Here is a blast from the past we just found while researching another bike we built years ago. This was at our first location round the corner from our current shop. If anyone knows Ryan, we would love to chat to him and find out what happened to his chop.
Posted on June 20, 2010 by RyanHK: Click Here For The Original Post
The Start… Or mid-Restart.
I had started looking into getting a bike again last summer. Things just didn’t seem to hook up though. This summer I started again and had reached to point of frustration, until I was cruisin’ the Kijiji ads in Calgary and saw “The Old Motorcycle Shop” advertising for older bikes and custom choppers. This apparently meant there was still hope.
I’ve been looking at building/buying an older Bobber/Chopper for a few years now, and though I’d give this place a shot. Met the owner, Phil Bunton, right when we walked in. He was jsut awesome right off the bat. Showed me a couple options of some mid to late 60’s and early 70’s Triumph choppers that were in progress, but commented that my size (6ft & 240lbs) they might be a bit small and a bit underpowered. He brought me to the back of the shop and showed me his personal project… A chopped 1979 KZ1000 ST. This was exactly what I was looking for. Slight gooseneck, Small rake increase, Rigid frame conversion, High Sissy bar, Ape Hanger Bars, and being a KZ1000, enough power to haul my fat ass around. (For those that don’t know, as I didn’t know until now, the KZ series bike held the world speed record for a couple years in the 70’s. A factory stock build of the KZ1000 will do 0-60mph in 3.8sec)
We spent some time talking about options, costs and build time. I’ve never been more impressed with a shop in 8+ years of riding. He spent tons of time with me answering questions, walking me thru the build process, etc etc. He even suggested that when it was time to work on the bike, I come into the shop and help out… So I could learn my way around the bike and really have a hand in the creation and fabrication process. In the two weeks I’ve had this project, I’ve sent 2 people back to check out the shop and one of them is having a Triumph chopper built for next spring. The other will possibly be purchasing a stock bike from his line up in the next month or so. Just based on the experience so far, we’ll all support this guy and his shop as long as we can.
I’m headed back this week to talk with Phil and plan out a little more on the build. It’s high season for them in the regular maintenance and upkeep of standard bikes, so it looks like we’re gonna aim for the “World of Wheels” in February as our target deadline. This also makes it easier on my wallet, just paying in chunks as the build/fabrication continues.
Here are a couple pics of the bike right now, and I’ll keep updating this as progress continues, or as I get ideas and links to share on the KZ1000 conversions.
So far it’s got Harley Fatboy tanks added, Single down tube, instead of the triple. Phil says he added the double FB tanks to give a little more range if you’re going on a highway cruise. It also gives the bike a wider, slightly more “badass” look too. (the flames will be coming off though. It’s gonna be as flat black as I can get it in the end.)
First photo is what the 79 stock KZ1000 looked like and the other two are the current state (my purchase point on the project).
Ryan
Do you know Ryan or what happened to this bike? Drop us a line—we’d love to know where this chopper ended up.
