In the small town of Saline, Michigan, Russ Nieves spends the long winters toiling away in his garage and on his computer creating cool, affordable bikes that he rides the pants off. Yeah riding, after spending all that time in your garage, you don’t want a garage queen, but a fun-riding bike to show off your work. Russ enjoys the hell out of building something from nothing and enjoys probing eBay for fodder almost as much. Speaking with him, I’m not sure what he enjoys most ― building or scoring an unbelievable deal. “I wanted to build a nice bar-hopping bobber. I bought a pile of parts from a buddy of mine, it came with the makings of a Shovester engine, It was going to be about four or five thousand dollars to get the motor put together and I thought, ‘Okay, shove that idea, ‘” said Russ. “I found a deal on eBay that was supposed to be an 883 with 73,000 miles. When I saw a video of it running it wasn’t blowing any smoke, I figured it’d at least been rebuilt or worst case, blow a little oil, but at least I’d be able to get the bike built and make it a 1200 later. When I got it, it turned out to be a ’97 1200 with Buell heads and a pretty lumpy cam. I got a super deal on a really nice motor.”

More surfing sessions followed and a lot of the parts you see were Internet acquired, Russ can’t pass up a good deal. “It was a crapload of fabrication because nothing I bought was designed to go together, but that’s part of the fun,” he said laughing “I got a Dynatek ignition on another deal and I had to rewire everything, but it was very straightforward.” The eBay-acquired King Sportster tank was yet another and if you’re wondering what the holes on the side are, Russ explained, “ I wanted to put a right-side tank shifter and put a brass tube to run a stainless shaft through, but I was concerned it was going to break in every-day riding so I just kinda passed on it.”

The Paughco frigid frame along with a set of ’09 Nightster forks and H-D mags and brakes were another too-good-to-pass-up deal and give the bike style and attitude. Russ’ one indulgence was the seat and he said, “My last name is Spanish for snow and I found this guy in England with a logo of a snowman on his website he allowed me to use,” said Russ. “Mark van der Kwaak at Hard-Ass in the Netherlands made it. It’s a long way to go for a seat, but it’s kinda cool. If this bike ever goes, the seat stays with me.”

One of the neatest features on Russ Nieves’ Sportster is his spun aluminum aft-mounted oil tank. This vertical unit adds a totally different feel to Russ’ bike and the open space it creates between the engine and the rear fender gives it a longer and lighter look. “I just wanted to do something unique with the oil tank, nothing extreme,” said Russ. “I had seen a guy do a rat Sporty with an aluminum tank side-mounted vertically and I really liked it had to do that too. I researched a bit and got a Coyote-Gear aluminum vertical tank, There’s incredibly perfect TIG welding on there like somebody soldered it.”

Located off I-10 in Vail, Arizona, Coyote-Gear specializes in spun aluminum tanks in all kinds of capacity for a variety of uses in hot rods to auxiliary gas tanks for long range motorcycle riders to choppers. Checking out their goods on their website, it’s easy to see why Russ would do his one-stop oil tank shopping there. That’s all these guys do, make tanks and they know what they’re doing. And, they seem very reasonably priced for what you get too. The vertical tank is but one version of their chopper tanks that includes side and center fill tanks, with or without a battery box, in a wide variety of sizes. Each tank has a simple but effective billet o-ring screw-on cap, thick mounting bungs to absorb vibration, and what they claim is “the highest quality aircraft-style TIG welds on the planet.” All I can say is looking at their stuff seems to back that up.

For more info on Coyote-Gear fuel, auxiliary, and chopper tanks, mosey on over to www.coyote-gear.com.

Russ Nieves’ story is not much different than a lot of Barnett’s readers and that’s what makes it worth noting. “When I was nine-years old, I started building models then slot cars, and then bikes and cars. I’ve been riding on and off since I was like 17. I’d go chunks at a time of have a bike, not have a bike, have a bike again, raise kids, no bike, then have a bike,” said Russ. “Nine years ago I got real active again and had a couple of Sportys and a big Glide. I love riding and building stuff.” Yes sir, he’s gone through most of the same changes we’ve all gone through, but his love of motorcycles has hung in there and now he’s got his chance to do the things he had to put off, riding and wrenching.

One of the things he gives kudos to in helping this build come to be are his online friends at www.xlforum.com. “It’s a good forum, lots of good people. There are probably ten to eleven thousand members on there,” said Russ. “The guy who painted my bike, Scott Stites, is a member of the XLForum in San Diego. A buddy of his called Hot Dog took the colors I gave him and pinstriped his own design on the bodywork.” Who says online friends aren’t real?

Even though he commutes daily on this bike and enjoys it a lot, Russ is thinking about his next build already. “I’d like to do another bike real so if somebody comes along and says, ‘I gotta have this bike’ then I’d jump into something else,” said Russ. “I’m ready to build something along the lines of four- or six-inches up and four-inches-out.” Sounds like a long winter in a Michigan garage again to me. If you’re interested in Russ’ Sporty, email him at snowman04@provide.net.

 

SPECIFICATIONS
Owner: Russ Nieves Year/Make: 1997 Harley 1200ccXL drivetrain Fabrication/Assembly: Russ Nieves Build time: 6 months Engines: 1997 1200cc H-D XL Cases/Rods/Pistons: H-D Cylinder: H-D Heads: Buell Thunderstorm Cam: Lumpy Ignition: Dynatek 2000i Carb: Modified H-D CV Pipes: 2″ Pipe Dreamz Nitemarez w/Chica brass tips Air Cleaner: Debrix Cycles w/K&N filter Transmission: H-D 5-speed Primary/Clutch: H-D Fork: ’09 Nightster w/’05 trees cleaned up Fork Length: -2″ Additional rake in trees: none Front Wheel: 19″ H-D Mag Rear wheel: 16″ H-D Mag Tires: Dunlop Front Brake : 2001 Dyna Rear Brake: 2000 Softail Fuel Tank: Ling Sporster 3.3 gallons		Oil Tank: Coyote-Gear Aluminum Fenders: Rear/modified steel trailer Front/cut down Sportster Handlebars: Road 6 Customs 12″ Z bars Headlight: KC Lites Slim Taillight: American Hand Controls: h-D Sportster 2004 Grips: DNA Foot Controls/Pegs: DNA Softail Electrical: Custom fab Painter: Scott Stites/San Diego Color: Kool Vanilla (Chrysler) Graphics: Striping by Hot Dog Powdercoat: Cramertech Seat: Marc at Hard Ass Seat: Marc at Hard Ass Special thanks to: All the folks at the XLForum.com for their suggestions!