Thirteen year old Ross Peterson may not be old enough to get a motorcycle license, but he's probably a bigger biker than a lot of us. ...
Thirteen year old Ross Peterson may not be old enough to get a motorcycle license, but he's probably a bigger biker than a lot of us. He's already started his own chopper building business, albeit mini-choppers, and he's won some awards too. Below is his story written by his dad:Ross has always been a mechanical kid. From his RC car at 2 years of age and rebuilding his Odysee to trade for an almost new Honda 4-wheeler at 10 years old.If you'd like to contact Ross, or even have him build a chopper for you, contact his marketing manager, Peggy Stewart of Cosmic Entertainments, LLC at (608) 754-0083, or visit online at: http://www.cosmicentertainments.com/
Ross started on his chopper after helping with his dad's frames and rollbars. Working with metal-fab equipment. January of 2004 Ross started in on what is now called "The Slapper".
We were flooded with drawings and ideas for his chopper. Ross bought tubing and after a few bends he has his bender figured out. From that point on he worked every spare moment in his shop building The Slapper.
Ross has entered it in the county fair and won 3rd place. Then in Eugene, Oregon at the Extreme Autofest placed 2nd.
Ross used mostly donated parts from local people and shops. He started with Suzuki forks, tire and triple clamps. His design required a front pointing cylinder. Ross used a Honda 90 with automatic 3 wheeler motor. He wanted the fat tire look. He went with an 8 x 8 4-wheeler rear wheel. He then needed an axel that wide. He fabricated a hub for a sprocket to fit a 3-wheeler front axel and hub for use in the rear. He had to run a jack shaft on the chain to off set so the motor could stay in alignment. Ross built an intake manifold to forward point the carborater. Made an aluminum velocity stack/air cleaner out of maglite bell. Shifter was left to be made. Ross went with suicide shifter which he made from Hurst shift handle with skull shift nob with adaptor to motor.
Then came the body work. With plasma cutter in hand, Ross started cutting pieces of sheet metal out. He used every inch of scrapmetal from his dad's stuff, car fenders to motorcycles he found and cut enough metal to form the metal body that he drew out.
Then there was the rear fender seat combo. After hours and hours of grinding and sanding it was time for primer and also a test drive.
The Slapper handles great, cruises from 30 mph to 50 mph without any problems.
Ross had to choose his paint and paint the chopper within 4 days to deadline to the fair. Working 24/7 with friends and family's help it turned out beautiful.
The color is sun shades lime pearl, assembled and ready the fair. Ross has been collecting parts already for his next chopper.
Between girlfriend, wrestling and a 3.4 grade point average he still finds time to work out in his chopper shop.
He named his chopper company R.P.M. (Ross Peterson Mini) Choppers. He would love to build the big ones one day.
