writer: John Mata Jr.
photographer: Courtesy Of Rich Fulk
Here we go again. Feast your eyes on yet another incredible Rich Fulk creation. Over the past ten years, Rich has been in the garage pumping out the cleanest, meanest machines on two wheels, which means it is no surprise that his latest old school-inspired, tech-loaded design is an absolute knockout. Being a member of the Custom Chrome (CCI) posse definitely helps when the time comes to gather products from the most influential heads in the aftermarket industry. Of course, CCI's own catalog was cracked open more than a few times during the yearlong build.
This particular bike began one day while Rich was meandering through the aisles of CCI's storage warehouse. During his leisurely stroll, Rich stumbled upon a sparkling diamond in the rough. The frame that would inspire his next build had been patiently waiting to be discovered amongst the pallets and boxes that littered its habitat. Rich tracked down the rightful owner of the frame, turned on the charm, and assumed possession of the Fred Kodlin rigid chassis.
With the frame safe in the garage and the game plan locked down, it was time to collect and stockpile parts for the assembly. Rich knew he wanted a pair of classic 60-spoke wheels, and DNA Specialties' set was first on his list. The 21x2.15 front and 18x8.5 rear rims and hubs were black powdercoated while the twisted spokes maintained their polished luster. Now that the rollers were well taken care of, Rich consulted the almighty CCI catalog-the modern-day bible to chopper shoppers everywhere. A Springer frontend, WCC Villain tank, and tires were all acquired from CCI's holy book.
Sure, shopping is fun, but the real excitement starts as soon as the sparks begin to fly and the wrench starts turning. Rich enlisted the assistance of friend Dennis "Dirty" Sanchez to fab up a rear fender and seat. Once the sheetmetal work was completed and the chassis was reassembled, the bike was ready to receive a hearty helping of performance products. A RevTech 100ci motor, five-speed transmission, and a BDL 3-inch open belt drive were fused together to transform the frame's sleek physique into a terrifying and utterly menacing entity. After several failed attempts at mating an exhaust system to the bike, Rich decided to custom-chop a set of pipes that properly fit and complemented its intimidating persona.
Rich's vision for his new project was rapidly materializing, and he didn't want to waste any unnecessary time. He immediately dialed Supreme Legends and had them send out their new billet mid-controls. While waiting for his order to arrive, he dove into a pile of spare parts in search of salvageable handlebars. After digging and clawing through mounds of metal, the perfect bars were uncovered. Well, they weren't perfect yet, but they soon would be after some old school custom machining and welding. The end result is an impressive example of Rich's imagination and craftsmanship.
The bike's completion was now nearing its final stages, and Rich needed a painter to throw down some fresh color. There was no major investigation into who would be handling the spray, since Kirk Taylor at Custom Design Studio is a longtime accomplice of Rich's. The frame, rear fender, tank, wheels, and frontend all needed paint and were left in Kirk's care. There is never much need for strict game planning since both Rich and Kirk share parallel tastes in custom styling. The painting process of the build was complete in a few weeks, and Rich couldn't have been happier with the results. The Triumph spring gold paint and black graphics appear to jump from the metal. Pinstriping always adds unbeatable nostalgic flair, and Rich couldn't think of anyone better then Courtney Shamach to wield the brush. The freshly sprayed components all received a little TLC from Courtney and prove that great striping is always the perfect accessory.