East Bound And Down
The Japanese operate on a different level than the rest of the world. Somehow they are often able to out “Americanize” the American style of building customs. Kutty Noteboom, owner of Hippy Killer Garage, organizer of the Hippy Killer Hoedown and son of world famous car builder Jim “Bones” Noteboom, knows one, two, or a thousand things about the chopper scene himself. So when Kutty builds a custom that’s bound for Japan, you better bet it’s going to be done right.
More often than not, a project takes on a life of its own after starting with a few spare parts lying around the shop. Kutty explains how this eastbound-and-down chop got started, “The bike started out as a shop bike and something to putt around on. I had the Evo motor sitting for a year when Shige, Goshu, and the fine folks at Mooneyes asked me if I wanted to come to Japan. I said, ‘Of course!’ but that meant I had to finish it and make it look more presentable than originally planned. Mind you, I had the wheels made, frame/engine and it was the end of July with the bike needing to leave in October for Japan.”
Hippy Killer Garage might be well known around the world, but like most working class Joes, it’s a family run and minimally staffed operation making the few months timeframe a bit more difficult than it sounds. “If you don’t know Hippy Killer, it is just me and at the time my friend Justin would help once in a while in the shop. My wife answers the phones sometimes and is there for ‘moron’ support. Other than that, I was trying to get it and two other bikes done, all while putting together parts and shipping shirts and parts to my valued customers. People think if you have a website, you’re running some huge factory.”
After a few short months of hard work, the Evo-powered burner was ready for a shakedown. After coming off the initial testride, Kutty returned white-knuckled, saying, “The bike is a beast and needs a front brake. That’s too much power for a little bike. It also burns up starters if you don’t remember to use the compression releases. Overall, it is a tight, fun little beast. No complaints though. I enjoyed every minute of it. I would like to thank Keith Dean for helping with the molding, Dave Whittle for the paint, Freddy Hernandez for help with the frame, Mark Cooper for the engraving on the headlight and air cleaner, and David O’Hanlon for the rocker boxes.”
For more on this bike visit hotbikeweb.com.
Specifications
General
Owner Kutty Noteboom
Shop Hippy Killer Garage
Website hippykiller.com
Year/Make/Model 1999/Harley-Davidson/Custom
Fabrication Kutty Noteboom
Build Time Six months
Engine H-D
Year/Type/Size 1999/Evo/80-inch
Builder Donnie Leslie
Cases H-D
Cylinders H-D
Heads Branch/H-D dual plug high compression
Rocker Boxes Evo sporty engraved by David O’ Hanlon in Australia
Cams EV3
Throttle Body S&S Super E
Air Cleaner Mooneyes
Exhaust 2-into-1 custom by Hippy Killer
Transmission
Year/Type Ultima six-speed
Gears Stock
Clutch BDL
Primary Drive Stock hacked up
Frame
Year/Type ’70s/Shovelhead
Rake/Stretch 27 +/
Suspension
Frontend Narrow 41 Panhead glide
Length Under stock
Triple Trees 1939 H-D
Wheels, Tires, and Brakes
Front Billet made to look similar to Morris
Builder/Size Some Guy in Pomona/21-inch
Tire/Size Avon Speedmaster/21-inch
Rear
Builder/Size Some Guy in Pomona/18-inch
Tire/Size Coker Diamond/18-inch
Caliper GMA sprotor
Finish/Paint
Manufacturer House of Kolor
Colors Black and Candy Red
Paint/Graphics Paint Dave Whittle/Graphics Japanese maple leafs and lacey undies
Plating/Polishing Superior Plating/Geronimo at USA Metal Polishing
Powdercoating Chrisman Powdercoating Nuevo, CA
Accessories
Rear Fender Front fender off of something?
Gas Tank Modified Mustang by HK/ Oil Tank, Narrowed H-D Softail
Handlebars Drag bars by HK
Footpegs Hippy Killer Red
Hand Controls Biltwell Whiskey throttle, early clutch lever
Foot Controls Mids by HK, brake side modified H-D
Headlight Sand cast shroud
Taillight HK ‘FTW’ taillight
Turn Signals Arms
License Mount Shoestring
Seat Pan by HK, upholstered by Ron Mangus