Back in 2005, Kids n' Chrome made its debut in Sturgis, and Randy Marten was there winning parts auctions like crazy. He'd gotten it in his noggin to craft a bike, and the Kids n' Chrome event gave him a target-rich environment for parts while donating money to a good cause. It was win-win. What was most important to Randy, though, was giving to those unfortunate children that Kids n' Chrome helped out. When we spoke with him about this bike, every question came back to that: He was extremely happy to contribute.
The donated goodies came from some of the top parts makers in the country, and Marten needed quite a war chest to win as many as he did. He's the president and chairman of the board for Marten Transport in Mondovi, Wisconsin; a company his father founded over fifty years ago. Randy's carried on the family tradition.
He faced a bit of a dilemma when he got home from Sturgis. Picture a guy standing outside his garage, looking at a heap of new motorcycle parts and deciding how to make them into a good looking bike. "Most of the parts were bought at the 2005 Kids n' Chrome auction," he told us. Randy is no stranger to creating his own motorcycles; he's built about a dozen for himself over the years and knows what he's doing. In the end he turned it all into a straightforward black rigid; a hardtail meant to be ridden all over the place and not just from bar to bar.
It's all built in and around an '06 Daytec rigid frame raked 34 degrees and stretched 2 inches in the top tube; enough to kick it out, but still be fun in a sweeper or a twisty. An Arlen Ness Radius fork set joins it to the 16-inch front wheel; both it and the matching back wheel have Performance Machine calipers over Ness rotors.
Inside its rails you'll find a 2006 Harley motor and transmission. Randy's big on dependability; however, he still wanted extra oomph. That's why he added a Mikuni carb, Screamin' Eagle air cleaner, and Vance & Hines exhaust for better breathing.
On the outside of the frame you'll see a Russ Wernimont back fender and gas tank with Ness cap. Their long lines run in tandem, unifying the motorcycle's thin profile. Take a look atop the neck and you'll discover a set of Flanders handlebars with Performance Machine controls and mirrors (there's a matching set of levers at foot level-it seems Randy likes everything to sync up on his custom rides).