These days, getting a bike to stand out in a crowd of customs can be tough. Builders teeter-totter over the decision to go with or against current trends while trying to maintain individuality with each of their bike builds. Amongst a conglomeration of shops and eye-catching customs, it can be a challenge for a new builder to get a foothold in this industry. Bryan Fuller, owner of Atlanta-based Fuller Hot Rods (FHR), took the challenge and succeeded with his "Texas T" chopper.
The accomplishment carried some uncertainty for Bryan in the beginning, since the Texas T (paying homage to his Texas roots) was his first bike build. He was also striving to gain the respect of his peers. If he were going to do this, he believed it would be best to stay true to himself and build bikes inspired by his background in sheetmetal work. Bryan's been building hot rods professionally for nine years and has apprenticed with some of the finest metal craftsmen in the country, including Chip Foose of Foose Design.
Following his three-year apprenticeship and winning some awards with the Foose-led team, Bryan fulfilled his life's ambition and opened his own shop. In addition to hot rods, he's been building bike parts as well as motorcycle-inspired bicycles. Therefore, it only made sense to Bryan that a custom bike build should follow suit. He turned to General Motors designer Jeff Angeleri when it came to drafting the initial design for the Texas T chopper. However, when the bike's owner, Ben Logue, saw the original designs, let's just say that he and Bryan didn't quite see eye to eye. But they came up with a solution: compromise.
Instead of an over-the-top bike with a big-inch motor and a massive rear tire such as Ben had initially envisioned, they settled on a subtle chop that would showcase Bryan's sheetmetal abilities and the spirit of his background. He used an Independent Cycle Hardlife frame with a 40-degree rake at the neck and 7 inches of stretch. He utilized four types of metal-AK steel, steel, aluminum, and stainless steel-creating a seamless raw-metal look for the bike. The Texas T features either black powdercoat or clear on the panels, and no filler was used on the bodywork. The black and clear-aluminum finish flows to the prototype's Unity wheels from Independent, with a 21x3-inch in the front and 18x11-inch in the rear carrying a Metzeler 280 tire. The triangular sections in the spokes of the black-anodized wheels had stainless-steel inserts fitted to them. In fact, those inserts inspired a triangle theme for other components, such as the shape of the exhaust, speedometer, and headlamp shroud.
While Bryan was taking care of the aesthetics, Ben played a major role in the selection of the mechanical components. Secured above a custom belly pan, which hides the alternator and tranny oil lines, is an '05 TP Engineering 121-inch motor fitted with a Mikuni HSR carburetor. Backing up the motor is a Baker RSD six-speed tranny, as well as a hydraulic Rivera Pro-Clutch with a Rivera Brute V primary and chain final drive.
The Texas T was finished off with 2-inch-over Perse Performance forks that are held in 5-degree raked-out triple-trees. Atop the forks are FHR one-off handlebars carrying PM controls, with the control lines hidden inside the bars. After Bryan gave the speedo its unique triangular shape, he continued the theme through the shape of the gas tank down to the taillight. As mentioned earlier, Bryan is passionate about metal and therefore wanted to fabricate a unique fuel tank. It's actually two tanks; the aluminum outer tank serves as an outside cover for the real steel tank inside it. This leaves the bottom of the aluminum tank completely smooth. "It was a pain in the ass to make this," said Bryan. "But aluminum welds are more crack-prone, and I didn't want to take any chances with the cover-I just wanted it smooth."
The integrated oil tank from Independent Cycle and PM forward controls are the only other parts not built by Bryan. Throughout the bike's design, he stayed true to his roots, allowing his metal-shaping abilities to dominate the overall look. "I guess to stand out, you have to make a statement," stated Bryan. "For me, it wasn't about flashy paint, rather simple color and a raw-metal look." He added, "I wanted it to be a bike that people respected, because they know what to look for."
Since the bike's appearance at several prestigious motorcycle shows, it seems Bryan hasn't had a problem getting the Texas T to stand out. Whether it's a keep-it-simple philosophy or a bare-bones look, Brian knows one thing for sure: He will continue to build bikes.