The pulsing bass of an idling chopper, Martha Stewart and E85: What's the connection between this classic American sound, the talk show host with a knack for crafts and a domestic alternative to gasoline? According to Laurie Groves with the Iowa Farm Bureau (IFB), there definitely is a link.
The Discovery Channel's "American Chopper" television show exhibits the grueling process of customizing far-out street bikes under tight deadline pressures fueled by short tempers and the familiarity of family—along with what could easily be the longest, most recognizable handlebar mustache ever to hit the small screen. That mustache belongs to Paul Teutul Sr., the gruff patriarch and journeyman of Orange County Choppers, the shop made famous by the cable TV series. Groves says Teutul appeared on the Martha Stewart Show once, and off-camera, Stewart asked him, "Why don't you make a ‘green' chopper?" A seed was planted.
The IFB had the same idea for a "tricked-out" street cycle powered by E85, one that would promote a number of other renewable energy efforts underway in Iowa, or "the renewable energy epicenter," as Groves calls it. At the behest of the IFB, Teutul and his costar sons and crew from Orange County Choppers set out to construct a renewably fueled and totally custom-built bike. "We told them what we wanted, and we brought [costars] Paul Jr., Mikey and Jason to Iowa to tour an ethanol plant, feedlot and wind farm," Groves says. "It was so they could get ideas for the bike's design." The trip inspired the motorcycle gurus.
Starting with a 124-cubic-inch H&L engine and a Baker six-speed drivetrain, the crew switched out the carburetor so that the intake ratio of fuel to air would be richer than what's typically needed for gasoline. The ignition timing was also advanced to better combust the high-octane fuel. This isn't a flexible-fuel motorcycle—it is strictly tailored for E85. Making it flexible would involve a computer chip to accommodate any combination of gasoline and ethanol, which "just wasn't feasible" for this particular project, Groves says. With the operational aspects under control, the custom outfitters tackled aesthetics.
The frame and body panels are sleek and mean in the classic chopper style. The wheel spokes are modeled to scale after wind turbines. Iowa ranks third in the nation for wind power production, with over 900 turbines in operation and 300 more in development. The seat is embossed with shapes of cattle, an homage to the integral function that livestock producers play in the economics of ethanol production by feeding their cattle distillers dried grains with solubles. Between the front wheel and frame is a corn-head scoop, crafted after a combine head. Exhaust pipes on the machine are modeled after piping inside an ethanol plant. Finally, the bike is adorned with logos promoting E85 and the Iowa Farm Bureau, along with special paint details of corn and soybeans (for biodiesel). The montage is topped with a yellow E85 fuel cap.
This beast was unveiled in late June at the Iowa Corn Indy 250, the Indy Racing League's (IRL) first race at the newly built Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. The race was a perfect venue for such an event considering the IRL switched to 100 percent ethanol fuel in all of its races this year. Race fans crowded the two-wheeled monster on display, waiting to get a glimpse, Groves says.
The green chopper is being raffled off. Tickets are $10, and sales end Aug. 19. Until then, the bike will go on tour to more than 40 locations in Iowa. For more information on the raffle and tour schedule, visit
www.jointherideiowa.com. "American Chopper" will air the making of the green machine this fall.