Like anything I think of as Ness, this bike is long and low with a big appetite for chrome and a million little details everywhere you look. The engine, in this case an S&S Shovelhead, like all of Ness’ bikes that I remember was an important focal point as much or more than even Arlen’s often outrageous bodywork. Arlen had a way of making an engine seem bigger than life and I’ve gotta say William has that one pegged also.
Bigger than life involves a bit of the Arlen-inspired stuff like a carb that looks like it was once part of a trio on a Ford Flathead V8 standing tall, really tall, and topped with bell-shaped air cleaner. Throw on a long 2-into-1 header-wrapped exhaust capped with a brass slotted end cap and the whole thing looks more ’32 Ford roadster than motorcycle. On the other side, the BDL open primary lends a mechanically tough look to the hot rod style like a Halibrand quick change rear end does to a fenderless roadster. Other hot rod pieces like a Hurst shifter handle for the tranny and the Chevy SS-style logo for the kicker pedal along with the famous MOOEYES eyeball logo for the foot control pegs in brass. A nice Ness-style touch is all the old timey engraving on the heads, air cleaner and a few other bits. Frankly, if I had been told this engine had been pulled directly out of one of Arlen’s old bikes, I probably wouldn’t even question it.
With the engine build out of the way, it was now time to fit it into something and what a something it is. Long and low is the only way to describe the stance of the rigid frame with a ‘70s-style girder fork trying its best not to go all horizontal from all the rake. The simple style of the fork completely matches the most revered of custom mag wheel of the wild and crazy guy ‘70s, the legendary five-spoke Invader wheel. That they both add a decent amount of chrome to the mix only reinforces the ‘70s bling when we didn’t even know it was bling. Back then it was just chrome and the more of it the better seemed to be the mantra of the day. One big concession to modern times is the disc setup up front and the sprocket brake out back, but then old Arlen oftentimes embraced modern technology on his bikes back in the day so no harm, no foul.
The deeply-tunneled Sporty-style tank sits as low as you can go and angled so that the top of the tank almost sits horizontally just over the top tube. A nice re-use of an often-used tank style that makes you have to look twice just to make sure what you’re seeing. The rear fender doesn’t break any Old School traditions and looks perfectly appropriate. The sprung saddle (If you can call a piece of shiny metal with cutouts and machined metalwork topped by a screwed-on metal skull with a smile on its face protruding into the rider’s butt a saddle.) sits on top of a pair of springs with a possibly dangerous (don’t slide forward!), but nicely machined hinge mechanism. But, what the hey, it’s a show bike so all’s fair.
What does get a little show-nutty at least to me have to be the widest-ever drag bars. Maybe it’s just an optical illusion (although I doubt it), but I can’t imagine the spread on those bars. Even though this bike is narrow as hell, those bars alone should keep it from ever becoming a fearless lane-splitter. But again, what the hey, it’s a show bike and presence is more important than practicality. Goes right along with sitting on the skull’s 3-D face I guess. Luckily I might not notice it through my Depends.
The finish is also retro-Ness in my opinion as if ever there was a color I think of when I think Ness and that’s red whether it’s candy apple or just a strong hue. Of course, having graphics like the variegated gold leaf flames brings to mind the paint of the ‘70s and Mr. Ness in particular. Combine that paintjob with all the chrome, brass and copper accents throughout the bike and you’ve got a modern day time capsule that will please most show-goers from coast to coast. It’s a universal baroque look that gives a feeling of high quality and lots of money spent. Nothing wrong with that as it was obviously what William was going for in the first place. And, he achieved that and then some.
All in all, it’s got a real look to it that transcends time with a look to the future just like Arlen Ness always did with his builds. I can only wonder what William Burgess has planned for the winter of 2016. I hear it’s a long winter coming so he might as well start his planning and hope I’m wrong.