There's something more to riding a chopper than any other motorcycle in the world. There are economical deviates who buy low cc metric bikes to get to work on a dime, save space, reduce air pollution and make a gallon last for a month, but not us. Custom motorcycles, bobbers, rats, choppers, and hot rod bikes represent romance, danger, anti-social activity, creative freedom, and criminal commotion. No wonder the establishment slams us with all the restrictive legislation they can dream, attempting to control our whiskey-drinking selves.
Tom Foster resides at the pinnacle of depravity. He only builds chrome criminals capable of out running 44 magnum bullets. His icons are Indian Larry, Jesse James, Johnny Chop, and the Ron Simms. He lives to build the toughest motorcycles on the planet and ride them out of East Los Angeles crime ridden Avenues district, through Echo Park, to find glitter on Sunset Boulevard until he reaches solace on the coast in Santa Monica, and then slices north through Malibu.
He lives to collect tattoos, work with Roland Sands and Mooneyes, and build bikes for celebs and guys who breathe adventure. When Tom came to the Bikernet Headquarters for tacos and a feature bike interview, he packed $20,000 in his baggy pocket for his run to Performance Machine.
“I only work with a handful of companies in the industry,” Tom said. “Performance Machine, BDL and Chopper Guys are at the top of the list.”
All the bikes he builds contain PM Wheels, brakes, and controls. All his primary drives are BDL. He likes components that work and fit every time.
This tight rider, “Captain Insano,” has been shipped to Japan for bike shows, published in a dozen mags, and featured on American Thunder TV. Most of the fab work was handled at Roland Sands Design facility, then final assembly took place in Tom's home (of 25 years) in the barrio of East Los Angeles, called the Avenues for the 3rd largest street gang in LA, recently featured on the History Channel's “Gangland” show. “It was hairy for some time, before the SWAT, ATF and FBI team cleared it out,” Tom said.
So, why the hell would Bikernet feature a bike that's garnered this level of previous exposure? The girls, natch, and the photography. Peter Linney captured the grizzly side of Los Angeles, downtown, at dusk with the lovely Destiny Monique. Plus Tom has a romantic story to tell regarding building bikes and his fiancée, “Claudia,” who is an attorney in a large downtown law firm.
Tom decided to build a tribute bike to his pal, Johnny Chop, after the last Discovery show.
“Johnny never mentioned his ailment,” Tom said. “He just loved building and riding bikes fast and ignored the rest. He lived the dream.”
“Yeah,” Johnny said to Tom, “I'm just a craftsman.”
That applies to Tom, too. He's existed on the mechanical side all his adult life as a Boeing mechanical engineer (defense systems) and a bike maniac on the side.
“I love the technology,” Tom said. I like forward thinking and now I'm living the dream, building bikes full time.”
While building Captain Insano he attended a Mexican wrestling match at a Lucha Va Voom barrio show in Downtown LA. Tom has a particular gangster look about his too-white self and while he strolled down the Mayan Theater isle, a hot Latina girl grabbed his shirt. “And it was on,” Tom said. “It's never slowed since, like my bikes.”
Tom doesn't own a shop. He builds bikes strictly on a private commission basis, and then rides his land sharks around the notorious 15 million storming citizens of Los Angeles. The Crazy-Fast-Cracker splitting lanes with other wild riders like Gio, who know the treachery, and are willing to flip-off the thundering traffic horde and go for it, until they reach the coast and the open Pacific Ocean splays wide for them, as if they've survived the battle and found nirvana.
So let's summarize. First, this is not an exclusive distinction only available to Los Angeles riders, who have a taste for danger. It's even tougher on the brothers in Chicago, New York City, and Detroit. The weather is a factor. Laws against lane-splitting add another degree of enticement and treachery. Older, poorly maintained roads are a factor. But when the moon is full, and the criminal chopper is tuned to perfection, whether the weather is clear, or there's a dense fog lingering over the asphalt lanes, the road calls and a brother rolls the dice once more. There's nothing like smashing along notorious roads, inches from death to reach her thigh, so soft it melts your heart. What the hell could be better? Some folks just don't get it.
Regular Stuff
Owner:Tom Foster
Bike Name:Captain Insane-O
City/State:L.A. CA
Builder:Tom Foster
City/state:East Los Ese
Company Info:Landsharkz Inc
Phone: 323-428-5830
Web site:crazyfastcracker.com
E-mail: crazyfastcracker@yahoo.com
Fabrication:Tom Foster
Manufacturing:Meth..
Welding:Dennis Sanchez ,Christian Cognigni
Machining:Tom Foster
EngineEnginuity 120″
Year:2007
Make:Engenuity
Model:Evo
Displacement:120″
Builder or Rebuilder:Engenuity
Cases:Engenuity
Case finish:Polished
Barrels:Engenuity
Bore:Big
Pistons:Engenuity
Barrel finish:Polished
Lower end:Engenuity
Stroke:4 5/8-inch
Rods:Engenuity
Heads:Engenuity
Head finish:Polished
Valves and springs:Engenuity
Pushrods:Engenuity
Cams:Engenuity
Lifters:Engenuity
Carburetion:Stage 3 Zippers prepped S&S
Air cleaner:Roland Sands Design
Exhaust:Matt Hotch
Mufflers:For cars
Transmission
Year:2007 Baker
Make:RSD/Baker
Gear configuration:5-speed
Final drive:Fucking Fast…
Primary:PM by BDL
Clutch:PM by BDL
Frame
Year:2007 Chopper Guys
Make:RSD rigid
Style or Model:Rigid
Stretch:A little..
Rake:36 degrees
Modifications:Tab here..Tab there….
Front End
Make:Storz
Model:Inverted mid glide
Year: 2007
Length:1″ under
Mods:Shaved legs
Sheet metal
Tanks:Modified Sporster
Fenders:West Coast Choppers
Oil tank:Modified Sucker Punch Sally
PaintHuntington Beach Body Works
Sheet metal:Tom Foster,Dennis Sanchez
Molding:Rich Evans
Base coat:House of Kolor
Graphics:Huntington Beach Bodyworks
Type:Lace,engine turned silver leaf
Frame:Chopper Guys
Molding:None
Base coat:Nickel Plated.Orange County Plating
Wheels
Front
Make:Performance Machine
Size:21″
Brake calipers:Performance Machine
Brake rotor(s):PM
Tire:Metzler
Rear
Make:Performance Machine
Size:18 x 8.5
Brake calipers:PM
Brake rotor:PM
Pulley:PM
Tire:Metzler
Controls
Foot controls:Performance Machine
Finish:brushed nickel
Master cylinder:PM
Brake lines:Goodridge
Handlebar controls:Performance Machine
Finish:brushed nickel
Clutch Cable:
Brake LinesGoodridge
Shifting:Hand by owner
Kickstand: Matt Hotch
Electrical
Ignition:Compu Fire
Ignition switch:Workz
Coils:Dyna
Regulator:Compu Fire
Charging:Me..
Wiring:Owner
Harness:On dog
Headlight:Headwinds
Taillight:Gary Griffen
Battery:Matt Hotch
What’s Left
Seat:James Crosby pan..Covered by Bitchin Rich
Mirror(s): None
Gas caps:Greg Westbury
Handlebars:Johnny Chop RIP….
Grips:Performance Machine
Pegs:PM
Oil filter:Scotts
Oil cooler:None
Oil lines:Clear
Fuel filter:J&P
Fuel Lines:Clear
Throttle:PM
Throttle cables:Exile internal
Fasteners:Chrome Hardware Supply..Diamond …
Credits:Thankz to Roland Sands,Peformance Machine, BDL,Chopper Guys,Bitchin Rich, Matt Hotch, Rich Evans, Mike Garrison, Bakers, and Storz for all their support…..Dedicated to Johnny Chop..Gone..But never forgotten…..
