New member From Minnesota

[dukekleman]

Hello Everyone,
My name is Duke Kleman and I have recently decided to join the AMCA Viking Chapter. My life and way of living have been blessed by a career in the Harley Davidson world for the last 35 years. From the Technican side, Product development and Instructional side for new incoming Technicians it has been quite the adventure. I currently work as a motorcycle and Powersports Instructor on contract at ATCC as well as operating my own personal shop. Back in the 80's I started working on Harley Davidsons in which we mainly worked on Flatheads, Knuckleheads, Panheads and Shovelheads. I have always owned older Harleys as well as new ones. My current fleet of older HD's consist of a 1957 HD FLH that I completed restoration on last year and my 1971 FLH I've had since High school. My home shop holds all the tooling in various rooms to do a motorcycle from start to finish. I do everything in house building, machining, welding, etc...including final calibration work from linkerts to ECM's in my chassis dyno for intial break-in. It's taking me 35 years to accumulate all this and is my happy go to place.
Working with people all over the world intially got me into teaching and passing on knowledge that one day could be lost. I joined this group to learn more from others and hopefully help others out.
I truly enjoy helping people in the motorcycle community that has been good to me!

Duke

[kurly]

Sounds like your having fun. Welcome aboard.

Curly

[BigLakeBob]

Welcome to the club and forum. Sounds like a great motorcycle life you've had.

[T. Cotten]

...I do everything in house...including final calibration work from linkerts to ECM's in my chassis dyno for intial break-in....

Wow, Duke!

We sincerely need a Linkert expert with a dyno!

Welcome!

....Cotten
PS: ECM?? Nevermind, I probably wouldn't understand...

[PaulCDF]

Welcome Duke!
Would love to see some pictures of your bikes.

[Chips Place]

Welcome Duke. If you are in the Viking Chapter so does that out you in the state of MN?

My family is from the Superior/Duluth area, way up north.

Welcome aboard.

Chip

[dukekleman]

Chip,
Yes, I am from Minnesota.

On the linkert carburetor side of conversations, It was very nice to find a company making qaulity linkert parts that I had'nt known of in the past. That gave me the incentive to make tooling to repair all the common issues found on them.
As far as linkert carburetors go and Vintage motorcycles, the main purpose of the chassis dyno for me is to have a controlled enviroment of cooling air flow along with data to make immediate changes to the air fuel ratio. This way I can monitor the combustion chamber activity essentially from the outside.

It works great for Heat cycling, oil circulation varification, piston ring seating and overall engine break-in. Lean conditions can be addressed immediately to address overheating as well as Rich conditions can be avoided to prevent piston ring wash and oil dilution that occurs through the cylinder walls cross hatch.

There is a very short window for the matting of pistion rings to the cylinder wall's cross hatch. Engine start up to 10 miles are very crucial times for this to happen...
On these older bikes I really dont care about the HP and Torque of the engine or driveline efficiencies.

[T. Cotten]

.... It was very nice to find a company making qaulity linkert parts that I had'nt known of in the past.....

Is there one, Duke?

I must pick and choose cautiously from various sources, or commission my own; Ebay offerings often have to be re-manufactured, if they can be used at all.
(You may want to start a new thread, especially if your source isn't here to defend himself...)

Dynos are a tool that my only aquaintance with was non-motorcycle, but I dreampt of getting HP vs torque numbers by swapping only venturies. I think a lot of people would be surprised, and everyone would benefit.

....Cotten
PS: Hastings told me if their rings are "seated", they are worn out!

[JoJo357]

Welcome to the Forum Duke.

*M.A.D.*