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Russell Mitchell’s Exile, The Anti-Chopper Chopper

Jason — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:03:06 +0000

Past History with Russell Mitchell

By Mark Masker

Photography by Courtesy Of Exile Cycles, Howard Kelly, Ernie Lopez, Mark Masker

Not all of the famous builders got started early on. Some were in grade school (or younger) when Street Chopper first hit the stands. Russell Mitchell was one of them. He was born in Frampton on Severn, a small farming village in the west of England. They barely had color TV, let alone imported American chopper magazines back then. When he hit his teens, he was a huge skateboarder but by the time he was 16 he’d made the jump to a motor and two wheels and hasn’t looked back since. “I had a buddy of mine who was big into cars who’d occasionally come across American bike magazines like Street Chopper. I remember seeing crazy things like Arlen’s two-engine Sportster,” he reflected.

There were local custom chop rags too, though. Back Street Heroes was one of the more successful European chopper books, and Russell agreed that Street Chopper and other American biker magazines influenced it. “The whole custom bike scene in England at that time (mid-to-late ’70s) was very fledgling,” Russell told us. At the time, people went as flashy as possible, including him, believe it or not. Don’t believe us? Take a look at his first custom job: a coffin-tanked Lambretta scooter. No, you read it right. His first build was actually a chopperized scooter. “I was part of a small faction called The Scooter Scum and we did everything we could to piss off the straight mod scooter contingency by doing everything we could to make our scooters look like choppers.” Saying he did that with the Lambretta would be an exercise in understatement. In its stock form the scooter’s gas tank sat under the seat; Russell threw that out and swapped in a coffin tank atop the chassis spine. He also hand made solid hex steel forks, heated up in a forge, and twisted in a hair pin. The paint? Not exactly the flat black that’s Exile Cycle’s signature move. Try a warrior carrying off a naked chick on the back of a sabertooth tiger. “I named it Exile and it won all the shows but it was the sort of deal where you had to have chrome everything. We had a shop in Birmingham that was our go-to place. Bitchin’ chrome, but it was horribly expensive.”

Via: Streetchopperweb.com

Thunder Struck Custom Chopper – SOUL SHAKER

Jason — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:24:17 +0000

by Mark Daley

Featured on the cover of V-Twin Magazine (May 2008 issue). A 120 cubic inch Accurate Engineering Outlaw Pan Head, dual SS carbs. Baker 6 speed trans, Thunderstruck belt drive. Thunderstruck/Ego Trip Wheels. All sheet metal & accessories work by Mark Daley. Paint by Mad Gini.

Owners: John and Dee Barker, Grants Pass OR.

Via: ThunderStruckcustombikes

Eddie Trotta 2008 SINGLE SIDED SWINGARM DROP SEAT SOFTAIL

Jason — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:55:34 +0000

Fort Lauderdale based Thunder Cycle Designs, owner and president, Eddie Trotta has been building custom motorcycles for more than 30 years. At the age of 16 he built his first shovelhead chopper while working at East Coast Choppers in New Haven, Ct. Eddie is now recognized as one of the top custom bike builders in the world.

In 1991, Eddie began his career in the motorcycle industry when he opened Thunder Cycle Designs. In less than ten years, Eddie Trotta has become one of the preeminent custom bike builders in the world. Favored by well-to-do clients, athletes and celebrities. Thunder is distinguished by their choppers, which are regularly featured in numerous publications. Thunder bikes have been showcased on the covers of fifteen national magazines and counting.

Via: ThunderCycle.com

2007 THUNDER DROP DEAD BIKE OF THE YEAR (SKUNK)

Jason — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:28:54 +0000

ONE WORD SAYS IT ALL,THIS BIKE TOOK 30 YEARS TO BUILD, WITH OVER 6 MONTHS OF PAINT WORK, AND USING EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK, THE SKUNK IS THE PRIDE OF EDDIE TROTTA’S CUSTOM CHOPPERS, START YOU BIDDING HIGH, 300 DIDN’T TAKE IT HOME!

VIA; THUNDERCYCLE.COM

Paulzilla Custom Chopper

Jason — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:33:59 +0000

Built a new Bobzilla for my photographer friend Paul Figura. Features my entire Choppers INC Bobzilla parts line: Bobzilla frame, Bobzilla Springer Front End, Bobzilla Sissy Bar, Bobzilla Gas Tank. Choppers INC Trucker Girl Taglight and Trucker Girl Foot Controls. Choppers INC Six Gun Ball Milled Foot Pegs & Passenger Pegs. Logan Reise Seat.

Via: ChoppersInc.com

2008 DROP DEAD THUNDER BIKE

Jason — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:19:28 +0000

THIS BIKE HAS IT ALL, 124″ BILLET H&l MOTOR, 6 SPEED RSD BAKER TRANNY WITH A BRAKE CALIPER ATTACHED TO KEEP THE REAR WHEEL CLEAN, PRIMO BELT DRIVE, AND MORE!

Via: Thundercycle.com

Amazing Airbrush Design & Custom Paint by Mike Learn

Jason — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:12:44 +0000

Mike Learn Airbrush and Design was founded in 2002 in a 600 sq ft shop on the back of our property in Tempe, AZ. Over the first year we quickly gained an expanding client base and we hired my sister Darla to help handle the business. By the beginning of 2003 it was obvious that we needed more space, so we leased a large shop and set to work promoting the business. Mike’s core clients were sending more bikes than he could handle, and referrals were quickly coming in. New employees were hired to speed up the turn around process, but soon, Mike knew he would need some help with the paint and artwork. In August we brought Krash on board to help Mike with the huge workload.