Mark Mooney lives in South Bend, Indiana, nicknamed the "Hoosier State." He builds bikes there and is one of those one-man-band kind of bike builders doing about everything except boil raw rubber into tires. He's got some mechanical expertise going for him since he runs Britt's Mobile Repair, a truck repair service taking care of over 300 fleet vehicles. His well-equipped facility is divided into two shop areas, one for the big rigs, the other for his custom bike projects.
For the past 15 years Mark's been into motorcycles, currently building two to three frame-up bikes annually. As both business and hobby combined and also some stress release, Mark builds both hardtails and hidden-shock models. Recently he brought a bike up to a show in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that was an extended Ness-fendered bike that made a statement. It was very low and very big and long, a dreadnaught kind of motorcycle, but up to the weight thanks to twin super¬chargers. Green Bay didn't know what hit them. At the other end of the spectrum, Mark's currently cranking on a short and nasty bulldog-looking bike. Says Mark: "We took one of Redneck's frames they used to customize a Buell and tore it all apart and put a 124 S&S
motor into it. It is really one compact ride."Regarding his design philosophy, he answers, "I try not to follow along. I try to go the opposite way. I guess that doesn't work to a point, but I'm one of those that doesn't want to compromise and copy everybody. Like on the orange bike, I stayed away from the chrome and did the paint treatment on the wheel and engine." And what's up with that Devil's pitchfork looking pipe? Another Mark Mooney design. He laughs and says, "I call it the Fork U pipe." So what does the bike sound like with those three organ pipes playing? Mark says, "It sounds like a hyped up John Deere. I was actually going to do the spark plugs in the pipes and make it kind of a flame thrower." Rather humbling he adds, "I'm not a super fabricator but we probably made 90% of the bike and I do enjoying making the pipes." Mark also likes to paint and the orange bike touts his work. "I've got a good buddy, Jeff Stewart, who helps me out quite a bit with paint, but he got busy, so we've been doing all of it on our own lately. As you can see, I'm into the flames. I'm terrible about flames, but painting for me is also a pretty relaxing experience."
As for the bike's riding characteristics, Mark sums it up when he says: "For a long bike you can throw it around pretty good." If you're looking for cables and lines, you'll notice how sanitary the whole setup is. For example, the front brake line goes up into the fork tube and down into the frame. You'll also notice the bike has a jockey shift, a long one. The tubing is crafted from an Indy Car front suspension. It also features an integrated hand clutch, "which takes a little getting use to at first," he says. Mark Mooney's crafting bikes with his own distinctive character, call it "Hoosier heavy metal" if you want. For more info on his bikes and his products, you can reach Mark at
574-271-2994.
Specifications:
Owner: Mark Mooney City: South Bend, Indiana
General
Designer: Mooney Year and make: 2004 Mooney
Chopper
Time: 6 months
Chroming: Brown's Plating
Engine
Year: 1999 Model: Harley-Davidson Rebuilder: Mooney Ignition: Crane
Displacement: 96 cubic inches
Lower end: RHC
Cam: Crane Carb(s): Harley-Davidson Air cleaner: Mooney Pipes: Mark Mahoney Fork U
Transmission: Harley-Davidson
Shifting: 6-speed Painting
Painter: Stewart's Painting Color/type: competition
orange/black/green Special paint: chrome base
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Mark Mooney lives in South Bend, Indiana, nicknamed the "Hoosier State." He builds bikes there and is one of those one-man-band kind of bike builders doing about everything except boil raw rubber into tires. He's got some mechanical expertise going for him since he runs Britt's Mobile Repair, a truck repair service taking care of over 300 fleet vehicles. His well-equipped facility is divided into two shop areas, one for the big rigs, the other for his custom bike projects.
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