Archive by Author

2002 Big Dog

Mileage: 20605

Engine CI: 107 Cubic Inch

Transmission: 5 Speed

Paint Color: Black

Accessories: Custom Center Dash, Custom Flame Mirrors, Custom Grips, 2 in 1 Exhaust, Dash Bag, Front Tire M8 90/21, Rear Tire 230/16/15

Price: $8500 OBO

For More Information call Jan At: (636) 462-1648

2010 Dyna

Miles: 17360

Displacement: 96 Cubic Inch

Fuel Injected

Transmission: 6 Speed

Accessories: Handlebars, Back Rest, Sissy Bar, Aftermarket Exhaust

Price: $6500 OBO

For More Information Call Jan At: (636) 462-1648

2001 Dyna Low Rider

Miles: Approximately 15,000 (No Gauge)

Engine CI: 100 Cubic Inch, 105 Horse, 115 Torque

Carb

Transmission: Ultima 6 Speed

Paint: Red (Rough on Purpose)

Overall Condition: Good

Accessories: Phone Mount, Full Engine Rebuild, Lower End Trued and Welded, S&S Big Boar Kit, S&S Cam Chest Kit with 585 Cams, Exhaust 2 into 1, Plus More Customization to Suspension

Price: $7500 OBO

For More Information Call Jan At (636) 462-1648

Tire Maintenance 101

By Sparky

When it comes to tires there are several things to look at. First thing you need to check is your air pressure. Second thing is to check your tread life. Third item to monitor is the age of your tire. Proper maintenance of tires is the key to having them last longer and keep you safe.

Tires have a weight rating associated with the amount of air in the tire. Michelin tire company did a study that the air pressure in the tire in association with the weight applied changes the temperature of the tire surface. The lower the air pressure the higher the temperature. High
temperature of tire surface causes the tire to permanently change shape over time.

To maintain proper traction you are relying on proper tread depth. The minimum safe tread depth is 2/32”. This can easily be measured with a tread depth gauge. If you don’t have a gauge you can use a penny. By turning the penny upside down and inserting it in the tread of the tire.
If the tread is above Lincoln’s head, the tire is good. If below Lincoln’s head your tire requires replacement.

Additionally the age of the tire plays a major role. If a tire is over five years old the department of transportation states that it is not safe for use. You can identify the age of a tire by looking at the DOT number. The last four digits of the number are the week and year the tire was manufactured. When tires get old the rubber gets hard and slick.

To recap, check your tire pressure regularly; check the tread wear prior to riding; keep an eye on the tire age. I challenge everyone to stop by the shop and pick up your free tire tread depth gauge. If you have any questions, ask one of our technicians and we will assist you.


Note from Reine: Please be careful purchasing tire “deals” off the internet. We have had customers come in after purchasing on line and tires are over five years old. They may have never been used, but the rubber is hard and slick. Light Love Peace Out

Where to Start.

We have officially made it through 2020! Maybe you spent some time in quarantine and had a chance to think about what you would like to accomplish this year; or how you would spend your stimulus check. Most of you think motorcycle, and that’s ok. Now come all the questions. Do you want to go faster, further, louder or just tweak some cosmetics? How do you go about making these changes?  Face lifts aren’t cheap and toning can take time but that’s what we are here for. Knowing what you want to accomplish in the end is the first step. So how can you be prepared when you come into your favorite motorcycle shop with a specific design or upgrade in mind?

   The process of any new build is to have your end vision in mind.  Jan suggests going through magazines and picking out what you like.  It could easily be a front end from one picture, back end from another, and wheels off a completely different model bike.  Are you into the latest trends?  Then Hot Bike or Baggers are good magazines to look at.  If you attend bike shows take pictures of what draws you to a specific bike.  Handle bars can change the whole look of a bike as can saddlebags.  The more information you have of what you want to achieve the better we can help you.  While your bike is on the table, do you want to upgrade your sound with a new audio system?  Try to think of everything you are wanting and what works for your style.  Once you have the end vision in mind, then we can help you pick out the parts that work together on your frame and within your budget.  Having all the changes you want to make ahead of time can help with the budgeting also.  Making changes midway through a build will increase the expense as well as increase the time frame to complete a build.  

   Updating your engine is a completely different animal.  Again, what is your end game?  Do you want your engine to go the distance for cruising America?  Are you more interested in fuel economy for your daily driver to and from work?  Or is being the fastest in your group of riders important to you?  Make sure you talk to a professional before rebuilding an engine.  In Jan’s own words “don’t try to mix match a bunch of shit that doesn’t work together”.  It becomes a nightmare and more expensive to make it right.  One brand or part of an engine may advertise that they will make your ride go fast and another brand/part may help with fuel economy, but that doesn’t mean they work together and the end result can be a sluggish bike with great fuel economy or just not working at all.

   I learned the following about engine upgrades while writing this article:

            Stage I – upgrade air cleaner, exhaust and tune

            Stage II – upgrade internal cams and small changes to the pistons

            Stage III – upgrade to a more aggressive cam and larger pistons

            Stage IV – upgrade cams, cylinders, pistons and head work

  So how will your baby celebrate the New Year?  In hibernation on a battery tender; getting a facelift with new curves; or toning her up with a fresh engine rebuild?  Whatever you choose, know we are here to help! 

Peace Out,  Reine

Mad Dog 2020 by Reine Knobbe

I’m sure many of you have seen the post going around that Mad Dog has been telling us for years “2020 was going to be a bad year”.  I know it only took one night of drinking it to know that for sure! I have to agree with it in many aspects, but not all.  Let me tell you about our journey here at Chariots of Fire Customs LLC.

There’s a PANDEMIC and no one has an option.  You MUST get on this roller coaster.  For us it started with canceling our customer appreciation day that we always had in March.  Next we canceled the first bike night in April.  Those decisions were not hard to make because of the statewide shutdown.  So the ride began.

Next was May’s bike night.  The state was just beginning to open up.  I personally had been doing distance learning with my occupational therapy students (ages 3-5 that in and of itself was a roller coaster) therefore I was really feeling the need to distance.  The media was hard to follow with so many different reports saying different things.  So many different camps from “hoax nothing out there” to “extremely serious we will all suffer greatly” and everything in between.  Lord knows how much I prayed for the correct decision.  I wanted to be a responsible shop owner, but also not to panic.  I’m sure I drove Jan nuts with this part of the roller coaster, so many ups and downs!  Lucky for Chariots they were smaller hills.  Jan made the call by looking to the community.  “If the churches open up, we will have bike night”.  So we went to the top of the next hill with a loop thrown in as May was by far our biggest Lincoln County Bike Night to date!  Everyone was soooo tired of being isolated.  No one wore masks and everyone was hugging and kissing one another.  I had fun wearing my bubble wrap making a public display of my unease!

Those of you that follow us closely know that we went on with all of our scheduled events after that with small changes.  We kept the number of people coming into the shop to 25 or less; wiped down all door knobs and tables and chairs after events; and dropped the chili competition at our fall festival.  We have been so very blessed as all of you continued to come and support us not only at events and fundraisers, but also bringing us work.  Chariots hired another mechanic this year and are looking for another as we continue to grow.  Thank you for that.  That part of the roller coaster ride has been a blast!

We have all made sacrifices this year.  Not all of you have been experiencing great fortune.  Many have lost jobs, income, beloved friends and family have died or gotten ill from this pandemic, mental health, stress, depression.  Our personal sacrifice is not being able to see our elderly parents.  Had I not had all the events this year I would have been able to see mom and dad as their health conditions made them hunker down to stay safe.  Jan’s mom is in a long term care facility so no one can visit. The sad, scary, low part of this roller coaster ride.  So, yes, Mad Dog 2020 has been a “bad” year in that sense.

As 2020 comes to a close it will certainly be one for the books I’m ready to get off this roller coaster. . . however, let the new ride begin!  What adventures await us?  What have we taken away from 2020?  A new appreciation of the little things in life?  Did you slow down a bit?  Spend more quality time with family?  Realize what is really important in life?  Were you one of the lucky ones and had time to clean out closets, add a deck to the house, paint rooms?  Did you come up with a new hobby?  With all the motorcycles coming in to our shop we know many of you were able to enjoy your current hobby and got out in the wind putting more miles on your ride.  SWEET!  Life is good.  So blessed are we!

CHEERS!  Bring on 2021!

Light, Love, Peace Out Reine