Look Right - DP Customs

DP Custom Cycles of New River, Arizona, is a relatively new shop, but one going from strength to strength. Their latest bike is ‘Look Right’, and it’s certainly a sharp looker—with styling cues taken from one of Jacques Villeneuve’s BAR Honda F1 racing cars. In the early 00s, BAR cars carried distinctive Lucky Strike branding, but this had to be modified in countries that banned tobacco advertising. In 2004, ‘Lucky Strike’ was replaced with ‘Look Right’, hence the name of this bike. Mechanically, we’re looking at a modified frame wrapped around a 1982 Harley ironhead 1000 motor. According to DP’s Justin Del Prado, ‘The project began with a complete tear-down of the bike and then we chemically stripped the frame. We ditched the swingarm and welded on the hardtail.’

This modification lowers and lengthens the bike by four inches. DP also fabricated a battery box, oil tank and seat mounts. ‘We made sure the electrical system was as discreet as possible for a clean, uncluttered look. All the wires and switches are new, even the keys.’ Most other parts are either new or reconditioned; a Keihin CV carb now sits on the intake side, and the exhaust system is custom-built. Everything that has degraded over time, including the fuel and brake lines, has been replaced. The wheels are 19” and 16” and powdercoated, and the seat is from Biltwell—but for me the pièce de résistance is that painstakingly crafted rear fender. ‘For an old classic Harley, this bike is fast and actually handles pretty good, especially with the Pirellis on there,’ says Del Prado. ‘It sounds really mean and the riding position is aggressive with our clip-ons and the seat location.’

Another top-notch job from a company that not only nails the look of its bikes, but also prices them right.

Seventy Three Harley Ironhead Sportster

“Jarrod and Justin Del Prado of DP Customs and there story of there latest creation "Seventy Three":

“Our shop is in New River Arizona, but we haven’t had a local customer since the cows came home. That is, until we met a dude named Scott Brown at a Bike Night late last year. He told us a story about how he was born in 1973, how all people born that year are very cool (of course I agreed with him, since I was also born in 73), and that he wanted to build a bike in honor of his esteemed birth into the world of motorcycles. He said he liked DPC’s style and we were the ones who could help him realize his dream of creating SEVENTY THREE. And it began…

He brought us an Ironhead Harley that was of the model year, well, you know… His requirements were few: It was to be really REALLY black. With some hints of blue. It had to look mean. Roger that.

The frame had already been hardtailed and raked. Once we scraped off all of the vintage grease and grime, however, we realized it was more crooked than Forrest Gump’s back, and the welds looked like peppered bacon. Justin hooked it up to the jig and had a chopping party that no one was allowed to attend. After fabbing and tig welding the hell out of it, she was laser straight and the welds looked like the boys from Akrapovic had stopped by to help.

We used a black springer and powdercoated the cam cover, sprocket cover, primary cover and rocker boxes in satin black. Justin did his signature bitchin crossover exhaust, and perfectly followed the tips with the lines of the frame.

32 Choppers - Rufino II

Jimmy Lee and JC Coen are 2 brothers who, after customizing bikes for friends and themselves during 18 years, have made the big jump into the world of Pro Custom Building. And although most would consider that these last years were the less favorable to get started in the industry, their shop Three-Two Choppers in Fort Worth Texas, TX is slowly imposing its own style and gets no problem attracting new clients. Three-Two Choppers? An unexpected name that you will easily remember and whose origin comes from the fact that both the numbers 3 and 2, separately and together, don’t stop showing up in Jimmy and JC lives… Ask them all the stories when you meet in a rally or bike show.

The Coen Brothers are not looking after fads to duplicate what has already been proven as design success. Their ideas are relatively simple, but executed such a way that their bikes end up acquiring their own personalities. This custom called “Rufino II” is a good example of what could have been only another chopper, but in fact incorporates details making it different, noticeable in the street and at the bike show. It was ordered by Miguel Salinas, a customer already owning 2 custom bikes built by the brothers. Inspiration came from extra ideas not incorporated in the former builds.

Seldom do builders get the chance to have full reign on design and finishes for a customer, and this was one of those times. Due to the owner-to-be- small size, the bike had to be relatively compact with no exaggerated wheel base, have a low center of gravity, keep a light weight, be quick to respond when leaning and turning . Giving its unique stance to “Rufino II” is the frame – designed in house and fabricated by Coen’s friends at Dirty South Choppers – with a very small rake of 25-degree combined with a drop seat and set up for a modest size 18 x 4” rear wheel. Power comes from the new 80” Shovelhead engine from S&S Cycles with their Super E carburetor. Front end was built by Jeri at Jeri Springer, holding a 21 x 2.15 wheel and getting its direction from one-off bars (no risers) built at the chop and positioning hands lower than the frame neck.

Gas tank is quite interesting, built from scratch, rubber mounted and installed on a unique three rail system. The brothers used one of their points/ignition covers and mounted it on the left side of the tank for a nice contrast. For fuel delivery to the S&S E carb, they used a Pingel’s remote fuel valve and utilized the shop built motor mount to hang the valve. Under the bottom and to the rear of the tank are two fuel outlets, one on each side of the tunnel. Due to the extreme angle of the tank and the fact that the fuel level lowers parallel to the ground you end up with a pocket of fuel on the opposite side the valve is flowing from. This allows for a nice reserve if and when you run out. ..

Giving character to the bike is the Moon-Eyes oil tank mounted outside the frame and the exhaust pipes running inside it (coated in mirror silver finish by Jet Hot). An original Harley FX 19” front fender went through massaging at the English Wheel and is now used as the rear fender. An Afco 4” coil over spring is bringing suspension to the seat pan upholstered by Duane Ballard after he hand tooled the shop skull logo. A machined in house sweet LED billet taillight adds to the other nice touches on Rufino II.

Build time: 4 months. Ignition: Dyna S Dual Fire. Transmission: Rev Tech 5 in a 4 kick only. Primary: Primo Brute IV with Primo Clutch. Wheels, model Raven Star by Thomason Performance. Tires model Avon Cobra. Hand Controls by Jay Brake. Grips by Avon. Headlight: 4.5” Tribar. Painter: “OSC” Other Side Customs. Graphics: OSC.

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