The term "blue chip stock" denotes a stock that is an extremely valuable asset. One look at Miami, Florida, resident Albert Rodriguez's 2004 Suzuki Hayabusa will tell you that the term "blue chip" applies to his motorcycle as well, thanks to the judicious application of chrome, polished aluminum, transparent powdercoating and plenty of aftermarket bling. Rodriguez kicked things off with a frame polished by The Chrome Store in Miami, followed up with plenty of chrome plating on the various brackets and assemblies from Southern Plating Specialists, also in Miami. The translucent blue powdercoating on the Galfer Wave rotor carriers, frame plugs, rear hubcap, bar ends and other small parts was done by A-T Powder Coating. Rodriguez didn't stop until every visible bolt on the bike was replaced with a polished stainless steel piece, making the bike positively gleam. Of course, one of the first things we custom guys notice is the single-sided swingarm out back, a six-inch-over piece from Custom Sportbike Concepts in Winter Garden, Florida, carrying a 300mm-wide Venom rim from RC Components and supported by a Tricky Air air-ride rear suspension. Rodriguez bolted up a late-model GSX-R1000 shortie muffler to clear that massive rear tire, which is connected to a straight-through Muzzy race header. And the trick exhaust is just the beginning of the motor mods that Rodriguez worked in: billet velocity stacks and a K&N high-flow air filter improve breathing, and a fat 50-shot of nitrous oxide helps this 'Busa build some serious steam. The paint is the stock blue and sliver Suzuki paint scheme, and the aftermarket front fender, windscreen and custom headlight mask have all been painted to match. Finishing the exterior off is plenty of Gator Glass pieces (including the Hayabusa symbol on both sides, tail logo and stripe, and front signals) that make the bike glow after dark. Last but not least, a rearview camera replaces the mirrors and a remote control wired up by Roly Vichot in Miami activates the on-board alarm, the lighting, the air-ride suspension and the NOS system from up to 50 yards away. Rodriguez's blue chip 'Busa might not have anything at all to do with the New York Stock Exchange, but it certainly has what it takes to command attention and respect on the streets of Miami.
Under Pressure
As an in-house mechanic at a busy custom sportbike shop like Superbike Concepts in Jensen Beach, Florida, John Garappolo is used to building bikes under the pressure of ridiculous deadlines. Still, this didn't make things any easier when he set out to build his personal bike, the '01 Suzuki GSX-R1000 seen here, in less than three weeks to have it wrapped up in time to debut at Daytona Bike Week. When he told his co-workers of his plans, they all said the same thing-"Good luck!" But Garappolo wasn't dissuaded. After a quick disassembly of the bike, he sent the bodywork out to Ryan Hathaway for paint. "I just called Ryan and told him I wanted something with big flakes in the paint, and he just went wild," Garappolo tells us, describing the silver graphics over a green base with bass-boat-sized metal flake. While Hathaway worked with the body parts, every nut and bolt was removed and sent to be polished and chromed. A chromed GSX-R rear wheel is pushed out six inches on an extended '04 GSX-R swingarm (the '04 arm was chosen specifically to eliminate the lower brake arm for a cleaner look). The front wheel has had the right rotor and caliper deleted, with a Superbike Concepts dummy rotor now covering the right hub. RIS Designs Billet Chrome grips take up residence above Vortex triple trees and Custom Sportbike Concepts billet clutch and brake levers complete the custom cockpit. The already potent GSX-R1000 powerplant was pumped up further with a Power Commander and Hindle Sidewinder exhaust to wrap the project up, believe it or not, just 17 days after Garappolo started-and well within his three-week deadline. Some guys, apparently, work better under pressure.
The SleeperAt first glance, Tucson, Arizona, resident Brent Hayhurst's stock-looking 2003 GSX-R600 would barely turn a head. And what's with that "turbo" sticker on the tail-did that come out of a cereal box? But it's no joke-Hayhurst's bike is a wolf in sheep's clothing thanks to a home-brewed turbo kit that Hayhurst constructed from a GT28R Turbo with a billet-aluminum airbox, a liquid intercooler, a heat exchanger, and four secondary fuel injectors all managed by a Turbosmart dual-stage boost controller and protected by a 38mm Tial wastegate and 50mm blow-off valve. The carefully prepared motor also features JE turbo pistons, Carrillo rods, a Yoshimura adjustable cam sprocket and a 211/44-inch full exhaust system with a carbon HMF canister to cap it off. The scorcher in stocker's clothing puts out a righteous 180 hp and 80 foot-pounds of torque at 16 psi boost, insuring that even if it doesn't turn your head, it will accelerate hard enough to snap your neck.
The Dark SideIf Darth Vader was into sportbikes, we've got a feeling that he might ride something that looked like this cut-down R1 streetfighter built by Rafik Kaissi of Austin, Texas. In a day when most custom sportbikes are chromed nearly top to bottom, Kaissi's R1 is a return to the dark side. Kaissi's R1 has obviously received several body mods, most noticeably in the rear, where the subframe has been sawed off and the taillight replaced with a custom, skull-faced piece. The custom-fabricated exhaust exits right below the saddle and can be heard for miles. A Harley-Davidson-type headlight replaces the R1's original cat's eyes and a brace of aftermarket bits-including Galfer Wave rotors, Vortex rear sets, CRG levers and Motovation frame sliders-add just a slight amount of shine to this stubby and sinister sportbike.
Fueled By SpiteDon't let that NOS tank on the swingarm fool you-Chris Stutsman of Rockford, Illinois, says that this 'Busa is fueled by spite. "I built it because my ex-girlfriend told me she didn't want me to," Stutsman says. "Basically, I built it out of spite." And he built it right, not stopping until he added a 1397cc big-bore kit, a Velocity Racing Stage 1 turbo system and a 40hp NOS dry shot just for good measure (and a reported 350 hp). Helping to keep the front wheel planted is a 10-inch stretched C&S Customs swingarm, and dressing things up are lots of billet and chrome, Performance Machine wheels and House of Kolor candy green and silver paint. "And voil," Stutsman says, "my tribute to all the money my ex bilked out of me." Looks better than an alimony payment to us.
DUC Hunter
Melbourne, Australia's Anthony Matulis likes to think that this is what a 2006 Suzuki TL1000R might have looked like had the Japanese manufacturer continued to develop the ultimate V-twin superbike concept, rather than abandoning it in '04 to concentrate on the GSX-R inline fours. Matulis' TLR began life as a '98 model, though it's hard to tell that now as he has pretty much removed or modified every single component for better performance. The bike looks completely different from the front thanks to the aftermarket to accept a TLS cable conversion with Barnett heavy-duty clutch springs and a clear clutch cover added to show it all off. "The modifications were good for 128 hp on the dyno," Matulis says. "I have done many a track day on this bike and drag raced it with a best e.t. of 11.2 seconds over the quarter mile. As for the bike, I have owned it for the past four years doing all the modifications myself (except paint). Maybe I could come over to the United States and start a custom shop. Now that would be cool!" If all of his bikes looked as sweet as this particular Suzook, that might not be a bad idea at all.