2008 Big Bear Choppers - First Look

If it was Kevin Alsops' goal to build a bold bagger different than any other on the market, mission accomplished. Big Bear Chopper's 2008 Grand Touring X-Wedge (G.T.X.) will make you do a double take when you first glance at its stretched-out lines. With its innovative rider positioning, smooth fiberglass bags and extended wheelbase, it only takes a second to realize this isn't your dad's bagger. Maybe that's what helps it rank high in the cool factor.

So when you've made a name for yourself by building more traditional choppers and Pro Street platforms, why mess with the recipe for success that got you where you are today? When your web address claims that you build "The Best Bikes on the Planet," you'd better have your finger on the pulse of the industry. Right now baggers are a hot commodity. This boils it down to a simple case of supply and demand. Baggers are in demand so why not add to the supply, especially if you're offering a product unlike any other in your niche? Sounds like a legitimate case of dollars and sense. Common sense, that is.

A big part of the appeal of BBC's new bagger is how cleanly the bags integrate into the design of the bike. Instead of looking like suitcases have virtually been slapped on its sides, the G.T.X's fiberglass saddlebags don't detract from the lines BBC worked so hard to establish. Contrarily, they complement the flowing symmetry that runs the length of the bike. The top of the compartment is cut to mirror the shape of the pillion and the long, deep bags are color matched to the tank and trim. The bags obscure the tubular swingarm, but unless you're trying to put your fat 300mm rear on display with a single-sided swinger, then out of sight, out of mind. In addition to providing much-needed touring-style storage space, the brake and turn signals are integrated into the tail end of the bags, adding function to the bagger's already sculpted form.

Another innovation Alsop experimented with on the G.T.X. is rider positioning. The 115-inch bike, tire to tire measurements provided by BBC's Creative & Marketing Director Andy Meadors, gave plenty of room for Alsop to place the rider centrally in the bike. The first step to accomplishing this goal was a midsection stretch after the tranny, adding 12 inches to the frame. The rider's position is slightly more forward than a drop-seat bike, but the design places the passenger directly on the frame instead of over the 300mm back tire. The result is two-fold. Obviously, more weight is moved to the front of the bike, but more importantly, it lowers the bike's center of gravity. Overall, Alsop is aiming to produce a better handling bagger that still provides a comfortable riding platform.

Stretching the frame and pushing the rear tire back created space for an additional auxiliary 2 gallon fuel tank under the seat. It connects to a standard 3 gallon backbone-mounted cell via 1/2-inch fuel lines. The stretch also left room for mounting a large BBC oil tank with a capacity over 5 quarts. Additionally, the area houses the G.T.X.'s horizontally-mounted Progressive Suspension dual shocks down low, tucked neatly out of sight. Big Bear fabbed up special side plates that will keep the uninformed guessing as to what's concealed under the seat.

And while Big Bear's innovations under the seat are out of sight, the G.T.X. leaves its powerplant prominently on display. While the first ten bikes to roll out of production will have BBC's tried-and-tested S&S 100 SMOOTH Evo-style engine with EFI, the next batch of ten will be running S&S's brand spankin' new X-Wedge EFI mill. The X-Wedge Big Bear decided to roll with will boost the 100 cubic inches of the SMOOTH's displacement to114 ci. The X-Wedge shifts away from the traditional 45 degree V-Twin configuration as the triple cam mill is set at 56.25 degrees. The revolutionary X-Wedge includes three belt-driven camshafts, a completely new internal oil pump, and a one-piece crankshaft. S&S aimed at providing an engine that met the increasing EPA limitations on emissions while simultaneously providing more power and more torque in a smooth running package. For a long time, custom builders were able to skate under the EPA's radar, but this isn't the case any more. And though Big Bear got its start doing repairs and building one-off customs, its move as primarily a production house brings along greater scrutinization by the powers that be. Big Bear is wise in its decision to utilize the lump in its latest creation. Its environmentally-friendly billing is definitely a positive selling point.

Power is provided by an industry-standard Baker right-side-drive six-speed connected to a wet BBC primary drive. The G.T.X.'s final drive is chain. Four-piston brakes on a 21-inch Big Bear custom wheel provide stopping power up front while a BBC four-pot BrakeDrive system puts the clamps on the 18-inch rear wheel's action out back. Riders will engage the brakes with a squeeze of the BBC hand and foot controls. Maintaining control will be courtesy of two piece, clip-on style handlebars that will direct an inverted fork with 43 degrees of total rake (36 degree rake angle plus 7 degrees on the triple tree).