And, that’s exactly how this Ironman theme bike built by Stephen Galvan and the lads at Wikked Steel in St. Petersburg, Florida, ended up in Barnett’s Picasa site. Now before you go and get your panties in a wad over this not being a Harley, it’s the idea behind the bike and the execution of it that makes it worthy of taking front page on Barnett Harley-Davidson’s web site. And yes, there is a Star Road Star (stupidest brand name ever Yamaha) powering all the Ironman-inspired bodywork. But, the charity angle negates that as owner Will Robertson let’s the Wikked crew take this bike to Children’s Hospitals to entertain the kids. Take it from somebody who’s spent some serious time in the Boston Children’s Hospital, if there’s anyplace a theme bike has a place to spread some good it’s there.

 

   No, I’m not ragging on theme bikes although they usually don’t do much for me, but I know the general population loves them because they can associate with them more than something from After Hours Bikes or Gangster Choppers or (you fill in). Having a theme like the ever popular Marvel Comics Ironman hits it right on so many levels for most onlookers way more than even the corporate TV theme bikes that were so popular like ten years ago or whatever it was. Plus it sure doesn’t hurt when you really do it so entertainingly right as Wikked Steel has done turning Tony Stark into an iron motorcycle.

 

  What I did find interesting was that this is all-steel construction, all done in-house, and unlike a movie prop, this bike has the up-close quality of construction and finish you’d never find on a movie bike. Somehow Wikked utilized the stock frame in this build although it’s been stretched, raked, spread apart, and rigidized until it’s OEM unrecognizable. Same goes for the engine that’s been pimped out a bit Ironman-style until the brand is totally unimportant in this build as far as the general public goes. They probably all think it’s a Harley anyway.

 

  Keeping things familiar to the public are things like the basic “chopper” profile which is more 2005 than 2015, but who cares? It actually works quite well in this Ironman guise and it’s kinda fun to proselytize over whether 360mm rear tires were better or worse than a 30- or 32-inch front bagger wheel. Actually, I’d probably fade into the shadows again if I got caught up in that argument as each side has their own extreme ideas of what’s right. Personally, they (360s) were shockingly cool to look at, but I can’t say I ever enjoyed riding on something that fat.

 

   I gotta admit the 360 did get the looks (and always will), but what a pain in the ass if you’re interested in more than looks. But, it does look like something somebody called Ironman should have no trouble riding and it seems to have finally found a good home and a good cause. Stephen couldn’t care less about my feelings on fat rear tires and that’s cool. In case you haven’t watched the video, he’s famous for the tri-tired rear wheel bike that still makes my mind hurt. I just can’t imagine and maybe that’s exactly my problem ─ no imagination.

 

  There is simply a ton of work that went into this bike and that doesn’t include all the Ironman reference points which I don’t really know as I’m not a comic book guy. For instance, that rocket exhaust with the turbine wheel at the back is kinda trippy although I don’t know how that connects with Ironman, but it is kinda kinky kool for a kustom. Same goes for the Ironman helmet headlight which seems to fit this bike surprisingly well without being too over the top or the Ironman power disc that lights up on the top of the tank. It’s comic book right. Plus there’s the paint which captures the whole Ironman look in a harmonious way like his suit does from front to back. Wikked Steel did a great job capturing the Ironman spirit more than a theme in this build.

 

  Hey, all I know is the kids at Children’s have gotta love it as well as the show crowds did at the Ray Price Motorsports Expo where this was caught on film. Oh yeah, they don’t do film anymore, but you get the point. If any theme bike is going to stand the test of time, Wikked Steel’s version of Ironman on two wheels could be the one to do it.

 

  For more info on Wikked Steel, visit www.wickedsteel.com.