Orange County Choppers 'Valvoline' chopper
Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no denying that Orange County Choppers have left an indelible mark on the motorcycle scene. The Teutuls - Paul Sr and Paul Jr - made the whole custom chopper scene "mainstream" through their wildly popular TV show "American Chopper".
Before things got messy with lawsuits and drama that eclipsed the antics on the show, O.C.C. had a virtual assembly line of bespoke choppers rolling out of their New York state headquarters for a diverse array of clients - from pharmaceuticals to sports teams, insurance companies, food companies and the US military. Given their automotive association, Valvoline may be seen as a more "traditional" subject for a custom chopper, but that didn't mean the bike that O.C.C. built for them was any less of an eye-catching custom.
Built in 2004, when the O.C.C. craze was at its peak, the "Valvoline chopper" was commissioned by the famous American oil company as a giveaway in a nationwide sales promotion. Valued at US$120,000, the bike was won by a trio of guys from an automotive dealership in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As you might have guessed, the three-way split of one bike didn't really work, so after it was on display and toured various car service centres in the northern US states, the winners decided to put the Valvoline chopper on the market.
JUST BIKES editor and CEO Ash Hunter came across the Valvoline chopper while in the US in 2008. In a moment of weakness (or inspiration, depending on how you look at it!), Ash decided to add it to his small, but diverse collection of motorcycles. On first appearances, the Valvoline chopper may seem a little milder than some of the Teutul's other creations, but trust us, when you see the thing in the metal, it makes an impression!
Firstly, the bike is huge! Based around a Rolling Thunder '6 up, 4 out' (6-inch taller, 4-inch longer) frame, the chopper features a big 40 degree rake and rolls on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear custom rims, with the rear wheel shod with a chunky 240 section tyre. The custom handlebars are just as striking as the rest of the bike, giving a unique look to the front end. Nestled in between the bars is the chopper's sole instrumentation, a small mph speedo and odometer that shows a mere 67 miles travelled, which we'll elaborate on later.
The powerplant is a 131 cube H&L Performance v-twin that puts out 150hp, running via a Primo 3-inch belt primary drive to the Baker 6-speed transmission with overdrive. Final drive is belt, too. The v-twin is fitted with an S&S Super Shorty carby and inlet manifold, and finished with diamond cut detailing on the cylinder heads, spike air cleaner, and chromed or polished everything else. Goodridge braided line are used throughout, with additional detailing including strip LED lights added to the downtube ahead of the custom oil tank, underside of the frame and underneath the fuel tank.
The tank itself is a Ross Wernimont creation, with the seat another outsourced part of the Valvoline chopper build, entrusted to Danny Gray. For the paint and custom pinstriping, O.C.C. turned to one of their regulars in "Nub" of Nub Graphix, who did a seriously impressive job painting all the custom red, white and blue designs to complement the red and blue Valvoline logo.
As you'd expect, the Valvoline logo does feature prominently on the primary cover, fuel tank and rear guard, with the logo also stitched into the seat and added to every 'second' spoke of the wheels. A neat touch at the back of both guards is the cut out "V" logo, which has been filled with painted mesh. The Valvoline "V" also features in the form of the small mirror on the left hand handlebar. Finishing touches include Accutronix grips, forward controls and pegs, an Arlen Ness headlight, Maltese Cross-style taillight and LED rear indicators.
O.C.C. identification on the bike is minimal, limited to the cylinder heads, ignition and bottom end inspection covers, front brake caliper, as well as being painted on the bottom of the rear guard.
As mentioned earlier, this bike has covered precious few miles since it was created and not many since Ash has owned it either. As much as he loves it, and as much trouble as he went through to get it here, Ash confesses the Valvoline chopper just isn't being ridden enough to warrant him hanging on it, so he's decided to put it up for sale. Given it's been built with working lights and indicators, it's feasible the Valvoline chopper could be road registered, but any prospective buyer would be advised to check with their respective licensing body.
Asking price for this one-off piece of O.C.C. artistry is $55,000. Contact 0418 520 020 for more details.
O.C.C. "Valvoline" chopper - basic specs
Custom built by Orange County Choppers, 2004.
Frame:
Rolling Thunder, Quebec, Canada
Engine:
131 cubic inch H&L Performance v-twin
Carburation:
S&S Super Shorty and inlet manifold, spike air cleaner
Transmission:
Baker 6-spd overdrive LSD
Primary Drive:
Belt - Primo 3-inch
Final Drive:
Belt - 1.5-inch
Front Wheel/Tyre:
21-inch custom chromed 6-spoke, Metzeler ME880 90/90-21 M/C 54H
Rear Wheel/Tyre:
18-inch custom chromed 6-spoke, Metzeler ME880 240/40 R18 M/C 79V
Front Brake:
Disc w/2-spot caliper
Rear brake:
Disc w/2-spot caliper
Fuel tank:
Russ Wernimont Designs, California
Seat:
Danny Gray, California
Paint:
Nub Graphix, New York
Custom features:
Coloured LED lighting, Accutronix bars and pegs, Arlen Ness headlight, Custom Chrome 'maltese cross' tail light, LED rear indicators, custom paint, custom-built rear view mirror, custom front and rear guards.
