Builder's Corner

Here at Motorcycle Performance we want to let you know we have the parts and materials for your bobber, streetfighter, racer, or café project.  This is the first time I have listed the available inventory but it seems some people are doing bike building again.  We have gone to quite a bit of effort to gather arguably the widest selection of different types of parts and supplies needed to do your project, be it bobber, café or streetfighter.

Some of the parts we have in stock:

Service Manuals:

A wide range of manuals for maintenance, repair and troubleshooting.

Handlebar clamps:

The hard to find 7/8” models that allow the installation of tube handlebars on sportbike triple clamps, in both black and natural aluminum.  The larger 1 1/8” clamps are available, but the choices of handlebars is much more limited and really expensive.

 

Handlebars:

A wide variety of affordable (and some not so affordable) steel bends.  From Clubman to Chopper. 

 

Handlebar Grips:  

We stock a wide range of grips and there is no substitute for an in-person fondle.  

Headlights:

Always a sticking point on any project, a variety of styles in single and dual types in different diameters and shapes.  Some are beautiful, some are normal and some are just plain weird.  The most I would pay for a headlight is $150 and that is what we used as a maximum for our offerings.  It goes against the spirit of the project to pay a ton of money for a bling headlight. 

Headlight Brackets: 

When you are setting up the front end, headlight brackets are not only what keeps the headlight off the fender but what you can hang other things from such as turn signals, fairing mounts, meters, etc. 

Cables: 

Different bars often can require different length cables than what came on the bike.  Custom cables from Barnett can get you the exact length needed.  Some applications can be fitted from our in-stock selection. 

Turn Signals:

While sometimes a pain in the ass to mount and an aesthetic insult to the project, turn signals also keep you from looking like a twit when you run over your buddy using hand signals in the dark.  Small and bright are the objectives and a variety of incandescent and LED types can fill the bill.  A taillight integrator can also clean up your rear while still keeping usable turn indicators.   

Tail Lights:

When doing a bobber, a different tail light is a must, and with a café bike they usually can reduce the size of the tail section and keep a trim profile.  A wide variety are available and can be purchased with integrators. 

Footpegs:

They can be the stock ones relocated, aftermarket stock replacements or completely custom.  Folding pegs are nice but for the hardass we have the solid aluminum knurled variety. 

Footpeg Brackets: 

We have in stock plate aluminum .125, .250, .375, ½” and some thicker sections in limited square footages.  You can make your brackets from this and can purchase it in smaller sizes.  The most common alloy we stock is 6061-T651 which is weldable, easily machined, filed and drilled and buffs to a nice luster. 

Fenders, bulkheads, and tabs:

We also stock sheet aluminum in .040”, .080”, .125” in 6061 and 5032.  The 6061 is a stiffer, stronger alloy that is bendable.  The 5032 is a formable alloy also usable to make tanks and inner fenders and outer fenders for that matter.  Best to call ahead as we stock this a few sheets at a time and can chew through it rapidly during the right project.   We stock a wide assortment of A&A Manufacturing tabs in mild steel.  These can improve the strength of your installations and save days of filing, cutting and drilling. 

Gas Tanks:

A large selection of tanks from bikes ranging from 70cc to CBX, from 1970’s to current.  One of the more ambitious undertakings on a build but potentially able to set your project apart from all the others.   

Wheels:

Changing wheels can change the entire look of a project.  Best done with ready availability of a lathe, the creative builder can get some striking results with wheel treatments.  Wide wheels are cool.   

Forks and Swingarms:

Installing modern wider wheels often entails changing the swingarm to accommodate the extra width.  Easy to get in too deep here as often suspension changes are part of the process.  A possible alternative is widening and/or lengthening the existing swingarm, finished off by adding a brace on either the top or bottom.  We build and modify swingarms here. 

Miscellaneous:  Tubing

We stock Tubing of various sizes and diameters, with the largest selection being a 4130 chrome moly alloy.  This material is best welded by TIG methods but can be done by oxy-acetylene by a skilled welder.  We can order mild steel tubing in virtually any diameter and wall thickness with a 3 to 5 day turn-around.  Some minimum freight charges may be applicable.  We also stock ½ and ¾ inch aluminum tubing in a 6061 alloy which is good for making tail section subframes and fairing brackets.  Just in is a selection of 304 stainless tubing in 1” x .065” and .035” wall and 5/8 x .035” wall.  We stock the filler rods needed to TIG weld the above alloys tubing.   We also have mandrel bends in mild steel and stainless for exhaust construction.  These are in the 1 ½” to 3” range in increments of 1/8”.  Occasionally Titanium is available but be prepared to bleed green.

 

Miscellaneous:  Plate

We stock aluminum in sheet and plate.  Sheet in .040”, .080”, and .125” in 3003, 1100, 5032 and 6061.  The 1100 and 3003 is the most easily workable and is usually used for fenders, cowls, etc.  5032 is a stronger alloy that is also a beatable alloy and most often used for fuel and oil tanks, along with airboxes, plenums and battery boxes.   6061 we often use for bulkheads we will be bolting components to because of its strength.  All of the above alloys are very weldable using TIG methods and we have the filler rods for that in stock. 

We also occasionally have magnesium plate. 

Miscellaneous: Rod and Billet

We stock round billet aluminum in 6061 alloy from ½ inch up to 4” diameter. 

Steel alloy rounds are in stock in 4340, and stressproof from ½ inch up to 4” diameter. 

Titanium is also available in limited quantities in ½” diameter 6AL4V 

Stainless, usually in the 304 variety can be ordered, but we don’t use it a lot as it is not the tensile strength we need for most shafts and is too heavy for most spacer applications. 

 

Miscellaneous: Fasteners

We stock a full range of fasteners in both metric and American.  As a rule all American fasteners will be Grade 8 bolts, hex and allen head with Grade 5 nuts although Grade 8 nuts are available in some sizes.  

All USS and SAE washers are Grade 8.  Soft washers are crap and can ruin a project. 

Metric fasteners are all equivalent to a US Grade 5 unless otherwise marked. 

Miscellaneous: Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber

We have a wide range of fiberglass and carbon fiber cloth in stock as well as the resins needed to make them work.  This is its own discipline and can offer a very versatile method of creating 3-D shapes.  Fairings, fenders, side covers and more can be done.  While fuel tanks are best left to professionals, add-ons to steel tanks can be done to create any shape you want. 

Miscellaneous: Paint

We always have flat and satin black in stock.

 

SERVICES:

Welding

We offer TIG welding as the primary type of welding here.  The controllability and strength of weldments make this the preferred method used by all the major constructors from Jesse James to Murf McKinney.  These services are billed by the hour and we can give you a quote in person.  All surfaces being clean and free of contaminants will make the process faster and save you money.   If the parts to be welded have little or no chance of a happy life afterwards we will say so and may decline the job at the time, but will tell you why and make suggestions to help rectify the situation.   I have welded more than a few strange things.  MIG welding is also available. 

Sawing: 

We can saw your parts out of plate.  We also can cut the rounds to length. Quotes at time of purchase. 

 

Finishing: 

We can sand, glass bead, and tumble your parts (tumbling has a size limitation).   

Machining: 

We have two vertical mills and two lathes for precision machining.  No they are NOT CNC.  Its all dials and wheels baby!  Bring us your drawings and we can quote and suggest.   

 

I have done my best to let you know what we have been doing here at the shop for over 32 years (and over 40 years if you count time in my parent’s garage) using the products and services above.  Different bikes here have been 22 feet long, made over 1100 horsepower and gone over 200mph.  Yours don’t have to do that but why not try?  We can also help you with your turbo or supercharger project as well.  We have even done a turbo 250. 

Now sit down and figure out what you want to do and DO IT!