John Shope’s 2018 Hot Bike Tour Dirtytail
John Shope and Charmin both know how to make a Dirtytail look clean. Shope’s version looks a lot cooler, smells better, and leaves its skid marks on pavement where they belong. All toilet paper humor aside, the three-time Tour champion’s entry for the 2018 GEICO Hot Bike Tour is a damn bitchin’ ride that’s a pretty far cry from the 2015 Harley-Davidson Softail it was born as in the factory.
The idea behind it was to improve the looks and ride of a Softail. Much of the credit for the ride upgrade goes to Dirty Bird Concepts’ in-house Dirtytail suspension conversion, with its custom swingarm and shocks. John’s shop matched the back suspension with its own inverted fork mated to Hawg Halters triple trees. Both ends roll on Ride Wright wheels bristling with spokes.
Sideshow’s Cycles constructed the 103-inch Harley-Davidson V-twin that resides inside the frame. It’s a beauty to look at that sports John’s own El Jefe fishtails and a Performance Machine airbox.
All of this forms the foundation for John Shope’s Tour contender but it’s a far cry from a finished machine. You also need little things like gas tanks, handlebars, and seats unless you really want to up the difficulty factor in riding a motorcycle. He tossed the stock fenders and swapped in his own which were cleaner and more in line with his plan. The old handlebar found itself in the discard pile too, replaced with a set of apes from Khrome Werks. After mock-up, LiquidLuvStudio and Metro Plating took over, laying down red with silver flake paint and sweet, shiny chrome, respectively.
Once the seat from Guys Upholstery was in place, John’s Dirtytail was Tour-ready and off to see and be seen. Which it was, winning John Shope his fourth Tour ring in the process.
Spec Sheet
Shop | John Shope’s Dirty Bird Concepts |
Shop Phone | (623) 465-5263 |
Website | dirtybirdconcepts.com |
Year/Make/Model | 2015/Harley-Davidson/Softail |
Owner | Jeff Davis |
Fabrication | Dirty Bird Concepts/Sideshow’s Cycles |
Build Time | 6 months |
Engine | |
Size | 103ci |
Builder | Sideshow’s Cycles |
Cases | H-D |
Cylinders | H-D |
Heads | H-D |
Rocker Boxes | H-D |
Cams | H-D |
Throttle Body | H-D |
Exhaust | Dirty Bird Concepts El Jefe |
Air Cleaner | Performance Machine |
Transmission | |
Year/Type | 2015/6-speed |
Gears | H-D |
Clutch | Trask Performance hydraulic |
Primary Drive | H-D |
Frame | |
Rake/Stretch | 35° |
Suspension | |
Front End | Dirty Bird Concepts |
Triple Trees | Hawg Halters Inc. |
Swingarm | Dirty Bird Concepts Dirtytail |
Shocks | Dirty Bird Concepts Dirtytail |
Wheels, Tires, & Brakes | |
Front | |
Builder/Size | Ride Wright/26-in. |
Calipers | Hawg Halters Inc. |
Rotors | Ride Wright |
Rear | |
Builder/Size | Ride Wright/18-in. |
Caliper | Hawg Halters Inc. |
Rotor | Ride Wright |
Pulley | Ride Wright |
Finish and Paint | |
Colors | Red w/ silver flake |
Paint/Graphics | LiquidLuvStudio |
Plating/Polishing | Metro Plating |
Powdercoating | Specialty Coatings |
Accessories | |
Front Fender | Dirty Bird Concepts |
Rear Fender | Dirty Bird Concepts |
Gas Tank | H-D |
Dash | H-D |
Gauges | H-D |
Handlebars | Khrome Werks |
Grips | Dirty Bird Concepts Loot |
Mirrors | Arlen Ness |
Hand Controls | H-D |
Foot Controls | Dirty Bird Concepts Loot series |
Floorboards | Dirty Bird Concepts Loot series |
Headlight | Dirty Bird Concepts |
Taillight | Drag Specialties |
Turn Signals | Alloy Art |
License-Plate Mount | Dirty Bird Concepts |
Seat | Guys Upholstery |
Stereo | N/A |
Amp | N/A |
Speakers | N/A |