Do you have a comment, question, complaint, or something you need to get off your chest? Then write us at: Hot Talk, HOT?BIKE, 2570 E. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806, or drop us a line at [email protected]

Hot Bike
I am looking at Volume 39, No. 13, page 38. Ya know, the insta-chop pages. Here’s the deal. I gotta get me a set of those friggin’ apes! I have an ’81 FLH that would look damned good with those. What are the dimensions (rise, pullback, and all of that)? I have got to get some so that the winter teardown can include throwing a set of them on. I dig the rag! If ya can put more stuff for us old Shovelhead bastards, that would be friggin’ great too. Thanks a ton and keep up the good work!Michael “Dirty White” WatkinsVIA E-MAIL

“Dirty White,”
We looked into it and it’s a set of tall Cubby’s from Carlini. They come in all different sizes, but you will want to check out the website to see what size you are after. However, the ones on the bike are 1.25-inch tube with a height of 18 inches, base width of 22 inches, a full pull back of 8 inches, and an overall width of 34 inches. These bars come and are also available in 1.50- inch tube. We hope you found the insta-chop just as interesting; it is not for everyone, but if you want that chopper look without whacking the frame, this could be the way to go. Once you are done with it, it’s easy to put the bike back to stock.

Hey Guys,
I am looking for any info on a turbo I can get for my ’79 Shovel. It’s a 95ci stroker.

George Kelly,
via email

The best thing you can do is check out the web-there are a lot of companies making turbos these days, but there’s not a lot out there for Shovelheads. We did come across one, RB RACING (www.rbracing-rsr.com). The company has built a number of turbo kits for Shovelheads and for their race bikes, but we’re not sure if they are still making them. If not, they may know where to go. Hope it works out for you; we love to see guys still fire up a Shovelhead. Let us know how it goes.

Eric,
Damn you.
I e-mailed you a few months ago regarding some of the bike builders and their talents up here in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. After several trips to shops and numerous discussions with the builders, reading your magazine articles and my enjoyment of riding, I was convinced to build my own bike. Hence my “damn you” comment to you and your staff. I was perfectly content to ride a stock bike until I started reading the “All-In” bike article in your magazine. I started thinking about how that bike was put together and came up with an idea of my own. Having a handicap from previous injuries, I knew that riding long distances would not be possible for me, but with a custom bike tailored to my body size and compensating for my past injuries, I could get back in the saddle once again. After a few months of agony with design and communicating that design to the builder, then having them guide me to the final results…well, I’ll send you a picture and let your expert opinion judge the bike.

Thanks for the inspiration . . . I only hope that the picture of my bike inspires you to continue the good work I see from your magazine.Blake Merrickvia email