BREAKING

Feature Bikes

Board To Death

Article By: Jimmy Frizzell

Photos By: Chris Callen

Originally Published In The June 2016 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

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This sporty was no stranger to a close-knit group of riding buddies; the title had changed hands many times; she had been treated with about the same amount of respect as a dollar at a strip club. The friends had passed her among the crew and thoroughly defiled her until she had no more to give and that’s when she was found with a hand written note, that read “Build something cool out of me” hung like a toe tag abandoned pitifully in a lonely driveway. The final cries of desperation left in a sobbing note on the corpse of a well beaten motorcycle. Left for dead, perched on a rotten old kick stand, the final resting place for a 1973 Ironhead found its way to the driveway of one Chris Callen. T While some would take the opportunity to strip it for parts and profit from the meat; Chris made plans to honor the bikes wishes and revisit the challenge at a more opportune moment. So he tore it down, boxed it up, and promised himself he would answer the seventy three’s call sometime in the future. It wasn’t until Chris and Heather decided to delve into a build together that the Sportster would once again see the light of day. Chris wanted Heather, in her the new position as managing editor of Cycle Source, to get first hand experience into the on goings of a complete build done the right way, and the two agreed that the anchor just might be the perfect fit.

Ancient philosophy states that if you want to build an Ironhead the correct way, the first thing you have to do is buy a Shovel. Chris bows to no legend and with Heather by his side tore the motor down to the bare minimum and promptly handed the mess to Sportster guru Tommy Mullins. A home built frame jig was used to assist in the grafting of a Led Sled hardtail section to the existing skeleton. But still the two had no foresight into what the final project would resemble. It would seem to many that in today’s high fashion custom motorcycle world all the hippest Ironheads are wearing the threads of their 1960-1970 retro brethren. Chris knew that a cookie cutter skinny bike would probably be the safest and easiest way to go but another raked out sporty added to the scene did nothing to inspire Callen and he looked to something else to challenge the build. Board to Death would be the brain child that grew wings from his sinister brainstorming as he was literally Bored To Death of the skinny chopper obsessing.. A re-creation of vintage death racing on the wooden slopes of one of motorcycles greatest periods was the only option that seemed to fit. Heather and Chris, between the hectic Cycle Source publishing period, attending almost every major event in North America, getting married, and what little family time was left would recreate a board track inspired 73 Ironhead with mostly swap meet finds and a promise to each other to just have fun with it.

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Chris took his love for the form of the super glide tank and adapted it to the narrow frame by cutting it in half and forming a new tunnel to fit. The primary cover was brought back to presentable condition and a plate was engraved by Chris tagging this build as Flat Broke Chops & Rods custom. A Fab Kevin master cylinder kit was used to mount the KX250 master cylinder and attached to a Machinist Mike’s hydraulic clutch set up (rumor has it according to Chris this is a super easy, must have for any Ironhead build). Zack Conway of Diamonds N Rust was able to lend a hand on the exhaust using the Biltwell pipe kit which was properly dressed in DEI pipe wrap with a stainless exoskeleton and crowned with Lowbrow tips and was able to tuck an S&S super “E” just behind the pipes. Among many other intimate details, the crew was able to reroute the shifting linkage to allow a right hand tank shifter giving the tracker a flawless appearance. The stock wheels were shit canned thanks to the suggestion of Kiwi Mike and while the Callen’s didn’t go the full 21” they went with two 19” front wheels altering one of the pair to accept a sprocket and rear brake assembly.

An original Wassel fender was thrown into the mix and Charlie at Biker’s Choice hooked the bike up with a set of Pro Tapers. To achieve the race ready look they were cut down and flipped to give the board tracker a legitimate feel. Steve Peffer of Steel City Choppers was charged with setting the race ready tone and laid all the color with only a mere suggestion from Chris as to which direction to go. The Callen’s decided to take the hands on approach to the next level using the Hammer In Hand do it yourself seat kit. The all in one package supplies all you need to saddle your bike and allows you to take full control over the entire leather process from pan to stitch, after a short DVD and only four or so hours a fully laced piece of art was added. Although the Sportster Challenge at BMR 2015 was the original goal it wasn’t until the night before the crew left for Daytona 2016 that the bike, with the assistance of Zack, finally fired up. An almost year long journey brought this left for dead motorcycle to a new found glory in the hands of Chris and Heather. An offering from the chopper gods took the two down the enchanted rabbit hole and the pleas of an anonymous gesture were answered when the little board tracker sprung to life. I assure you if idle hands are in fact the devil’s work shop then “boardom” is his addiction…

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Board To Death Tech Sheet

Owner: Chris Callen

City/State: Pittsburgh, PA

Builder: Chris Callen/Flat Broke Chops & Rods

Year: 1973

Model: Harley-Davidson Ironhead

Value: $20K (?)

Time: 12 Months

ENGINE

Year: 1973

Model: Ironhead Sportster

Builder: Tommy Mullins

Ignition: Points

Displacement: 900cc

Pistons: Forged Weisco

Heads: Stock

Carb: S&S Super E

Cam: Stock

Air Cleaner: Lowbrow Customs

Exhaust: Flat Broke w/ Low Brow Tips

Primary: Engraved- Flat Broke

TRANSMISSION

Year: 1973

Make: Harley-Davidson

Shifting: 4 Speed Tank

Clutch: Machinist Mike’s Hydraulic Clutch

FRAME

Year: 1973

Make: Harley-Davidson

Rake: Stock

Stretch: Stock

Hardtail: Led Sled Customs

Forks

Type: Leaf Spring

Builder: Voodoo Vintage

WHEELS

Front Wheel: Swap Meet Dyna

Size: 19”

Tire: Firestone

Rear Wheel: Swap Meet Dyna

Size: 19”

Tire: Firestone

Rear Brake: Swap Meet Sportster

PAINT

Painter: Steel City Choppers

Color: Red/White/Blue

Type: PPG

Polding: Flat Broke Chops & Rods

powder coating: Dlubak Powdercoating

ACCESSORIES

Bars: Biker’s Choice Pro Taper

Gas Tank(s): Modified Superglide-Flat Broke

Front fender: N/A

Rear Fender: OG Wassel

Seat: Chris Callen / Flat Broke

Foot controls: FLH / Flat Broke / KX 250

Oil Tank: Led Sled Customs

Oil lines: Hand Made

Headlight: 4.5” Vintage Style

Tail light: Sparto

Charging System: Cycle Electric

Wiring: Zack Conway

Machine work: Ed Fish Machine

Kickstand: Led Sled Customs

Photographer: Chris Callen

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