It was hard to imagine, when we stood in
front of the garage doors, starring at a pile of
boxes, that somewhere in there, somehow, a
custom bike lurked. As it developed, except for
a non-existent nut or bolt, the CCI Goliath kit
was complete. The chromed quandary, could
a novice builder, an average American rider (in
this case a bumbling college art professor
with limited mechanical experience), Ladd
Terry, build a hard running 100-inch custom in
a week to ten days?
The answer was yes, in eight
genuine eight-hour working days (not counting
paint and powder coating by Custom Powder
Coating In Dallas). Under the watchful eye of
K. Randall Ball, aka Bandit, the parts
contained within those boxes became a CCI
Goliath motorcycle-- from crates to a
cruiser.
Not just any cruiser, because the
components that make up this rolling
mechanical architecture scream "modified
custom." It starts with a solid foundation,
including the potent RevTech 100-cubic-inch
engine, a six-speed overdrive transmission
and a Santee 230/250 frame made from
1-1/8-inch tubing. The engine has a
two-year/20,000-mile warranty, and the
gearbox is covered for 5 years or 50,000
miles. There's another side to this
powder-coated and pearlescent picture. The
sheer enjoyment of being able to build your
own bike. "It couldn't be more
educational and rewarding," Ladd said
listening to the sharp exhaust crack against
the Bikernet.com Headquarters concrete.
"What a blast."
Other components are also top-notch. The
18-inch rear wheel measures a full 8.5-inch
wide and is made from solid billet. An
11-inch-wide steel rear fender with
streamlined struts covers the Avon 250 rear
tire. Billet RevTech brakes grace both ends
with clear-coated stainless braided brake
lines. Tall 8-inch Custom Cycle Engineering
risers securely hold powder coated TT bars
that sit atop the smooth billet triple trees,
holding 41mm front tubes. A billet dash
housing a VDO speedometer adorns the
six-gallon Fat Bob tank. The hand controls are
CCI chromed, the foot controls are chromed
billet. The chain primary drive was enclosed
for quiet and smooth operation. Gleaming
chrome hangs everywhere. And the complete
electrical system includes a high-torque
starter and 32-amp charging.
"It ain't all about parts," Ladd added,
"It's the experience, the rush of being
able to build a tough performance cycle, and I
need to congratulate the CCI crew for their
organizational capabilities. I couldn't
have completed the task without them or the
Tim Remus book on building kit bikes."
"Hold on," Ladd snapped as George
Hayward, the benefactor for this Beach Ride
Charity effort, dropped the clutch to peel out of
the garage, "I want to add something." A
college professor always requests the final
dissertation. "Even though this was a kit that
could be followed to the letter, it allows the
builders creative avenues to pursue." We did,
ultimately, build a one of a kind custom with
the paint work, exchanging bars and risers,
modifying the exhaust and fender rails,
changing the pulley and additional small
touches to make this ride an American
Rider's creation.
Not bad for a tight team with hand tools
and the desire to build a unique machine for a
children's charity, the Exceptional
Children's Foundation in Los Angeles.
