Sometimes we move on to Trikes for health reasons. Or it's just time for 'safety' reasons. Or other times, because you just want to! For me at this point, it's the latter; just because! I remember many moons ago looking at bad ass chopper trikes with massive rear tires, cool paint, you name it. Always been a fan of the Indian trikes with their flowing lines. Always drawn to the monster V8 trikes you see at Rallys....
All started about 24 years ago . I can remember back around '98 or '99 looking at Bid Dog Motorcycles and dreaming about owning one, one day. Cool bikes. Around the same time, diff' manufacturer, saw what appeared to be a V8 Motorcycle and couldn't wrap my ahead around it... thinking... is this real? Then in 2004 I was down in Houston with a buddy and we went to the Boss Hoss Motorcycle Dealer and drooled over these monster bikes with 350s...383s.. .even 502 big blocks! Few years after that I saw them at ROT and fell in love with them but... just a far fetched thought. Finally in 2009 at ROT I was sitting on one and about to execute .... when I saw an Indian Motorcycle Trailer that sucked me in and changed everything for me over the next thirteen years; I was and am hooked on Indians. I just love 'em! In the meantime I'd fantasize about owning an "Indian Buffalo", a V8 powered custom Indian .. .there are two in existence that I'm aware of and they look badass. Still .. would like to one day.
The "Buffalo"
2009 ROT Rally in Austin .. .almost did it
Back in 2018 we were at BBBBQ Rally in Fayetteville and as always, was checking out Boss Hoss's and looking at the "V8 Choppers" (the actual brand name) display of Bikes and Trikes when I noticed a Trike I'd never seen before in the next area; Challenger. It was a new comer to the scene and I found myself sitting on it smiling .... thinking ... do I do this? Lucy told me to go for it, gave me the thumbs up .. but also reminded me she wasn't going to ride on it. So I'm thinking .. what's the point then? She'd been on a trike In CO when I had a tire issue and had to ride back on one and didn't like it. Still, I had a thought in the back of my mind. I even wrote a lil April 1st joke blog post that reeled in a few back in '19 that I'd actually gotten one. Since then I've had several buddies get them. Mark Kennedy is preparing to convert his Indian Roadmaster to a trike via Rob Gregory's guys in Little Rock. Well... I guess things in life just got me to thinking about it more and more. So, I got the buy in again from mama (ie permission) and made two calls. One to Challenger and one to V8 Choppers. I spoke to the owners of both companies. Turns out they know each other and spoke highly of their competition. So now it was up to me. Challenger has an LS3 with a 4 speed auto. The V8 Chopper a 427 small block with upwards of 600hp mated to a two speed auto. Two different animals. Now, if I was going to do some serious miles on it ... and/or if Lucy was going to ride with me .. I'd probably have gone with the Challenger. But, that V8 Chopper just looks ridiculously awesome. So... I did it. Turns out they had literally just completed a build and were putting it on sale. I'd actually seen a 2020 model with 2000 miles that I liked but.. . it sold that morning. After looking at the pics of the new build, I committed the purchase sight unseen. Hell, I'd never even rode a trike in my life!
Pics Stan sent me ... Sold!
Headed Home to Texas
Last Wednesday I hooked up my trailer and headed to NE Oklahoma, a five hour trip. Grabbed a room and at 0900 rolled up to their shop where they are built and got to meet the owner Stan and get the tour. Super nice down to earth guy, living the dream. He built his company from the ground up and looks to me like he's knocking it out of the park. Builds two a month with his crew there, travels to a few rally's each year and they get to play with these all day long. Next to mine was a custom build that had a 427 with dual turbos going on it... WTF? I'm thinking close to 1000HP? After getting the tour of the facility (was cool!) and the overview of the bike .. I think I surprised them when I didn't take it out; just simply asked him to load it up for me. Few minutes later I was shaking hands, wrote the check and headed South! Five hours later, pulled up in the driveway, changed clothes and jumped in the pool with Lucy whom was waiting for me .. .two days later, I unstrapped it.
My God this this is LOUD. And Awesome. I'm in shorts, tank top and flip flops .. was going to just put it in the garage but thought ... f' it. Headed down the driveway and took it for a spin. No phone.. no wallet... just my foolish self on a sunny 95 deg day .. I'm outa here! Got to admit it felt weird. Front end at low speeds feels too loose. Sort of bounces around on my crappy road out to the FM road. Once I get it out on 1564 ... 30mph .. 40 .. 50 .. 60 ... this feels great. Lil' weird on corners.. I'm leaning ..which of course makes zero difference.. .just trying to get a feel .. so slow down for the corners then gab a lil throttle.... 50 .. 60 .. 70 ... by the time and get about ten miles under my belt... my legs are baking from the heat on the headers and 80 mph feels normal. Crazy part is .. I'm barely twisting the throttle.. I quick blip of it and this monster comes to life ... this is friggn crazy and I can't get the smile off my face! By the time I pull up to the house, feels comfortable to me....
Can't wait to dress properly for this, get some goggles on (no windshield!) and really put this through it's paces. Stan told me it does 0 to 60 in like 3 seconds. Tops out around 165 or so (no, I won't be doing that) .. but ... damned this is going to be fun. No I won't be switching up from 2 wheels.. but I see a time and place for this sucker. Putting together a plan to fly several flags off it in the back during parades, etc . Now .... what to call it... hmmm... all bad ass motorcycles need a name, right?
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