SP Rides: A Psycle-delic Ride
PHOTOS BY JERRETTE KAMAKA
Vehicle Modification List
OWNER: Ivan Gabriel
MAKE: 1972 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead
MODEL: Ivan Psycles Shovelhead
ENGINE: 1350 ccd
FRONT END: Ivan Psycles custom built Banana Girder with Swinger shock
FRAME: Ivan Psycles custom Shovelhead
DRIVETRAIN: 4-Speed suicide shift
SUSPENSION: Ivan Psycles Custom Design Hardtail
WHEELS: 2007 Harley-Davidson Soft Tail rims; Front 21X3; Rear 16X5.5; Avon Tires Gangster Whitewall
SEAT: Nomad Leather
Two years ago this 1972 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead was so rotten with rust that it would fall apart if it were ridden. Sitting outside behind the house for years because other bike building projects took priority, the elements eventually took its toll on the frame. The front end was tossed in the dumpster, and most of the frame was cut away. The neck was still good, and that’s where the magic began.
“I decided to build a girder front end for this bike. There was two previous designs that I scrapped before coming up with this banana girder design,” said Ivan Gabriel owner of Ivan’s Psycles and Repairs. “This is actually my style. I love bobbers. I like old choppers. I don’t care too much for the big wheel designs. I don’t care too much for the pro street either. This is more my style my cup of tea.”
TV shows like American Chopper and Monster Garage made bike building popular and owning a custom bike cool. But for Gabriel and his crew everything they saw on TV wasn’t anything they haven’t already done. The hands on experience Gabriel has goes back to his days as a kid when his grandfather taught him the old school ways of building bikes. Since then degrees from HCC and UH along with being a certified welder and an ASE certified technician gives his customers and clients confidence when they ride an Ivan’s Psycles creation.
“Safety is always the number one concern whenever I come up with a custom design. After I install a custom part or build a bike I’ll road test the bike and make sure that it’s safe to ride,” said Gabriel. “Practically everything on this bike was made right here in this shop, and I converted it into a hardtail. We just finished it this past week so I’ve taken it out for a test run but it’s a fresh bike.”
While at last years SEMA show Gabriel and his sons ran across a fellow biker who couldn’t get his Harley started. Being a family of aloha they offered to help and within a few minutes they found the points in the magneto needed re-gapping, and it cranked right up. To show his appreciation the owner of the Harley, who also owns Nomad Leathers in California, sent Gabriel the custom leather seat.
The maiden voyage for this bike, that Gabriel named Eleanor, will be later this year from San Diego as he and other bikers from the 808 ride to Sturgis.
