Harley FXD Build Is as Inspiring as the Bike Itself (Video)
Hoonigan‘s Zac Martens performs a heart transplant courtesy of S&S.
Here at the H-D Forums offices, Hoonigan is one of our favorite sources of four-wheeled debauchery. We’ve seen motorcycles in a few episodes before, but mostly as background props. Imagine our surprise when they release a Harley-centric video! It turns out that Zac Martens is a big-time Harley guy, and in this episode, he tears down his FXD to install an S&S crate engine.
One of our favorite things about Hoonigan videos, and this video in particular, is the filming and editing style. It seamlessly combines polished, quality camera work with home movie-style clips from camera phones and GoPros. This guerilla style makes us feel like part of the action, and with all of the sideline craziness and joking going around, it seems like something that would happen in our garage — if our garage was a lot bigger and a lot nicer!
The occasionally rough language isn’t for everyone, but it’s overall pretty mild compared to the sort of things you usually hear in our home garages during the average weekend. Just take appropriate caution when watching at work (as you should anyway).
One of our favorite moments comes relatively early in the video, when someone points out that all of the transmission case bolts are different lengths. At a half whisper just loud enough for Martens to hear, he points out that he suggested to Martens that they be laid out in the proper orientation to aid reassembly. Martens subsequently places them at his feet. “I’m betting 50 bucks that by the time he’s done, he kicks all of the bolts, because that’s the worst location.”
“Mental image!” is Martens’ defiant reply. Man, it really is just like being in the garage with our buddies.
With the old engine out and the shiny new S&S v111 in its place, the battle is only halfway over. Wiring, fuel, and drivetrain components are still necessary. The video is surprisingly educational, explaining a bit of Harley wiring voodoo and proper clutch plate installation. We like it when seemingly fun videos trick us into learning a thing or two.
With the wiring and drivetrain mostly sorted out, Martens opens a large box to reveal a beautiful pair of Fox reservoir shocks. This motor swap just turned into an all-out build. Unfortunately, all of that fun will have to wait for part two. You can be sure that when that happens, we’ll be talking about it here.
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