I have no idea whether builder Pat Briggs of County Line Choppers in lovely Phoenix, New York, has some sort of inside info that might interest (and involve?) us, but I do know that he can build a hell of a romping’ stomping’ ride. Over the past 15 years he’s officially been in business, he’s turned out a steady stream of magazine-worthy bikes including two features in Barnett’s Magazine (check out Barnett’s Online “bagger” archive for Pat’s Irish Cadillac). Not only is Pat a talented builder, but he’s a really nice guy and that could be the reason that Al Di Rienzo, President and CEO of Blue Highway Inc. in Syracuse, turned to Pat for a bar-hopping, bad-boy chop to go cruising around nearby Cazenovia Lake. Al may be a CEO of a successful science and technology company, but he’s definitely got either a slight dark side (nothing unusual when it comes to motorcyclists) or a great sense of humor about any impending apocalypse. Whatever evil’s lurking (or not) behind this build, it still looks like a hell of a ride and a fun way to troll around a pretty lake on a nice day.
Somehow I doubt The Four Horsemen would ride a customized Road King, the stretched (2”up, 5” out) and raked out (42-degrees with an additional 7-degrees in the trees) CLC chop just fits the apocalypse theme so much better. No pussy footing with a windshield and bags for the gang of four, it’s just hell on wheels. El Paso’s Mean Street 10”-over forks lead the way into the future abyss while cradling a 21” Xtreme Machine front wheel that appears to be brakeless at first glance, but take a closer look at the front hub and you’ll find a 360 Brake bedded in there. Out back, a Hawg Halters sprocket brake setup on a matching Xtreme 18” wheel does its best to appear like the coming apocalypse (or Al’s ride) is unstoppable. On the other hand, maybe it’s just to show off a set of beautiful and expensive wheels. Gotta ask Al on that one.
Providing the horsepower for The Horsemen is a potent Ultima engine sporting Diamond Cut cylinders and heads (Hey, everybody loves a bit ‘o bling including Al and The Horsemen) that’s backed by a BAKER 6-speed. The twin forward-exit-but–to-the-side pipes are not only a different take on a V-twin exhaust, but their unfettered tubing loudly announces when Al (or The Horsemen) are arriving at the lake long before they get there. If the end of the world is coming, it’s always nice to have a little notice.
In case you are deaf beyond all belief and can’t hear Pat’s one-off pipes to warn you of impending doom, you’ll know The Four Horsemen have arrived just by checking out the intricate paint job by Air Brush Fitto out of Montreal, Quebec. There’s certainly a lot going on with paint just about anywhere you look at the bike. If this style of paint appeals to you, be sure to check out www.airbrushfitto.com for even more devilishly detailed dioramas of drama in Fitto’s huge online gallery.
Pat says he’s got over 1,000 miles on the bike himself and that it is “Very fast and handles great.” With the Mayan calendar coming to an end next December 21st, Pat and Al are wasting no time and have entered Apocalypse Now in its first show early in 2012. You can check it out in person and make of the coming apocalypse what you wish at the Easyriders Show in Columbus, Ohio, this coming February 10-12.
In the meantime, if you are not an end of the world believer or just don’t give a damn, but want a cool custom motorcycle, be sure to check out County Line Choppers website (www.countylinechoppers.com) and see what Pat can whip up for you. Just ask him nicely, as I said, Pat’s one of the nice guys.