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The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Shavonna by Jesse Rooke

By Paul Crowe

Shavonna by Jesse Rooke
Shavonna by Jesse Rooke

Jesse Rooke showed up at the AMD show with Shavonna to compete in the Modified Harley-Davidson class. It’s a modified 883 Sportster, single sided swingarm, Trask Performance turbo and pieces from Storz, Ohlins and more. I like the look and it’s not so radical that another builder couldn’t do much the same thing. Sometimes not knowing what to do keeps an owner from doing what he could, seeing a bike like this shows how all of the pieces look together. Interesting.

Link: AMD Championship

Posted on August 12, 2009 Filed Under: American Motorcycles, Custom motorcycles, Motorcycle Builders


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Comments

  1. the other Larry says

    August 12, 2009 at 11:28 am

    Looks great, fine job, but a retro-Yamaha paint scheme?

  2. JR says

    August 12, 2009 at 12:07 pm

    kind of Roland Sands meets Mule Motorcycles

    very nice

  3. Markkit says

    August 12, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    No one makes streets trackers as good as Richard Pollock..Check it out; http://mulemotorcycles.net/XS650-yamahas-1.html

  4. kneeslider says

    August 12, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Markkit, we’ve covered Mule Motorcycles here and
    here plus mentioned him other places, too. Yes, Richard does fine work.

  5. taxman says

    August 12, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    the sportster that harley should produce.

  6. taxman says

    August 12, 2009 at 1:22 pm

    quick question. is the upper side of the chain resting on the joint where the swing arm connects to the frame? isn’t that bad?

  7. HowardsCustoms says

    August 12, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    @taxman, most likely has a nylon roller/tensioner like most motorcrossers…No way it is resting on the swingarm mount. Unless, when the suspension is compress with a rider’s weight, it lifts off of it.

  8. taxman says

    August 12, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    good to know. many more pictures of the bike on rookes website. they all are without the turbo though.

    there are also a number of other customs in the amd championship this year that seem to be more performance oriented than chopper/bobber style. many of them look like they are actually rideable. maybe not for a weekend trip. but lots of fun for a nice canyon ride or track day.

  9. kneeslider says

    August 12, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    taxman, I also noticed the move toward rideable customs, lots to choose from, much less of the old stretched style. That’s a good move.

  10. WT says

    August 12, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    This bike has been around for a few years now……at least 18 months.

    Rooke has some good ideas, but doesn’t do most of the work himself. He just contracts others to do it all for him. Whatever.

    He doesn’t impress me.

  11. Ceolwulf says

    August 12, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    @WT – design is also a skill.

  12. marvin says

    August 12, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    That is a nice looking bike from a European perspective it needs a chain guard but apart from that it may even be the style that would persuade me to buy an American bike. It looks like quite a tight and neat design that would be a whole lot of fun in the real world.

  13. steve says

    August 12, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    Jesse is known for his spindly bicycle type motorcycles so it is nice to see him do something different.

  14. Ian W says

    August 13, 2009 at 6:34 am

    I’ve never really got on with Sportster based trackers, they usually look just too big. This one has got the proportions spot on, whilst looking like it’ll kick your head in. Not sure about the paint, I’m sure I had some trainers (sneakers you over the pond 😉 ) that looked like that in the 80s! Other than that very nice work indeed.

    As you say, shows what can be done with a Sportster.

  15. WT says

    August 13, 2009 at 9:11 am

    check out http://www.toddscycle.com and tell me that even jesse’s designs aren’t that original. think maybe someone else is even doing design work????

  16. Kenny says

    August 13, 2009 at 11:12 am

    Now that looks like a harley that I could think twice about owning.

  17. Walt says

    August 13, 2009 at 11:43 am

    Shavonna? I think I’ll rename my Bonneville “Madame Marjorie.” And my Harley flathead, she will be “Bertha.”

  18. Thierry says

    August 13, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    Check out my XL 600 Street Tracker
    http://street-tracker.blogspot.com/

  19. ehpawk says

    August 14, 2009 at 12:11 am

    @thierry: man i absolutely love that bike. i was actually thinking of doing the same to mine. well its a 1980 xs400.. heh if you know how many hours ive spent looking at that your bike. the kneeslider should do an interview with you.

  20. todd says

    August 14, 2009 at 12:14 am

    Thierry, your bike is awesome. Where did you put the battery? Oh wait, you have a kick start. My XR650 doesn’t have a kicker so I have a big battery to deal with. Did you lower the suspension?

    -todd

  21. craigj says

    August 14, 2009 at 11:55 am

    Except for the beachball rear tire, I really like the proportions and overall look of Rooke’s bike. Too bad Sporty’s are way to small for me.

  22. taxman says

    August 14, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    a bike is only to small for you if your knees get in the way and prevent you from turning. i would understand you if you said that you prefered a more relaxed riding position. my personal opinion is that a sportster is a BIG bike. at least size wise.

  23. todd says

    August 14, 2009 at 3:40 pm

    I’m 6’3″ and Sportsters are still a little big for me but that’s just preference. This one looks like the seat is up to around 34″ high so it’s probably too big for many people.

    -todd

  24. matt says

    August 14, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    What a strange wastegate setup, it looks like it only releases exhaust from one of the runners, unless there’s another wastegate that I can’t see. A wastegate for only one cylinder seems like it would mess with the pulses going to the turbo quite a bit.

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