Featured in the October 2014 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Jeff Cochran
Having known Jeff Cochran for a solid decade or more now, I’ve become accustomed to his brand of wit and have often enjoyed long conversations on the phone in times I’ve needed advice, whether it was for the pan or my personal life. Jeff is the type of man that is constantly evolving and lives a good life. He has this amazing way of navigating himself through the bullshit and comes out virtually unscathed. If you listen to the things he says, it’s clear that this is not luck, he is a man in control of his own destiny. I decided to start this article the way I did because in today’s world it is so rare to hear the words “I built this bike with my wife in mind.” More commonly you get the long and much abused stories of back in the day, or the rock star super builder crap. Not with Jeff, no this is a real man. It all started two years ago, about the last time he had his own personal bike. In spite of building 12 or 13 Speedking bikes a year he rarely has one of his own to ride. Anyway, two years ago he broke his neck and was outta commission for a year. He figured rather than let his bike at that time sit he’d pass it on to a close friend that wanted it. The year goes by and wouldn’t you know it, he breaks his foot in Sturgis and would be out for a second year. After 24 months of being off a bike and working on them everyday, he was ready to get his own up and running. Jeff started with a bunch of parts he squirreled away that were originally going to be used on a special build, turns out this was it. He knew a guy in Iowa that had a shovel project that wasn’t going anywhere so he made him an offer. Along with a good solid motor and tranny to base the build off of, he scored a bunch of cool little extras like the After Hours Choppers tank halves used to make the oil tank. The whole time he was working on the shovel he thought about how much fun him and Bev, his wife, were going to have riding it when it was finished. He made certain design decisions that would lend themselves to making her more comfortable on the bike, as well like the lower exhaust and even in keeping the gearing more appropriate for a two person motorcycle. Makes me laugh a little when I think of all the bikes running around with solo seats and no place for a passenger, but I digress.
Although he did get a lot of parts there is no such thing other than the right way, so as the motor was sent off to F&J Racing where Fred would work his magic, Jeff would start on the rest of this creation. The frame that you see here is the result of a first time collaboration between Jeff and Will Ramsey of Faith Forgotten Choppers. Will went to Jeff’s and they spent an entire day going over a shovelhead frame that Jeff had hardtailed. They measured every bend and radius to recreate it in 304 stainless. This is the first one of those offerings coming from the R&D of that project. From here on you can call and order one of Jeff’s Speedking Style frames and it is constructed to his exacting specifications. Jeff’s philosophy on building is that he would rather spend labor than money for parts so he makes due with what he has a lot of the time. That’s where incredible ideas like the Trucker Shifter and the Pro Taper Bars adapted for one inch fitment came from. Many of these items will soon start to be available from Speedking as they ramp up the production end of their operation. He’d probably wince if he saw me write that “They” about Speedking. In truth Jeff is a one man band, even the dirty grimy shit as he said. He stated that it simply comes down to not wanting to be held up by other people. Paint, polish, welding, fabrication, all happen in house with Jeff’s two hands so there is nothing holding him back from the work. It’s this kind of attitude that makes it refreshing to talk to him. “I’m not famous” he told me the day we did this interview “But I am pretty popular at home.” And that’s exactly what I’m talking about, a man with values. The style of the bike is pure Speedking from tip to tail. Nothing but the smoothest most complimentary lines backed up by tasteful design decisions. You can see a Jeff Cochran bike from a cross a parking lot and not because they are all the same, but they are in the same family with the level of execution. The tough and ready stance, the low and lean build, all scream haulin’ ass. While many of the others have tried to follow in his footsteps it is rare that any get close to what Jeff captures in his builds. Recently Jeff moved his shop from Ohio to just behind his house in Indiana. He has a long, tree covered driveway that keeps it hidden from the road. This gives him the secret lair to carry out his mad plan. With no one to bother him, no interruptions he can work as long as he likes in perfect harmony with the squirrels in his head. It has truly become his Zen method of life with the motorcycle and he admits has helped him to start having a lot of fun with all this stuff again. Since the bike has been completed he and Bev are out on it three or four nights a week. They have literally been riding the wheels off of it and having a blast together. Bev is a good person in her own right doing so much for animal rights under the “Spay Your Bitch” banner. The two of them are the perfect match and Jeff talks about how fortunate he has been every time we speak. Well, except for the part about not having his own bike to ride. Guess that’s what it’s like when you build the better mousetrap, people show up at the door with cheese! Hahahaha. Great build Jeff, thanks for the constant advice on bikes and life.
Stainless 64 Tech Sheet
Owner: Jeff Cochran
City: St. Leon, Indiana
Fabrication By: Jeff Cochran
Year: 1964
Model: Panhead
Value: $??,???
Time: 60 days
ENGINE
Year: 1964
Model: Panhead
Builder: Fred F&J Racing
Ignition: Points
Displacement: 74 ci
Pistons: Weisco
Heads: Harley
Cam(s): Sifton
Carb: S&S E
Air Cleaner: S&S
Exhaust: Jeff Cochran
Primary: BDL
TRANSMISSION
Year: 1981
Make: Harley Davidson
Shifting: Jockey
FRAME
Year: 2014 Speedking 304 Stainless
Make: Will Ramsey/ Speedking
Rake: 30 Degrees
Forks
Type: Shaved 41 mm
Builder: Jeff Cochran
Triple Trees: Narrow 41mm
WHEELS
Front Wheel: Narrowglide
Size: 21”x2.15”
Front Tire: Scorpion
Rear Wheel: Chrome
Size: 16”x5.5”
Rear Tire: AVON
Rear Brake: Dual Speedking Wilwoods
PAINT
Painter: Dana Brunson
Color: Okra
Type: FYDIL
ACCESSORIE S
Bars: Z Bars
Hand Controls: Moto
Gas Tank(s): Wassel Style
Rear fender: RWD/Speedking
Seat: Dave Theobald
Foot Controls: Speedking/ Hybrid
Oil Tank: AHC/ Jeff Cochran
Taillight: LED
Speedo:Wind
Photographer: Jeff Cochran/ Speedking Photography
