We met JD Sansaver on EDR II in 2008, and the creative fabricator and dedicated chopper fanatic has been a faithful friend ever since. On a busy Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving JD dropped everything to handcraft an intricate component for my own never-ending motorcycle project. During that visit I got to marvel at JD's work space and personal quiver of hand-built death traps.

Part one of this two-part Flying Monkey Factory expose takes a look at the proper chopper FSK affectionately calls The Electric Watermelon.

Year, make and model of frame: one-off FMF, 4 up, no out with 40-degree rake. The motor and tranny are tilted back in the frame

Year, make, model and mods on motor: stock 84” shovel with some engraving by FMF

Fork specs: old Denver’s, a total piece of shit. I had to rebuild the whole thing

Front wheel size, style and specs: 21” spool hub an Akron knock-off with Avon Speedmaster tire

Rear wheel size, style and specs: 18” Akront high flange and a narrow diamond tread from Coker tires

Transmission: stock 4-speed kicker

Primary style, brand and mods: open with a Primo clutch and suicide shift

Custom-fabbed bits: the whole bike is custom: frame, fender, seat, gas and oil tank, paint, sissy bar, handlebars, pipes from a Biltwell exhaust kit, mid controls, you name it

Thanks: Caleb Owen at Cro Customs. We did our frames at the same time and if I can’t figure something out he always comes to the rescue. Cro’s a great riding buddy and a good friend

Back story: I had a near death experience on this bike in New York during this year’s Gypsy Run. I hit a pothole and bounced about a foot off the ground. I broke some spokes, mangled the fender mounts and snapped some sprocket bolts. My life literally flashed before my eyes. New York is a fucked up place to ride fast and crazy, but it was an adventure

Next week we'll give you a behind-the-scenes look at JD's shop, and let the man paint his backstory in another installment of ChopCult's "21" interview.

Until then, please enjoy JD's musings on the Flying Monkey Fabrication blog