Billy
Lane - Choppers, Inc.
Billy Lane's Powerhouse
It's Not a Gym
By Greg Friend
Jerry Staggenborg of Melbourne, Florida, wanted a bike that was
more exciting -- something that would be a complete departure from
the complacency he had started to experience on his current ride.
He began his search for a custom builder by checking out some of
the local shops; Billy Lane's Choppers Inc. had a great reputation
and it wasn't far from his home.
Jerry took his Softail down to the shop to talk
with Billy about building him a bike. After checking out numerous
bikes Billy had already built, Jerry decided to go through with
a chopper project, making sure that Billy knew the bike had to be
fast, as well as good looking -- other than that, Jerry told him
he could do what he wanted. Billy responded with a smile and the
reply: "Not a problem, my pleasure."
Billy builds bikes to fit the owner, and for Jerry,
Choppers Inc. built this frame to his physical proportions. The
rigid frame sports a 6-inch extended downtube and a 4-inch stretched
backbone culminating in 45 degrees of rake at the neck. To level
the bike out with all those extra inches, Deuce legs were fit with
12-inch-over tubes and supported in Diamond Chassis triple trees.
Extreme Machine makes some pretty wicked wheels -- Billy knew they
would work perfectly with his design. He ordered a set for Jerry's
bike -- a 21-inch for the front and an 18x8.5 for the rear wrapped
up in Avon rubber. Mated to each wheel are P.M. brake assemblies,
along with a pulley for the left-side rotor/pulley combination that
really cleans up the right side of the bike.
Billy had built a roller, and now needed to find
something to get it to move without the help of someone pushing
it. Jerry told him he wanted it fast, so Billy went with a big new
all-Mid-USA, unassembled 114ci Powerhouse motor. Added to the Powerhouse
is an S&S "D" carburetor with a K&N air filter,
a Crane Hi-4 ignition system, and Choppers Inc. exhaust pipes that
wrap around the left side of the engine and exit behind it on the
right. Attached to the Powerhouse engine is a mean-looking Boyce
Pro-Street 4-inch open primary and Rivera Pro clutch coupled to
a RevTech six-speed.
With the major components of the bike accounted
for, the shop started working on the sheetmetal for the chopper.
The bike wasn't going to need a front fender, but it did need a
heavily modified W.C.C. rear fender and a Choppers Inc. gas tank
and oil bag. The rear fender and the gas tank were carefully worked
to highlight portions of raised metal design elements on each piece,
and the cylindrical oil bag sports an iron cross.
At this point, Choppers Inc. had most of the bike
mocked up and decided to add all the accessories before getting
it painted and certain parts anodized. The handle-bars are a Choppers
Inc. specialty, as are the foot controls, six-gun footpegs, and
the taillight/license mount. The headlight is a Ness unit, the mirror
is from Mid-USA, hand controls are from P.M., and a seat from PDQ
upholstery.
With every single part accounted for, it was time
for the final finishes. The sheetmetal and the frame were sent to
Joe Richardson for molding and a black basecoat and green graphics.
Then, to really set the bike apart from others, numerous parts were
sent out to be powdercoated in a clear green, including the engine
cases, triple trees, brake reservoirs, both wheel hubs, the oil
bag, and the headlight bezel -- to name a few. When it all came
back, the Choppers Inc. guys completed the final assembly.
Keep in mind that this was Jerry's first chopper,
but when he went into the shop to pick it up, he was amazed at what
they had come up with. He took one ride on the chopper, and when
he returned, he was already thinking about selling his Softail so
Billy could build him another.
Article by Hot
Bike Magazine
