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Adler secured a spot on the podium with a team effort from Team 4 Wheel Parts

The 3rd place finish in the Baja 1000 capped off a stellar racing year for Adler and Team 4 Wheel Parts. The team competed in the King of the Hammers and secured a class victory in another legendary desert race, the Mint 400.

Adler’s race to the podium was not without its mechanical setbacks. His tried, tested, and typically reliable Ultra4 Brian Kirby-built truck was sidelined for a total of four and a half hours for repairs throughout the race. However, the first section of the race was relatively trouble free.

That K&N decal shows Adler's truck is fitted with best in performance and protection

The brutal Baja terrain has a way of derailing race plans and mangling the best designed machines. Adler’s number 10 truck was no exception, as it suffered the ravages of the Baja Peninsula in the next section.

"As the sun was setting and the dust hanging in the air, attrition was starting to take its toll on the entire field,” Adler said. “By the time we got to our fourth scheduled pit stop, we were in pretty rough shape. We had lost a control arm, the transfer case was shot and we broke a CV. That's when the team really came together and they were determined to get us up and running - whatever it took!"

Adler is quick to sing the praises of the crew that kept the Team 4 Wheel Parts truck rolling

"Kirby built the car and knows it inside and out," said Adler. "With his co-driver, Dylan Cochran, navigating for him from the right seat and then handing the car off to King of the Hammers champion, Jason Scherer and his co-driver Adam McGough, we knew we were in good hands all the way to the finish line."

When the Team 4 Wheel Parts truck crossed the finish line, the team had logged 1,134.4 miles over 31 hours of brutal racing. Just finishing the Baja 1000 is a notable feat. Stepping onto the podium is a monumental accomplishment and a defining moment in any racer's career.

Adler on the Baja 1000 big screen before the race

Adler could not help but reflect on a year that he will surely remember a highlight of his career.

"Earlier in the year, we completed the King of the Hammers, took the class win at the Mint 400 and now have collected a podium spot in the 50th running of the Baja 1000," Adler said. "It doesn't get much better than that!"

K&N congratulates Greg Adler and Team 4 Wheel Parts on a well-earned podium in the Baja 1000. We look forward to continuing to provide the team with the best in filter technology in 2018.

Mark Shell's Cherry Bomb custom sits long and low at the Long Beach IMS

Shell’s 2015 Harley-Davidson custom is more than worthy of the prestigious specialty award given to one talented builder by K&N. This is the second straight year in which K&N will be a vital part of the J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show at each stop of the IMS.

“This bike was completely handmade,” said Shell. “Every part, down to the brass washers.” With that remarkable fact in mind, here is a closer look at Bonneville Custom’s awesome chopper aptly named Cherry Bomb.

A mix of metals on the engine and bodywork make the custom chopper gleam

Shell’s chopper is built around a 96 inch Harley-Davidson Shovel V-twin that breathes through twin velocity stacks and features a full stainless exhaust. That engine powers through a six-speed transmission with a hand shift and a hand clutch. It spins a 2-inch open primary and there is a chain final drive spinning the rear wheel.

The artful bends of the fluid supply lines deserve special mention. While visually intricate, this is one of the cleanest powerplants you will see.

Frame and Wheels

The stretched and raked goose-neck frame is a hardtail out back and displays a custom springer front end. The spoked front and rear wheels carry disk brakes that are both actuated from floor controls. The retro rubber spooned on the rims fits the motif perfectly.

The Bonneville Customs chopper is fully hand-built down to the smallest detail

Bodywork

The candy red paint, artfully applied by Creative Auto to the minimalist but perfectly crafted tank and fender, give Cherry Bomb her name. Nickel plated, aluminum, and brass parts abound on the build. The brass and stainless steel laminated seat may be low on comfort, but it is certainly high on style.

K&N is proud to be a sponsor of the 2017-2018 J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show as the Progressive International Motorcycle Show makes its way across the country. Mark Shell’s Cherry Bomb build has set the bar very high for other builders looking to claim the coveted K&N prize.

After checking out the customs at each stop of the IMS, stop by the K&N display to see what's new

K&N sponsored driver Bradley Morris races in all four Pro classes in the same weekend

Bradley Morris practicing in his K&N sponsored Prolite for the Challenge Cup

Flying through the air in front of the huge crowd while leading the Pro4 race

Bradley Morris racing his Pro2 to a strong finish, awarding him with 2017 Rookie of the Year in Pro2

K&N backed driver Bradley Morris racing hard during the 2017 Prolite Challenge Cup

Leading the race Bradley Morris suffers a flat tire while sliding through the turn

Bradley Morris battling his way through the Pro2 traffic while leading the Pro4 in the Challenge Cup

All of Bradley Morris's K&N Filters sponsored trucks ready to do battle in Arizona

Not the way the Bradley and the team wanted the weekend to go, but also a good weekend with Bradley being very fast and able to show people the front is where he is comfortable. So watch for the 2018 season to be fast and consistently battling for the lead.

The Redondo Beach PD has some exciting new technology in the Sand's built Honda

K&N caught up with Sands, RBPD Chief Keith Kauffman, and one of the Africa Twins at the Long Beach, California, stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show. The excitement surrounding the Honda build was evident in the collected RBPD officers, and Sands was understandably satisfied with the modifications he and his build partners had completed.

The addition of ADV bikes to a police department’s stable makes perfect sense when you think about it. The long suspension, low weight, and elevated rider perspective make for a versatile law enforcement tool that transcends the traditional, street-only motorcycles that are usually purposed for departmental duty.

(L to R) Roland Sands, Chief Kauffman, Cameron Brewer, and an RBPD officer with the Africa Twin

Suspension and Wheels:

The RBPD Africa Twin rolls on rugged spoked alloy rims. It is shod with DOT-legal knobby Dunlop tires, so clearly beach pursuits and rescues are within the modified Honda's capabilities.

A fully-adjustable Ohlins front and rear suspension controls the ride through the rigors of the bike’s specialized public protection mission.

Engine:

Redondo Beach Police Chief Kauffman shows off the Africa Twin's built-in body armor

Yoshimura donated a full exhaust system to complete the intake/exhaust modification. An ALTRider full skid plate and crash bars will keep the engine cases protected.

Duty-specific Modifications:

Of course, the RBPD Africa Twin is equipped with weaponry and firepower requisite to its mission, including a locking rear mount for an assault rifle. However, one of the most intriguing elements of the build is the ballistic armor that unfolds from the soft side cases.

With a rifle mount, full knobbies, and a premium suspension, the PBPD Honda is ready for duty

Mounted in the bike's instrument cluster and on the handlebars are police radar, all light and siren controls, and a detachable Axon Flex camera.

“The camera has a DVR-like function,” said Kauffman. “When it is activated, it will replay back in time to capture prior events. It is easily moved from the motorcycle to the officer.”

The Roland Sands Redondo Beach Honda Africa Twins are clearly the coolest police motorcycles in the nation. These vital law enforcement tools were completed entirely with donations including the labor.

K&N is proud to have been part of this important and exciting mission.

Kauffman shows more of the Africa Twin's concealed ballistic armor

The generous partners in the RBPD Africa Twin project

Front view of the Africa Twin build

View of the instrument cluster in the RBPD Honda

Jason Tiedeken of Innov8 Racing Inc. set out to build what he calls the “Baddest Crew Cab Ford Prerunner.” Check out his rig and see if you think he’s accomplished his goal.

The project started with a 1990 Ford F-350 with a work truck body. Jason has built a few trucks on his own but when he decided on the scope of the project he recognized that he needed to bring in some collaborators. His good friend Ryan Kibbe of Kibbetech Offroad contributed his fabrication skills to the project.

The first step was to strip away most of the body, and not just the work bed but also front fenders and hood. Then the rear of the frame was cut off and replaced with a Kibbetech design. The front suspension is comprised largely of Blitzkrieg components with King 3.5” coilovers with three-tube bypass. To the new rear frame, a Kibbetech triangulated four-link suspension was added along with a roll cage, all fabricated from 4130. Compression loads are handled by the same King triple bypass coilovers as on the front, all four tuned by KDM Shock Technologies. Roll control is provided by Sway-a-way bars with Kibbetech billet arms.

Next came the drivetrain. And here’s where it swerves off the path of your typical build. Jason decided on a 6.0L LQ9 – yes, a GM engine in a Ford truck. And a high-compression, high-performance version originally developed for Cadillac SUVs. Jason left the internals stock as they were already pretty beefy and the engine produces 345 horsepower and 380 lb·ft of torque.

Instead, Jason concentrated on how to make the engine more powerful through external upgrades. A Holley EFI system with a fabricated high ram was installed and fed through a K&N filter. Fuel is delivered from a 70 gallon Harmon Racing fuel cell. Exhaust gases are routed out through a Kibbetech fabricated system utilizing Magnaflow mufflers. Everything’s kept cool by radiator, oil, and transmission coolers by CBR Performance Products.

Keeping the truck up off the ground are a set of 17” x 7” Innov8 Racing forged aluminum wheels, wrapped by BFGoodrich 39x13.5x17 Baja T/A tires. Stopping the rig is a set or Jamar Performance brakes with six-piston calipers.

Power is transmitted through a GM 4L60 four-speed automatic fitted with Winters shifter to a Camburg Racing fabricated nine-inch rear end with four-inch axle tubes. The ring and pinion is from Yukon Gear and it’s a ground-grabbing 5.36:1.

With the mechanicals all sorted, it’s time to take on the interior. The stock dash was swapped out for a Fiberwerx unit fitted with a Holley Digital dash (one on each side). Also fitted to the dash is a PCI Race Radio intercom system incorporating a Kenwood radio, a Lowrance HD7 satellite GPS system, and to keep everyone comfortable, a Red Dot heating-air conditioning system.

Driver and front seat passenger are seated in Beard race buckets, with a Beard back row. The seats are finished in black and grey suede. Steering is via an Ididit tilting steering column fitted with a Momo steering wheel. Braking is through a Jamar master cylinder, pedal, and handbrake.

With all of this mounted to the chassis, the body now needs to reflect the capabilities of the truck. Fenders with six-inch flares and the hood are all from Autofab Fiberglass.

With the vehicle assembled it was shipped over to Maaco to be sprayed in white. Once the paint was ready a vinyl wrap designed by Innov8 Racing and Alex Flemming was applied. As it’s no longer really an F-350, it’s been renamed the F-500 and then the KTF500. While Jason’s had a chance to try out the truck locally, he has another destination in mind.

According to Jason, the truck is built for go and not show, so he’s already been burning up the dunes at Pismo and Glamis. Where Jason would like to head next is Baja. “I’m in love in Mexico, and I’m definitely planning on some Mexico runs,” he added.