Motorcycle Cruiser

2000 Kawasaki ZRX 1100, 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit, And More - Reader's Rides

End-of-year Reader's Rides edition.

April 22, 2009

Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of you and/or your cruiser to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or evan.kay@sorc.com.

Our end-of-year Reader's Rides edition features some pretty creative vehicles that normally might not make our typically sober selection of reader's bikes. Well, 'tis the season. Enjoy.

Don Courte Florida 2000 Kawasaki Zrx 1100
Taking a standard-style motorcycle, Courte has literally stretched the definition of a cruiser. CW Cycle Works of Ft. Myers, FL, raked the neck 6 degrees, extended the frame 6 inches and widened the rear by 5 inches. The now-rigid frame holds a ginormous 300mm rear tire. Custom colors were laid down by Texano Custom Painting of Daytona Beach. Heck, make your own stretched inline-four and confuse the guys at a bike night near you.

Gary Maloney North Carolina The Bone Bike
This incredible piece of artwork, save for the Yamaha 650 engine and a few other bits, is made from "scrap, trash and garbage." More remarkable is the fact that the owner/builder is disabled and has severely arthritic hands. And yes: This is a working motorcycle that's ridden on a regular basis. The demon head and fender tail each contain over 150 pieces.

William Belford Illinois Road Star Trailer
The thing on the left is recognizable to some of you as a 2004 Yamaha Road Star. However, it's the thing on the right that's getting your attention. Over the course of a year, Belford custom-made this single wheel, monoshock trailer by hand-laying fiberglass over foam, constructing the frame from square steel tubing and sourcing parts from a Yamaha scooter, Star Road Star, VW Bug (!) and Mazda RX-7 (!!) We'd say that's 365 days well spent.

Ed Young Tennessee The Dragon
In the vein of extreme customs, we present Young's show-winning bike, The Dragon. Built by Big Boar Products, this motorcycle is ten feet long. It features a 113 c.i. Kendall Johnson engine with a Baker six-speed tranny. Holding it up is a Spyke inverted fork and an Eddie Trotta single-sided swingarm. The rear wheel's a mere 280mm wide.

Ed Geyer Oklahoma 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit
Lots of people own a Honda Shadow cruiser, but how many own one with a wood gas tank, fenders and air cleaner cover? Geyer's made lots of modifications to this bike, including Cobra drag pipes, and lowering the rear, but it's the bodywork that's the most eye-catching. He wanted something different-mission accomplished(!)-but is being coy about the material he used.

Derek Spitsnogle Nebraska Custom R/T Chopper
Spitsnogle built this wild custom at his shop, Xotic Concepts. The "Charger R/T" on the side, the lettering on the tires and the big black "stripe and scoops" on the tank are all there to match the 1976 Dodge Charger R/T Spitsnogle's dad bought at age 18-the same car that his dad gave him five years ago. So the car and the new matching chopper were given as surprise gifts to dear old dad for his 50th birthday. Sniff!

Lee LeDoux Florida 1998 Suzuki LC1500
Now, for the American flag-themed, bike of the year. Some of the parts were sourced from wrecking yards, hence the moniker Junkyard Dog. The paintwork is courtesy of many spray cans. Note the eagle on the windshield, hand-etched with a Dremel tool. New parts include D&H; Hardkrome pipes, Saddleman bags, J&P; Cycles footpegs and 1940 Ford taillights from JC Whitney.