Location: European Touch
www.europeantouchusa.com
The Lamborghini marque has become synonymous with speed, style and class. But perhaps of more importance, that single word makes a statement to the world that the owner has an insane amount of money. With a price tag that rivals most houses, the only way an average person can experience driving one is vicariously through the TV during an episode of "MTV Cribs."
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., more commonly known as Lamborghini, was started after a dispute between Ferruccio Lamborghini, then an owner of a tractor factory, and Enzo Ferrari over a poorly performing clutch on his 1960 Ferrari 250. Enzo scoffed at the thought of a tractor driver complaining about one of his cars and sent the "unqualified" farm boy packing. Ferruccio was so insulted by the ordeal he set out to create a machine that would not only rival the Ferrari, but also outperform it. Since drawing those battle lines, the Ferrari and Lamborghini have become some of the most prestigious and expensive automobiles ever produced.
Angel Garcia, of Sparkling Image Custom Cycles in Delaware, has always loved the look and status associated with exotic cars: "I've always had an infatuation with Lamborghinis. One day I was watching 'Unique Whips' on TV and they were showing the Tony Stewart car. I always wanted a Lamborghini and this was about as close as I'll ever get. I watch too much TV I guess."
As the owner of a small custom bike shop, he knew he probably wouldn't be able to own the real deal, so in the spirit of Ferruccio Lamborghini he decided to make his own.
To transform the looks of a super car into a superbike, the list of machines to modify was short. Sparkling Image chose a 2008 Hayabusa for its all-out performance and flowing bodywork. In order to replicate the look and feel of the original Lambo design, several modifications were made. "First thing I did was go online to research the cars. I liked the sleek front end with the big fat rear of the Lambos. That's why I went with a 360 tire in the rear. Then I put a 2007 GSX-R headlight and chopped the windshield and molded the front end. The front fender was designed to match the front fender on a Lamborghini bumper," explained Garcia. While you won't find massive amounts of chrome coming out of Italy, Garcia wanted to make sure his bike shined in the bike world as well. "While it's not all chromed out, I still wanted a little bit of pop. We did color match the wheels so it wouldn't overdo it. We also used every type of LED Drastik Plastix had available. It has 100 LEDs just in the fender alone. I wanted people to see it from the moon! Finally, Ricky from RIS helped us out with a bunch of billet accessories."
While most of the Lamborghinis on the road today rarely see more pavement than the distance to the local Starbucks, Sparkling Image has bigger plans than simply letting its creation collect dust in a showroom. "I build my bikes to ride. I'm going to ride to the end of summer then sell it. We also built it to showcase what we can do at the shop. I wish we could keep it, but I can't keep building bikes for myself. It's not economical."
So until TV producers come banging on the doors with promises of a reality show, or a celebrity comes into the shop with a pocket full of cash, Garcia will have to just keep building his dreams instead of buying them.
Buyer's Box
2008 GSX1300R Hayabusa
Front end: RIS Designs custom rotor, chrome upper triple tree, Hayabusa logo reservoir covers, fork caps and axle dress up
Rear end: Smoked taillight, laser-cut tail section and seat cowl by Drastik Plastixz
Motor: Brock's Performance exhaust, Power Commander, K&N air filter, T.R.E. pistons
Paint: Sparkling Image Custom Cycles
Bodywork: 2007 GSX-R1000 headlight, shortened windscreen, Drastik Plastix fender
Accessories: Suzuki aftermarket seat, green halos in GSX-R1000 headlight, Drastik Plastix LEDs, Grip Ace switching system, RIS Designs accessories
Owner: Sparkling Image Custom Cycles
Builder: Angel Garcia and Sparkling Image Custom Cycles
www.sparklingimagecc.com