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Last year, Coyote Customs completed a custom bike that took several trophies at the major bike shows and he wanted to top it the following year. So he bought a wrecked 2003 Yamaha Road Star, built his own frame and fabricated the tank, rear fender, swingarm and hand-hammered chin spoiler. To make it clean, he moved the electrics under the seat and mounted the ignition switch in the nose of the seat. Most of the wires and cables have been hidden in the handlebars.
That Coyote Customs frame has a 42-degree rake, with an additional 8 degrees in the trees. The hand-fabbed swingarm can accommodate a 250-series rear tire; a custom version will accept a 300-series. With the Tricky Air suspension, Conley can slam the bike down to the ground while parked, then hit the compressor to ride off in comfort. Conley reports that, when slammed, the bike only comes about up to your hip, yet it’s 9 feet long.
So, how did he do? By early in the season, the bike had already trophied in two Easyriders Bike Shows in the judged category, with a number of shows still to go. As for the business end of things, Conley already has three orders for bikes very much like this one.
Most importantly, he’s a happy man. Conley says with a grin, “My main goal is to show I’m not stuck in one style; I can build any kind of bike.” And with all of the hand-fabbing, he truly has. --Bill Stermer
Owner: Jason Conley, Coyote Customs
City: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
General
Model: 2003 Yamaha Road Star
Design: Coyote Customs
Fabrication: Coyote Customs
Chroming: Sharp’s Plating
Engine
Model: Road Star
Displacement: 1,602cc
Modifications: Webcam cam, velocity stacks
Carb: 42mm Mikuni
Exhaust: Morton’s Curb Feelers
Frame
Builder: Coyote Customs
Type: Pro-Street
Rake: 50 degrees
Modifications: 7-inch stretch in the backbone, 2 inches in the downtube
Front End
Type: Inverted 63mm
Builder: Spyke
Paint
Painter: Wicked Customs
Type/ Color: cobalt blue
Special paint: HOK Metalflake
Accessories
Bars: Coyote Customs
Grips: Arlen Ness Torpedos
Mirrors: Don’t need ‘em
Headlight: Headwinds Rocket
Taillight: Bikers Choice wide cateye
Fenders: Fat Katz Vegas (f), Coyote Customs (r)
Seat: Rage Dave ostrich
Electrics: Coyote Customs
Wheels: Weld Racing Magnum
Brakes: Hog Halters 4-piston calipers
Tires: Avon
Photos: Michael Lichter |