Jim Leineweber

 I received some news from a fellow speed friend (Patrick) this morning that Jim Leineweber passed away.

I didn't particularly know the man, but I did have several interactions with him over my course of playing motorcycle and Mr. Leineweber was a real-life legend in my eyes from me reading about him as youth. 

For those that don't know, Mr. Leineweber was a man of brilliance and big, clankin' brass balls. He piloted The BarnJob in the fastest trim(s) that machine was ever in, and also happened to grind the best performing and all-out competition cams for Harleys. The man was prolific.

The BarnJob was the singular most influential machine on my young mind. It crept in there at a young age, I was exposed to it full-color and as a center image in a racing motorcycle book that was in my house. I would stare at that bike for hours.

So, fast-forward a bunch of years to when I first started playing with more power and I get pointed towards Leineweber Cams. So, I call them (because that's what you did 15 or so years ago) and the man who answered the phone was Jim Leineweber himself. He was generous with his time (not that I was a pirate of his time) and was very willing to share knowledge. So I bought his cams and Leineweber Cams has been and always will be the ONLY performance cam I will run when the choice is mine to make.

Anyways, as I increased in getting in over my head with performance mods, it was Jim who made the insurmountable task of making two-front heads work on a Harley be an actual "yup, we done those before" moments. 

That was yet an enjoyable phone conversation I had with him, and a memory I will continue to enjoy.

But, the greatest moment was when the time came to put the bike on the grass at BornFree6, (that was also the first year Leineweber Cams also had some vending space). I finally got to meet a man who I had the utmost respect for and was one I considered a "hero". And it was rad!!! 

He enjoyed the bike we had brought and that visit with him and his son Justin was so great. Jim's approval of what had been done and the execution of it was the reward of all that effort, in my opinion. I could care less about any hardware that bike brought home....it was met with a nod and a grin by Jim and by God, that was tops in my book!

Men like him are getting rarer and rarer and it is our task to carry the knowledge and charisma of these, lest they be lost to history. 

I extend my deepest sympathies and warmest regards to Justin and his family, and to all those who were close with Jim.

Keep on keepin' on....and R.I.P.

Some neat reading related to The BarnJob and Mr. Leineweber:

https://thevintagent.com/2018/11/03/speedisexpensive-the-la-shoot-road-trip/

https://www.cycledrag.com/remembering-motorcycle-drag-racer-clem-johnson-creator-of-the-barn-job

A great vid of Jim recalling The Barn Job from a few years back:

https://speedisexpensive.com/2017/01/28/4/

The Barn Job. (photo by yours truly) while it was on display at the HD museum. (I squandered that visit, and went on the last day. I should've went *every* day, I could stare at this thing for DAYS.) The people at the museum wouldn't let me sit on the floor within the ropes to get a closer look, no matter how hard I tried.

Coustom one-off ground by Jim. This cam was one-of-none, and unfortunately is probably reduced to ash from wildfires (long story)

 

This is the twin to the cam above, as installed in my upcoming Two front head rig, this one however is stamped MSR. It too, is a one-of-none, ground by Jim. 

Meet your heroes.
So glad I have these photos, this was a great moment that I will always cherish! RIP Jim Leineweber.