Rick Fairless is a custom bike legend and restaurant/bar owner of Strokers Dallas, but also an authorized Victory Motorcycles dealer.
His latest build, called ‘Ethel, the Evil Octane’, is a departure from the usual style of bike that “Captain Tie-n-die” is normally associated with, instead sporting grey and browns and “sharp and aggressive lines.”
“I wanted to make Ethel a tough, streetfighting broad!” says Fairless. “I love the lines of the Octane, so I wanted to make a mean and nasty one.”
The build took four months with Rick using his own RF custom parts to transform the Octane, all of which can be bought and shipped from his online shop, including to Europe. “We absolutely sell our RF custom parts in Europe, he says. “I can sell to individuals or to dealers, and we have a dealer price list.”
Rick says the toughest part of the build was designing and making the girder front end, and this and the 180mm front tire are the design features he’s most proud of. Others would argue the exhaust is the highlight - a beautiful 2-into-4-into-1 number.
The only geometry changes Rick made were to the front end and the rear, which was lowered a couple of inches.
The Octane’s standard front fender was widened 5/8”, while the rear fender was shaved and widened by 2”.
The remaining parts, such as the handlebars, seat, grips, pegs, belt guard, licence plate bracket, gauge mount, fairing mount, headlight, rock guard, shift sleeve, skid plate, clutch arm cover, radiator grill, cheese wedge and bolt covers are all from RF Custom Parts.
“Every bike I build is built to be ridden,” Rick says. “Ethel runs great. I took her out for a long ride and she feels, looks and runs like a “mean, pissed off woman” with a bad attitude, compared to a stock Octane, which is like a sweet gal next door.
“My objective was to build an Octane that was different from what any other builders have done. I am very happy and proud with the outcome of Ethel.”
Rick’s build is part of the “Operation Octane” that Victory launched as a custom build competition for its dealers back in August. Dealers must submit their final build photos by 24th of October. A two-week period of online voting will then open from 14th November to 28th November, where everyone is welcome to vote for their favourite Octane build. The top two winners in both North America and the rest of the world will be notified on 30th November. First place wins $5,000 and second place wins $3,000.
www.RFCustomParts.com