In an industry where it seems like all the big fish have the run of the pond, how do you make it as a small fish just starting out in new waters? For Intrepid Cycles, based out of Temecula, CA, their plan was to start at the heart, figuratively speaking. With about 30 years combined experience in the motorcycle industry, founders Don Biron and Mike McGinley knew that when they opened their doors in 2005, if they were to stand out amongst the big boys/fish in the custom production niche, they'd have to be different. So they started at the core, utilizing S&S' two-cam motor configuration.
Intrepid currently has two models in their lineup, a chopper called the Resolute and a pro-street called the Steadfast; both models come standard with carburetor-fed S&S 111ci two-cam motors. "We wanted to do something different and more cutting edge than everyone else," Don said when asked about the decision to go with the two-cam motor instead of the single cam motor other custom manufacturers use. "I couldn't come up with all kinds of crazy fenders and that stuff, that kind of stuff was all beat up already. We ran into the Twin Cam powerplant when we were working on getting certified for fuel injection. We wanted to stand out as using the modern technology for our powerplant, and we figured we'd go with the S&S two-cam since no one else was doing it. We're trying to be a different kind of company and be a little more aggressive in regards to technology."
Never the type to sit and watch from the sidelines, we wanted action, so we hit up Don and Mike about getting our hands on one of their production bikes for some "testing." A week later a pearl white and silver tribal-flamed Resolute Chopper was sitting in front of our office. Upon first glance it was obvious this was a different beast from what we were used to as a production custom. Most notable was the beefed up cam chest, a hard-to-miss detail shouting "Hey, this is something different." The other standout aspect of this bike was its overall appearance, or stance for that matter. When we heard they were going to send out their chopper model, images of a high-necked, raked-out, super-stretched frontend bike came to mind. Two out of three ain't bad, as this bike doesn't have the traditional chopper stance most of us envisioned. Instead of a sky-high neck, Intrepid's version of a chopper sits long and low, with a lots of rake and a 12-over frontend-another way for them to differentiate themselves from the others. The frame measures in with 4 inches of stretch in the backbone and 4 more in the downtube. To help accommodate the long, low look with the 12-inch over frontend, the neck has 48 degrees of rake with 6 more in the triple trees. At the rear of the bike the frame is setup to handle a 300mm rear tire.
From fender to fender the Resolute exudes the utmost in style, comprised of nothing but top of the line components. Don and Mike made sure the fit and finish was exactly what they would want for their own personal rides, from the Daytec single downtube, Softail-style frame, American Suspension frontend, RC Components wheels, Hawg Halter brakes (future models will have Brembo brakes), and Supreme Legends controls to the Dakota Digital handlebar-mounted info center.