2 WHEEL TUNER: Striking Copper

Motorcycling Lifestyles

2 WHEEL TUNER: Striking Copper

Copper begins to patina almost immediately after exposure to air, turning a lustrous metal into a dull green. That look might work for the Statue of Liberty, but it won't do for a copper motorcycle.Louis Grasse had his work cut out for him when he decided to build a copper Kawasaki ZX-14. The owner of H2o Cycles- a shop known for chroming plastic - Grasse is very familiar with the routine, but developing a method for copper plating was a whole new challenge.

Kevin Krefting | Posted June 19, 2007 Charlotte, NC

H2o Cycles� copper plating is the new element in sportbike customization

by Beth Dolgner, photos by Scott Odell

Copper begins to patina almost immediately after exposure to air, turning a lustrous metal into a dull green. That look might work for the Statue of Liberty, but it won't do for a copper motorcycle.
Knowing this, Louis Grasse had his work cut out for him when he decided to build a copper Kawasaki ZX-14. The owner of H2o Cycles- a shop known for chroming plastic - Grasse is very familiar with the routine, but developing a method for copper plating was a whole new challenge.

The problem wasn't learning how to plate a part in copper. After all, it's the first metal laid down in the three-step chroming process. The real difficulty was learning how to keep the copper from going green."I copper-plated a Hayabusa gauge bezel about two and a half years ago. I had to keep it wrapped in a vacuum-sealed bag because copper in its raw form patinas in about three minutes."

Finding a finish that keeps copper bright and functional took months of research. Grasse estimates that he spent six or seven months trying various methods before he even took delivery of his ZX-14. He tried about 50 different types of clear finishes, from automotive clear coats to products designed for museum collections.

Finally, Grasse found a clear coat for chrome that came close to the result he was looking for. It takes a catalyst to make the two-part finish ideal for copper, but Grasse isn't telling all of his secrets.

Out of the Shadows
With the copper plating process finalized, Grasse was ready to start building his copper bike. Choosing the ZX-14 as his canvas was easy. "The 14 is new, and everybody's got their own theory about it. They either love it or they hate it, and that is exactly when I know that it's time to put a custom version of something out," says Grasse, who notes that it's the best-handling bike he's ever gotten his hands on. "I felt a great relationship with this 14 when I first met it because there were a million things about it that I hated. All I saw was great opportunities."

A set of RC Components Assassin wheels, the front fork assembly, the side panels on the lower fairing, and two nitrous bottles glimpsed through the rear tailpiece are among the parts that Grasse copper plated. A lot of the smaller components are also copper, from the spike fairing bolts to the mirrors, which are fashioned from ninja throwing knives that Grasse acquired from Japan.

Grasse went with a ninja theme for the bike because, he says, "anybody who's going to customize a 14 is going to forget that it's the daddy Ninja. The theme is built in. To a real Kawi enthusiast, this is a Ninja."

The ninjas on the tank, tailpiece and windscreen are the airbrushing work of Gator Customs, who also installed Gator Glass to illuminate the artwork. In all, Grasse estimates that there are 500 lights on the bike.

The custom H2o swingarm has a laser-etched plate on it featuring a ninja and the H2o logo, as well as the bike's name, Copper Shadows. The side fairings have their own voluptuous female ninja, who was etched onto a piece of clear acrylic then lit from the sides.

The copper really stands out thanks to the black canvas of the ZX-14. The front fender is custom-made by Drastic Plastic, and features copper side fins. The black seat is made of ostrich, and the Bruce's Fabrication exhaust was wrapped in copper and black to hide its chrome finish.

Grasse had just one more thing to add after the copper plating and ninja theme were complete: he molded a new gas tank cover and inserted a five-inch navigation system. In addition to a GPS, the system also includes a Bluetooth connection.

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