Some people just seem to be born lucky. By the time you read this Seamus, the owner of this stunning Evo chop, will be taking an extended tour around Southern Spain, soaking up the rays, visiting a few shows and likely as not bringing a rucksack full of trophies back to the sultry climes of West Yorkshire. If he decides to return at all that is. Some years back Seamus went on holiday to France, and liked the place so much he didn't come home for seven years.

Having ridden Shovels for the past 12 years, this bike is Seamus' first Evo and some two years careful thought and hard graft went into it's creation. The project started when his cousin imported an Evo motor from Texas which unfortunatley was found to be totally shagged when when Seamus stripped it to check it over. What started as a quick rebuild turned, inevitably, into a major project and the blueprinted 80 cube motor now runs S&S cases holding an EV27 cam. A 42mm Mikuni flatslide provides fuel and a 3 inch BDL primary links up the drive. Having sorted the engine room, Seamus shipped the whole plot off to Tony at B & I Engineering in Huddersfield with instructions to wrap the whole thing in a tasteful and functional frame with proper suspension, rubber and brakes. The project was well under way when, part way through the dry build, some theiving bastard rammed Tony's workshop door in the middle of the night and made off with half the bits. A rather foolish thing to do as Seamus has a long memory and lots of friends....

The break in proceedings meant Seamus had to go out and source replacements for the missing bits, which explains the mating of a '93 transmission to a '91 motor through a clutch conversion specially machined for the purpose by B&I. In fact Tony at B&I took care of all of the fabrication and specialist machining work. Apart from the frame, Tony extended the ZXR750 upside-downies by five inches and mated them to the frame with those gorgeous ally yokes, made with such precision that the fork tubes are actually an interference fit in the bottom yoke, no pinch bolts being nescessary. The wheels owe their origins to Seamus ' requirements for modern brakes linked to serious rubber; Tony welded an FJ1200 rear hub into a Rover car rim running a 200/70x15 tyre. The front wheel is a similar hybrid; the YZF750 hub, discs and calipers now running inside a rim originally from the rear of an FJ12. Seamus speaks highly of Tony's machining skills and the quality of the one-off billet work on the bike speaks for itself. Check out the carefully crafted forwards, tach mount and risers which incorporate subtle warning lights with wiring concealed inside the bars. The proposed Trans-Eurpoean runs nescessitated a decent fuel range; that tank is made from cut 'n shut fatbobs and holds seven gallons which should give the bike a 300 mile range between fill-ups. And the paint, well this is one bike you really do need to see in the flesh to appreciate. Seamus gave Skelly in Bradford a free hand to paint the bike any way he wanted, and the resulting marbellised blue flame job surpassed even his exacting standards. Tony Archer seats continue the blue flamed theme and provide Seamus with a comfortable place from which to view Europe as he blasts through it. When I photographed the bike it was fresh from its first public appearance having just taken "Best In Show" at the H.D. Clubs Yorkshire Poker Run and was receiving a thorough shakedown before departing on foreign travels by carrying Seamus down to the Black Bull in Otley, his local boozer and one of the few places he'll miss while out of England.

Also celebrating that day was Liz, the landlady's daughter, who mysteriously claimed to have just passed four and a half "A" Levels before jumping on behind seamus to pose through the streets of Otley whilst bemused locals looked on. I never found out what the half an "A" level was for....

Motor: 1991 80 cu in Harley Evo, S&S cases, 42mm Mikuni Flatslide carb, EV27 cam, Samson Groundpounder pipes with torque convertors. Ignition: Crane H4 Single Fire. Forks: Kawasaki ZXR750 extended 5 inches. Alloy yokes and risers by B&I Engineering. Frame: B&I Engineering Softail. Wheels: Front: Yamaha YZF750 hub mated to FJ1200 rim with 150/80x16 tyre. Rear: Yamaha FJ1200 hub mated to Rover car rim with 200/70x15 tyre. Brakes: Front: Yamaha YZF 750 discs with FJ1200 calipers. Rear: FJ1200. Fuel tank: 7 gallon cut'n shut Fatbob with aircraft fillers. Lights: Custom Chrome front, Knitelite rear. Chroming: Vernon Moss, Brighouse. Paint: Skelly, Bradford. 01274 745575. Upholstery: Tony Archer.

All specialist machining, fabrication, billet work, oil tank, fender struts, forwards, belt-guard and mudguards by B&I Engineering 01484 511534. Assembly and alloy polishing by owner.
Thanks to: The Bladder Brothers, Charlotte, Emma (the youngest member of the H.D. Riders Club) and Jon and val at the Black Bull, Otley - "the best bikers pib in Yorkshire" - 01943 462288.
Seamus would like to dedicate this bike to the memory of Dave Grady.