Tony had been building chopper style customs rather frequently and he was looking forward to building something that wouldn’t be considered a chopper. “My wife was also encouraging me to build something other than a chopper to show some more creative diversity,” Tony said. He got lucky with this bike because the next guy to approach him about a ground-up custom build said the words that make builders cry with joy, “I don’t care what it costs, just make it happen.” Those words make builders so happy not because it means they’ll make a bunch of money, but because it gives them full creative control and they don’t have to worry about any compromises due to budgetary concerns.

When Tony started the build, he already had a good idea about what he wanted it to look like and started calling it Ground Pounder right away. He never forgot his military background and some of his builds are interlaced with armed forces subtleties. “The name Ground Pounder is an Army term for a soldier. The Marines were called grunts, but I thought Ground Pounder sounded better,” Tony said.” He started with a Nothing But Customs pro-street style frame built to accept huge meat in the rear with a low, overall stance. Huge rear tires bolt right to the frame thanks to a jackshaft positioned behind the 6-speed, right-side-drive Accessories Unlimited transmission. The tubular, skeletal swing arm has LED taillights hidden in the tips of either side, saving the builder from having to think of a clever way to hide another vital component to keep the bike somewhat legal on the street. One thing this frame is clearly lacking is a kickstand. “The bike slams to the pavement when the air suspension is emptied. I used a quarter-inch thick aluminum plate on the bottom of the frame rails to protect the paint. If they get scratched up, I just buff ‘em ‘til they’re shiny again.”

Pounding the ground with a 360mm wide, steam roller rear tire mounted on an 18” rim and a sky scraping 23” tall wheel in the front, the Ground Pounder lives up to its name. The Slayer three-spoke wheels, made by Tight Customs, are kept highly visible with a hidden 360 Brake in the front and a rotor mounted on the drive train’s jackshaft slowed by a Nothing But Customs caliper hidden under the seat in the rear. An inverted American Suspension front end, with hidden brake and air lines, is mounted to the 45-degree steering neck with 6-degree triple trees.

Natural casting and wrinkle finishes have no place on a bike without a budget, and Tony planned it to be clearly visible so the motor had to complement the big shiny billet wheels. Displacing a mighty 120”, Tony obtained a polished, billet aluminum Engenuity Smoothie motor. Smoothie describes the exterior of the motor, not the internals. The spark plugs and rocker box fasteners are all covered, creating a smoother looking top-end. The Engenuity motor sports Ultima cases, flywheels, and rods working in conjunction with Engenuity carved aluminum heads and cylinders, MAHLE Motorsports pistons, and an Andrews 264 cam. The motor is fired with a Daytona Twin Tec ignition module; fuel is mixed with an S&S Super G carburetor bored out to 45mm, and a Martin Bros two-into-one exhaust expels the violent transitional waste gases created from burning liquid fuel and air.

With the knowledge he picked up working on his bikes over the years and the skills he learned from his father, Tony did all the sheet metal work himself. He modified the Fat Katz rear and front fenders, spending extra time on the rear. Using the cavities between components he fabricated a hidden oil tank integrated into the fender and the swing arm. The gas tank and chin spoiler were 100-percent Tony, as are the super-clean handlebars. Featuring an Exile internal twist clutch mechanism and a Custom Chrome internal handlebar twist throttle, he machined and chromed a set of grips that match the outer diameter of the 1.5” bars.

After all the aluminum parts were machined and polished he had them chromed for a bit more luster than polish alone. Hard oil and fuel lines were hand formed and chromed. Arrayed underneath the gas tank and seat area are a series of LEDs that highlight the drive train when the sun goes down. Incorporated behind the frame’s backbone is a Bitch’n Stitch’n seat by Dan Ballard that rests well below the top portion of the rear fender. Cutting Edge Cycles foot controls clean up the left side of the bike by hiding the shift linkage underneath and behind the primary drive’s backing plate.

While the exposed metal surfaces received their new finishes, the frame took on a new look as well. Marshall Canafax molded the bodywork and laid down a deep black base coat. Monte Moore of Maverick Custom paint air brushed a trio of ladies splayed atop the curves of the fenders and gas tank. Monte is known for his skilled hand and eye for erotic female imagery and he graced the tank with a tempting demonic succubus. Seductively posing on the fenders are two mermaids glistening with seawater (with emphasis on their curvaceous human parts) under multiple layers of a thick, protective clear coat.

Tony put his all into the bike and the judges at the Colorado Biker Build Off challenge thought he did a better job than his competition. He just finished another bike that he knows will help him defend his title this year. Maybe if he wins his second title in a row he’ll take some time off and catch a nap.