Chicara Art TwoHaving won the 2006 World Championship of Custom Bike Building the pressure was on Chicara Nagata to create a very special bike for this year’s Championship. He rose to the challenge with Chicara Art Two, a bike which builds on the unique styling of his original winning bike. Entering the 2007 World Championship as the reigning title holder, Chicara Nagata knew he needed to build a very special bike to retain the Champion’s ring. He describes the bike he built as: “Based on the concept of ‘traveling art’ - design and handling are focused on their ultimate goal; the marriage of beauty and function.” On first seeing Chicara’s latest bike – Chicara Art Two – it would be easy to dismiss it as being the same as the machine which won him the 2006 Championship. However, to do so would be a grave mistake, the detail seen on that bike has been taken even further on the new build. For Chicara Art Two, Nagata deviated from conventional frame construction
methods, not for him a selection of tubes TIG welded together.
The frame is made up of both tubes ad cast parts. Where tubes have
been used, gussets have been brazed on before a fine layer of chrome
was applied, allowing the brazing to show through. The frame was
then bolted together; engine cradle, downtube, backbone and transmission
mount making up the main section. Once again, the front end of the bike is a unique Chicara creation. As in his previous build, a parallelogram connects the headstock to the mainframe and encloses a second Öhlins shock. Sitting in front of the shock is a single set of fork legs which form a horseshoe shape above the headlamp that almost sits on the tire. The bolts for each pivot point on the front end sit inside turned brass collars, a feature which is repeated throughout the bike. The engine, which is held in place by the unusual frame is a stock, but highly detailed, Harley WLA Flathead from 1942. One of the points to note on the detailing is the linkage on the Linkert carb. A hidden cable leaves the bars at the junction with the forks and then travels along the backbone of the bike until it meets a bar, in front of the seat, which travels directly down to the carb. Sitting atop that bar is a thumb lever which can also be used to control the engine speed. Another unusual hand control is that used for the gear changes on the 1960 Triumph four-speed gearbox. The rider has the choice of changing gear by hand or foot using a pedal mounted on the rear set running boards. The gearbox and engine are connected via an English made Bob Newby primary and clutch arrangement. Final drive is taken care of by a chain driven Sportster sprocket. Bodywork on Chicara Art Two is kept to a minimum to allow the high-level of engineering to be more easily appreciated. At the front of the bike, sitting inside of the frame, is a combined gas and oil tank. However, even this has been carefully detailed with hard copper lines. Once the oil lines reach the engine case they are chromed and then run parallel with the primary drive belt. The remainder of the bodywork is simply comprised of the very small rear fender mounted behind the bicycle style seat. The bike’s seat and wheels are the only areas where any color can be found on the bike. Both the MTR-Cycle Clincher rims and the mini drum front hub and Sportster rear hub were painted by JUN Paint Box. The wheels are mounted with Firestone 28 x 3in tyres at both ends. The remaining details on the bike include a Chicara fabricated tail lamp mounted to the brake backing plate on the rear wheel, Chicara hand controls and foot controls and leather grip by R-Bros Leather Craft. Despite an almost obsessive attention to detail on Chicara Art Two, Chicara was unable to retain his title for a second year. However, he did place second and promises to return again next year.
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