2006 Boardtrack Custom Chopper - From Bicycles To Bikes...

Transition can take on many forms. It could be changing from a constrictive job to one with numerous possibilities, or even making your way out of solitary into the general population. Whatever experience you can relate to, we have all gone through some version of it. For Graham Zuelke, his experiences with dropping motors into old Schwinn cruisers opened the doors of the custom motorcycle world.

After graduating from the American Motorcycle Institute and starting as a metal fabricator at Motorcycle Works outside of Kansas City, Graham decided to build a street-legal version of an old boardtrack racer. With only a month under his belt at his new place of employment, Graham set out to build a bike that would turn heads without the flashiness of a 300 rear tire or a overly custom paintjob.

With the curved backbones of the Schwinns of the past in his head, he started working on the frame. The frame, which was named a '06 Viking 120 Boardtracker, was built from the ground up with a 37-degree rake and a 1-inch upward stretch, and it lacks a swingarm. The frame has not been painted or powdercoated, and it only bears the marks from Graham's welds. As you can see, he still has not decided what to do about the finish. "I'd like to clean it up and maybe add some pinstriping," Graham said. "I'd even clearcoat it if it didn't end up too glossy." The gas tank has a little added flair thanks to the tubing that Graham welded to either side. After bending a section of tubing and cutting it into twin pieces, he attached it to his teardrop gas tank.

Getting away from the customary fat rear tire on many customs these days, Graham added a matching 21-inch wheel to the rear. "It's a front wheel rim that I mated to an old FXR hub," Graham said. The skinny rear wheel sits under a flat-top fender that Graham fabricated himself.

The engine is a '77 Sportster 1000cc that Graham built from two case heads and cylinders that he found at the shop and parts he harvested from swap meets. "I welded, reshaped, and fitted the cases," Graham said. "I then rebalanced the stock flywheels, ported the heads, added new valve guides and seals, and made a 2-into-1 pipe for the exhaust," Graham added.

Since paint was left off the list, Graham moved onto making the bike street legal with the addition of some V-twin turn signals, ironhead Sportster mirrors, a dual-filament Midwest headlight, and a custom lens on a stock bagger housing for the taillight. The seat was Graham's nod to his past: A messenger bicycle seat that looks as comfortable as it feels-with a little help from the customary springs. Graham equated the experience to "riding a bicycle with a lot of power.

The bike is a work in progress. Graham still has not decided on what to do about the finish. While he decides, Graham is busy coming up with his next off-the-beaten-path custom.