It seems that most projects based on a LOWLIFE frame feature graceful, swooping bodywork and a cool slammed lead sled look. That’s how this bike started until Brad walked into his shop one day as he was half-way through building it for Brian Kocelansky and chose to head in a new direction. “I decided I’m not doing the same old Legend bike that everybody else builds,” said Brad. “I called the guy who owned it and told him I needed to talk with him about the bike. I wanted it to look racy and light. Brian said, ‘Whatever you want to do.’ So I sold off all the parts I had already made and started over. I wanted the bike to look pissed off and fast, even when it was sitting in a parking lot.”
Independent’s LOWLIFE frame gets its long and low look from a 7” stretch and a 40-degree rake with 3-degrees added in the trees. It’s got the lines that turn heads. Brad simplified the frame by changing the twin down tubes to a single one that splits and cradles the engine. Originally a Goldammer fork was installed, but this was exchanged for a Perse Performance narrow glide fork featuring more than just the obvious features of a hidden axle and beautiful tapered legs. It’s fitted with Race Tech internals giving it ride and handling characteristics to kill for once you’ve experienced it. Brad decided to swap out the Legend Air Suspension for Sweden’s world-renowned Ohlins shocks. Besides the handling advantage, Brad hoped to simplify things by eliminating the compressor and air lines, but it was far from a bolt-in. Because of the Ohlins larger size and geometry, he had to cut the shock mounting tabs off, re-machine and weld them back on, and notch the oil tank that’s stealthily mounted underneath the transmission.
Brad should have put David Bowie’s song Changes on a continuous loop on this build as owner Brian joined in and decided to toss his already bought PM Vader wheels after laying his eyes on PM’s Widowmakers. That’s a very expensive change, but Brad had more changes in store for Brian when he took those beautifully polished wheels and powdercoated them black. “It was a ballsy move to take his $4,000 wheel set and powdercoat them black,” said Brad. “He was a little shocked at first, but he loves ‘em now.” Adding to the circular blackness is a set of Metzelers covering the 21” front wheel and a buff 280 x 18 rear. A large 13” floating rotor with a 6-piston PM caliper handles stopping duties up front while the rear mounts a sexy sportbike-style wavy rotor grabbed by a 4-piston unit. Strong stuff indeed, but there’s a good reason for this capability.
You can’t have a racy bike without a racy motor to back it up and R&R Cycles, Inc. of Manchester, New Hampshire, makes engines that never have to say they’re sorry. Brad installed one of their 139” monsters that dynos at 160rwhp with 150ft-lbs of torque. Seems racy enough for this relatively lightweight bike. “The motor’s awesome, it’s so smooth,” said Brad. An S&S Super D carb with three Thunderjets sucking unfettered air through a Zippers velocity stack quenches the 139’s thirst for the highest octane available. Brad built a set of stepped stainless pipes to dump the Crane HI-4 torched remnants of 160 horses. A Independent stretched, open primary with a Primo lock-up connects to a Baker 6-speed tranny which turns a massive 630 chain with a sprocket almost the size of the wheel. Brad had to re-work the chain-side swingarm just to accommodate it. Acceleration rivals an aircraft carrier’s catapult capability. “It’ll tear your arm off, but still cruises nice at 70,” said Brad. “It’s killer at high speeds.” The unusual for a custom, blue anodized GPR steering damper mounted on top of the tree ensures that it won’t be a killer at speed and doesn’t affect low speed handling.
Brad replaced his original, long arching tank with what he considers a racier one. “The tank tilting down forward gives it that edgy look, just going fast sitting there,” said Brad. The gusseted rear fender Brad made completes the bodywork and Scott Franks covered everything in pearl blue with a grey coat on the raised side panels of the tank. The #1 graphics were done by Stroudsburg, PA’s famed pinstriper, Pooch.
Brad made the low, forward mounted bars with PM Contour controls and Independent mid-mounted foot controls make for a sporty riding stance. “It’s a young man’s bike, ‘cause you lay down on the bike,” said Brad. “Would you want to sit up, feet forward, with a bike with a 139” motor?” Duane Ballard made the seat with CCF’s logo on it. An Alloy Art headlight looks ready for night moves and Brad fabbed the chainstay mounted taillight/plate unit.
No Bull was a turning point says Brad, “Going into a build with an idea, I’m open to anything now. If I don’t like the way something’s going, I’m gonna change it.”
Builder: Brad James, James Custom Cycle
Brad James is a nut. No, not the crazy kind. “I’m a car nut, a truck nut, a motorcycle nut, just a customs nut in general,” explains Brad. When he was born, his dad bought his uncle’s garage and Brad says, “I basically grew up in a garage.” Apparently it was a good thing, as he learned how to hop up and customize anything with wheels. He started doing his motorcycle stuff on the side in the mid-90s, finally opening James Custom Cycle Fabrications in 1997 doing customs and not anything else. “We don’t do anything with cars here, it’s 100% motorcycles,” said Brad. Kind of a pity after perusing his twin ’67 Novas, which like his customs, feature first class work and detail with performance to knock your socks off. Checking out the high performance parts he uses, you can’t help but notice he may come into the custom world from a different background than most. “People often ask me if I have a sportbike background. I say yeah, that’s what I started out riding. I built some really radical turbo bikes and stuff and I guess it shows,” said Brad. Now he’s trying to supplement his builds with a parts line, “I’m trying to build my parts and cater to the guys like me, not the millionaire guys,” said Brad. If owning a real high performance cool looking custom that loves triple-digit speeds makes your palms sweat and your knees wobble, contact Brad James at www.jamescustomcycle.com or chat live at 570-820-9700.
This bike feature originally appeared in Barnett’s Magazine issue #53, Jan-Feb 2007.
SPECIFICATIONS | |
---|---|
Bike Name: | No Bull |
Owner: | Brian Kocelansky |
Year / Make: | 2005 James Custom Cycle |
Fabrication: | James Custom Cycle |
Assembly: | James Custom Cycle |
Build time: | 1 year |
Engine: | 139″ R&R |
Cases: | R&R billet |
Flywheels: | R&R |
Rods: | Carillo |
Pistons: | R&R |
Cylinders: | Randy Torgeson |
Heads: | R&R billet |
Cam: | R&R |
Carb: | S&S Super D with 3 Thunder Jets |
Pipes: | Brad James |
Air Cleaner: | Zippers velocity stack |
Transmission: | Baker 6-speed RSD |
Primary: | Independent Cycle stretched with Primo lock up |
Clutch : | Primo |
Frame: | Independent Cycle Low Life/ James Custom Cycle |
Rake: | 40-degrees |
Stretch: | 7″ |
Forks: | Perse with Race Tech internals |
Rear Suspension: | Ohlins |
Front Wheel: | 21″ PM Widowmaker |
Rear Wheel: | 18×10.5 PM Widowmaker |
Front Tire: | 21″ Metzeler |
Rear Tire: | 280 Metzeler |
Front Brakes: | PM 6-piston, 13″ floating rotor |
Rear Brakes: | 4-piston with wavy 11.5 disc |
Fuel Tank: | Two hand-made tanks/ Brad James |
Fenders: | Brad James |
Handlebars: | Brad James stainless/ notched for GPR steering stabilizer |
Headlight: | Alloy Art 5 3/4″ |
Taillight: | James Custom Cycle stainless |
Hand Controls: | PM Contour black |
Foot Controls: | Independent Cycle mid mounts |
Electrical: | Rob Purvis |
Painter: | Scott Franks |
Color: | Pearl blue/ grey |
Graphics: | Pooch did the #1 on the side plates |
Molding: | Mike Venchak |
Seat: | Duane Ballard/ Brad James |
Special thanks to: | Brian Kocelansky |