Freehand airbrushing brought...
Freehand airbrushing brought out the owner’s love of choppers.
Shop sponsored projects backed by piles of cash are nice for the lucky few but for the everyday Joe or in this case Jorge, bringing a custom to life takes patience and resourcefulness. Jorge Gual, a 41-year-old family man and at-home mechanic, aspired to turn his bone stock ’04 GSX-R1000 into something more.
“I’m not a rich guy just a blue-collar worker. Of course I dreamed of building something bigger and better but with kids and bills I could only go so far. I did what I could for my own personal enjoyment,” said Jorge.
After months of disciplined saving, the day came to get his hands dirty. A history of wrenching on mini-trucks and customized cars played into the mechanics of completing his first bike build for the most part solo. Intrigued by chopper styling, he commissioned a local airbrush artist, Javier Sanchez, for an intricate skeleton theme that flowed from the color-matched headlight, over the windscreen, past a stingray wrapped seat (crafted by his father-in-law), and onto the tail. A tangerine blend of paint flake designed to change hue with angle and sunlight then locked the skeletons in place. Cost limitations kept the suspension and motor stock but an RC Component 240 kit and assorted goodies gave this once plain Jane Gixxer attitude without breaking the bank. At the end of the day, a tight budget forces us to use our own two hands and it’s easy to find the pride in that.
The rigidity of stingray hyde...
The rigidity of stingray hyde offers supreme seat grip.
An ‘04 tail features a wider...
An ‘04 tail features a wider look lost on the latest model.
Front End: RC Component wheel, stainless steel brake line, Pirelli tire, wave rotor, lowering links
Rear End: RC Component 240 kit, wheel and sprockets, stainless steel brake line, lowering links, wave rotor
Motor: H2o Cycles exhaust
Paint: Cycle Concepts, airbrushed by Javier Sanchez
Bodywork/Chrome: Cycle Concepts, Exotic Chrome
Accessories: Der-Dau stingray seat, XK Glow LED lighting, aftermarket levers, hand grips, license plate bracket, kickstand, chopper pegs, clear gas cap, Arlen Ness mirrors, chrome mesh inserts, frame sliders
Owner/Builder: Jorge Gual