August 29, 2005

V-Twin Talks Shop With Bill Rucker

V-Twin Magazine recently talked to Bill Rucker, about his motorcycle company Rucker Performance, about his recovery from a terrible bike accident and about his newest custom motorcycle design.

DETAILS:
Page: 74
Date: September 2005, V-Twin

Rucker founded American IronHorse in 1995 and built the company up to a sizeable position in the motorcycle industry. After spending a few years at the helm of one of the most promising independent American motorcycle companies, he found out that he wasn't having that much fun after all. He preferred having a more hands-on approach to building motorcycles-he wanted to be involved with the creative process and spend more time in the shop, building cool bikes.

Rucker says that his former company-having grown by leaps and bounds-was set on producing considerable numbers of motorcycles. He knew that large-scale production would also prevent more innovative, technical ideas to be implemented.

Rucker sold his position in the company in 2003 and took a year off to let his non-compete agreement run its course, while considering which direction to take. By March 2004, he put together the ideas that would lead to the creation of Rucker Performance, a company dedicated to building original two-wheeled American muscle.

Then tragedy struck. Rucker was riding his bike in South Dakota when a distracted motorist nailed him head on, sending him 40 feet in the air. After 21 days in the hospital, he came out with his lower left leg amputated, leaving him facing months of physical therapy. Down but not defeated, Rucker held on to his dream even tighter, pulling his family and friends together to help him start building cutting-edge bikes.

Rucker doesn't want to be seen as just another bike builder. Neither does he want to be labeled as motorcycle manufacturer (even though his bikes are now legal in 50 states). "I'd rather be seen as a trendsetter; a guy who knows where the market is going" Rucker says with confidence.

Not really interested in competing with already established independent manufacturers, such as American IronHorse and Big Dog, Rucker preferred building upscale motorcycles that he felt would stand head and shoulders above what he describes as "your run-of-the-mill cruiser." Summing up his mission statement, Rucker added, "I want to provide innovation and performance to our customers."

"I didn't look for styling cues coming from the past to design this bike," Rucker says about his rubber-mounted Assassin performance bike. "I set off to build a bike with lots of torque and power and a great suspension, to make it the fastest bike on the street. We designed the motorcycle using innovative technology-we came up with a cantilever-style rear suspension that completely hides the shock absorber from view. We also wanted to use as much carbon fiber as we could to keep the bike as lights as possible."

Rucker contacted S&S Cycle about get-ting a solid powerplant for his bike and ordered their fuel injected 124-inch motor. "We now have a fuel-injected 124-inch motor that uses a closed-loop injection and that will pass emissions."

Furthermore, Rucker says that after initial testing on the quarter mile, the Assassin turned out to be capable of running in the low 11-second range.

The assassin uses an enclosed chain primary drive with a Rivera Pro Clutch, while the motor and tranny are bolted together to give the bike added stiffness. The battery and all electronics have been tucked in the chin spoiler in an effort to keep the center of gravity low. Bill feels that even with 4 inches of ground clearance, the Assassin handles corners very well, thanks to a judicious placement of peripheral components and especially to the narrow primary drive.

Wanting to assemble some exceptional bikes, Rucker looked for suppliers that he believes represent the cream of the crop in the industry and are setting the pace for today's and tomorrow's custom trends. In his quest he met with Mike Reynolds of Superform USA, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in metal fabrication and prototyping for car manufacturers such as Ford, Panoz, and Aston Martin.

The gas tanks on the Assassin are vacuum formed over a mold, which gives the components a finish smooth enough to paint without the need of plastic filler. From the tanks on back, the Assassin's bodywork is made from carbon fiber.

While shopping to gather the best components for his Assassin bike, Rucker enlisted the help of Canadian master bike builder Roger Goldammer, who agreed to produce some of his billet aluminum front ends for Rucker Performance.

Certain elements of the Assassin's design reflect a blend of aesthetics and functionality. Take the seat for instance. Its drop design is definitely current and trendy, but the reason for its radical, cupped shape is to give maximum support to the rider when he feels the need to wring the throttle and unleash the torque of the eager, fuel-injected S&S motor.

At press time, production is underway for a first run of Rucker Performance Assassin motorcycles. Priced at $45,000, the Assassin may not come cheap but with already half a dozen orders on the books, this bike's future looks good in Rucker's eyes.

Rucker Performance also offers a variety of master builder-caliber custom motorcycles to their dealers, such as the Predator, a muscular hidden-shock model; the Copperhead, a 240 chopper; and the Gauntlet, a 300 chopper.

Rucker Performance currently has 12 bike dealers on its roster, including Arlen Ness in Dublin, California, and Daytona Beach, Florida; Big Dog Rio Grande; Big Dog of Houston; Biker's Dream of Atlanta; and Hot Bike Minneapolis.

With an overall production estimated between 60 and 80 motorcycles for 2005 and a projected 120 to 150 bikes for 2006, Rucker Performance is considering dealer applications.

Bill Rucker as spent a lot of time in the gym doing physical therapy to reverse the effects of nerve damage caused by the accident and is walking again thanks to a prosthetic lower leg. He's also thinking of riding motorcycles again. If Rucker's determination with healing and doing business is any indication we can assume he will be riding sooner than later.

-Ben Lamboeuf

August 29, 2005 10:35 AM | send page | Rucker In The News