Big Bear Choppers Athena 100 EFI 2009 — Specifications

In 2009, the world of American customs was living through its baroque period, and Big Bear Choppers has never been one to whisper. The Athena 100 EFI is proof of that, a statement on two wheels where measurement simply has no place. Its 1638 cc V2, an S&S powered by electronic injection, announces 95 horsepower, but that’s not where the story lies. With a square bore and stroke of 101.6 mm, this engine is an anvil that breathes deeply, designed to move mountains smoothly rather than chase a tachometer.

The Athena Softail chassis, with its wheelbase of 2.23 meters, imposes an overwhelming physical presence. The low seat at 50 cm is a deception, as it hides nothing of the 317 kg dry weight of this machine. The rear tire, a monster 300 mm wide, seems to have been stolen from a construction vehicle and transforms every curve into a diplomatic negotiation. Up front, the 21-inch wheel and the single brake, despite having a four-piston caliper, have work ahead of them. The hidden Softail-type suspension promises a perfectly pure line, but cheerfully sacrifices any compromise in handling; it is pure and hard aesthetic choice.

This motorcycle is not ridden, it is paraded. The 16-liter tank is ridiculously small for such mechanics, limiting its range to that of an ostentatious stroll. The six-speed transmission is there to occupy the left hand, but you can feel that the enormous torque, although not quantified, would allow starting in third without a flinch. The BrakeDrive braking system attempts to rationalize the whole thing, but faced with the phenomenal inertia generated by this weight and these tires, it is more of a suggestion than an order.

The Big Bear Choppers Athena 100 EFI is not a motorcycle, it is a mechanical work of art and a test of virility for its owner. It answers a question that few people ask themselves: what would a custom look like if it were drawn with a jackhammer? It makes standard Harley-Davidson Softails look like manageable scooters. Designed for those who consider an Indian Chief too discreet and a parking lot a stage, it demands a complex-free rider, ready to exchange every kilometer of curves for a kilometer of admiring glances.