Englishman Pete Pearson believes that a Harley should be stripped down raw and yet be capable of being ridden hard all day, every day. No such a thing as “too beautiful to be ridden.” Although new on the custom scene – his shop Rocket Bobs Cycle Works was officially opened in 2009 – Pete is not a youngster, but a designer and engineer with a 30-year experience in the world of racing motorcycles. Whatever the trickiest parts he now creates for his bikes, more than anyone, he knows well in advance what will or will not work to be able to turn his creations into performance motorcycles
Pearson is obsessed with Harleys and only Harleys. Nothing is more important to him than to respect the style and design cues making them so unique. His inspiration draws heavily on Ratrods, Road and Drag racing bikes but must respect Harley-Davidson heritage. Mission accomplished with Gas’ d Rat, a “naked”, re designed, re-engineered and hand fabricated FXS powered by a 1979 Shovelhead motor.
Don’t be fooled by its apparent ultra simplicity. Gas d Rat features only precision custom components. Rocket Bobs Cycle Works is a small shop but is equipped with CMM Scanning, CAD CAM with 3 dedicated CNC mills, 3 CNC lathes, in-house suspension department which covers everything from basic lowering kits to full fork customizations, re-damping, shaving, etc. Well enough and more than necessary to produce anything Pete and his clients can dream up.
Three weeks ago, Pete Pearson was in Essen, Germany showing Gas’d Rat in the AMD World Championship Of Bike Building. His bike show competitors gave his custom creation high scores for performance components, finish and detail. Enough to rank it 3rd place in this tough world championship competition, rocketing Rocket Bobs Cycle Works has one of the best custom shops in the UK. Tech sheet below. (photography copyright Onno Wieringa for AMD Championship, courtesy to Cyril Huze)
Business Rocket Bobs
Swindon. UK
Builders Name Pete Pearson
Owner Pete & Lisa Pearson
Year / Model 1979 Shovelhead
Engine Make / Size 98″ Shovelhead
Frame Make / Type Fully re designed, re engineered and fabricated FXS
Rake 33.3° Stretch 0″
Trail 113mm
Front End Rocket Bobs
Swingarm +30mm Arrowhead
Drivetrain Baker 6-4. Rocket primary, Bennett clutch
Wheels [Front] 17 x 3.5 carbon with Kite billet hub
Wheels [Rear] 17 x 5.5 carbon with Kite billet hub
Tyres [Front] 120 Michelin full wet
Tyres [Rear] 160 Michelin full wet
Brakes [Front] Harrison / Rocket Bobs
Brakes [Rear] Harrison / Rocket Bobs
Painter Art Slade
Chroming / Plating Rocket Bobs
Additional Info
Rocket Bobs : seat, oil bag, rising rate, trees, tank, pipes, bars, controls, lights, axles, fender, caps,
covers, all frame work, engine work, velocity stacks & everything else 🙂
Dual Magnetos by Morris
Carb : S&S Dual Throat
Rear Shock – Penske
Love that thing! Rocket Bob’s does ’em right!
Excellent!! A work of beauty!!!
A “Harley should be stripped down raw and yet be capable of being ridden hard all day, every day” How do you do that with a bike that that seems to have never been started,let alone ever ridden?
Holds just enough petrol to get him through the Chunnel!
I really wanna see this motorcycle up close and in the flesh? I hear it will be making its UK debut at Beaulieu next week? Can’t wait. Well done not-so-young Pete!
Looking forward to a proper showcase at BSH Xtreme. Splendid work, Pete!
Blue, Pete will have turned it into a bagger by then! 🙂
Chance.
“Pearson is obsessed with Harleys and only Harleys. Nothing is more important to him than to respect the style and design cues making them so unique.”
Uh no….. Donuts are more important. 🙂
All Joking aside, Pete is an awesome builder, designer and friend. Much love and respect for this guys relentless work, passion and creations. Luv ya Brother!! Congrats on this build ad can’t wait to see what’s next. Now put your IPhone and donut down, get off FB and get back to work.
Awesome build great attention to detail and a freestyle build that looks like you could ride it hard all day superb
the details on this bike are insane. the brakes..how they mount..the parts he fabricated and chose to run. the stack on the carb…mid controls…bars…fender…mono shock…u can stare at it for hours and find some new cool detail. cant wait to see what he comes out w next! congrats..well deserved
I like everything from Rocket Bob’s, esp the custom parts he builds. He’s come out with some killer stuff for the later model Dynas. Great website too.
Thanks very much for the props, it’s really appreciated, more than you guys will know 🙂 and major thanks to Cyril for running Gas’d Rat on his Blog, totally blown away 🙂
I like it a lot…unfortunately, at 6’5″ and 280lbs and with the placement of the controls, I’d look like Magilla Gorilla trying to ride it.
I also really like the fusion of CNC quality parts and old school styling.
Nice job Pete!
Love it!!!
Lovely to look at, Delightful to Hold, but if you could ride it, you would be Old. Cause there is no range to ride a Bike that hold 2 Liters of Petrol.
I love the workmanship, especially those brakes. Hate the over the top claims. To me riding hard all day everyday is commuting 100 miles for work each way during the week, then taking a long weekend and putting 2000 miles on. On this bike that would mean 140 stops to refuel. Just not going to happen. The bike does impress me as craftsmanship that can really be ridden, unlike a lot of really cool but only for show bikes I see. It speaks for itself without the wild claims.
CARBON RIMS, DIRT BIKE HUBS, BMX PEGS, CUSTROM BRAKES..INCREDIBLE BIKE. CANT WAIT TO SEE IT UP CLOSE..GREAT JOB
great looking bike, superb blend of modern and caveman tech. Love it
Looks like an “exercise in futility” to me, uncomfortable, and just a piece of expensive “Ass Candy”. It would never make the ride from NYC to Florida like many of my old Jap Bikes have done.
D.P. Farley Yep:+
Gotta love the haters.. 😉
Blue :”Gotta love the haters” Gotta admire guys who think bikes that have never even been started are “just dandy”.
Thumbs up for the craftsmanship that is without a doubt.
As for styling/ridability. I am not into the unfinished look and board for a seat thing. I prefer a more comfortable saddle and bigger tank for longer trips and more flow through image.
But thats just me and my two cents.
Always happy to see guys building from their point of view and not mine, otherwise life would be all about me and nothing else and that would be boring.
Good on ya!
Don’t normally respond, you either get it or you don’t and that’s all cool with me. But the guy who states twice that my bike doesn’t run. Fist off in the AMD World Championships all bikes have to run and either submit a run video or run at the show,, not just run, but ride etc etc. The bike runs.
Yeah too bad his concept for a custom motorcycle to enter into the amd championship wasn’t an old jap bike with a giant cushion for clueless fat asses .throw in a giant windshield,huge gas tank,and a dashboard from a Hyundai with GPS and a stereo.dont forget those highway bars so you can layback and spread your legs like you do at the gynecologist.lastley offer plastic chrome covers so the skill less can truly customize their ride.dont worry the dealership will bolt it on for you. AMD builders are making mass production models right? Anyone can buy a bike and ride,,some can assemble,few can conceive then create their own one of a kind motorcycle dream. Pete you are one of the few,killer details man.the commenters will never get it.
Motodavide,I look at the bike images and doubt it’s ever been started,and say so.The builder pipes up and says it’s been started,O.K. that’s fine.Then your head cracks open with a sulfphorous smell and outpours love and bile.I like your idea for a custom bike and it has potential,thanks.
Tory what do you see that says to you it doesn’t run? Or ever been started?