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Evil Twin pays tribute to a motorcycling legend

Castellari’s 2016 SHR Evel Knievel tribute bike won the K&N Performer Award at the Minneapolis edition of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Bike Show. K&N sponsors three of the classes of the prestigious custom builder competition at each stop of the IMS.

The NOS 1200 XBR motor breathes through a K&N performance filter

“I always wanted to build a street tracker,” he says. “And with the renewed interest that people have taken with Evel Knievel and the reenactment of the Snake River Canyon jump, I thought, why not do my part to pay homage to a childhood hero?”

We have to think that Evel would have been thrilled to have ridden a bike like Evil Twin. The great showman and stunt jumper never had access to the kind of V-twin firepower that Castellari’s custom has.

The heart of the Evil Twin is a NOS 1200 XBR Buell motor. The big V-twin breathes through an S&S Super E carb fitted with a K&N high-flow filter. A very clean Supertrapp system handles the exhaust duties. There is little doubt that Evil Twin is packing some serious horsepower.

The high-mount exhaust fits the theme of the build and the custom paint is stunning

The frame was hand built from 4130 chromoly steel on a jig designed by C&J Racing for SHR enterprises. The chassis rolls on Performance Machine wheels.

Of course, on an Evel Knievel tribute bike, the paint has to be perfect. Cliff Anderson of Stripes and Pipes handled the task of masterfully applying the color to the body parts and the Harley® XR 750 replica tank. The paint, stripes, and lettering were all hand-applied and the word Evel was done in 23 kt gold leaf.

The blacked out Buell motor is the massive centerpiece of Evil Twin

It turns out Castellari is quite a big fan of K&N products. “I use all K&N filters in my cars and bikes. I have used them on everything I own,” he says. K&N thanks Castellari for being a loyal customer and we are thrilled to have had the chance to focus the spotlight on a fantastic build.

Dell Battle took home the Mod Harley class at the Dallas, Texas IMS

Battle’s ultra-low custom took home the Modified Harley Class at the Dallas, Texas, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. K&N is a sponsor of the Mod Harley Class at each stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show.

One look at the resting stance of the Dangerous Dezigns custom sparks questions on how exactly that thing makes it over the smallest of obstacles. Is the dangerous part of the “dezign” what will happen to the exhaust and engine pan when a pebble is encountered? Well no – that’s where the custom suspension wizardly comes in.

A custom air suspension gives Battle's Harley the low resting posture

Out back, Battle worked out an ingenious system for keeping that abnormally long chain final drive taut in both the raised and lowered positions. It’s a kind of roller sprocket design that is a play on the tensioners used on long-travel dirt bikes.

The Sportster rolls on billet rims that are high on style and craftsmanship. The fenderless front wheel is tall and exposed, and the rear is a refreshing departure from the trend toward outrageously fat rear rubber. The look is thoroughly retro.

A unified intake and exhaust theme highlight the build

Finally, there is that blinged-out paintjob. The maroon, black, and white motif is carried into every aspect of the build from the tank and fenders to the billet wheels. The classic hand-tooled solo saddle and the 72 on the tank speak to the era that was the inspiration for Battle’s design.

Clearly, for Battle, it’s good to have ‘friends in low places.’ K&N congratulates Dell Battle on his unique and beautiful build.

Holden Pruitt proudly wears a K&N sponsorship patch on the Del Mar oval

Hooligan racing is a growing segment of the flat track racing world that pits an eclectic cluster of heavy, powerful, street-biased motorcycles against each other within the tight confines of a dirt oval. Its hooligan ambiance is sparking fan interest and steady growth of the racing subset.

K&N-sponsored Unknown Industries sent a talented rider to Del Mar, California, to compete on the famous Southern California race track. You'd think flat track racing would be a bit of a departure for Holden Pruitt. After all, like all of the Unknown riders, Pruitt’s day job is smoking tires and riding wheelies as part of the raucous Harley® stunt team. However, Pruitt grew up racing motocross, so he is right at home in the dirt world.

Great motorcycle riders are typically a versatile bunch and Pruitt is no exception. The multi-talented Pruitt represented the stunt community well at the Del Mar event.

Pruitt piloted his big K&N-breathing Harley V-twin to a heat race win. He also added several second place finishes. Pruitt showed his racer toughness and gumption when he rebounded from a crash to get back on his mount and finish 5th. The Del Mar event was a nice showcase for the talents of Pruitt and stunt athletes in general.

Take a look at the gallery below for some highlights of Pruitt’s day spent roosting and sliding on the Del Mar dirt oval.

Pruitt casts a look back at his fellow hooligans before a race

The starting lineup at the Del Mar dirt track

Pruitt spending quality time sideways exiting a turn

Pruitt is no stranger to foot-down cornering

The Unknown rider traded stunting tires for dirt rubber

K&N's relationship with Unknown Industries goes way back

Customs by Bigun built this Nova as a show car for JRi Shocks to debut at the SEMA show in 2016

The Chevrolet Nova (originally the Chevy II) hit the U.S. market in 1962 as a simple, back-to-the-basics compact car for your everyday driver. When trying to decide on a name, Chevrolet finally landed on the “Chevy II” as a last-minute solution, with “Nova” as a close runner up. In 1967, the Nova name replaced “Chevy II” along with a full design makeover as well. There’s a popular suspicion that the “Nova” name hurt Chevrolet sales in Spanish speaking countries because the translation of Nova is “doesn’t go”, however this, according to Snopes, is a false claim.

The Chevy II started off as an affordable commuter car for the American middle class. Originally selling for around $2,500, it was an affordable substitute to the Camaro, Mustang, or Challenger at the time. As time went on and the muscle car craze took hold of auto enthusiasts, the Chevy II evolved into the Chevy Nova SS, equipped with a 350ci (5.7L) small block good for 295 HP, along with a heavy-duty suspension setup and other performance hardware. Little did Chevrolet know that these cars would be restored, modified and “souped up” for years to come.

Customs by Bigun specializes in over-the-top restorations with extreme modifications

Not ready to bust out your wallet yet? That’s ok, we’ll take you through one of the cleanest, well-modified Novas out there. Actually, this Nova is so cool the builders named it the “Super-Nova”, an obvious play on words to one of the most powerful astronomical events that occurs in outer space. Nerding out yet?

The 1970 Nova was built by Customs by Bigun, an automotive repair shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Customs by Bigun specializes in over-the-top restorations with extreme modifications. Some of their recent builds include a Dodge Dart named “Tooth Jerker”, a fully caged second gen Camaro and a 1939 Porsche Model 64. That should give you an idea of how diverse and unique their projects really are. “I was proud to be a part of this epic restoration project. All of the features on the Nova are custom one-off touches created to accent the car and take the performance to the next level,” says Eric Yost, owner of Customs by Bigun.

The JRi Shock 1970 Nova features custom graphics by One On One Brand

Here’s a complete breakdown of the vehicle specifications:

• Engine: HED Built 370ci LS3

• Transmission: RPM Stage 7 4160

• Suspension: Detroit Speed

• Hydraulics / Ride Control: JRi JRide® Electronic Damping Control System

• Exhaust: Kooks Headers

• Intake Manifold: Edelbrock

• Throttle Body: Nick Williams 102mm throttle bodies

• ECU: Holley Dominator

• Gauges: Autometer

• Tires: BF Goodrich

• Battery: Optima Batteries

• Brakes: Baer Brakes

• Paint: PPG

• Induction Filters: K&N Filters

When it came to filters, Bigun along with JRi agreed that K&N was the way to go

When JRi hired Customs by Bigun to handle this custom build, they knew what they wanted. Jeff Ryan, Technical Director of JRi Shocks says, “The intention of this car was to showcase the JRi Shocks Technology and provide a demonstrator vehicle where people can discover the JRi Advantage.” Well Jeff, thousands of auto-enthusiasts from all over the world saw your custom 1970 Nova at SEMA 2016, and if they are half as impressed as we are, mission accomplished.

Some of Customs by Bigun's recent builds include a Dodge Dart named “Tooth Jerker”

A custom spoiler was fabricated for the JRi Shocks Super Nova

Dual hood scoops help get fresh air to the K&N universal cone filters

The JRi Nova's interior is almost completely unrecognizable compared to the original car

A lot of time was spent on the body work of the JRi Super Nova

This was a full frame-off restoration

The JRi Nova interior is fully custom

The JRi Nova interior had a full custom fabrication plan by Customs by Bigun

The Nova has a roll bar in case things get hectic on the track

The JRi Nova debuted at the 2016 SEMA show in the JRi Shocks booth

The carbon fiber capped conical filter is shielded by a lightweight carbon fiber heat shield

The Z/28 engine was adapted from the LS7 used in the C6 Corvette Z06, which was developed in conjunction with Corvette Racing. The LS7 is rated at 500 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque in the 2014 Camaro Z/28, with a maximum engine speed of 7,100 rpm. Chevrolet specifically developed the motor with a broad rpm range that contributes to higher power and which also allows the driver to hold gears longer between shifts on the track. That helps keep the engine operating within an optimal rpm range for quicker lap times.

Each LS7 was hand-assembled at GM’s Performance Build Center based on the basic Gen IV V-8, but with a unique cylinder block casting with pressed-in steel cylinder liners to accommodate the engine’s 104.8 mm cylinder bores – and with processes you’d normally see only at a race engine shop – deck-plate boring and honing. The Z/28 is equipped with a dry-sump oiling system to ensure full lubrication during the 1.05 g cornering loads the monster Camaro can generate.

Internally, 464 gram titanium connecting rods and lightweight intake valves boost horsepower by raising the engine’s operating range, as well as reduce engine mass. In addition, the LS7 is assembled with sodium-filled exhaust valves, aluminum pistons, forged steel mains, and a forged steel crankshaft.

The LS7’s CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with straight runners were designed to maintain the fast airflow velocity demands of the engine’s 7.0L displacement, as it ingests more than 100 cubic feet more air per minute than the LS3 V-8 – a nearly 20-percent increase in airflow. One would think that the Chevrolet engineers had optimized every system of the LS7 motor, but there’s one where there’s still opportunity to increase performance.

The K&N 69-4533TTK Typhoon air intake system is a free-flowing, mandrel-bent aluminum tube air induction system designed to fit LS7-powered 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 models that has been proven to add nearly 20 horsepower to the monster Camaro.

Installation of your 69-4533TTK can be completed in just a few hours and with only simple hand tools

The power increase is created by replacing the factory air filter and air intake housing with a K&N 69-4533TTK Typhoon air intake system, which significantly improves incoming air flow as well as reducing turbulence in the intake tube.

The air intake first enters a carbon fiber capped K&N high-flow air filter sited within a ultra-lightweight carbon fiber heat shield that’s installed into the original air box space. A bulk of the horsepower increase can be credited to the oversized conical air filter manufactured from multiple layers of oiled cotton filter media -- which offers less resistance than traditional filters. The multi-layered cotton material also filters out microparticles that could damage your engine, to help ensure a long engine life. But before a filter goes into production, each design is verified through K&N’s in-house filtration testing lab. Testing adheres to ISO 5011 standards, ensuring that your K&N filter provides high airflow without putting engine protection at risk.

Exiting the filter, intake air is directed through an aerodynamically-verified black powder-coated aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body for nearly a 20 horsepower estimated gain. The intake tube includes fittings for the factory mass air sensor and crank case vent hose. Best of all, the K&N 69-4533TTK Typhoon air intake system can be installed in 90 minutes or less with simple hand tools. All tools required are listed in the clear, step-by-step photo-illustrated instructions specific to your Camaro that comes included in the package.

And once you’ve installed your K&N Typhoon air intake system you’ve eliminated the need to buy another air filter for the life of your covered Z/28. The only maintenance is a service you can do yourself in no time at all. When it is time to clean the filter, use the K&N 99-5000 Recharger Kit to clean and refresh your air filter. The K&N air filter you purchase is designed to last for the lifetime of your vehicle, which K&N guarantees will perform for up to 10 years or 1,000,000 miles with the K&N 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty.

The K&N 69-4533TTK Typhoon air intake system is designed to fit the following vehicles:

2015 CHEVROLET CAMARO 7.0L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2014 CHEVROLET CAMARO 7.0L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models