So yeah, this bike connects with me on all my levels with a touch of the past infused with the present and showcased like the best metal smith that existed in the 19^th century might have built if he somehow got his hands on a Knucklehead. Normally anything with a Knuckle has the engine as its prime focus, but that is not strictly the case here. Cristian is properly respectful and builds around his engine, but what he built around it is spectacular. Hey, remember I said he made his own oval tubing from flat sheet at his shop, Sosa Metalworks in Las Vegas, Nevada. That’s a helluva lot of work just by itself before you’ve even begun to make a frame especially one that probably had to be constantly worked out along the way. 

  That’s no catalog Indian leaf-spring fork up front either, although after following his work for a few years fabricating something like that must be like eating cake for him. Hey, I’m not putting it down in any way, just the opposite; the guy can make metal do anything. His artistic eye shows up in how he used relatively small diameter tubing for a bit of delicacy in the fork legs but butched it up enough with sharp lines and curves. For once, the leaf spring doesn’t hover over the front tire like a dock at the beach and there’s a bit of airiness to what otherwise can be a clunky, but cool front end. And from what I know of Cristian, it works well too.

     Cristian picked some nice rolling stock for The Space Traveler in the form of nothing too over the top, just some nice laced wheels with black rims. No fat or twisted spokes need apply. The only brake onboard is the juice drum out back that looks like an early ‘60s Buick finned aluminum drum but it’s probably something Cristian made from scratch that happens to look like one. Either way, the whole thing fits this build like a glove, not an OJ glove, but one, a real good looking one, that couldn’t fit better without being the least bit kitschy. Same goes for the Coker Firestone tires, a 5.00-16 Deluxe Champion rear tire and a 21-inch vintage thick rib tire on the front that lend their own air of timelessness to this build.

 

   If you mention metal fabricators and Cristian’s name doesn’t end up being brought up by somebody, something’s clearly wrong ─ especially since he’s got the touch that a great sculptor has. If you don’t believe me, check out his Leonardo da Vinci seat suspension with the springs located on the rear frame stays or his multi-piece throttle connection that can make you cross-eyed just figuring it out. There’s a lot more going on here than just trial and error. Engineering time was spent just trying to find the ratios that would work with each other to reach the task at hand whether it’s protecting your butt or opening up the carb’s throat. And that’s just two of these mentally cool contraptions.

    And, you have to really check out the foot controls and tank shifter that I’m still wrapping my head around. Man, this stuff is all so over the top without being over the top it’s hard to fathom. Take a look at the shifter linkages, there’s no way you’re ever missing a shift with that setup. You tell the gears what to do, not suggest like a foot shifter does. And if you don’t check out jack Cofano’s gallery for the close up of the foot clutch and its goings-on, you’ve missed a treat to say the least. It’s all fabulous stuff that you could spend hours looking at up close and just figuring out how it works. No surprise then to find out that famous watchmaker, George Daniels, and his watch called The Space Traveler influenced this build. Like a top notch watchmaker, Cristian likes his ratios and levers.

    There’s not a lot of bodywork on this bike, but, what there is, is beyond reproach. Anytime a builder has the guts to put a tank beaten from flat sheet on a bike sans paint takes a lot of guts. Never mind that people enjoy looking for imperfections in paint seemingly more than they enjoy the paint itself is a common thing I’ve found. Get some fresh tins back and everybody wants to pour over them to find something wrong. That drives me crazy and I don’t even care what they think, but for a builder, that could be catastrophic. Leave it in raw metal for a finish and imperfections shows up way too easily. Not on this bike, though.

    What might seem simple is tank design is rather complicated to make just because of that. Graceful as it may be, there are a lot of lines at work even though they step back a bit and work with each other. Again with the levers, Cristian put what’s gotta be the choke control right on the tank along with his stunning mounting brackets that look like they were made at least a hundred years ago. And, don’t bypass those grilles on the side of the tank either. The brushed finish of the aluminum compliments the hand-hammered finish Cristian has chosen for a lot of components throughout the vehicle. Look closely at the famous Knuckleheads themselves and you’ll see more of this finish. Matter of fact, it’s everywhere, but with just enough of it everywhere. Maybe I can’t just get enough of this hand-hammered finish.

     In case you don’t know what hand-hammered is, each little gorgeous divot was methodically placed in the metal by a hammer connecting with a punch. There are less punch marks than all the stars in the sky, but not by much. I can’t imagine the hours and the patience to bring this off so nicely. There’s some other stuff Cristian’s done to the metal to give it an aged look or maybe I should say a look that it always should have looked like, but I got a feeling that’s one of those trade secrets. Really check out his stuff up close, really close.

    And don’t yu dare think I was going to miss out on complimenting Cristian’s oil tank that has a touch of old with the relatively new to me anyway. I’ve always loved the BSA Lightning’s sculptured curved frame covers and there’s a bit of that in Cristian’s oil tank to me anyway. I don’t expect there to be a universal agreement on that by any reason, but maybe that’s what a piece of art does to you. It takes you to somewhere else. If that was in fact true, in the case of art as motorcycle you have the perfect combination almost by default. This is a riding work of metal sculpture as far as I’m concerned and I wouldn’t have it any other way. After seeing this bike as is, I find it hard to believe any paintjob would be more interesting or more beautiful. This is one “unfinished” bike that doesn’t deserve to be screwed with anymore other than putting about and staring at it when you’re not. Cristian Sosa, you kick ass sir!

   For more info on Sosa Metalworks check out http://www.sosametalworks.com/ or visit his Instagram page which is pretty cool.