Las Vegas is renowned for being a city of excess. From grotesque theme hotels to "triple D" sized dancers, there is little in the small desert oasis that isn't considered too much. Visitors also tend to overindulge, but at least they leave with a lifetime of stories to justify their empty wallets.
Custom sportbikes have come to define the very notion of excess, and when Scorpion Customs was licensed to build a "no-budget" 'Busa for an affluent overseas customer, Sin City was the most logical theme.
Although Scorpion Customs may be a newcomer to the custom world, Kris Cottrell (VP of Scorpion Customs) is no stranger to the scene and his bikes have appeared in mags, videos and TV shows across the globe.
One-off, no limit custom builds are rare these days. A customer with a bottomless wallet typically can't be found at a bike night, car show or any of the usual motorcycle hangouts. Cottrell explained where those high rollers hang out: "Living in Southern California and being in the entertainment industry, I sometimes run into various celebrities and VIPs. For this build, the customer was a friend of a friend, and I was at the right place at the right time."
When the build sheet was faxed over to the shop it was a single piece of paper with just a few sentences scribbled on it. Instead of a laundry list of parts, it simply said: "Make it the biggest, baddest and best bike anyone has ever seen. Spare no expense."
That's a tall order for an emerging company still trying to make its name in the international motorcycle community. But the word "subtle" doesn't exist in Cottrell's vocabulary, making him perfect for the challenge.
Chrome has become such a standard mod these days that it just wasn't going to be good enough this time. Not when there isn't any consideration of a budget, that is. Cottrell explained his reasoning: "Our customer is a high roller, so we wanted to make it stand out and look like it was owned by one. Instead of the typical ten carat gold plating, we stepped it up a notch to 24 carat on the whole bike."
Gold plating a bike isn't that easy however. The process was a steep learning curve for everyone involved in order to get it just right. Cottrell explained the problems: "The first time we waited too long to clear coat it and it started to blemish. When it came to the brakes, we spared no expense and were probably the first company to ever gold plate Brembo brakes. Keep in mind they come in sets of two so the other caliper went to waste. This bike was a very expensive learning process as we ended up having to do it three times to get it right. We wanted to give him nothing but the best."
With the gold plating as the base, finishing the body with a single color paint job would be as pointless as betting all your money on black or red. While themed bikes are pretty played out here in the states, they are still considered cutting edge around the world where American Chopper is still the coolest TV show. The customer has extended stays in Vegas and wanted the bike to reflect his home away from home. Cottrell incorporated much of the owner's personal preference into the bike itself. From his lucky number 17 that lights up on the tail to a roulette table spinning inside the clear clutch cover, excess is the name of the game.
With these particulars the bike was already a show stopper, but with budgetary restraints absent Cottrell saw no reason to stop there.
The motor got its fair shake of massaging and a turbo was even added, but only for the noise. Apparently the owner simply likes the sound of a turbo spooling up and blowing off, so on it went. Hey, whatever floats your boat dude...
The bike was completed on time, crated and shipped to its overseas destination. But with the expectations that come with free reign, would a customer who knows nothing about bikes appreciate the end result?
The filthy rich commissioner loved it and even managed to notice the meticulous detail. Bravo.
Some sportbike enthusiasts might see the money spent on a build like this as pointless, but then again so are a lot of things. Scorpion Customs doesn't really have an opinion however; after all, the check cleared!
Front end: Custom wheel with matching spinner, Galfer Wave rotor, 24 carat gold plated Brembo caliper, steel braided brake lines
Rear end: Weld wheel with custom spinner, C&S Custom 14-over swingarm with 360mm tire
Motor: Velocity turbo by MotoGP Werks (motogpwerks.com)
Paint: Buddha Paint (buddhapaintoc.com)
Polish/chrome: 24 carat gold plating by Sport Chrome (sportchome.com)
Bodywork: Custom turn signals, molded windscreen, stretched tail section
Accessories: Joker Machine grips, Motocam monitor with infared camera, RIS Designs gas cap, clear clutch cover, clear stator, Drastik Plastix strobe kit, custom seat by Head Trippin' Customs
Owner: Nameless rich dude
Builder: Scorpion Customs with special thanks to MotoGP Werks and C&S Customs