|  ddie
Trotta’s already into the next big thing in customs. Into it,
heck–Eddie’s Thunder Cycle Design in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
is inventing the next big thing, and we’re looking at it right
here. “Sure, traditional choppers have been hot for a few years
now, and we still build plenty of ’em,” Eddie says, “but
we’re heading off in a whole different direction, too.”
That direction is towards the ground-hugging, lowered and long bike,
“the minus-2/out-10 look,” as Eddie describes it. This House
Of Kolor “Burple” beauty, built up around one of Trotta’s
new “Drop Dead” frames—a collection of tubing that
sports both a dropped seat and neck—is the manifestation of it
all.
A drop-dead gorgeous motorcycle any way
you look at it, the guys at Drag Specialties knew they had to have one
even before there was one. Say what? Well, working around the just-introduced
Metzeler 280 tire (which he’d gotten through Drag), Trotta had
brought along a bare frame to the Cincinnati trade show and that’s
all it took. The deal was done, and Eddie Trotta, Master Builder, got
the nod for the next FatBook special.
Obviously,
Trotta’s FatBook build-up—based on his own frame that isn’t
in the FatBook—would take a slightly different tack than previous
Drag Specialties builds. But that double-drop “Drop Dead”
frame aside, there was nothing stopping Eddie from shopping the FatBook
exclusively for most everything else he’d need. Which is exactly
what he did, and then some.
“When the sparks settled and the
paint dried,” Eddie says, “I’d gone over budget by
something like a factor of five, which is on me, and that’s cool.
When I get into a project like this I just can’t hold back. I
can’t do anything half-way, or half-assed.” Well, there’s
nothing half anything here, but there sure is a lot of the absolute
best the FatBook has to offer. “And I’m pretty proud of
the bike I built,” Eddie says. “I think it turned out just
fine.”
This
House of Kolor “Burple” beauty is based on one of Thunder
Cycle Design’s “Drop Dead” frames.
| 
Arlen Ness
Fly-Hi Handlebars have Performance Machine Contour Handlebar Controls,
Thunder Cycle Design Hourglass Grips and a Performance Machine
mirror. |
The lines of
the Independent “Streamliner” Gas Tank work well with
the “Drop Dead” frame. |
Accompanying
the gleaming S&S 113-inch polished motor are a Thunder Cycle
Design 5.5-inch Velocity Stack and Samson’s Extreme Series
“Zoomies” exhaust. Also check out the Thunder Cycle
Design Hourglass Footpegs on those forward controls—they
match the handlebar grips. |
Eddie Trotta
has been using Primo Brute V belt drives for years, and for the
400-plus that he’s installed, he can count the breakdowns
on one hand. |
Powering
the beast is a beautifully polished S&S 113-inch engine, running
through an equally shiny Baker 6-speed transmission, an RSD model. All
FatBook sourced. The Super G carb and Samson “Extreme” pipes
came right off the Drag Specialties shelf, too. One of Joey Perse’s
front ends went on, standard length with a set of three-degree triple
trees to work with the frame’s 40-degrees of rake, as did an Independent
gas tank. All FatBook parts. Ditto for the bike’s Performance
Machine “Hooligan” wheels, and the Metzeler tires, including
that humongous 280 rear. There’s a Primo Brute V belt drive in
there, too, another FatBook offering, “and a really great product,”
according to Eddie. “I’ve been using that drive for years,”
he says. “I must have used at least 400 of them by now, and I
can count the breakdowns on the fingers of one hand.” On and on
the list goes, the build-sheet ticking off one by one the best the FatBook
has to offer.
And the best is slated to get even better.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, Eddie Trotta’s Thunder Cycle
Design has become one of the newest members to join the Drag Specialties
FatBook family, offering grips and footpegs and side-mount license plate
frames and taillights. Well, all that’s just a small portion of
what Thunder Cycle Design has to offer, because, all told, this is a
company with something like 200 custom parts in its catalog. And, in
the 2004 season, a hefty percentage of all that will be in the FatBook.
In fact, a lot of the really special parts on this bike, the hand-built
parts that contributed to that over-budget situation, will become FatBook
pieces pretty soon. The handlebar and the fenders, for just two examples.
That strutless rear fender, by the way, is fashioned from some pretty
hefty 10-gauge material, and it’s spun, not stamped. “It’s
stout,” Eddie says, “and it’s nicely rounded, perfectly
matching the tire.” And yeah, there’s one sized and proportioned
for standard softail-style frames, too.
So okay, strictly speaking this time a
FatBook special isn’t completely FatBook. There’s the matter
of that very special Thunder Cycle Design “Drop Dead” frame.
But hey, hints Eddie Trotta, who’s to say that frame doesn’t
get a Drag Specialties part number itself pretty soon? It could happen…
Price list below.
This is a TCD
Inside Radius Side Mount license plate assembly. |
The Thunder
Cycle Design Hourglass hand grips enhance the beauty of this bike’s
lines. |
Trotta’s
12-inch strutless Drop Seat rear fender is adorned with the Metzeler
logo—what better way to pay homage to that big 280 rear
tire! |
Metzeler’s
21-inch front tire is mounted on a Performance Machine Hooligan
wheel and is topped with a Wernimont 4.75-inch Rambler fender. |
The standard-length
spherical Perse fork assembly has three-degree triple trees to
work with the frames 40-degrees of rake. |
CHASSIS
1 N/A TCD “Drop Dead” Seat 280 Frame $3,600.00 N/A
1 N/A TCD 280 Oil Tank f/Frame 550.00 N/A
1 N/A TCD Alligator Seat (Special) N/A N/A
1 N/A 12” Strutless Drop Seat Rear Fender 825.00 N/A
1 DS241130 White Brothers Kickstand 139.95 724
1 1925-2753 Russ Wernimont 4.75” Rambler 21” Fender 214.95
768
1 DS391725 Independent “Streamliner” Gas Tank 999.95 644
1 DS390245 Pingel Smooth Petcock 87.95 658
1 DS310164 EMS “Essex” Softail Shocks 632.95 760
1 0401-0007 Perse Spherical Fork Assy w/ 3 Degrees 2,995.95 NEW
1 600-06 Goodridge 6 12”Stainless Line 101.95 667
4 HD0103CH Goodridge Straight 1/8” NPT Fittings 59.80 667
2 HD9003CH Goodridge 90 Deg. 1/8” NPT Fittings 41.90 667
1 110-12894 Metzeler ME 880 90/90 21” Front Tire 129.95 848
1 110-14885 Metzeler ME 880 280/35VR-18 Rear Tire 299.95 81 (Midyear)
1 0305-1651 PM Hooligarn 21 X 2.15 Front 1,194.95 NEW
1 N/A PM 18 X10 Hooligan Rear Special 1,595.00 N/A
ENGINE
1 2016-0005 S&S 113” Polished Motor 7,228.95 31 (Midyear)
1 2106-1007 TCD 5.5” Velocity Stack w/90 Degree End 405.95 28
(Midyear)
1 2103-0501 Choke Knob 66.95 26 (Midyear)
1 0405-3102 Samson “Zoomies” Exhaust 339.95 18 (Midyear)
1 DS203097 Drag Exhaust Flange Kit 22.95 252
1 DS174749 James Gaskets Exhaust Stud Kit 13.95 252
BRAKES
1 3135 Russell Pro System 2 Brake Line. 50 Ft. 88.95 632
2 4341C 1/8” 90 Deg. Brake Fitting 33.90 632
2 4342C 3/8” – 24 Male Fitting 33.90 632
1 N/A Performance Machine Front Brake Rotor 329.00 N/A
1 N/A Performance Machine Rear Brake Rotor 329.00 N/A
1 N/A PM Special Rear Brake Carrier Assembly 699.00 N/A
1 DS325988 Performance Machine Front Caliper 449.95 606
ELECTRICAL
1 DS195202 Comp-U-Fire Stater 79.95 477
1 DS195116 Comp-U-Fire Rotor 114.95 477
1 N/A TCD Billet Coil Cover f/Crane Coils N/A N/A
1 DS242311 Crane Dual Fire Coil 85.95 451
1 DS242313 Crane Hi-4 Ignition 229.95 465
1 0802-3030 Magnum Plug Wires 46.95 448
2 RN-12-YC Champion Plugs 5.60 450
1 DS196034 Terry Components 2.0 Polished Starter 538.95 469
1 DS313033 Crane Chrome Voltage Regulator 107.95 478
1 DS317465 Drag Battery Strap 6.95 483
1 DS310480 Drag Battery Cushion 6.95 482
1 DS242134 Terry Components Blk Battery Cable Kit 54.95 482
1 0902-2401 TCD Weld-In LED Taillight Assembly 99.95 502
1 0902-2409 TCD 1 1/2” Tube Side Mount Bracket 99.95 503
1 0902-2405 TCD Inside Radius Side Mount Lic. Assy. 500.95 503
1 DS280004 Gary’s Custom 5 3/4” Tri-Bar Bulb 109.95 533
1 DS280527 Headwinds Mariah 5 3/4” headlight 437.95 499
1 DS325647 Drag 30 Amp Circuit Breaker 4.95 493
1 DS325648 Drag 15 Amp Circuit Breaker 4.95 493
1 DS272167 Drag 4-Lug Junction Block 6.95 492
1 DS272113 Drag Round Key Switch 22.95 485
1 DS250036 Dakota Digital Odyssey 2 1/16” Speedo 250.95 696
1 2113-0012 Drag Specialties Battery 72.95 NEW
DRIVELINE
1 2017-1320 Baker 6-Speed RSD Transmission 4,158.95 360
1 N/A TCD Plain Primary Belt Shroud N/A N/A
1 2017-3303 TCD Stepped Pulley Covers f/Brute 5 300.95 40 (Midyear)
1 2302-1001 Primo 3.5”, 14mm Belt Drive 2,330.95 386
1 SLR-590 Freedom Shift Linkage 59.95 404
1 (PR) DS243496 Pro One Shift Rod Ends 37.95 405
1 DS273130 Jim’s Machining Trans Shift Lever 24.95 404
1 DS197099 Belt Drives LTD. 130 Tooth Rear Belt 164.95 409
1 DS199477 Andrews 30 Tooth Trans Pulley 171.95 411
1 1102-5261 Performance Machine 70T Hooligan Pulley 574.95 NEW
CONTROLS
1 N/A TCD Handlebars (#TC-920) N/A N/A
1 1611-0499 Arlen Ness Flush Handlebar Bolt Kit 34.95 555
1 1806-2002 TCD Hourglass Grips 140.95 62 (Midyear)
1 1806-2001 TCD Hourglass Grip Spacer 26.95 62 (Midyear)
1 DS243129 Arlen Ness Throttle Assembly 29.95 572
1 N/A Performance Machine Contour Clutch Assembly 329.00 N/A
1 N/A Performance Machine Contour Brake Assembly 329.00 N/A
1 N/A Performance Machine Mirror 129.95 N/A
1 DS243003 Performance Machine Forward Controls 929.95 786
1 (PR) 1904-1210 TCD Hourglass Foot Pegs 100.95 796
Paint by Chris Tulson @ Thunder Cycle Design
Color: House of Kolor Candy Burple
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