The FREEDOM OR DEATH Machine

[metricmofo]

This is The FREEDOM OR DEATH Machine, built by Jeff of Saint Motorbikes.

More pix and info at bikerMetric.com

T

 

[inxs]

- pretty high on the kool faktor

 

[Luke4554]

close ups on the exhaust?

 

[TeeCat]

I love it, especially the exhaust! The only thing that gives my eye a bit of trouble is the front end; everything has 1920s board track "patina", except those stock fork tubes. They look like an afterthought, imho. I think that sort of creativity merits one-off fork tubes that support the retro theme. Just me, though... mad skills he's got!

 

[ember]

Yeah, a black springer would look much cleaner on that bike, but it's sweet the way it is. I like the brass brazing as well.

 

[metricmofo]

i understand what you think about the front end guys, but if you visit bikerMetric, you'll see that many of the parts were donated, and it was our goal to be as radical as possible for as cheap as possible. a tasty front end is easily the most expensive thing on an xs chop or bob, and therefore was financially out of reach. i'd love a leaf spring front end by nick from metal head fab, or just a clean springer, but stuff like that costs over a grand and nobody was giving them away for advertising considerations on my still-growing website.

the most money we spent on the machine was $850 for the donor bike.

the FREEDOM OR DEATH Machine is an exercise in how rad you can get for cheap, and this was done for around eight grand when donated parts and labor are added together. sacrifices had to be made to keep it inexpensive.

as the designer, i had poor jeff struggling for a while to figure out where i was going with my requirements. then one day he wrote that he saw a "crazy punk rock speed racer." i knew he understood it then and he definitely nailed that design ethic i wanted. it isn't supposed to be retro. it's more "steampunk" than "boardtrack." it's a mix. it's it's own thing, and not like anything else.

thanks for the compliments, guys. we had a party friday night and had roller derby girls modeling on this bike and a few other scoots for a pro photographer and some of those images will be appearing on bikerMetric soon, along with more close-ups and a tech article about the exhaust, which sounds incredibly angry.

 

[bassgoat1979]

The bike is wicked. Don't care for the headlight thing, matter of personal taste. Just reminds me of a bit of Elton's glasses from the 70's. Overall, awsome.

 

[Teebs]

I agree with TeeCat about the front end. It was the first thing I noticed because it sticks out like a fat chick modeling lingerie. That front end stops it dead.

a tasty front end is easily the most expensive thing on an xs chop or bob, and therefore was financially out of reach. i'd love a leaf spring front end by nick from metal head fab, or just a clean springer, but stuff like that costs over a grand and nobody was giving them away for advertising considerations on my still-growing website.

No offense, but that's kind of bullshit, isn't it? The fact is is that a home built leaf spring or girder is about as cheap as you can get. Guys have been throwing girders together forever. If you have a decent amount of fabricating experience it should be a pretty simple task. Taking one's time, one could build a girder or leaf spring with a drill press, angle grinder, torches and MIG.

You can even download plans for a simple leaf spring, girder and springer setup: http://chopperhandbook.com/neatstuff/downloads.htm

These are proven plans that have been in use forever and can be altered in about a billion different ways. They're just a starting point.

That said, it's a killer scoot. The little faring throws it off balance, but I really dig the use of... what, about 40 lbs? of brazing. Lots of cool details, unique parts, an overall badass effect. Sweetest set of pipes I've seen in a while.

 

[cooltouch]

This is a very interesting build. Almost has some steam punk elements about it. I like the touch with the bag on the left side only, the way it conforms to the frame's lines.

Nice.

 

[pyrocentric]

Nothing wrong with fork tubes, they do the job well. Might look better with them painted or engraved/ribbed decorated somehow.

I like the headlight shroud and I'm trying to imagine how that exhaust would sound. Very unique.

 

[TeeCat]

Ah, I see where you're coming from then... I had not realized the origin of the parts and the budget approach.

In that case, maybe you could do a "faux" mimic of the rest of the bike's patina scheme on the front end with powder coat or paint. I love the black/brass concept... looks so "early"... very tasteful and effective!

And yeah... "steam punk"... I do see that, now that it's been mentioned!

 

[danxs650mass]

i love it the single down tube and the tank is diff looks like a split tank i say more pics please and great job

 

[metricmofo]

No offense, but that's kind of bullshit, isn't it? The fact is is that a home built leaf spring or girder is about as cheap as you can get. Guys have been throwing girders together forever. If you have a decent amount of fabricating experience it should be a pretty simple task. Taking one's time, one could build a girder or leaf spring with a drill press, angle grinder, torches and MIG...

That said, it's a killer scoot. The little faring throws it off balance, but I really dig the use of... what, about 40 lbs? of brazing. Lots of cool details, unique parts, an overall badass effect. Sweetest set of pipes I've seen in a while.

thanks for the thumbs-up, teebs, but no bullshit. i've left the link to my site where you can see the complete build, read about the time frame, and discover who helped with what.

on bikerMetric you'll see that it wasn't only money, but time that was an effect on the final product. just because there are springer plans out there does not mean we had the funds to purchase the steel, aluminum, springs, or whatever (we were literally counting change the last two weeks); or that there was enough time to develop a front end. i was hoping to paint the forks, but there was not enough time for even that. wanted to paint the spokes, too.

the builder, jeff of saint motorbikes, did the entire thing in five weeks, evenings and weekends only, with two weeks off in the middle for other projects. this wasn't a sixteen-month build. it was three weeks and done in about 130 hours. that's amazing.

cheap and fast was our motto. custom choppers straight outta the microwave.... KA-BLAMMO! no screwing around. no over-thinking. no time. no money. we just wanted dudes to see that they can build something badass real fast and real cheap.

i appreciate the steampunk reference, cooltouch. that's exactly what we wanted.

now that it's here in austin, we're messing with it. there will be some minor mods to the handlebars because right now the handing is mighty squirrely. it wasn't ridden until saturday, after our unveil party downtown, when we discovered this. we're also going to mod the fairing/flyscreen slightly. additionally, the "oil tank" is actually another gas tank. jeff mounted a little vacuum pump above the tank under the frame that we just need to hook up. then it will get another site gauge. in all, the FREEDOM OR DEATH Machine takes over four gallons of gas.

as for the exhaust, it was assembled with a donated biltwell exhaust kit, some .120 wall tubing, and four cast steel plumbing elbows. it sounds incredibly angry and unlike anything you've ever heard.

the black and brass/gold is not only because it helps with the steampunk/antique look, but also because i am a huge new orleans saints fan. black and gold! it's been a good year.

i'll post new pix as they come, guys. we all appreciate your kind remarks and your support of the metric motorbike revolution. it's cheap, fast and fun.

garage-built freedom machines!

 

[650Skull]

The bike is very Kool,

Is this an advertising feature for some shop

 

[cooltouch]

So metricmofo, what sort of bars are you thinking about. Something a little more swept back, medium-size apes, or . . . ?

 

[Teebs]

The time constraint makes it more understandable for sure. Nice work.

I was going to ask if you're Irish (gift of gab) but then I noticed it's just because you're from Texas.

 

[metricmofo]

we have to bring the bars up, michael. there isn't enough leverage down low to handle the rake and trail. i'm a bit bummed, but we've got a few ideas so it doesn't look gay.

yes, this is an ad, skull. an ad for me and saint and working man and limey and 7 metal and elswick and rock and biltwell and after hours and chris and kevin and draft cycle and everybody who helped make this machine and our friday bash happen. they gave me parts, offered time and labor, and in return i blab about them. that's the deal. in truth, we spent two grand in real money building this bike. i have a lot of blabbing to do.

teebs, i'm an author. writing is what i've done since i was a wee lad in montana. i live in austin because it's where we (woman, kid, me) ended up after katrina ruined our new orleans home. not going to link to my last book because it's crazy and rhythmic poetic prose and nobody gets it but drunk charles bukowski fans. suffice to say that writing is what i do well. add that i'm a former art director, and you get a guy that can make pretty stuff and tell you why you like it.



thanks for the continuing compliments, guys. it isn't just a bike, it's a movement.

 

[gggGary]

Way cool! can we see it being ridden? Maybe I am weird but a bike without a rider is just static art. Very good vision wouldn't have guessed it was a budget special and THAT is a complement.

 

[PAhunter]

Nice bike.

I just got my first XS 650 and it looks like a movement.

 

[cooltouch]