Knock Out High-End Chopper
The Fit And Finish Of A One-Off Custom
The Gauntlet comes with the latest features of high-performance parts
and accessories for an American Chopper built with a 300 series tire
designed with the fit and finish of a one-off custom bike. This is the
second in the series of high performance choppers designed by master
builder, Bill Rucker.
Outstanding Handling
The Gauntlet features an innovative design with solid handling,
stability, comfort and ideal ergonomics for Rucker Performance
customers. Running a right-side drive transmission to address balance,
race-inspired 54 millimeter inverted forks to reduce fork flex and a
drop-seat frame that provides a low center of gravity, the Gauntlet
proves to be an excellent choice with unbeatable style and
high-performance.
Cracking the throttle brings the powerful 124 cubic inch show-polished
S&S engine roaring to life. The close ratio six-speed transmission
transmits the power via belt drive to a custom high-performance Weld
Racing wheel.
There are two things on which Rucker Performance orientated when
creating the Gauntlet: style and handling. It was suppose to be long,
apparently tall and clean looking and guess what? It ended up looking
like this, only that with a low center of gravity, feature which covers
up the second big requirement in the maker’s list. Concerning the
engine, they used the same S&S 124 CID piece of engineering.
So you’re a bike builder with the intention to go big on the market with
custom machines? The best thing anyone could suggest doing is
fabricating the product basing on the customers specifications. It seems
that Rucker Performance has got that right so starting from the base
project and the main image of the Gauntlet, future owners can have their
future road companions created just for them.
The bike comes
with the maker’s specific V-Twin engine of 124 cubic inches mated to a
six-speed transmission and I don’t think you would like to change
something concerning that, but everything from wheels to paint can be
personalized in order to exert that magical attraction that makes the
rider hit the road every day.
It is an innovative chopper with lots of one-off features such as the
separated rear wheel illusion, the suspended seat and a radical gas tank
that not only follows the frame’s lines, it actually looks like being
part of the frame. Underneath it there is a 124 cubic inches V-Twin
motor, also mated to a six-speed gearbox so when it comes to performance
these bikes are truly comparable.
In relation to the OCC Splitback, the Rucker Gauntlet is a little more
docile motorcycle and I am not referring to its performance features. It
simply brings a bit more to an early custom chopper and it can be the
perfect choice for those who aren’t looking for the craziest thing of
them all.
Best characterized by words such as drop seat design,
the Gauntlet is long and offers a low riding position. It immediately
stands out and although not as the most wild in the crowd, it is
definitely among the ones who perfectly blend in their body elements,
true testimony of being a chopped-up machine.
It has the custom
wheels, the 300mm rear tire and the polished engine couldn’t have missed
this model, but what I appreciate most is the inverted forks covered in
chrome.
What is so great about this bike is that future owners
can go for the extreme paint package which brings to their imagination
more than 40 colors and some unique graphics. Also, there is a range of
custom wheels completing the personalization possibilities.
Priced at $49,995, (this one has $12k worth of extras) the Gauntlet isn’t considered cheap no matter how you
put it, but it is indeed a great bike for the buck. I often find myself
wondering how many (or what) cars a custom bike owner should have at
home if it affords buying such a thing and at reunions such as Daytona
Bike Week I am amazed to find out that sometimes none! Wife cars not
included!
Exclusivity is the key that sells all custom bikes and the Rucker
Gauntlet isn’t the exception from the rule. It is simply a big chopper
with an affinity for comfort and light handling, as its maker claims,
and that makes it sufficient to be among my favorite production custom
bikes out there.