September 2005
EPA Ready Muscle Bikes For The Power Minded
by ROBIN BRADLEY/AMD
Despite personal tragedy (when he was involved in a devastating motorcycle accident), in just three years Bill Rucker has established his Rucker Performance bike building business in Fort Worth, Texas, and already offers dealers access to a top-end four model program that includes advanced single frame tube designs and CARB/EPA compliant S&S 124 inch engined (with fuel injection options) ‘Muscle Bikes' with the emphasis on clean lines and drag race/high performance/styling.
The ‘Copperhead’ chopper is a 240 rear single–downtube soft-style suspension drop seat design with a left-side drive transmission, S&S 124ci motor and 54mm inverted front forks.
The ‘Gauntlet’ is a 300 series rear end single curved downtube frame with the same large single tube soft-style suspension swingarm as the ‘Copperhead.’ It features the same 8in up tube stretch, 6in backbone stretch and 42 degree neck rake angle, along with an S&S 124ci and a 6-speed right-side drive transmission.
The latest model, on show for the first time at Sturgis, is the ‘Vandal’, available off the showroom floor with a 124ci engine, or in kit bike form with a mighty 145ci motor.
“I am looking for a very simple combination of ideas in the bikes we design”, Rucker told AMD. “Great looks and great performance. I know that’s the Holy Grail of any designer. There are so many different styles in the market right now, but we have taken a conscious decision to be very precise in what the Rucker Performance hallmark will be.”
A long time drag race, hot rod and muscle car fanatic, Rucker’s additional business activities include muscle car restoration, working on such models such as 1961 Corvettes through 1971 ‘Cudas.
“I guess that’s where I get my motorcycle design influences from. I really like my bikes to look like they mean business, and to live up to the promise both at close quarters and going down the highway.” Rucker says.
“Fit and finish has to be top class or it’s just not good enough as far as I’m concerned. Yes, we are a volume custom V-twin builder, but each bike must be comparable to a one-off individual custom motorcycle.”
“We’re using our own design single downtube frames, soft-style suspension, inverted front forks and high performance S&S 124ci motors with 6-speed transmission, stretch tanks and fat tires. We think it’s an unbeatable package.”
“It gives us a menu of design variables that dictate the look, feel and profile that I want the Rucker Performance name to become synonymous with in the marketplace,” says Rucker.
“The program is topped off by the Predator which is a highly styled muscle bike “built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline of drag racing”. The company says it will only built 52 of these bikes a year.
“You’re in an exclusive club when you roll the Predator out of your garage”, says Rucker. “It delivers monster torque and has exceptional race-derived handling.”
Top of the Rucker range is the ‘Assassin’, performance pro street V-twin “designed for the motorcycle enthusiast who is seeking true American craftsmanship and is looking for a unique design, ground-shaking performance and a motorcycle that does not blend into a crowd”, according to Rucker.
“The Assassin captures that hand-crafted custom look, but don’t be fooled by its simple lines. It contains a lot of engineering, but I love the body work and the Indy styled suspension,” says Roger Goldammer, the first Official World Champion Bike Builder of Rucker’s creation, and whose G-force billet billet front end with hidden fork stops and Perse lower legs feature on the ‘Assassin’.
Recognized as a top ten bike of 2005 by V-Twin magazine in the United States, the Assassin features a 280 series rear tire, 36 degree single curved downtube, curved backbone, rubber mount frame with “precision machined” billet aluminum swingarm, and right-side 6 speed.
Rucker uses S&S engines exclusively and has been among the first of the Viola, Wisconsin-based manufacturer’s volume builders to embrace fuel-injection options and have all their motors EPA and CARD approved. "Bill Rucker is always on thee cutting edge“, says S&S cycle president Brett Smith.
“Bill has vision and he’s not afraid to take risks and introduce new products to position his company as a market leader. We are very selective about the builders and OEMs that we work with, but I think Rucker Performance will have greater success with the Assassin and we look forward to working with them in the years ahead”, Smith continued.
Rucker invites their customers to visit the factory if they want to, so that they can be measured and have their bike personality fitted to their riding styles and needs. The company also offers its customers access to a program of options that includes 16 or more custom wheel designs, any wheels from the Weld program, 8 different saddles design and finish options, and over 20 custom color combinations.
“We want to create motorcycles that go far beyond what enthusiasts usually expect in terms of design, quality and performance”, says Rucker. “We know that we are building our bikes for the discerning rider, but by putting my name on everything this company does, I am therefore committed to the highest level of quality and excellence. And that includes our dealer relationships. I want Rucker Performance to be known as the benchmark for providing the best dealer support in the industry.”
Rucker Performance offers a three year roadside assistance program in addition to the factory warranty, which is a policy that is handled by the company themselves from start to finish, in order to eliminate commonplace motorcycle hassles and keep its riders on the road.
August 8, 2006 11:15 AM | send page | Press Releases