After being featured last week, Dmitri is back to tell us more about custom metric motorcycle building in Ukraine, and about his “Wolf” build, a Jawa bobber by customstroy.
year: 2014
fabrication: Customstroy (Odessa, Ukraine)
engine type: Jawa-350
aircleaner cover: custom made
pipes: custom made
transmission: Jawa
frame type: Hard tail
front wheel: 18″, Custom made
front tire: metzeler
rear wheel: 16″, custom made
rear tire: Vintage Shinko E270
handlebars: steel, custom made
grips: bullet style, natural leather, custom made
taillight: custom made
gas tank: peanut style, custom made
gas cap: custom chrome parts
pegs: custom made
seat: natural leather, custom made
painter: Gudron (Zaporozh’e, Ukraine)
bikerMetric: Why the name?
The wolf- is a serious animal. When’s the last time you went to the circus and saw a wolf? It doesn’t happen.
bikerMetric: Tell us a bit about Wolf’s story?
I was approached by a customer who had an engine from an old Jawa motorcycle. The customer asked me to create a chopper style motorcycle but I could not agree to this. A chopper with a Jawa engine. It’s like Minnie Mouse marrying Goofy. It’s just wrong. I decided that this engine was better suited for a custom Bobber motorcycle. The concept was born the next day.
bikerMetric: What was it meant to be?
It was supposed to be a motorcycle with low clearance, hardtail, Springer front end. Tires had to be vintage style: firestone or kookers or Shinko E270. My choice was the Shinko E270. When I finished the basic design concept, I started to work out the details.
bikerMetric: How did the current situation in Ukraine influence the build?
Now in my country, Ukraine, there is war. A lot of weapons can be seen on TV and on the Internet, you can hear them on the radio … Therefore, I incorporated military elements in the design of the bike. Grips on the handlebars are made in the form of large bullets. Pegs are in the form of brass knuckles. The steering rack and the rear wing rack are decorated with bullets too. Skull added a bit of aggression, looks good as well.
bikerMetric: Is anything stock?
This Jawa bobber motorcycle is almost entirely custom made. Only a small piece of the motorcycle frame remained unchanged – there is a VIN code frame. The motorcycle’s fuel tank also custom made. We tried to make the tank look like a classic peanut fuel tank. In this case, a square shaft of a fuel tank, not round as in the original peanut. The Jawa bobber’s seat was made of sheet iron. The motorcycle saddle was decorated with genuine leather – once it was a good, off of a leather jacket.
bikerMetric: What’s up with the oil tank?
Placed on top of the relief paws of Wolf, you can see the fake oil tank under the saddle. The Java motorcycle engine does not need this oil tank, so I made that fake oil tank with a battery and other electrical products. Rear wing is made with the help of the English wheel, and the stand is decorated with real bullets. I believe that the motorcycle rear fender is not necessary – without it bike looks brutal, but the customer insisted on the rear fender. Check out the grip the handlebars, pegs, steering rack, the intermediate shaft, the axis of the wheel, the hub of the front wheel, steering wheel motorcycle frame, every bush…
bikerMetric: Does it get a lot of looks?
Oh, of course! I love to go to the center of the city, stop at a cafe drinking coffee and watch people look at motorcycle. It is a great pleasure, especially when watching a woman. It is called – a magnet for women.
bikerMetric: What was the most difficult part?
The hardest part – is the intermediate shaft. I wanted to make the bike as long as possible. Rear wheel went back – a chain can be very long. It looks ugly, very ugly. we had to make the intermediate shaft and the two chains, which it connects. One chain on the right and the other chain on the left. Because of this, it was necessary to turn the rear wheel. А new problem – drum brake rear wheel in this position does not work. We had to come up with a new rod to the brake pedal and the brake pedal itself. One problem becomes several other problems.
bikerMetric: Any cool stories about this build?
Bullets that are in steering racks and racks of the rear wing, it is a gas cartridges. When I cut the bullets, gas burned my eyes, nose and skin. I cried like a crocodile … It’s a lesson that I won’t ever forget.
bikerMetric: How much do your builds cost?
The entire project cost of approximately $6,000
Very cool. You can check out last week’s post on Dmitri’s custom Ural chopper, and visit his website for even more.
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