A fine example of this thinking is our feature bike Dirty Sanchez with its roots based on a tired Buell Lightning X1 that was just taking up space around George’s shop. “It was really ugly, dripping oil all over the place,” says George. “I was like, ‘Let’s build something out of it, something for the shop.’ ” So it was that one more Buell became reincarnated as a cool custom that takes a licking and keeps on ticking. “With a motor making just under a hundred horse and weighing around 400 pounds, it’s gonna move you along pretty good,” says George.
Choosing a frame sets the whole tone for a build, and a single-downtube rigid from Twisted Choppers with a mild rake of 41-degrees and a 2” stretch fit exactly what George had in mind. He wanted a West Coast feel to it with a touch of retro and good road manners. A set of two-inch shorter DNA springer forks filled the bill and grasp a 16” spoked wheel with a stout Avon MT90 wrapped around it. In sharp contrast to this Old School look is an 18” Ride Wright Fat Daddy radial-laced 50-spoke wheel mounted in back sporting a reasonably hefty 240 Avon, but there’s a good reason for its use. “I bought it on eBay, bought it cheap. We had the frame made to suit that tire and wheel,” says George. Showing off those fat spokes is courtesy of a V-Twin Manufacturing Edart caliper/ sprocket setup working with a Performance Machine 4-piston caliper up front.
Overhauling the 1203cc mill stopped those pesky leaks and involved a few goodies to make sure it ran well. Throwing in a set of Wiseco pistons in conjunction with an Andrews cam and Crane Hyperfire ignition made sure any hidden horses in the stock motor were rounded up and sent out the which way do they go? pipes. After treating them to a barbeque paint finish, they were covered in a copper header wrap and have a small, but practical heat shield George made. Musclecar freaks might recognize the air cleaner on the 42mm Mikuni as a GTO Tri-Power reproduction that was part of a trio George had pulled off a ’65 to install the original ones. Directly opposite this filter is a hand shifter with a clutch lever thoughtfully mounted on it for ease of jockeying-about. “It worked out really easy, just finding the right cable,” he says. “With the mid-controls (he made) it was easier to go up that way.”
Continuing the theme of using parts he already had to keep the build cost in line also extended to the bike’s tin. “I had an old Sportster tank laying around, cut it up, frenched in the gas gauge, and made something out of it as I was trying to make this bike as cheaply as possible,” says George. Ditto for the fender. A Chaos Cycle signature side-mount oil tank holds a decent 2.5 quarts while looking industrially cool doing it. Not being a fan of high maintenance paint or chrome, George had Island Powdercoating cover everything but the tank and fender, which were painted low maintenance flat black. The reach from the upside-down Chica Z-bars to the mountain bike shocked seat covered in cowhide by Mitch King Leather is kinda racy, but that’s how George likes it. “I’m used to tearing it up through the corners, it rails right through them” he says. “It’s a shop beater, but I hate to use that word.”
Builder: George Stinsman
Chaos Cycle
After Long Island’s Bridgehampton Race Circuit was shut down to make way for one more much-needed golf course, George Stinsman lost his outlet for a two-wheeled speed fix and started “tearing it up on the streets.” Trouble soon followed and he knew he had to get a new interest or else. “I’ve always been into building hot rods and restoring musclecars,” says George. “I always said I wanted to build myself a bike and seven years ago I built my first one, a Paramount framed custom.” After working on bikes out of garages and a friend’s dirt bike shop, six months ago he decided to take the plunge and opened Chaos Cycle, in Mastic, New York. He’s teamed up with his wife Dee as a working partner. “She’s 100% behind me,” says George.” Dee sees the reaction that I get at shows. She’s always supported me.”
With the custom world in a state of chaos of its own, George has wisely chosen to not be a one-hit mega custom wonder, but has a full service repair and accessories business catering to riders who can get a simple oil change, the latest in accessories, or the ground up custom they’ve always wanted. Taking his years of experience in building and restoring cars (including building the first Eleanor Mustang for the latest Gone in Sixty Seconds movie from a kit supplied by the movie company) and turning his talents to creating custom motorcycles was a natural thing for him. “When I was younger, I played with welders all day,” he says. Working with a customer is important, but he has a New Yorker’s strong feelings about how things should be. “I tell every customer, you gotta ride it, but I gotta be happy with it. I will not build something I’m not proud of,” says George. Check out www.chaoscycle.com or call 631-714-4102 for more info.
This bike feature originally appeared in Barnett’s Magazine issue #60, March 2008.
SPECIFICATIONS | |
---|---|
Owner: | Chaos Cycle |
Year/Make: | 2001 Buell Lightning X1 |
Fabrication: | George Stinsman |
Assembly: | George Stinsman/Sal Sciabarrasi |
Build time: | One month |
Engine: | 2001 1203cc Buell X1 |
Cases/ flywheel/ rods: | Buell |
Pistons: | Wiseco |
Cylinders/ heads: | Buell |
Heads: | Buell |
Cam: | Andrews |
Ignition: | Crane Hyperfire |
Carb: | Screamin’ Eagle |
Pipes: | Chaos Cycle |
Air Cleaner: | ’65 GTO Tri-Power repro |
Transmission: | 5-speed Buell |
Primary: | Buell |
Clutch: | Barnett |
Frame: | Twisted Choppers/ Chaos |
Rake: | 41-degrees |
Stretch: | 2″ |
Forks: | DNA |
Fork length: | -2″ |
Front Wheel: | 16″ spoked DNA |
Rear Wheel: | 18″ Ride Wright Fat Daddy |
Front Tire: | MT90x16 Avon |
Rear Tire: | 250×18 Avon |
Front Brake: | Performance Machine |
Rear Brake: | V-Twin Manufacturing |
Fuel/oil tank: | Chaos Cycle |
Fenders: | Chaos Cycle |
Handlebars: | Chica Z-bars |
Risers: | Harley |
Headlight: | Alloy Art |
Taillight: | Easyriders, Inc. of Japan |
Hand Controls: | Performance Machine |
Grips: | Arlen Ness |
Foot Controls: | Chaos Cycle |
Electrical: | Chaos Cycle |
Painter: | Ian Morton and Mike Wong |
Color: | Flat black |
Molding: | Chaos Cycle |
Seat: | Mitch King Leather |
Special thanks to: | The under ground metal known as New York Hardcore that drives us, and my wife Dee |