The speed fetus is my attempt at capturing some of the Japanese Harley style. I have been amazed at the Jap style for years now and have tried to put my finger on what exactly makes their bikes so interesting. I wanted this bike to have a huge amount of "spirit". What I mean by that is attempting to engineer in a sense of
history, memories, wear and tear, wrenching, and patination. Making something look this way is a lot more complicated than just building a bike and then spraying a bunch of grime all over it! The majority of the bikes finishes are copper plating treated with an etching acid. This creates a depth to the finish. It almost looks as if there is no finish at all, just an oily rubbed look. Other finishes include actual oiled surfaces, leather treated a variety of ways, and as vast and array of metals as I could build with. This includes brass, bronze, copper, polished and dull mild and stainless steel, and some composites. The components themselves were also selected to have a sense of history, but not necessarily an easily recognizable one. For instance, the duel amal carbs on the knuckle, and the Indian chief transmission. The frame is about half Harley duoglide, half eastern fabrications. It holds the motor an eighth of an inch lower in the frame to allow for the dual backbone/sea tube setup. It is also a monoshock rear end now. Ohlins made a special monoshock for me. The bike is a blast to ride, and is very agile. The motor, at 61 inches, is not a monster by any means but pulls perfectly well, especially for a small bike with skinny tires. The flywheels were lightened significantly, which make the motor rev a lot faster than most knuckles. This, combined with the duel carbs and efficient exhaust, allow the bike to hold its own. Special thanks go out to my crew; Heyltje rose for the leather and Alex Lerner for the wiring. Other contributors were kiwi Indian, Ohlins, and allied metal finishing.
Lock Baer
www.easternfabrications.com