2025 People's Champ Contestant - Mike Bellomo

What have you done? So far in this little time I have done allot I think. I wanted to get most of the bike started so I can focus huge on the motor and making sure it rips!!
I narrowed stock 45 tanks! And keeping the oil return on the right. Made all my foot controls a linkage out of flat stock to be similar to a WR. I’ve been nickel platting all my parts/ bolts, hubs for my wheels front and back. The big stuff i polished an took it to a shop. First time I ever chromed or plated a part for my self. Thats a cool feeling seeing a part you made look so shiny and new.

What do you have left to do? I have to do a lot of things but biggest is finish building my engine in house. Rebuild these linkers, get my real cylinders built and to paint them. Finish mounting my exhausts (and polish them till my fingers fall off). Also have to make my shift gate and linkage. I’m going to try a sand cast an older style shift gate for this. I think they look way cooler than the 50s style. Allot of small stuff all over the bike I have to finish really an start polishing an plating the rest of my hardware.

Any problems so far? Problems!!!!! Jesh these pipes were for sure. I had 20feet of stainless pipe just to get these two! I never sand bent pipes before an I knew I wanted to do them. The front pipe has a crazy bend out of the exhaust that we had to make perfect. So we basically made each pipe twice lol. Other thing that was hard was trying to use old parts and make sure they are solid and then to make them nice again.

Favorite part of the bike so far? The frame for sure. I don’t build shiny bikes for myself so this one I figured I gota go BIG TIMES! Also favorite part is going to hear this big stroker engine run an I can’t to hear it with these pipes

Favorite part of the competition? Well if you know me personally I LOVE being in my garage and working so just jamming these past two months or whatever it’s been has been a lot of fun. So getting to build myself a nice bike and getting the friends to help that’s the JAM!

Want to give any shout outs? To all the local friends in Michigan who have helped me so much with small stuff to the big stuff! I love you all! Once it’s over I’ll have a huge pot of DEER stew for all of you!!