2000
Pro Street Magazine Feature
October
2002 V-Twin
FXR:
The Essence
You
might have come to realize that Zip Showket is among the number
of riders who believe that there has never been a harder launching,
better handling, smoother riding Harley Davidson motorcycle than
the FXR.
In his youth
Zip began his two-wheeled quest for great riding. At the age of
7 he was beating the hell out of the family moped, doing jumps and
burnouts. That's when his dad sat him on a dirt bike, and from there
he rode motocross for the next 20 years.
In 1988, Zip
bought a factory-fresh Harley-Davidson FXR and began acquiring an
appreciation for the cult following associated with what many believe
to be the ultimate Harley. He bought plenty of other bikes in the
next few years, but when Zip finally decided to build a custom cruiser
for the high- way, he saved the heart from his first love and built
this fine example of taking the very best and going one better.
With the '88 Evo mill being overhauled at BFD Racing, Zip ordered
a Chopper Guys frame and hooked up with master fabricator Greg Hartwell
(hartwellmotorcycles.com) to form a cool collaboration.
Greg's
custom project list reads like a who's who of custom bikes and cars.
Zip and Greg tag teamed for this FXR project to put out a bike that
was built to ride, and to visually explain Zip's personal concept
of what an FXR is all about.
A rear swingarm
was handmade, the tanks were chopped, stretched, channeled and lowered,
while the frame had lots of mods going on too.
The ignition
switch was relocated and the oil bag was eliminated, but not before
the frame was re- structured on the underside to accommodate a special
FLH tranny with an internal oil filter.
This FXR was
completely redone from stem to stern with all of the parts being
"detailed down" to fit together aesthetically as well
as they do mechanically.
The powerful
engine now displaces 84 cubes and makes 71 horses, but when Zip
and his wife head up the coast from Novato, California, to go camping
near Yosemite, the 105 foot- pounds of torque available keep him
carving the corners without having to take the bike out of fourth
gear. If you look too close at the underside of the frame, you'll
count more than a few serious scrapes.
Exactly what
does it take to build a hot custom FXR scooter with legs for the
road? This bike took Zip.
-Jeff Moore
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the Hot Bike Magazine >>>
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