SOUL ASYLUM
Soul - the spritual part of a human regarded as immortal. Asylum - a place of refuge
Who knew that growing up in small town Canada would lead to a lifetime quest for motorcycle perfection? I have been fascinated by motorcycles since childhood, and really anything with gears and wheels. Blasting down the road has given me my only addiction. When I wasn’t tinkering around in my dad’s workshop I was drawing elaborate designs that I wanted to one day build. Of course, not having tons of resources available to me as a kid, I would search flea markets, auction houses and any basements for parts and modern artifacts that I could adapt in some way to my designs.
Of course, now as an adult my passion has grown but my love of searching or making just the right part hasn’t changed but has developed into an art form. I can now make or find anything that I need to build my rides. I would now like to tell a story of personal triumph...... made from a BSA.
I had bought a frame and motor. A basket case for whatever might be next. At the time I was busy in a stressful day job like everyone else and had not made the time to get another project going. So, it sat in the corner of my overflowing workshop waiting. I didn’t realize that it would be waiting over a year, how time flies. I suffered a major heart failure, which lead to open heart surgery on my birthday and a month in the hospital. Although lucky to be alive, I was still not sure of the outcome ahead. I spent the next year in rehab just trying to get my life back on track. It was a very difficult time and I needed to go slow. I was broken. Everyone around me encouraged me to go back to my workshop. At the beginning I just had the energy to drive there unlock the door, look around and literally get back in my car and drive home. I had neither energy nor the motivation to do anything more. I can’t say that I was particularly inspired mentally but was working hard physically to do my part in the recovery. I knew I just had to get on with my new life.
As the months passed I got stronger and the unlocking of the door turned into clearing space and then pulling the basket case out of its dusty corner. My outlook had changed so much. As corny as it may sound, I felt like I had another chance in life. So, I started to do what I always do. Tinker.
This process helped my recovery immensely. Working only a few minutes to start, then leading into an hour or slowly two. I started by changing the design that I had originally planned. It just didn’t seem to fit me anymore. I had changed and "Soul Asylum" was born. Its roots are a 1968 BSA A65 basket-case. I started in the same place that my new journey had begun, its heart. With the a65 motor I then began to rebuild it with help and encouragement of a friend, replacing and upgrading everything, new pistons to make it strong and valves to make it breathe. I had so many good ideas and wanted to make it better than it was in 1968. Once that was done it was polished to a mirror shine and did it shine. Liking the colors and texture of many metals the use of copper, brass, bronze and stainless steel became part of the vision. I even used glass to make the see through oil tank. Next was copper leaf on tank and fender. I painted these parts so I could see the design that was in my head and that really started to give it life. Sorting the frame came next, a hardtail is the only way! I decided to make a jockey shift and a sissy bar as I had never had a bike with either.
The front end was a revived 73 Harley sportster setup and 12inch apes which were also new for me. Made 7/8 inserts for the bars to accommodate the British controls. For the electrics I got old school cotton covered wire of many colors from an old elevator and wrapped it up in clear shrink tube to keep it clean and exposed. The kick pedal is an indigenous style hawk face that I designed and fabricated in brass. The rear wheel came from an old triumph and added a machined crazy brass wheel spacer. The head of a walking stick placed in front of the engine brings the dragon alive.
There are many more small details that mean something to me and my recovery. They are hiding throughout the bike as small reminders to this period in my life. Still a long way to go, but receiving assistance and motivation from family and friends helped ease hurdles along the way. The machine was really coming to life. It definitely embodies some of my soul. This was an important stage for me as I am still fighting with my health but my mind was alert and my hands were alive. The work continued. After cresting the hill, the finish was within sight and the details remaining had been thoughtfully put into action. I made the kick-stand from titanium, a metal that sings when touched by a tool and placed an early 1900's piano stool foot on it with a ghostly face holding a glass sphere. This final piece allowed SOUL ASYLUM to stand on its own.........
By the hand of a man
Robert Lund
The Ticking Time Bomb
They said it was an abomination. And that A65 motors were “Time bombs”. That bike became my daily rider! And you got a Breezer you can beat on.
Well, they had their doubts about my sanity, but lo and behold, when the bicycle I was building was done, it won the Winter National Customs Pedal Bike Show And later went to the Vancouver Art Museum for a show on the evolution of the bicycle.. so I was ready to try my first chopper. Wanted to build a BSA chopper as at the time everyone was building V twins. I had to be different. I had some Ideas that were quite different , But my crazy ideas had worked before so not to be swayed.
First we put it up on the frame table, stretched the backbone 4 inches, goosed the neck and stretched
the rear out 10 inches while adding a drop seat set up. I had the rims powder coated by a buddy and
then laced them with stainless spokes. I also did the polishing and another buddy, Greg Nicholson at
Evil Kolors painted the tins.
The front end is a stock length Triumph unit with shaved legs. The top tree is a BSA piece that had the clamps cut off and replaced with machined one- inch clamps to run a Chang Jiang bar setup. The cables were handmade to be “Chang” on one end and “British” on the other.
The foot controls and linkage are all done in stainless and brass. The pieces started as Scrambler pieces but ended up a little hell bent. The right-side wheel spacer is a solid ball of brass turned on a lathe. The
engine was built in-house and includes .040 over pistons, Hepolite rings, polished and weighed matched
rods, solid rocker spacers, And the SRM oil pump and relief valve.
The carburetors are new, 930 Amals. The oil tank is an aircraft pressure accumulator that I bought on
eBay. The worst thing about an English bike is the electrical system. All of the Lucas stuff was removed
to live in a dumpster, except the alternator rotor. I really like a clean smooth look. I had lots of help from friends and family on this project. To say I was proud of the outcome would be an understatement ...
Robert Lund
Bomber
Under construction.
Building this for my friend, Tom Isaac, who sadly passed away before we could finish it this winter. So, I will get it done. We had talked for a number of years about building him his dream bike. I will adopt the responsibility of riding it when finished. This project has taken much more time and care than I first thought or imagined, maybe because I don't want this journey to end.
I miss my friend.
Robert Lund
