Re-building BBC Screamin Demon

[waxlrose]

After I built resp. rebuilt my first chopper back in 2013 and/or 2014, I think it was time to do another one. As everybody else here, I know the fad of these kind of choppers is over for years already, but I just love them – wide tire, rigid and long choppers…

My first chopper, a Screamin Demon of Big Bear Choppers, I bought back in 2012 and, as already mentioned, rebuilt it back in 2013/2014 to make it my dream bike – the bike I was looking for years. It’s not my daily ride, but I ride it regularly, on weekends or whenever there is a chance.
I really love my chopper – the frame/wheelbase, rigid, springer front end, peanut gas tank, 250 rear tire, S&S motor, baker tranny etc. A lot of fun to ride this thing… see pic below.

So pretty surprisingly, I got the chance to get another one 3 month ago. The bike unfortunately wasn’t in a really good condition, but therefore I was able to afford it for a very good price – aware of the fact there’s a lot to do.

Few weeks ago I started the project and whenever there’s some time free I work on it. Unfortunately there won’t be a lot of time for me working on it in the coming weeks, so I thought the time is right to share my new project with you.
The bike is a later production, as you can see there’s a neck gusset in the frame – must be more or less same year as my other Screamin Demon. So lots of parts missing resp. have to be replaced or redone.
So I had to find some of the parts for the bike, some really hard to find like the original handlebars. But finally got a lot of stuff together: handlebar, new grips, air cleaner cover, headlight, pipes, seat, blinkers, foot pegs, license plate holder etc. I just did like 90% of all the wiring that was needed to be redone. And now will go ahead to mount some of the parts.
To make the bike be “different” from my other one, I will do go with different handlebars, different gas tank, pipes, paint job and a lot of the smaller parts like pegs, grips and stuff.

So there’s going to be some fab work here and there, like mounts/bracket for the pipes and make a West Coast Choppers Villain gas tank fit on the bike. Pretty sure there’s not a lot of BBCs with WCC gas tanks out there.
I’m not going to change anything on the frame, want to avoid to have the frame repainted. And what I have seen from some posts in here, the mounts in the WCC gas tank are shitty anyway. So I’m going to make the fitment to the tank, not the frame.
I have also redone some of the covers, looking good again. But there’s still a lot of work to do. Will take some time for sure, but it’s fun. What’s not so much fun is, that every time I go to fix something, there’s another 3 parts to get fixed first.
Yesterday just noticed the throttle cable has cracks, the brake light switch/sensor isn’t working and so on…

So there’s a clear vision where to get this one. Looking forward to ride this thing. Paint job is going to be classic chopper, mainly black. Hope I will finish this one in the next 2-3 month – depends on how much time I can find working on it.
Keep you guys posted. But enough words, here are some pics.

[waxlrose]

Here's a pic of the first one

[waxlrose]

Current pic of the 2nd one

[waxlrose]

And a pic of the, let's call it, gas tank transformation

- cut out the original mounts, replace them / fit to the frame
- reduce the open front end of the tunnel
- move the fuel tap mount to the side (not enough space between motor and gas tank)
- move the overfill/vent line to the side (not enough space between motor and gas tank)

[Spade115]

absolutely love the tank man, damn clean.

[golfish]

I like the primary cover that they made. The SD was a nice bike. I didn't know they were on the recall list.

Well done sir

[waxlrose]

Hey thanks!

As already mentioned, I’m not able to work on it for some time, unfortunately. But as soon as I’m back at it again, I’ll post up some pics.

The Screamin Demon was not on the recall list. But back then when the recall matter came up, they changed all their frames resp. put in all frames neck gussets from then on.
When BBC came over to Europe, not 100% sure but guess around 2010, the bikes were all later productions. So there are not a lot of BBCs over here anyway, but all of them (all models in EU) do have neck gussets.

The Screamin Demon was a really nice bike, but I think wasn’t that spectacular, shiny, fancy or whatever you want to call it, compared to the rest of the BBC fleet.
So probably it wasn’t that popular back then as the others. But if I look at it now, to me the Screamin Demon is by far the coolest chopper they built.

I think this chopper is going to be something really simple but cool – although lot of work to do. I’m not looking for some individual or special look, should be just a cool bike, classic chopper look as we all know it from the early 2000.
The combination of that rigid frame, good wheelbase, springer front end, WCC gas tank, ape handlebars and short rear fender, simple paint job, is going to be killer look. Let’s see how it turns out in the end.

[golfish]

I'm curious what engine and transmission came with your SD?

Do you know who assembled the kits?

I purchased my kit in 03/06 and started assembling in mid May 06. When the recall hit, I called BBC about my frame. They told me my frame wasn't on the recall because they built it at their new shop.

I'm looking forward to more pictures

[waxlrose]

Both of my Screamin Demons do have the same setup:
- S&S 100 BBC Smooth Motor
- Baker 5 Speed Transmission

According to the former European importer of BBC, the bikes were pre-assembled by BBC in the US and final assembly was done in Switzerland.

What bike do you ride? Also a Screamin Demon?

As I have already mentioned, BBC came over to Europe approx. 2010, maybe 2009 or 2008, but due to the fact they filed for bankruptcy in 2012, the time they were active over here was pretty short and due to this, all of their bikes in EU come out of the same production era and have the same setup (also due to the technical reasons as described below).

I do not want to go in too much detail with boring stuff, but if you’re a motorcycle builder and you want so sell motorcycles (get them street legal) in EU, it’s pretty complicated. I don’t know how it works in the states, but over it works (more or less) like this:

a) You can build a motorcycle and make an approval of your individual bike at the technical motor vehicle authorities. People do this for one off custom builds, but since you have to check everything on the bike and have it tested and checked on quality and safety as well as emissions (frame, emissions on gas and noise etc., wheels, handlebars, front end, brakes etc.), this kind of registration is more than expensive – depends on the bike, but it ends up you’re paying for papers and stuff up to 10K (!!!) in order to get your bike street legal.

b) The other way is like all the big motorcycle companies do (Harley, Indian etc.), make the same technical approval as mentioned above, but requesting a “type approval”. Means you get a type of motorcycle approved, not only one individual bike. The combination of frame, front end, wheels, motor (emissions gas and noise), wheel base, height, length, weight etc. – makes a type. So if your type gets street legal, you can get (sell) the same bike (type) multiple times.
This is how the former BBC-importer over here made it. Due to the fact each type will cost money to have it proofed, only a few types, guess like Merc Rigid, Merc Softail, Athena Prostreet, Athena Chopper, Bear Bones and Scremin Demon made it to EU.

So the combination of this pretty complicated process, the costs involved, the fact BBC was active only for a few years (in the EU), choppers like BBC or any similar manufacturer are not that popular over here, as well as the fact the bikes were checked on the current regulations back then, called EURO-3, which expired in 2017 and new regulations came up, called EURO-4, means you would have to make same process (on the new rules) and costs again, ended up in the fact the choppers of BBC are very rare over here.
In the case of the Screamin Demon, there’s only approx. 5 street legal bikes reported in the EU. So having 2 of the 5 in my garage makes it even more special to me.

I’ll post some more pictures in a few days, hope I’ll be able to have some time on weekend.

[chopperfugger]

Looks good -
Can you include a pic of the gas tank mounts on the frame?

[waxlrose]

Yes, but unfortunately I do not have any better photo - hope this helps...

[waxlrose]

Here's another photo of the tank, not finished yet

[waxlrose]

And when posting photos, heres another photo of my first Screamin Demon - love that ride

[Spade115]

Thats gorgeous man. Absolutely stunning

[golfish]

Well done sir...

I had the same engine and trans in my bbc (6spd) ..its hard to get anything better unless you move to a bigger engine.

I have a similar bike now with a 96" Twevo engine. It probably has the same hp and torque as the 100" smooth. There's no need for any more hp on these light bikes...