Each month we try to bring you an example of the finest custom choppers we can find. Granted December isn't exactly the best time of year to find sweet street machines roaming free in the snowy Northeast, but a deadline is a deadline.
I ran into Dave, Mouse and all the boys from EAST SIDE CUSTOM CHOPPERS at a bike show in their home town of Newburgh, NY last spring. Again, we hooked up at the Brok'n Spoke Saloon in Laconia in June, where they set up shop for the event. I was extremely impressed with their work. I asked them to keep me posted on their progress.
You see, in the Neuvo Television Chopper World, you need the Discovery Channel to get any attention at major events. Especially if your shop happens to be in the same town as the infamous knuckleheads from O.C.C. Well, EAST SIDE CUSTOM CHOPPERS has the dubious distinction of NOT having a TV show and being in the same area as the O.C.C. masters of disaster. That being said, Dave, Mouse and da boyz gathered throngs of admirers, and on-lookers lined up to see the dazzling display of their one-of-a-kind custom. yet very rideable, hard core bikes. It did my jaded heart good to see that a small shop, manned by guys, who still keep their day jobs and devote every spare moment to the “ART OF THE CHOPPER”, received the attention they so richly deserved.
They call this beauty the SAVAGE. The name fits when you consider what makes it roar. Yeah, it's a beautiful work of art, but it has the heart and soul of a savage jungle beast. It took E.C.C. 6 weeks of afterhours wrenching to get this baby ready to tear up the road. The engine is a 113 cubic inch 2004 ULTIMA El Bruto, balanced and blue printed by the factory with a few in house tricks tossed in for good measure. A Crane Hi-4 ignition helps the beast leap to life. Ultima forged pistons pump life through her and an S&S Super G Carb with a custom E.C.C. air cleaner keeps the blood flowing.
A 2004 REVTECH 6-speed transmission hooked up to the HITECH OUTLAW 4-inch open primary, delivers the power to the RC COMPETITION slashed rotor pulley for an unbelievable torque of 120 ft.lb from 120 RW HP. The beast belches its exhaust through a set of Martin Brothers Medusa pipes.
The power plant nestles comfortably in a brand new RC COMPONENTS Softail frame. It was remolded by Sammy and Phil Iannolo of NSI ENTERPRISES, with a single down tube, a 40 degree raked neck stretched out 5 inches and raised 6 inches.
The forks are fully inverted, 12 inches over stock and raked 6 degrees in the neck. They were built especially for the bike by American Suspension. The handlebars are 1 1/4-inch low drag style. The fenders are custom shaped by Russ Wernimont of E.C.C. Lighting the way is an ADJURE 5 3/4-inch Flame with Ice Lamp and a TAYLER ENGINEERING vertical side mounting LED rear light lets you know you've just been blown by. The rest of the electrics are E.C.C. custom featuring green LED's. The fuel tank is an INDEPENDENT TORMENTER with hidden mounts and a pop up cap. The oil tank is from RACING INNOVATIONS also customized by E.C.C. as is the oil delivery system.
The meticulous paint job is House of Kolor Candy Green featuring shaded ghosting. Splatter House Painting did an outstanding job placing a gargoyle perched atop a skull on the rear fender. The work on the front fender and tanks has to be seen to be appreciated.
All of this engineering rests on some sweet rims. RC Components hubs attach the Slash Chrome rims to 21-inch x2.5-inch front and 18-inch x 8.5-inch Metzler tires.
The guys told me they just acquired 3 acres on Route 52 and are going to develop a strip mall dedicated to choppers. They'll develop their shop, a paint shop and a few other fulltime stores dedicated solely to motorcycling. “One stop chopper shopping” This is definitely an idea whose time has come.
And hey, ya never know. You just might be seeing Dave, Mouse and the rest of the crew on their own television show in the near future, if talent and tenacity have anything to do with it.
–TBear
GENERAL Fabrication: EAST SIDE CUSTOM CHOPPERS(ECC)
Year and Make: 2004 ECC
Model: SAVAGE
Assembly by: ECC
Time: SIX WEEKS
Chroming: ECC
ENGINE
Year: 2004
Model: ULTIMA (EL BRUTO)
Rebuilder: ULTIMA
Ignition: CRANE HI-4
Displacement: 113CI
Lower end: ULTIMA
Balancing: ULTIMA
Pistons: ULTIMA – FORGED
Rated Power: 120 RW HP/ 120 FT. LB TORQUE
Cases: ULTIMA
Heads: ULTIMA
Cams: ULTIMA
Lifters: ULTIMA
Carb: S&S SUPER G
Air cleaner: ECC CUSTOM
Pipes: MARTIN BROTHERS MEDUSTA
TRANSMISSION
Modifications: N/A, REVTECH
Year: 2004
Shifting: 6 SPEED
Engine Sprocket: HITECH OUTLAW 4″ OPEN
Trans sprocket: REVTECH
Wheel sprocket: RC COMP ROTOR PULLEY – SLASH
PAINTING
Molding: NSI ENT. (SAMMY AND PHIL IANNOLO)
Painter: SPLATTER HOUSE
Color: CANDY GREEN
Type: HOUSE OF COLORS
FRAME
Year: 2004
Builder: RC COMP
Type: SOFTAIL
Rake: 40 DEGREES
Stretch: 5″ STR/ 6″ UP
Other: SINGLE DOWN TUBE
ACCESSORIES
Bars: 1 1/4 LOW DRAG
Risers: N/A
Fenders: ECC CUSTOM / RUSS WERNIMONT
Headlight: ADJURE 5 3/4 FLAME WITH ICE LAMP
Taillight: TAYLER ENGINEERING – VERTICAL SIDE – LED
Speedo: N/A
Front Pegs: BILLET CHROME WITH BANDS (2 1/2 EXTENSION)
Rear Pegs: CHROME HORSE
Electrics: ECC / GREEN LEDs
Gas Tank: INDEPENDENT TORMENTOR (HIDDEN MOUNTS, POP-UP CAP)
Oil Tank: ECC CUSTOM / RACING INNOVATIONS
Oil System: ECC
Seat: ECC CUSTOM / DANNY GRAY
FORKS
Type: FULLY – INVERTED
Extension: 12 OVER
Builder: AMERICAN SUSPENSION
Special Features: 6 DEGREES IN TREES
WHEELS
Front
Size: 21×2.5
Hub: RC COMPONENTS
Rim: SLASH CHROME
Rear
Size: 18×8.5
Hub: RC COMPNENTS
Rim: SLASH CHROME
Tires: METZELER
Brakes: F. HHI / R. RC COMP
