done he started winning all the bike shows he entered with it. The things that make this bike unique are the 3-D flames on the rear fender, the integrated rear signals and single-sided swingarm. Was it necessary to do all this work? Ask Michael and he will tell you it was a "Necessary Evil."