Page 58 - Issue 34

Bike Class Award
Justin
Justin
Justin
Winners Justin
N
Nicholsichols

(NICHOLS P
(NICHOLS PAINT & FAB)AINT & FAB)
OVERALL VERALL
O
CHAMPION
CHAMPION

ustin Nichols is no stranger to the Rat Rod & Raw Bike Build Off. Last
year he brought a bitchin’ ’46 Ford coupe out to the Redneck Rumble
in Lebanon, Tennessee as part of the 2014 rat rod class. After being
Jchosen for the bike portion of the build off this year, he knew he had
to ramp things up. And that he did. This radically customized ’99 Yamaha
650 was the winner in the bike category.
Jeremiah Gardner
The engine, trans, and cradle are
essentially stock, but as one can see, the rest Jeremiah Gardner
of the bike is a hand-fabbed masterpiece.
The tanks, fender, and bags were all
hammered out by hand and left unfinished,
hammered out by hand and left unfinished,
while the forks are repurposed drawbars
from a tractor.
Justin and his guys had never built a bike
that rode on air, but they didn’t let that little
fact get in the way. It wasn’t easy, but they
found a way to get it done. The signature
pieces, however are the huge, towering twin
exhausts in the rear that come to life when
they morph into fl amethrowers. One of the
bags contains an extra fuel cell and solenoid
bags contains an extra fuel cell and solenoid
for igniting the charge when it’s showtime.
Justin says that they’re good for 20 feet, but
Justin says that they’re good for 20 feet, but
he’s going to drill out the nozzles because “It
he’s going to drill out the nozzles because “It
needs more fuel.”

58 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-FOUR

58x61_BuildOff_Bikes_RR1601.indd 58 10/26/15 3:59 PM