Licks Cycles: Natty Daddy Shovelhead Bobber BikeBound

A redemption machine from Nigel Mount, simply in time for Laconia’s one centesimal…

Again in 2020, we featured a radical Buell Thunderbolt road tracker from Colorado-based builder Nigel Mount (@nigelmadethis), who constructed the bike for the 2020 Greasy Dozen, an annual build-off, enjoyable run, and bike present wherein sponsors assist a dozen garage-builders kick-start their tasks just a few months upfront, giving them a deadline to compete their builds.

Nigel labored on the bike in half-hour stints throughout his lunches, breaks, evenings after work, and weekends. Contemplating the tight time-frame, the modifications had been staggering, together with a fully-adjustable swingarm, one-off welded aluminum tank, Fiat Fulvia carb, one-off billet consumption manifold, six-piston rear caliper, and extra. We weren’t the one ones who beloved the construct. Says Nigel:

“After the Buell construct for the Greasy Dozen, I gained a class in Sturgis that led to that bike being invited to the Cycle Showcase St. Louis, which is a present that I revere on the highest stage.”

Time’s Up: Buell Thunderbolt Avenue Tracker

Sadly, destiny intervened through the weeks main as much as the present, when Nigel was struck by an oncoming automobile, which totaled the Buell and did critical harm to Nigel’s foot and decrease leg:

“The underside of my foot was torn off, and the Achilles utterly severed. I used to be laid up for 3 months (as quickly as they informed me I may stroll, that week I used to be on a motorbike to Sturgis with my crutches strapped to my bars haha).”

As quickly as he was again within the saddle, he tried to rebuild the totaled Buell for CSSTL, however a whelm of obstacles, together with an upended private life, stored the rebuild from occurring. Nigel mentioned that was one onerous capsule to swallow, however that’s life at instances.

Quick ahead to late 2022, and Nigel’s longtime good friend Braden (@nampsha91) from his house state of New Hampshire had a Shovelhead bobber he wished rebuilt earlier than the one centesimal anniversary of New Hampshire’s legendary Laconia Motorbike Week (June 10-18, 2023), which was simply eight months away. Quickly the ’79 FLT arrived at Nigel’s store with a damaged body, prepared for a full transformation:

“Braden wished a motorbike that felt like a present bike, however was a critical rider. “

By way of the design, the largest affect would come from the prevailing tank and rear fender, as painted by Ronnzoni’Z (@hatemgraphics) in 2019:

“Braden informed Ronnie to simply go buck wild on the tins, and in individual they give the impression of being soaking moist. And all of the paneling and scallops are simply wild… It actually set the bar for the work I used to be going to do.”

Nigel would utterly rework the bike through the subsequent eight months. Highlights embody a brand new Paughco body, inverted Buell forks with six-stage sand and polish, hand-built sissy bar / oil tank / fender mount / prime engine mount, 70s humorous car-inspired B-side stainless exhaust, 88″ Shovelhead motor with 3″ belt drive, and far, rather more.

Nonetheless, this bike is as a lot about love, redemption, and household as metal and chrome. First there’s the nickname, “Natty Daddy,” a tribute to Braden’s daughter, Natilie:

“Sam, his spouse, calls him the ‘Natty Daddy,’ since his daughter’s identify is Natilie. As quickly as he mentioned it, we each knew that it needed to be the identify. It simply match the construct, however most of all it match the household…. We began just a few months after Natilie was born, and he knew this bike would keep within the household, so in some ways Braden constructed this bike for her. This mission actually was a labor of affection.”

On the similar time, the bike turned a type of homecoming for Nigel, who completed simply earlier than midnight on the day earlier than leaving for the one centesimal anniversary of Laconia in his house state:

“The primary time Braden and Sam noticed the bike was on the Gunstock Hill Climb present on the one centesimal of Laconia. It was additionally the primary time my mother and father noticed one thing of this caliber that I constructed… So this construct was a giant time private redemption piece to get it performed in time, carry the bike again to my house state and the rally the place I constructed my first bike; it was a extremely proud second contemplating all of the issues surrounding it.”

We will’t consider a greater homecoming, nor a extra good redemption machine. Right here’s to Nigel, Braden, Sam, Natilie, and all the oldsters who know that love and household, although largely unseen, are sometimes probably the most essential parts of any “present bike.” Such historical supplies of the human spirit — “love and honor and pity and delight and compassion and sacrifice,” as William Faulkner as soon as named them — are what give a motorbike its soul.

“Natty Daddy” Shovelhead: Within the Builder’s Phrases…

In regards to the bike…

Me and Braden (@nampsha91) are very long time mates from NH. Shortly after transferring to Denver Braden wished to repaint and clean up his Shovel bobber. After discovering out the body was damaged, the mission ballooned and began falling behind.

Someday we had been speaking concerning the mission, and I informed him if he may get me the bike, I’d construct it for him. Positive sufficient he slapped it on a pallet and acquired her to Denver. With solely eight months to get it gone by way of and constructed earlier than the one centesimal anniversary of Laconia Motorbike Week, it was definitely a crunch to get it performed. It threw up every kind of issues all the way in which as much as making elements at 11pm the day earlier than leaving for the east coast. However we made it!

What’s the donor engine and/or the body builder?

The unique bike was constructed off a 1979 Harley FLT, with a DIY hardtail and slender glide entrance finish. It’s now an 88″ shovel with a 3″ belt drive and the unique body was damaged in a number of locations, which is what grew the mission. The body was changed with a Paughco body.

• Had been there any design ideas or concepts that influenced the construct?

The largest design influences got here from Ronnzoni’Z (@hatemgraphics) — he painted the tins again in 2019 when the proprietor Braden (@nampsha91) first tore the bike down. It actually set the bar for the work I used to be going to do.

I had my Buell entrance finish sitting within the shed and determined to see the way it match. And as soon as that was on, it actually set the theme for the bike. Braden wished a motorbike that felt like a present bike, however was a critical rider. In order that combo of inverted forks with a 14″ rotor and 88″ motor on a slimmed-out bobber actually match that invoice.

• What customized work was performed to the bike?

So Braden informed Ronnie to simply go buck wild on the tins, and in individual they give the impression of being soaking moist. And all of the paneling and scallops are simply wild.

The inverted entrance finish is off a Buell S3; I machined the forged risers off the highest tree in order that we may run standalone risers, then did like a six-stage sand and polish on the timber and fork sliders.

My cousin Ian (ACSIS Methods) machined a lovely stainless axle to transform the Buell forks to the Harley 3/4″ bearings.

The largest problem was constructing a sissy bar with an already painted fender. It was nerve-racking to say the least. However the sissy bar, oil tank / fender mount, and prime engine mount had been all fabbed from uncooked to attract in parts from the paint. I additionally knew I wished to do a one-off B facet stainless exhaust. That drew its affect from 70’s humorous automobiles, sensible however robust.

Then a variety of the work was simply fitment. Narrowing the bars to the width of the timber, fabbing brackets for the oil tank and seat, tons of spacers and brackets, the shift meeting, brake deadman, doing all the inner wiring. Plenty of the elements used are from the unique bike, simply polished up or made to suit the brand new construct.

• What’s the story behind the nickname “Natty Daddy”?

I can’t recall the precise dialog, however sooner or later I used to be speaking to Braden and we had been speaking about his daughter, and by some means it was introduced up that Sam, his spouse, calls him the “Natty Daddy,” since his daughter’s identify is Natilie. As quickly as he mentioned it, we each knew that it needed to be the identify. It simply match the construct, however most of all it match the household.

I’ve recognized Braden for near 10 years now and he’s one in all my biggest mates, his spouse as nicely as a result of her brother is one other one in all my biggest mates. That’s a complete story in itself (I’m initially from NH the place all of us turned mates).

From the get go, Sam has been absolutely supporting this construct. We began just a few months after Nat was born, and he knew this bike would keep within the household, so in some ways Braden constructed this bike for her. This mission actually was a labor of affection.

The primary time Braden and Sam noticed the bike was on the Gunstock Hill Climb present on the one centesimal of Laconia. It was additionally the primary time my mother and father noticed one thing of this caliber that I constructed. So realistically the burden of how particular this all is, is tough to explain and hopefully once I end the documentary on it, I’d do it justice (haha).

Nigel together with his mother and father.

• Was there something performed throughout this construct that you’re notably happy with?

Moreover constructing a motorbike for the folks I really like, there are two issues I’m very happy with:

1) The reception to the construct and the way everybody may see how clear and flowing the bike is. It’s not this over-the-top present bike that’s impractical. Plenty of the time I used to be simply trusting my expertise to make this all come collectively. The deadline was so tight on the finish I couldn’t actually change route; so to see that I didn’t botch it was an incredible feeling.

2) After the Buell construct for the Greasy Dozen, I gained a class in Sturgis that led to that bike being invited to the Cycle Showcase St. Louis, which is a present that I revere on the highest stage. This was the tip of 2020 so Covid was nonetheless messing with scheduling occasions.

Throughout the postponed time of the present I used to be out driving the Buell by way of Denver in Might 2021 once I was hit by an oncoming automobile. My foot ended up getting mangled within the chaindrive when it was pinched between the automobile, then throwing me over the automobile. The underside of my foot was torn off, and the Achilles utterly severed. I used to be laid up for 3 months (as quickly as they informed me I may stroll, that week I used to be on a motorbike to Sturgis with my crutches strapped to my bars haha).

However the CSSTL was now occurring in Feb 2022. So I now had lower than six months to rebuild the totaled Buell. Many issues occurred that hindered that rebuild, however on the finish of January my private life was upended and mentally I simply couldn’t end the construct and stop. That was a tough capsule to swallow for a very long time.

So this construct was a giant time private redemption piece to get it performed in time for the one centesimal Laconia Bike week, carry the bike again to my house state and the rally that I constructed my first bike at; it was a extremely proud second contemplating all of the issues surrounding it.