Wild Bear Bones Chopper
“I didn’t want… a blinged-out show-bike but I knew it had to look good but still be fully rideable,” said Shane.
FROM THE first time I watched a pack of bikies rumble through my home town of Sydney, I knew right there and then I wanted to one day own my very own Harley-Davidson—and so with the fire well alight of raging flames inside, I was set!
My first bike was a Harley-Davidson Bad Boy which I put a lot of time and cash into only to get cleaned up in traffic and have it written off. Lucky for fuckin’ insurance, that’s all I can say!
After getting that sorted, I purchased a brand new Harley-Davidson Softail Standard which was just a good club horse and everyday rider. However, I was never really happy with the thing and the urge to own a chopper was just too much.
After meeting Chris Hill from Wildcard Customs at the Gold Coast Convention Centre Annual Bike Expo and having a look at the Big Bear Chopper (BBC) range, I was pretty impressed with the bikes they had on display but not a 100 percent sold. So, knowing how much bang for ya bucks these guys are giving in a chopper, I set out to do my homework on either building a chopper myself or getting one of the few Aussie ADR compliant choppers that were starting to rear their heads. It didn’t take long to see the value in having Big Bear Choppers build my ride, and with that, the order was placed.
The first thing I chose was to take their base model Bear Bones and put my own touch to it. I didn’t want just another production nor did I want a blinged-out show-bike, but I knew it had to look good but still be fully rideable. I decided the only few things I wanted to keep from the original bike were the BBC frame; BBC forks; S&S 100-cubic-inch engine; Baker six-speed transmission; and the BBC enclosed, wet-chain primary.
With that set, the hard part was about to begin in choosing parts and paint, but with the help of the team at Wildcard Customs, the end result was using a BBC Engage, 21-inch, billet front rim and a BBC Engage, 18 x 8.5 inch (250 mm), billet rear rim both wrapped up in Avon Venon rubber.
For stopping power I couldn’t go past a set of Performance Machine front and rear brakes.
For guards I liked the flow of the pointed 12 gauge steel that BBC fabricate. I kept the standard Bear Bones tank because it just seemed to go well with the guards. Bars, mirrors and hand controls were all changed in the process and the outcome is what you see before you.
I would like to thank Wildcard Customs for their help, service and after-sales support has been awesome. Also Big Bear Choppers for all their support and help as well.
photos by Rod Cole; story by Shane
