This Month's Featured Bike:
FLIGHT CYCLE'S Monster Bobber "Coup D'etat"


Ed: About the pic- Ducati Racer Ben Bostrom loved the Ducati Bobber. For those that have seen the new Boz Bros line of clothing...the Bobber really fits with the modern/retro 60's moto style. I'm surprised Ben didnt try to buy the bike to display in the booth.
(Editors Note: This story was outed on the Monster Board right after Laguna Seca, but we thought the project was so interesting it deserved to be saved as a Featured Monster)
It's been a LOT of work in the last 10 wks trying to complete this bike before Laguna Seca, and that was further complicated by a broken thumb three weeks ago. But, with a LOT of help from the DML's 'Gil'...we got it just about completed so we shined it up...and took it up. The whole bike started with a bent up '99 M900S frame that's a bit worse than this pic even shows, so I cut off the bent up part....and started to mock things up.

	Then I set up the frame to accept a Supersport swing-arm in the stock location.

But, that put the seat too high... Here's a comparison shot with a mostly stock monster for reference... (The 'ape hangers' are in a trash bin right now...never to return.)
	So, the seat mount needed to be placed behind the vert head to lower the whole thing down. Which required a different shock mount set-up. So, following the 'trellis' theme of the mostly stock frame...I built the shock mount on the swing-arm.
In case anyone was wondering...the '98 M900 engine I put into this bike was from a bad, bad wreck. The air cleaner and fender arrived on the same day. (Also in this shot, you can see that the upper framework of the stock SS arm has been removed.)
	The gas tank was next to arrive. This is the third tank considered for this project, and was the final one used. I have NO idea what it was off of. (Ebay find, old owner didn't know either).
Not long after that...I decided on the color for the bike: Black on a gold frame! Also, in this shot...you can see the 1952 Ford Ranch Wagon ignition switch and bezel in its custom housing. When you turn the key to 'ON', the bike comes on...when you turn the key to 'START'...that's what cranks the bike up! I wasn't asked to present a 'Ducati' key for this bike when entering Ducati Island...would've been fun if I had been though!
	The bike's starting to get it's attitude now...
This just wouldn't have been a 'Flight Cycle' w/o some hidden electronics, so the ignition system and fuse box went inside the old fuel tank's tunnel on a custom bracket.
	This is the time (6-29-06) when tragedy struck. I tripped over something at the house and fell, while falling, my hip landed on my left thumb breaking it. The red circle is the swelling...the jagged green line is the fracture.
That's when our own 'Gil' (whose real name is Gil, BTW) stepped up to help out in a MAJOR way! (he's seen here throwing some gang signs in front of his Ferrari...yeah right!) Who would'a thunk such a rich guy would be so down to earth and helpful!
	We (by this point in the madness) had built up the '98 M900 engine w/some J&E hi-comp pistons, and freshened up the upper end with a valve adjustment and some new belts. Then, we treated the motor to some wrinkle-black finish and some ground down fin-edges to highlight them. In this shot, we had just received the frame back from the powdercoater and were beginning construction. The swing-arm went black, and the rr. shock spring went the same 'Red Baron Red' as the wheel hoops. The tail-light is off of a russian KGB 4x4 military vehicle from the Ukraine...Gotta love Ebay, right?!?
This next shot shows the construction at a wild pace...the engine covers were back from the polishers, and the clutch and battery were installed as well. I used some new old fabric coated wires to re-wire the bike to give more authenticity to the old-school look. All shimming/tweaking/adjusting of the frame and wheels and suspension was complete by this point, just the exh. system, intake manifold, foot controls, carburator, and wiring to be completed yet. Gil was holding onto the air-cleaner for a reference....either that, or he's camera shy.
	In this shot, you can see the headlight wiring going on, the foot control fabrication, and the final engine look. Also...it's about midnight at this point and we were starting work at 7am. We did that for about 10 days straight!
The DML's 'Desmo Stu' helped out next with some custom manufactured 'Flight Motorcycle Corp' license plates as the bike isn't quite legal yet... Very nicely done Tony....Thanks 11tyB!
	In the next couple days...no pictures got taken as there simply wasn't time for it. So, the bike was done by this point. The exh. system is some straight pipes with some pencil tips for a finishing touch all wrapped up in some header wrap to add more of a 'hot rod' look to the bike. (Thanks PT33!!) The intake manifold was completed, and installed (thanks everyone who was there that night!) The wiring was done (thanks mostly to my very, very patient and understanding wife! ). And most of the little details were sorted. All that remains (even now as I type this...) are the foot controls, and a jetting issue in the carb.

	The decals were the final touch! A final ride report and some more photos will be coming as I get the last little details worked out. OH......one more thing. Thanks to Gil for naming the beast, I think it's very fitting.
Parts Specs front end: 88 suzuki cruiser rear wheel: 88 honda cruiser swingarm: '00 Ducati SS750 engine: '98 M900 w/small valves & cams & hi-comp pistons frame: '99 M900S neck raked out to 34', & entire rear end cut-off front tire: Continental blitz 100/90/19 rear tire: Continental blitz 140/90/15 exhaust : hand-fabbed shotguns w/chrome rolled ends & header wrap Carburation: single 36mm Mikuni flat-slide
For any questions, contact Stuart at Flight Cycles- contact@flightcycles.com
Click here for past featured bikes

This Month's Featured Bike: FLIGHT CYCLE'S Monster Bobber "Coup D'etat"

Click here for past featured bikes

This Month's Featured Bike:
FLIGHT CYCLE'S Monster Bobber "Coup D'etat"