Blogging the Build

Here is another photo of the head with the great Tape Job that I did on it the second time. I used packing tape, very sticky to keep it on there. But I had to layer it up like 4 layers to keep the blaster from making a hole in case it went over it like I did the first time with only 1 layer of tape.

That is a pretty sharp cruiser though. I would love to have that for picking up the chicks.
Don't shoot it, at least it is two wheels.
I would just buck up and get it running. Or at least add a table top to it and make it functional in the dining room.

531blackbanshee wrote:

wpbill,relation parhaps.i love the shirt in the picture.so about your lil h-d forum,are they fairly helpful with technical stuff(like oil line routing,what goes where?)and some other things like some bare bones wiring and maybe pushrod adjustment?i have factory service and parts manuals for my shovel but the service manual is the most confusing manual i have ever tried to read,and harleys are not that technical.they do have some odd(to me)intricacies tho.

Yeah, there is a technical side. The bad thing about Motorhead's is there are only 45 people total.

So, if you can't get the answer there, go to the JP Cycles website and register. Not only is there a tech forum for big twins, there is a Vintage forum specifically oriented towards Shovels, Pans, Knucks, and Flatties. Not only will other forum members chime in, but so will JP tech reps as well. The mods keep it very civil, and you'll find most of the people on the JP forums are friendly anyway.

531blackbanshee,
I can vouch for the techs on the J&P Cycles website, While I don't have a harley, I do work with these guys. Some of the techs down there worked on our Streamliner which set a new landspeed record for a 1300cc gas powered engine at Bonneville 2 years ago and also, that is all these guys do, they talk motorcycles on the phone all day, research and most of them have their own shops at home too.
There is such a wealth of knowledge about motorcycles it isn't even funny.
Besides the J&P Techs, there are so many other members out there willing to help you out. We monitor the site carefully so people are pretty nice there and our techs follow the sites regularly as a part of their job so if anyone else is leading you astray, they will make sure to keep you on track and even do spec lookup for you if you ask.
It is a part of our Customer Service, even if you didn't guy it from us, we'll help you with it. Yer on two wheels, we want to keep you there.

Another update,
Here is what Two Headlights will look like on this bike.
This will be a 7 inch on top and a 5 3/4 on the bottom.
If you notice, the mounting is a bit different. The top headlight isn't held onto the fork tubes as most KZ's are, We were actually lucky enought to find some V-Shaped speedo brackets laying around that just happened to have the exact same bolt pattern as the Brake - T Mount on the front of the fork tubes where the original Kawasaki logo went.
This also had the perfect sized bolt hold for a single bolt style headlight which Kody had laying around the shop.
I need to make a bracket / Brace to light this light up higher and place the smaller light down below for the double headlight system. But this will give me more light while driving and it'll just look cool too.
I am keeping all of these updates on shannonappleby.blogspot.com if you are interested too. I'll keep the main big stuff coming here too.

Here is another shot of those headlights.

so shannon,do you know my wife?
i had to ask because that"i would just buck up and get it running comment"sounded like an echo in my head,:laugh: .
let's make sure i got this right,your wife doesn't know that you have a motorcyle project?:huh:
i have to let that settle in.
when she finds out she is going to kick your a$$,and we are all going to be rolling around holding ourselves when she come's on here and shows us pictures of her with your ear in her hand as she is draggin you around and askin how long you planned to keep this little motorcyle love affair away from her,haha.
this is going to be great.
man i wished we lived closer together,i would be blackmailin you out of the rest of the parts it takes to finish that shovelhead.
this is great,you are going to be a great addition around here shannon.lmao

mark1122 thanks for the encouragement,i will get it running one day.i can go sour on harley's in an instant,but won't even get mad if i blow my z1r to bits cause i know i ride it hard and put it away wet.in the shovelheads defense harley's don't bring out the same feelings of pushin it that the kawi's do,i am more inclined to just cruise and not hammer it so much.

wpbill,thanks for the info on the forums i will check them out.

ok shannon keep up the good work and keep us posted,by the way what is the lil wifey's e-mail address?i think she probably could use some info that we have :woohoo: haha.

leon holmes

Yeah,
I think the whole, "Ask for forgiveness is easier than asking for permission" is going to work in this case. I have so many things that I would love to do but anytime I bring them up, "NO, you have more important things to do or spend that money on."
As far as she knows, I am doing some graphics / flyer work for Wisner Cycles and I might get an old beater upper bike out of the deal. She said if I do, she won't put insurance on it. I told her that's fine, cause if I die on it, she won't get anything then. HAHAHA
She doesn't have a job, I work 2 jobs so that she can stay at home with our 2 boys. The youngest is going to Kindergarten next year and she has to get a part time job, I don't care what it is as long as she is home when the kids get home.
Anyway, I know that the day I ride it home with it title'd and a Motorcycle license, she'll freak out on me about it. so, if she freaks out, I'll take off for a few hours and come back, anytime she starts to complain, I'll just take off. That should hopefully put it into her head that I am not going to listen to it.
I now have a car, minivan, 4x4, boat, RV and finally a motorcycle. I AM DONE.
She already told me 1 time that I had too many guns, ONE TIME.... I just said if the guns go, she goes. She didn't like that. I think she was hoping I would say if the guns go, I GO... That ain't gonna happen, I have paid for the house for the past 7 years. I am staying there. Anyway, enough of the rant... At least this way I won't have to listen to her complain for weeks on end over the time I am spending working on the bike, or the very little money I am spending on it. Just the wrath of the day I ride it home. And maybe a few days after that. Beats weeks of the cold shoulder though.
Here is the happy family at xmas 08, I don't want to spoil that.

Looking good Shannon, the family, and the bike.

great pics...love the family shot...always nice to put a face to the members to feel familiar....thanks....keep up the great work....craig

shannonbeau wrote:

Which one is Steve Franta? The guy in the ballcap?

Due to company policy, I cannot tell you who is who. Except I can tell you that Steve isn't in the photo. He is an online tech and is in our Purchasing department, he also handles a lot of fitment issues and works closely with our internet department. Steve wears so many hats that we couldn't fit him in this picture. haha.