American Iron

Like most of my weekends, this one proved to be a mix of work and play. The work part involved shooting a very slick Bagger for American Iron Magazine. The Bagger in question is the brainchild of Kurt Peterson, owner of Sumo-X, a company better known for the manufacture of wide-tire kits for Metric rides. Kurt decided, however, that it’s time to cross over into the Harley market, and this 2010 Bagger is Not just another stretched and repainted FLH, this example uses a 23-inch front wheel manufactured at Kurt’s facility. I should mention that Kurt already makes wheels for both the Metric and Harley markets. The wheel in question utilizes a Buell rotor squeezed by a Buell 8-piston caliper. What really makes the bike stand out though is the stretched gas tank and matching side covers that flow into the extended bags. Out back is the nicely shaped Sumo-X rear fender. Gas tank, dash, side covers and fender are all part of Kurt’s new product line.

Built by Kurt Peterson, owner of Sumo-X, this late model Bagger is a rolling billboard of new products.

Not just another stretched and repainted FLH, this example uses a 23-inch front wheel manufactured at Kurt’s facility. I should mention that Kurt already makes wheels for both the Metric and Harley markets. The wheel in question utilizes a Buell rotor squeezed by a Buell 8-piston caliper. What really makes the bike stand out though is the stretched gas tank and matching side covers that flow into the extended bags. Out back is the nicely shaped Sumo-X rear fender. Gas tank, dash, side covers and fender are all part of Kurt’s new product line.

Though the combination of the tank, side covers and fender make the bike look like it’s twenty feet long, the frame is stock. Kurt says that he checked the trail figure before and after installation of the 23-inch wheel and the difference was less than a quarter inch. He adds one comment though, “If I were to run a 26 or 30 inch tire then I definitely would want to cut and move the neck, to make sure I ended up with the correct trail figure.”

Sumo-X is best known for their wide-tire kits, which means they design and cut their own wheels. This example is 23 inches in diameter, note the large diameter rotor and 8-piston caliper, both borrowed from a Buell.

Kurt is one of those hands-on guys who can do just about anything. From welding, to designing wheels with CAD-CAM, to painting and assembling the Bagger seen here. He even did the skulls with an airbrush.

To have a look at Kurt’s extensive product line, take a look at his on-line store: http://www.sumo-xstore.com/.

The Sumo-X gas tank and side covers blend together nicely and help the bike flow from one end to the other.

Bob Feather, author of our next musical instrument book, just sent me a picture of the finished “dream guitar,” the centerfold of the Electronic Guitar Assembly book due out in late spring of 2011. Designed to help the do it yourselfer who wants to build an electronic guitar, the book covers the assembly of two guitars, an inexpensive or starter guitar, and the dream guitar seen here.

Bob worked in close association with Michael Mascagna, the luthier who did the actual guitar build. Over the course of almost 2 weeks, Michael assembled the guitar, while Bob took excruciatingly detailed sequential photos.

If the name Bob Feather rings a bell, it’s because he photographs most of the custom bikes seen in the magazine: American Iron. During a conversation in Sturgis a few years ago, he mentioned his obsession for guitars, and the fact that he plays in a garage band and also sells custom, handmade, pickups to clients around the world through his small company, Telenator Musical Electronics LLC.

After he was done telling me alL this, the light went off, and I realized Bob would be the perfect person to write an electronic guitar assembly book.

The bad news is the fact that the finished, printed book, won’t be out until spring of 2011. The good news is the fact that the digital version, will be out well before that, just stay tuned for more details.

This beautiful one-off electric guitar is the main topic of our next musical instruments how-to book: Electric Guitar Assembly.

Sturgis 70th Anniversary book

We are still crankin’ on the Sturgis book, hoping to send it to the printer in about 7 to 10 days. Though the progress is a little frustrating, the book is looking good and the photos I’m finding just get better and better.

Main Street Sturgis, what some people call “an experience like no other.”