Low, Not Slow
Brian Decen, the owner of this stretched-and-slammed 2002 GSX-R1000, knows more than a bit about tricked-out vehicles. As the sales manager for Lexani wheels, one of the world's premier providers of hot hoops for cars and trucks, he's seen enough hotted-up autos and SUVs to fill the SEMA show ten times over. So, when it came time to hit his own bike with the custom stick, he knew the first step would be to line up a top customizer, which led him directly to Carlos Navarro of Carlos Customized Cycles in Paramount, California. Navarro started the job by giving Decen's Gixxer the proper low-slung stance, with a one-off extended, double-braced swingarm (adjustable from stock to six inches over) built in cooperation with RIS Designs and paired with an Air Ride rear shock. Before all this chassis trickery was installed, Navarro shipped out the frame (and pretty much every other component that could be easily unbolted) for chroming and sent the body panels off to Wilson's Auto Body in Santa Ana for the Escalade blue paint with silver tribal graphics. A matching custom saddle from Buche Designs in Buena Park, California, plus a host of custom covers and accents (covering the radiator, subframe and other pieces) made by RIS Designs, finish out the tribal theme. The big Gixxer motor is modded to match with ported heads, a Yoshimura black box and ignition advancer and a MIG high-mount exhaust that all adds up to a dyno-tested 185 rear-wheel hp. Not a bad result-now Decen's GSX-R1000 has enough speed and style to put even the trickest whips belonging to Lexani's celebrity customers like Snoop Dogg and Xzibit to shame.
Black And Blue
As the owner of the adult-oriented web site bikebabes.com (definitely not work safe!), you could say that Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resident Mike Warren's 2004 Yamaha R1 is, technically, a business expense-which might make it slightly easier to justify what was no doubt an enormous price tag for the wheel-to-wheel chrome and elaborate custom paint that covers the bike. The extensive plating on the bike was handled by Classic Car Specialists in Miami, but not before Warren disassembled and painstakingly prepared the frame, swingarm and other components himself, patiently sanding smooth any exposed welds or other burrs to give the bike a show-ready look. Paintwork, on the other hand, was done by Warren's friend "Grasshopper" in a palette of rich blue hues, with intricately detailed graphics incorporating skulls, eyeballs and lightning bolts as themes. And what would a custom sportbike be without a little added go-power? To this end, Warren bolted up a Yoshimura TRS full exhaust system, a Power Commander USBIII, a K&N high-flow air filter and also degreed the cams for an extra measure. Topped with a Piug windscreen, Greggs Customs signals and sprocket cover and Shogun frame sliders, the Yamaha now rolls with plenty of speed and shine both-just the thing for pullin' in the chicks, which, in Warren's case, is exactly what he needs to do in order to justify writing off this wild R1 as a legitimate business expense on his tax forms at the end of the year!
 More eyeballs-and skulls aplenty-are...  More eyeballs-and skulls aplenty-are featured on the tank and front fender of Warren's tricked-out R1. |  |  Eyeball graphics under a candy...  Eyeball graphics under a candy blue top coat mimic the eyeball-like projector high beams on Mike Warren's customized Yamaha R1. |