Jockey Journal Forum banner

Angry Monkey Motorcycles LONG bike Build thread

71K views 223 replies 45 participants last post by  Rob Axel 
#1 ·
Wait?! What!? A long bike from Angry Monkey Motorcycles? Say it isn't so! Yep, it is for real, and it is also a "unit" bike to boot. This client build has been started for over a year but because of frame delays, outside of my realm of control, it is only now starting in earnest.

The plan is the client flying in, then riding this puppy out to Sturgis THIS June. Ambitious? Yes. Possible? Yes. That is, IF everything else falls into place on time. All I can tell you for sure is that I'm going to give it my best effort. So buckle up and enjoy the ride :D

This is the list of basics features on this bike:
Fully polished 650 bumped to 750 Engine built by Dan at Franz and Grubb
Sugar bear 18" over springer with #2 rockers,
46* degree rake, twin down-tubes, goose-necked, full frame, by Speed Devices
16" rear wheel w/firestone vintage tire,
21" front wheel w/Speedmaster tire and small disc brake (GASP!),
vertical oil tank
AMM saddle.
The rest will have to be figured out as we go, since this is my first Choppa' :D

Here are a few of the parts collected so far...

Donor bike: "tagged" frame, which will be sold off. Titled '70 engine.


18" over Sugar Bear Springer:



OG ARD setup on the right will go on this bike. The aftermarket ARD on left was sent to client for use on one of his other Triumph bikes.


Adam of Speed Devices finishing up the frame. WOOOO-HOOOO!

 
See less See more
6
#107 ·
Long bike update.
Fabricator Kevin made a slick stainless caliper bracket to work with this narrow springer setup.


Fender time. 13 gauge hand spun goodness laid out and ready to cut




All bungs were faced off as necessary so their faces would all recess 1/8" inboard of the plane of the upper and lower frame rails.


The chain guard made, cut and rear mount finished, front mount is yet to be done.


Here is the rear end somewhat put back together with the sissy bar held in position w/magnets. The sissy angle is the same as the downtubes.
 
#111 ·
I didn`t check the progress of this thread for quiet some time. dude! I'm impressed! Cool bike overall with some real nice `n interesting details
Thanks! Hopefully the rest will come together well.

OK, I can live with that sissy bar but need a full shot to confirm.
Haha! Me too! My shop is too narrow for my camera to get a full side pic of this long beast, I tried. I may have to roll it outside for the full effect.

How did you build a long bike that doesn't make the Triumph engine look tiny and lonely? Really nice.
Well, I'm not sure at this point. There will be some nice head steadies in some of the negative space up front, but at this point I'm working to get the tins sorted. And thanks! :D
 
#114 ·
Before I release any bike, I put at least 150 shakedown miles on it. A trip of that length would require an oil change along the way, but nothing an Xpress Lube place couldn't handle. But all that is a mute point as the engine is not built yet (I am not building this engine) so can not be delivered in time for him to make the trip.
 
#115 ·
My bet he likes the ride better.

Of course you have to roll a loooong bike out for a good look. Thats the right time to really study it.
The roll-out will be happening this weekend, so we will see.

Until then, I got a few mundane things wrapped up. I built some head steadies, and since these will be more front and center I decided to make some counter bored bungs for the head steady studs/nuts, and a counter bored and blind bung for the back bone side of things. The angle they point up from the engine is the same as the tappet covers to maintain some continuity of the shapes involved around the engine. The studs are flush with the tops of the nuts and the nuts are just below being flush with the tops of my bungs. More pics will be posted in the next few days.


 
#117 ·
Update!
My band-saw shredded its belt so I was stuck doing not-tins related work this week. I got Fabricator Kevin's very well made caliper bracket installed. For it to work I made two stainless stepped bushings to position the bracket so the caliper would be centered on the rotor. The stay mount was a bit close to the caliper, so I had to die-grind out a recess in the caliper (glad I went with natural alloy finish on the caliper) to clear the heim joint head.




After much research and head scratching, I finally figured out how to put a front fender on this thing that doesn't stick out like a dog's balls. The issue is the HUGE amount of articulation this springer is capable of. With weight on the springer, the wheel STILL has over 5" of potential upward travel before the springs bind. So, mounting the fender on the front or rear legs of the springer would mean a 5"+ gap between the fender and tire....absolutely unacceptable.

So here is the plan.... Make a somewhat matching caliper bracket and brake stay strut for the right side, and mount the fender to it and the caliper bracket on the left. This setup will allow a snug mounted fender that will articulate WITH the wheel instead of in FEAR of it :D
 
#123 ·
Thanks Rob! Necessity is the mother of invention.

Small update...

Since this is my fist real sissy bar, I ended up tweaking how it was bent and mounted to make it appear more symmetrical where it meets the fender, pics will be posted when I get the bike back outside.

The client wanted pocketed mounts on the gas tank, which I agreed would be better than just tabs at the front and back of the tank. So here is the process I used to be sure the pockets were symmetrical, and lined up true across the tunnel.

The first step was to make one long pocket...




I forgot to get a few pictures: welding the blind threaded bungs to the pocket, cutting/trimming the gas tank for the one big pocket, marking the tank lines on the big pocket and cutting it into two small pockets, but I swear I did it :D

Here are the new pockets welded to the bottom of the gas tank.


This is pic of the mount bar on the tank, but not welded to the frame. I made the mount from the backbone to this bar already, Hopefully that will get welded on by the end of this weekend. The rear tab will get a counter bored bung and a corresponding threaded bung in the backbone.


I also got the Biltwell saddle hinge welded to the backbone.
 
#125 ·
Great pocket trick!
Noted
The front braket and brake stay are sweet too

Lester
Thanks Lester!

Small update...

I duplicated the heim strut and brake bracket bushings in stainless for the matching bracket Fabricator Kevin is making to support the right side of the front fender


The gas tank is finally in its final resting place.


To eliminate paint "squish" on the tail of the tank where it bolts to the backbone, I went with a counterbored bung. This way any squish is recessed and hidden. I accounted for a leather washer between the tank bung and the backbone threaded bung so any tank movement won't fatigue the rear tank tab.


The client wants to use Chopper shox on the saddle, but I have read SO many complaints about them, AND he is out of business. Is there a good coil-over/shock saddle combo out there that has a proven track record? Next will be a battery box, pillion pad, and passenger pegs. Here is a pic of how things are filling in...
 
#128 ·
My body guy will mold the welds on the tank nice and tight. I like nice welds as much as the next guy, but most of my clients are after a more finished, streamlined look. The welds on the frame won't get molded, they will just get powder coated.

So I guess he decided to go with that tank... I know it sounds weird but it does fit that frame...
That tank fits the frame like a glove! It appears to be well made and symmetrical too. Thanks again for that!

After searching high and low, I couldn't find any passenger pegs that looked right, were the right size, or were made well enough to fill the bill. So I turned these last night to closely match the Joker Machine ones up front.

 
#135 ·
Haha! Be patient, I'll get to it soon enough :D

This bike is really coming together nicely. I am not a big fan of coffin/prism tanks but this one is perfect for this build. Nice work. Have you decided on a color yet?
Same. I also am not a fan of angular things, but it seems to work on this long thing. The client wants the same blues as "Gonzo". As for the design, he has given me carte blanche. My painter will love that!

I hope your client has long hair, because he's going to be rocking this freedom chopper. I'd have to wear a wig.
Lookin great Dan.
Ha! Word to the mothership! This will be the first long bike I've ridden with proper rake/trail, so I'm pumped to ride it too.

Aren't Sharpies great!? Better eat that banana though before it goes off in the Mississippi heat!
I do love some sharpie! And that banana is actually a T-handle allen driver :D I did try eating it, but ended up chipping a tooth. :p

And a "First Fire-Up" video too.....haha.
I love this build!!! - my favorite on JJ - Dave.
You are too kind! I hope it come together in the end.

great work Dan, as always i'm trigered do build after seeing your work :) //Janne
Well, get out to the shed and get to work! :D Inquiring minds want to see what you are up to.

Banana ?.. nah I go my money on a handel for something... pliers maybe
Correct! No banana! T-handle allen driver.
 
#136 ·
You wont want to admit it at first. That is perfectly normal, you'll go through denial and tell everyone "it was ok". Then it will slowly, at first, grow. The seed was planted....

You will find yourself smiling and chuckling over thoughts of how fun it was. All the other bikes will sorta lack something. That will be sad at first. It will be ok. The solition is more long bike.... just like more cowbell.

Sorry
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top