What do you do when you're not busy saving lives and putting out raging infernos? If you're the enigmatic Pyro, you build one of the wickedest choppers north of the Mason-Dixon line. Being a Chicago firefighter, Pyro has plenty of downtime at work and puts it to good use crafting his fire-breathing tributes to a bygone era. It's complete with retro-styling and influenced by the swagger of hot rod greasers, rockabilly music, and Johnny Cash attitude.
Growing up around his father's friends long '70s chops with king and queen seats, crazy sissy bars, and leaky worn engines, this guy has seen it all. The man is 100 percent the real McCoy.
Pyro's motorcycles reflect his complex and diverse range of influences and show an immense respect for the craftsmanship that made the '50s and '60s Kustom Kulture the stuff of legend. His ultimate goal is to pass this knowledge on to the next generation of builders by speaking at schools to mentor the gearheads of tomorrow.
The Clay Smith automotive woodpecker logo is the jumping-off point for the many details that make this bike a true one of a kind. A 103ci H&L panhead powers this rigid pinup-adorned work of art down the road with authority. Rolling along on a 21-inch Speedmaster up front and a 240 Metzeler out back, the BDL primary and 540 O-ring chain deliver the horsepower. Let's get back to the '50s British banana tank those lovely ladies reside on. When was the last time you saw a '50s U.S. car dome light on a gas holder made in England? A '30s winged radiator cap now serves as a gas cap and the petcock is an antique faucet. Hot, of course. There's even a vintage fire extinguisher from the '40s incorporated into this bike.
Pyro fabricated the handlebars that steer this bad-ass woody out of nine pieces that set into the risers to form one solid bar. Tumbling dice peak out of the endcaps and appear again on the ball-milled footpegs and in the rear-wheel spinner. Clay Smith woodpecker heads by Pyro Chops act as foot controls while the riser tops, kicker pedal, and seat are all made out of bird's-eye maple. The aforementioned seat is non other than Pyro's friend and traveling companion plank. Plank was painstakingly crafted using eight layers of poured resin 1/8-inch thick with hand-made chrome flames four layers in. Each layer required 12 hours to dry, and a propane torch was used to get every last bubble out of the goo. Hand-tooled leather by the cat monster himself finish off this must-see item.