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Copper Chopper
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Sick Choppers' Copper
Jan Morgan
12/01/2003
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Photography by Cordero Studios/corderostudios.com
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The wheels came from
Precision Machine, as did the brakes. Dual discs would be part of this build, as
would the custom triple clamps. The Spyke fork tubes are actually threaded into
the top Cory Ness–designed triple clamp. This eliminated the pinch bolts,
leaving a perfectly polished, milled aluminum part without scars or exposed bolt
holes.
 In the rear, the brake was recessed into the belt-drive hub, leaving
the right side of the wheel fully exposed. “I fell in love with the look of the
open wheel, along with the polished aluminum and copper,” Taormina says.
Matching the wide rear wheel is a customized PM unit up front, allowing for a
larger tire to ensure stable handling and braking. (Click image to enlarge)
Taormina has a preference
for color and chrome, but having already built a much-admired all-chrome
machine, he took an entirely different approach. Finishing the chopper
completely in copper-plate was a bold move, but a very successful one that has
helped stock Taormina’s trophy case. The effect is that of a gleaming proof
penny, set off with accents of polished aluminum for the controls, beautifully
framing and reflecting the massive engine and its trio of exhaust pipes. The
entire machine gives off a soft golden glow. Of course, in order to achieve the
flawless nature of the finish, the welds, bends and metal surfaces had to be
perfect.
Copper aside, the real star of this creation is the massive
W3 engine. The Feuling W3 is a full 2,500cc—that’s 2.5 liters or 150 cubic
inches. Taormina also specified the “max flow” cylinder heads, gaining a 40
percent increase in engine breathing. To put the bike’s 195 horses and 219 ft
lbs of torque into perspective, consider that a 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang engine
puts out about 235 ft lbs of torque on a good day. All of that power is
available at low speeds, with the rpm limit at 6,000 and peak horsepower
arriving at about 5,600 rpm. Turbocharger? Giggle Gas? No additional power
supplements are needed, thank you; it runs on pump gas.
W3 “Copper Chopper”
Horsepower: 195 crank, Weight: 700 pounds, Price: $150,000
Feuling’s
engine borrows heavily from aircraft radial engine technology. Round aircraft
engines have nine cylinders in a circle, utilizing a peculiar piston, rod and
crankshaft arrangement, with a single “master” connecting rod for every
three-cylinder segment. Each flanking cylinder’s rods are connected to the
center cylinder’s master rod. Feuling used this arrangement because adding the
third cylinder requires that the crank have only one journal, adding no
additional width to the engine case. The single journal also allows the
crankshaft to be lighter, and this type of configuration has been a proven power
producer. The W3 engine produces more than twice the horsepower and torque of
the traditional H-D type, yet weighs only 12 pounds more than a typical
106-cubic-inch twin.
What makes this engine even better is that it goes
together with standard H-D gaskets, rides on H-D rubber engine mounts, and
transfers power through a standard 4-bolt Dyna-style transmission. Although this
engine looks like a tool room special, any competent Harley-Davidson mechanic
can work on it. Gaskets, valves, pistons and barrels are all standard
high-performance H-D fare. Flat-slide carburetors handle the fuel mixing chores,
feeding the W3 and resulting in a loping idle reminiscent of a Pratt &
Whitney aircraft engine.
With the smoother W3 engine, this chopper lends
itself well to long hauls. “I’ve taken it on a 300-mile trip and it was more
comfortable than my old Fat Boy,” offers Taormina. “And the sound! It’s like a
Harley with an extra pop.”
That the Copper Chopper is quick, comfortable,
and rides well is simply icing on the cake. The spectacular coloring and classic
design used to frame that unique Feuling engine should put this bike at the top
of any chopper collector’s wish list. Meanwhile, Taormina has taken delivery of
another W3 engine for his next envelope-stretching project. Makes you wonder
what color that one will be.
408.988.2233 | www.w3sickchoppers.com
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