Click here for more photos… This bike feature originally appeared in Barnett’s Magazine issue #67, January-March 2009. SPECIFICATIONS Owner: Mark Kawakami Year/Make: 2007 Top Shelf Custom Fabrication/ Assembly: Top Shelf Customs Build time: 4-months Engine: S&S 113″ Cases/ Flywheels: S&S Rods/ Pistons:...

  His building style is distinct and it’s not known to include late-model power plants such as V-Rod or Twin Cam motors, Chica customs usually have a Shovelhead fit within their frame tubes. “I’ve had lots of experience with Panheads and Shovelhead motors because the original castings are nice and fat and there’s plenty of extra aluminum that can be shaved and shaped. The...

  Mark must have mentioned the bike to his friends and his wife on a regular basis, because after his visits continued for awhile, Mark’s wife ordered his Chassis Design frame through Top Shelf, making sure that it would be ready for their wedding anniversary. Setting up the foundation of her husband’s custom bike was a task that she took seriously and she consulted with Barry...

  Duane Barnett, a Dallas resident, was looking for an interesting way to promote his commercial and highway construction material business, SSI. “One of Duane’s warehouses is down the road from Strokers. Every once in awhile he’d stop by the shop, have a beer and look at bikes. Eventually he asked me if I’d build him a bike that was unmistakably associated with SSI,” Rick said....

  Like every enthusiast-driven industry, there are going to be some ups and downs, but where there’s a will, there’s always a way. One of the more interesting trends I’m starting to see is the guy who’s not trying to make his only means of living out of building one-off customs, but is personally doing a few ground-ups or serious makeovers just for the learning experience and fun...

   Surprisingly for me, it was built by Beach Customs in Little River, South Carolina, which I mistakenly thought of as just a custom bagger and trike shop. Could be that the other feature Barnett’s Magazine Online has done on them involved a very nicely done custom Harley-Davidson Freewheeler in the big wheeler tradition.  Click on the link and take a look for yourself, they do...

     So, I’m going with this retro-style Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper as strictly show with no interest in go. I’m cool with that as it really looks like a piece of motorcycle sculpture. With a hint of the late David Mann in its lines, it’s a modern day interpretation of Old School with a heavy sprinkling of bling. Chrome, show-polished aluminum and a hint of brass are...

     It could be that Old School is all about feel more than anything else. At least that’s the way I see it as I’m okay with looking at Old School maybe more than I am riding them. Yes, I’m from the past where riding was more important than just showing off. Back then if you had a bad ass chop you rode it because it was usually all you had. Bar hoppers today were once distance...

     The bike itself regardless of the engraving is a fine piece of custom fettle that would be just peachy without any additional metal carving, but it sure doesn’t hurt it a bit that it underwent cosmetic surgery. When you start with a great formula like a Harley-Davidson Panhead to start building around, you’re pretty ahead of the game. With the frame featuring basically...