Loaf’s Sporty

February 25, 2016

Article By: Roadside Marty

Photos By: Kustom Jeff

Originally Published In The April 2013 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

While I attended the Dixie Roundup this past year, there were so many cool bikes to look at that I felt like my head was on a swivel. That’s when I saw Loaf ride by on this sweet Ironhead, flyin’ a Motorhead patch on the back of his denim. I knew I had to get the rundown. It all started while Loaf was searching the classifieds as well as Craigslist when he came across, as he describes it, a typical, neglected barn find bike. After a little bit of wrenching, he was able to get it up and running, and ended up with a pretty decent ride. Loaf’s first thoughts were that he was going to try and restore it, but as much as he tried, Loaf just couldn’t fight that chopper urge that we all know. So, as time and money would allow, he started to make some changes to turn it into his idea of a nice chop.

Now like many of the people out there, Loaf had never really done any major bike builds. In the beginning, he was a bit intimidated, to say the least. However, with this high tech Internet society that we now live in, Loaf stumbled across a Web site that he had never seen before. That site was for the Quad Cam Bastards, and it would corrupt and influence him from then on. According to Loaf, that’s when the real fun began. He began his new build by picking up a rigid rear section from Road 6 Customs. After that, he started to try out a few different handlebar options as well as some various frontend setups. He also decided to do some engine modifications to help move the Sporty down the road a little faster.

Now that he had the bike running right, it was time to do something about the paint. Loaf had a stock tank that already had a custom paint job, b u t it had been done with a rattle can so it wasn’t gonna be good enough. He ended up scoring a Frisco tank and sent it to Steve Hennis of FlameThrower Customs in Doylestown, OH. He wanted Steve to paint it with the same side panels that his old one had, but thought it needed something different too. Loaf came up with the idea of some AMF inspired stripes going straight down the middle and jogging around the cap. Steve knocked it right out and it looks great. This chopper is the culmination of stolen time. Having 4 young children, Loaf’s garage time is during naps and once everyone has gone to bed. He rides whenever he can get away from the minivan. There’s no bar hopping with Loaf; when he rides he usually doesn’t stop unless he needs gas. He told me that in his beautiful state of Alabama there are some really nice places to ride. As most of us know, that’s the best way to keep your head clear.

Loaf went on to tell me that if it wasn’t for the QCB guys, who he has now nicknamed the “Zen Masters of Performance Chopped Sportsters,” his bike would still be a mismatched shit box of random parts! He says it runs like a raped ape, but just like the rest of us chopper junkies, he doesn’t think that he will ever be “done” with it. For right now he’s pretty stoked with how this barn find turned out. Loaf wanted to make sure he gave special thanks to his wife for all of her support and understanding, all of the QCB guys for their help, local builders Rickey and Michael Lewis, and Larry Pierce for their inspiration, Kustom Jeff and The Inbreds, Garage Co. Customs and finally, me, Roadside Marty, for thinking his little chop was worthy!

Loaf’s Sporty Tech Sheet

Owner: Loaf

City: Montgomery, AL

Fabrication By: Loaf/ Road 6 Customs

Year: 1982

Model: XLH 1000

Value: Abouttreefiddy

Time: 9 Months

ENGINE

Year: 1982

Model: Ironhead

Builder: Loaf