One Wheel Revolution

You’re familiar with life on two wheels, but what about one?

There’s no doubt that South Dakota is a motorcycling state. Miles of two lane roads, a couple of scenic rivers and the ubiquitous Sturgis rally ensure there is plenty of two-wheeled traffic in the Rushmore state. What we don’t typically see much of however, is one-wheel action.

With a short trip west to Montana, we’ll find Rob Carpenter, the crazy person behind One Wheel Revolution, a V-Twin motorcycle stunt show. They travel the country putting on exciting, organized stunt shows at Harley dealerships, motorcycle events and anywhere else you could use some totally-bonkers, high-energy entertainment.

One of several bikes in the fleet, this 2018 H-D Fat Bob has been tricked out stem to stern for a brutal life at 12:00. Starting with the 107” M8 engine, which is a vast improvement over past Harley V-twin engines even in stock form, Rob pressed Yellowstone Harley-Davidson into adding a Zipper’s Performance 124” engine kit. To compliment the additional cubes, a ThunderMAX ECM was dialed in at Ramsey Speed and Customs, Vance & Hines stainless 2-into-1 upswept exhaust was fitted, while a K&N Shaker intake handles induction duties. The clutch has been upgraded with much of the Barnett catalog and Zipper’s was once again tapped for a chain conversion to eliminate the OEM drive belt.

Progressive Suspension got the nod both front and rear with heavy duty fork springs and upgraded rear mono-shock; both a necessity with near constant wheelies in the forecast. A GPR V4 steering stabilizer helps Rob control the beast with the 1 ¼” flat track bars and Hartluck grips perched on 5” CHD Customs risers. Strong, reliable braking is an absolute must for this line of work, so Galfer USA rotors can be found both front and rear, complimented by their matching braided stainless lines. Upgraded hand and foot controls to suit Rob’s taste get a through workout every time its ridden.

Rob chose our new MLX-3012 for his Fat Bob for a number of reasons. His favorite part is the amount of info he can view at a glance, like RPM and oil temp. Also, in addition to setting his own color scheme for the digital display, there’s an automatic high-contrast mode that activates in direct sunlight to ensure he can read the gauge from any angle in all conditions.  The bright pearl paint can be found in the 2012 GM catalog and contrasts the black components sharply. A top-stitched seat from Saddelmen replaced the stock unit and its “step-up” design gives Rob a spot to stand when the bike is 90 degrees in the air. Not shown in these photos are some additional stunting must-haves like the sissy bar/step and front crash bar. Hey, things get wild out there.

One Wheel Revolution is just that; they’ve been raising the bar on motorcycle exhibition shows for years, doing things once deemed impossible, let alone on a “heavy” Harley. Tricks once reserved for sport bikes are now the norm for Rob and his team, and they’re more than willing to light ‘em up and show you how it’s done.