Tough Customs' Pan Fry'd custom is an eye-catching piece of work that is so cool it deserved it's own story.
If you're a speedway junkie like me, then one of the great things about Daytona's Bike Week is that you don't have to stray far from the race track to see some really jaw-dropping custom bikes. Case in point is
Tough Customs' Pan Fry'd motorcycle.
MotorcycleUSA literally stumbled upon this breathtaking piece of mechanized art while strolling through the seemingly endless sea of motorcycles on display at the Daytona Midway, adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway.
And we're lucky we did, because Tough Customs' modest display was hidden well off the main area which hosts the industries more popular custom heavyweight builders like Orange County Choppers and West Coast Choppers. As soon as we laid our eyes on the iridescent copper paint that appeared as if it were ready to drip down on the black rubber floor below, we knew we had found something good.
The Pan Fry'd bike is one of the amazing designs that the Windsor, Ontario-based company has built to display at Bike Week. The bike's styling cues are pretty retro. How retro you ask? How about a thick steel rear drum brake sourced from a 1934 Buick? Or if that isn't vintage enough for you, then you can take a look at the main frame's downtube, which in a previous life served as an axle off of a 1930s era Ford Model-A as well as a functioning Model-A head and taillight.
"The bike is probably worth around $120,000," said Tough Customs' Kris Tomicic. "The individual parts to build the bike aren't really that expensive. It's just the sheer amount of time and effort you've got to put in that really makes the bikes value so high."
And he's not kidding. With over 75 individual handmade components like the .125-inch thick copper fuel tank, intricate copper oil lines, massive perimeter front disc brake, and hand-sewn leather saddle and belt drive cover. The attention to detail is incredible.
Complementing the bike's circa-1950 aesthetics and powering this one-off piece of art is an Accurate Engineering 93-cubic inch V-Twin Pan Head engine. Kris claims the engine pumps out over 90 horsepower, yet can still be ridden on a relatively frequent basis.
Even the engine belt cover is made of hand-sewn leather.
The engines two cylinder heads are also one-off custom bits designed and manufactured in-house and feature an intricate Florentine-style engraving that complement's the bikes deep, lustrous candy-colored paint. Hand crafted copper pieces are liberally sprinkled all over the bike and really make it stand out in the sun.
Feeding the engine is a fat S&S Super E Carburetor. A modern-day six-into-four-speed transmission and a point-less Mallory ignition system keep the bike moving and make sure that this old school cruiser can still be ridden as readily as its master wishes.
Continuing with the bike's old school theme is a classic Kiwi leaf spring equipped fork and rigid rear suspension. Fortunately the Tough Custom's crew incorporated an air bag system beneath the leather saddle which absorbs some of the harshness that's dished out from the semi-rigid frame.
Be forewarned: The next time you stroll down the walkway at a major bike show and you see the Tough Customs awning be careful... very careful, because their Pan Fry'd creation is so drop dead gorgeous that you might snap your neck because you won't be able to take its eyes off this immaculately prepped one-of-a-kind rockabilly ride.
