kauskustoms
New Member
when I was a teen, my first motorcycle was a 1970-something XS650, we bought it for 500 bucks and it fell apart on the ride home. We re-sold it 2 days later for 600 and my friends father gave me his old Sportster.
it was a 1988 sportster 883.
I rode it bone stock for a year while I was learning about automotive technology, engines, electrical, etc. I never had the guts to tear into my own bike becuase I depended on it to get me somewhere every day.
Finally I started making some mods, first was paint, then upgraded brakes, handlebars, then cams, carb work, big bore, ignition, etc
3 years in and I had a fully raced out 1200cc drag bike... hahaha
one day I was riding along and I got pulled over, cop runs my license, turns out its suspended because I never appeared for a ticket I got a year prior (tail light being out, a fix it ticket of all things)
so he impounds my sportster and lets me walk home.
This pic was taken the morning it was impounded, yes it was kind of ratty, I rode the hell out of it, it was my only vehicle. AND i took it to the drag strip every week.
So I meet the guy who buys it at the impound lot auction, he agrees to sell it back to me but I could never come up with the 1200 he wanted (yes, super cheap..) He didnt realize the work I put into it and he sold it to his cousin. I lost track of the bike for years.
so 6 months ago I am browsing craigslist, and I see an ad for an 88 sporty and the bike is all painted flat black but I recognize my pipes and air intake.
I meet up with the seller, turns out hes the cousin who bought the bike, he rode my sporty day in and day out across los angeles for work, it was HIS first motorcycle and he said he didnt know anything about harleys except that this one was way faster than others he saw.
I bought my bike back off him for a fair price and proceeded to tear it apart.
I rebuilt the top end and bottom end, new barnett clutch, new rocker boxes, polished everything, new gaskets, painted the frame, braced it, painted the wheels, installed Pirelli night dragon tires, new chain and sprockets, new brakes, new master cylinders, new custom upholstered seat, new paint job based on a shelby cobra ( my favorite colors on any vehicle, sonic blue pearl and white racing stripes), Lossa Engineering 1 inch clubman handlebars, new exhaust, new grips.
anyways, I finished it and took some pics.
I actually WORK at Lossa Engineering, I replaced Joe Tessitore as the main guy who does a lot of the bike assembly, I do custom wiring harnesses from scratch and engine tuning, carb rebuilding, chassis assembly, etc.
so the pics were taken inside Lossa with my DSLR on a tripod with a long exposure.
I am not a huge fan of "cafe" style bikes even though they are a LOT of what we build. when I think of the word "motorcycle" the shape of the harley sportster comes to mind, that classic tank flowing into the rear fender is THE definition of "Motorcycle". So I wanted to keep that appearance.
I could have easily gone crazy with custom fairings and tails and tanks, but then it would not be a "Sportster" anymore, it would just be another cafe harley.
oh well, hope yall like it, I just wanted to share this. apparently my bike isnt "custom" enough for pipeburn or bike EXIF, even though its been completely rebuilt from the ground up and the only thing "stock" is the silhouette.
I was forced to sell this bike to pay bills and rent, but the new owner wants a different bike so I may be getting it back soon.
it was a 1988 sportster 883.
I rode it bone stock for a year while I was learning about automotive technology, engines, electrical, etc. I never had the guts to tear into my own bike becuase I depended on it to get me somewhere every day.
Finally I started making some mods, first was paint, then upgraded brakes, handlebars, then cams, carb work, big bore, ignition, etc
3 years in and I had a fully raced out 1200cc drag bike... hahaha
one day I was riding along and I got pulled over, cop runs my license, turns out its suspended because I never appeared for a ticket I got a year prior (tail light being out, a fix it ticket of all things)
so he impounds my sportster and lets me walk home.
This pic was taken the morning it was impounded, yes it was kind of ratty, I rode the hell out of it, it was my only vehicle. AND i took it to the drag strip every week.
So I meet the guy who buys it at the impound lot auction, he agrees to sell it back to me but I could never come up with the 1200 he wanted (yes, super cheap..) He didnt realize the work I put into it and he sold it to his cousin. I lost track of the bike for years.
so 6 months ago I am browsing craigslist, and I see an ad for an 88 sporty and the bike is all painted flat black but I recognize my pipes and air intake.
I meet up with the seller, turns out hes the cousin who bought the bike, he rode my sporty day in and day out across los angeles for work, it was HIS first motorcycle and he said he didnt know anything about harleys except that this one was way faster than others he saw.
I bought my bike back off him for a fair price and proceeded to tear it apart.
I rebuilt the top end and bottom end, new barnett clutch, new rocker boxes, polished everything, new gaskets, painted the frame, braced it, painted the wheels, installed Pirelli night dragon tires, new chain and sprockets, new brakes, new master cylinders, new custom upholstered seat, new paint job based on a shelby cobra ( my favorite colors on any vehicle, sonic blue pearl and white racing stripes), Lossa Engineering 1 inch clubman handlebars, new exhaust, new grips.
anyways, I finished it and took some pics.
I actually WORK at Lossa Engineering, I replaced Joe Tessitore as the main guy who does a lot of the bike assembly, I do custom wiring harnesses from scratch and engine tuning, carb rebuilding, chassis assembly, etc.
so the pics were taken inside Lossa with my DSLR on a tripod with a long exposure.
I am not a huge fan of "cafe" style bikes even though they are a LOT of what we build. when I think of the word "motorcycle" the shape of the harley sportster comes to mind, that classic tank flowing into the rear fender is THE definition of "Motorcycle". So I wanted to keep that appearance.
I could have easily gone crazy with custom fairings and tails and tanks, but then it would not be a "Sportster" anymore, it would just be another cafe harley.
oh well, hope yall like it, I just wanted to share this. apparently my bike isnt "custom" enough for pipeburn or bike EXIF, even though its been completely rebuilt from the ground up and the only thing "stock" is the silhouette.
I was forced to sell this bike to pay bills and rent, but the new owner wants a different bike so I may be getting it back soon.
