Article By: J. Ken Conte
Photos By: Garret Stanley
Originally Published In The May 2019 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Moos is a name, which you may or may not be familiar with because he has been the man behind the curtain for many years, until now. Chances a r e that you have seen his work on a number of builds over the past several years or perhaps even on Discovery Channel when he was a part of Misfit Industries. Over the past several years, as with a lot of talented builders, he struck out on his own and created Moos Craft, to service his high-end motorcycle, automotive and custom fabrication clients. Where did he start? When he was in high school, he started to see that he had a talent for fabrication and mechanics and used that to get numerous jobs, mostly in the mini and low-rider truck market. Fast forward to developing almost all the parts for Misfit Industries, just a few years ago, and traveling across the country to promote it all while building groundup customs to showcase Misfit’s newest parts. All this took a toll on various parts of his life, including not being able to build a bike of his own. He had a Dyna frame at the shop and a Road King motor, it was a start, although, in the end, it looked nothing like a Dyna, and you would be hard pressed to find anything on the Dynot that looks anything like a Dyna… hence the name Dynot.
Chris had gotten used to building everything from scratch and could not stand the idea of just slapping a bunch of parts together and calling it a custom. He knew he wanted to use the 26-inch wheel and triple trees that he had developed but wanted to make as much as he possibly could. People have always challenged big wheel bagger guys that they don’t handle well. What better way to test that theory than take a bike that is significantly lighter and build it to be ridden like a bat out of hell with a 26-inch front wheel? When you look at the bike, it doesn’t even look like a 26 on the front because Chris is so good at proportion, that includes all the bikes, cars and trucks he has built over the years. The styling began just two months before it was going to be presented at the 1st annual In Motion Show presented by Cycle Source at the Lone Star Rally in Galveston Texas. He had an idea of what he wanted the tank to look like, so he began his quest on Craigslist and found a cache of tanks close by. He found an old 76 Yamaha RD tank that looked pretty clean on the inside, not too much rust or flake. He struck a deal for $50 and rode home happy knowing he had just saved himself a lot of time because the tank was in such good shape. Once back at his shop he proceeded to etch the inside and to his surprise he found a softball size ball of resin. He had to cut the tunnel out, and the custom process had begun.
It was a race to the finish in more ways than one. Chris had a specific look he was going for; he wanted it to have burnt bronze finish and knew just the person to help with the powder coat. His girlfriend Krystal Hess happens to be a very experienced powder coater. As Chris worked on fabrication, he had the motor built out to a respectable 117” with a super hot set-up. The transmission was another Craigslist find. All the parts were falling into place, except there just weren’t enough hours in the day. Chris had gained a lot of respect from the industry, and a few fellow builders stepped up to help him get it done including RJ Powell and Nick Beaulieu. Even though they had bikes of there own that they were entering in the In Motion Show for the chance to win $10k cash, they were willing to help a colleague and brother out. What had started out as a personal journey to finally build a bike for himself had turned into something much greater.
The bike was almost buttoned up, but it was time to leave for Galveston, a 7-hour drive. The bike didn’t have oil lines and had not been wired. Chris hoped that if he stayed in the trailer while Krystal drove he could use the trailer lights and the light from his cell phone to finish up. He got into the trailer, Krystal closed the door, and in less than ideal conditions, Chris proceeded to get to work, He got the oil lines run and had been updating Krystal and the Cycle Source crew regularly. A motorcycle wiring harness isn’t a lot of fun, but he had wired so many cars, trucks, and bikes that he thought he could get it knocked out. As he sorted through it, he realized that he didn’t have the right connectors for the electronic compression releases. He started calling dealerships on the way. They still had few hours before they would miss the cutoff for the builder’s shakedown ride. He didn’t want to give up, but it was coming down to the wire. Ultimately a few hours out of Galveston the truth had revealed itself. Chris had been awake for over 48 hours straight with just a few breaks to practice transcendental meditation, which fueled him, but he was running on empty. In a final epiphany, he realized he could not procure the connectors needed and get to the shakedown ride.
Krystal hadn’t heard from him in a while and had tried calling. She was concerned that maybe he had gotten carbon monoxide poisoning when in reality his phone had gotten stuck under some packing foam. She pulled over expecting the worst. When she opened the door, he told her the bad news, which he had been mulling over and had come to a place of acceptance: the bike would not be done for this show, and it was ok. It was a valuable lesson in acknowledging that it was more about the journey than the destination. All builders learn a lot when building a bike, and when the bike is done, that’s typically the end and can be a bit of a melancholy time. Chris and Krystal showed up at Galveston with a non-running bike, but displayed it anyway, knowing it wouldn’t be in the running for the In Motion prize. It was very well received by everyone, and all the builders, who had been there at one point or another understood as only another builder can. Public recognition was just a few months away when Chris did finish his bike and show it at the IMS championship in Chicago, where it won a place in the winner’s circle and came in 2nd only to his girlfriend’s Motorcycle Missions bike. The following summer he rode it to Sturgis and has put over 5000 miles on it, showing that not only does this bike look stunning, but it can also be ridden…a long way.
DYNOT TECH SHEET
Owner: Chris Moos
City/State: Denton, TX
builder: Owner
Year: 2018
Model: Dynot
Value: Priceless
Time: Two Months
Engine
Year: 2012
Model: Harley-Davidson
Builder: Revolution Perf./JBC Perf.
Ignition: Thundermax ECM/ Accel Coil
Displacement: 117”
Pistons: 1cc Domed
Heads: Revolution Performance
Carb: HPI/58mm Throttle Body
Cam: Drago 657
Air Cleaner: HPI Velocity Stack
Exhaust: Royal T Racing
Primary: H-D W/ EMD Cover
Transmission
Year: 2006
Make: Harley-Davidson Dyna
Shifting: Foot Shift
Frame
Year: 2018
Make: Dynot by Mooscraft
Rake: 30°
Stretch: 1.625” Up/0.750” Out
Forks
Type: Ness Lowers/Top Line Tubes
Builder: Mooscraft
Extension: 0
Triple Trees: Mooscraft 8” Short Neck FLH
Suspension
Model: Legends Axeo / Revo
SwingArm: C&S Aluminum By Garwood
Rear Axle: MJK
Wheels, Tires, Brake
Rear Wheel: Metalsport
Size: 26”
Front Tire: Metzeler 888
Front Brake: Metalsport/Brembo Caliper
Rear Wheel: Metalsport
Size: 16”
Rear Tire: Metzeler 888
Rear Brake: Metalsport/Brembo Caliper
Painting
Painter: End Fab
Color: Hyundai Bronze, Black
Type: House Of Kolor
Graphics: End Fab
powder coat: Krystal Hess
Accessories
Bars: Mod. Biltwell / Brass Balls
Risers: MJK
Hand Controls: CRG
Foot Controls: Hammerhead Arms/Brass Balls
Fuel Tanks: 76 Yamaha RD200
Front Fender: Led Sled / Mooscraft
Rear Fender: Led Sled / Mooscraft
Seat: Hix Designs
Oil Tank: HD
Headlight: Oracle Cree LED
Taillight: LED Strip
Speedo: None
PHOTOGRAPHER: Garret Stanley
