Custom Bike Builders

[YB in IN]

So I was home this weekend at my parent's house where they have cable, and watched way too much motorcycle programing on the Discovery Channel. It was the Biker Buildoff shows for the most part sprinkled with some Motorcycle Manias. So my question to you dear readers, is which of these builders do you like the best and why? I'll start. Jesse James. Of most of the builders out there it seems like he actually makes most of his parts rather than just bolting on a bunch of stuff that he bought out of a custom chrome catalog. It's like watching an artisan when he gets going on the power hammer. And the finished products are pretty darn cool.

 

[JetDoc]

Custom bike builders

You gotta give Arlen Ness credit... How many other multi-millionaires still sand and paint their own bikes? Of course, when the camera's not on, I'll bet he doesn't either...

Other than that, doesn't it seem that all those "custom" bikes are starting to look the same. Sure, they're all different colors, but if you line them up all in a row, it looks like they all come from the same production line. Same big V-twin engine, same ridiculously long front forks, same little bitty seat, loud pipes and fat back tire. When you get right down to it, except for minor details, they're all just overpriced Harley-Davidson clones.

I want to see something different! I want to see an inline 4 cylinder engine and shaft drive... I want to see aerodynamic fairings and big comfortable seats. Bikes that you can ride 1000 miles in a day... Hey, How about a BMW K1200?

 

[96283]

Billy Lane is the Chopper's Inc. dude with dreads. He
creates everything by hand and eye (no measuring).
Guess who I voted for.

 

[MarkF]

I'll start. Jesse James. Of most of the builders out there it seems like he actually makes most of his parts rather than just bolting on a bunch of stuff that he bought out of a custom chrome catalog. It's like watching an artisan when he gets going on the power hammer. And the finished products are pretty darn cool.

Me, too! I hate the OCC unwrap it, send it out for paint then assemble it approach. They make nothing!

Jesse actually made his own fenders and tanks from flat stock. Now that's custom.

MarkF

 

[R75_7]

I picked Jesse James because He builds everything by hand(I think) and makes it go fast. Fashion and function at it's best. But I also like Indian Larry because his bikes are truly old school. And Larry's bikes don't really look like everybody elses(all long and swoopy).

 

[JetDoc]

Re: Re: Custom Bike Builders

Jesse actually made his own fenders and tanks from flat stock. Now that's custom.

MarkF

Only on television. A good part of Jesse's business is manufacturing parts (including frames and fenders) for other bike builders. In fact, I think I remember seeing Paul Jr from OCC use a Jesse James fender for one of his "custom" bikes.

Small world, ain't it!

 

[LORAZEPAM]

There is another reason I don't have cable. A dysfunctional family that builds catalog bikes, and gets away with making big bucks on them. If you film it, they will watch, and buy the hats and tshirts.

 

[chasman]

Guys, Gals, Guys, Gals....

It's got to be INDIAN LARRY!!! One of the few remaining CHOPPER builders out there. No custom bikes for IL, just pure choppers. If I ever have one, I'll have one by the master.


Riding Like the Wind...

CHASMAN
Black '02 K12RS
Indian Larry Chopper (in my dreams)

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Indian Larry is the man. He rides and builds and thinks about the stuff. He does stuff not cause it is cool but cause it is the right thing to do. Talk about old school, he really cuts and chops the pieces not just buy stuff.

My favorite is still the indented gas tank.

The bigger question is why is it that Garth has time when the Midwest crew doesn't have anything planned to watch TV... well you get the drift.

Garth next ride you are buying the first round.

 

[99007]

Watched a couple times, then zzzzz

I thought the show with the family making choppers was interesting until I watched it more than once. Talk about a formula - not only are the bikes cookie cutter, the show is as well. There is a time crunch...oldest son isn't happy and changes the design in spite of the time crunch....dad says "I told you there would be a time crunch"...Hell, anyone who has ever watched the show knows there will be a time crunch. Then we show loud bikes ridden by folks with no protective gear blast up and down the street. Yawn.
Did watch Jesse make stuff with the big hammer thingy.

"Same big V-twin engine, same ridiculously long front forks, same little bitty seat, loud pipes and fat back tire. When you get right down to it, except for minor details, they're all just overpriced Harley-Davidson clones."

The magazine Road Bike features at least one metric chopper every month. Some of them are cool - some are just jap bikes trying to be harleys.

 

[R75_7]

That's kinda funny. Because in the beginning I thought BMW's knda looked like Harleys and Indians. Then BMW switched to the UJM(Japanese)looking format. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I am no motorcycle historian. I think all the motorcycles look very similar; two wheels, saddle, handlebars, etc. I guess it's just what you do with that same ol' format and how you do it that makes it interesting. At least to me.

 

[JetDoc]

Form follows function. If you want to get back to basics, we could say that all motorcycles are just bicycles with motors. After all, they all have two wheels, a seat and handlebars...

To me, there have always been three common categories of motorcycle, based on engine design:

- The American motorcycle is a big V-twin Indian or Harley-Davidson.
- The ultimate UJM will always be the Honda CB-750 with its sideways inline 4-cyl.
- The Classic British bike was a vertical twin, such as the Triumph 650 Bonneville or Norton Commando.

BMW was always unique with its boxer engine and shaft drive. You can't look at it and mistake it for anything else.
(except maybe a Ural, and they stole the design from BMW)

 

[YB in IN]

Indian Larry is the man. He rides and builds and thinks about the stuff. He does stuff not cause it is cool but cause it is the right thing to do. Talk about old school, he really cuts and chops the pieces not just buy stuff.

My favorite is still the indented gas tank.

The bigger question is why is it that Garth has time when the Midwest crew doesn't have anything planned to watch TV... well you get the drift.

Garth next ride you are buying the first round.

Yeah yeah yeah. I was home for a reunion of a youth theater thing I used to do back in the day. More importantly however, I made a deal on a barn fresh Triumph Bonneville Pictures will be coming next month when I go back home to pick it up.

 

[R75_7]

What year is the Bonnie?

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Yeah yeah yeah. I was home for a reunion of a youth theater thing I used to do back in the day. More importantly however, I made a deal on a barn fresh Triumph Bonneville Pictures will be coming next month when I go back home to pick it up.

You wanna bring it up to our next Midwest get together? We don't care what you ride, it is if you ride.

 

[YB in IN]

What year is the Bonnie?

It is a 68 I think. I don't remember off the top of my head. It's a T120 650 though I do remember that. It is a bike that I looked at about three years ago in a guys barn, and I just cold-called him and went to his shop. I offered him what I wanted to pay and he accepted it.

 

[knary]

Billy Lane, the guy with the dreadlocks, is, by far, the cutest of the group. So he gets my vote. I'm a sucker for a cute face and a tight butt.

I like any of the guys that fabricate something with their own hands (including Lane). Some of the builders do little more than put together a series of pieces that zillion dollar tools and vendors made for them. Where's the art or craft in that? I want to see the sweat and thought in a piece, not the priceless paint job and machined wheels.

 

[USERNAME]

im pleased to say that i dont have cable and i dont have a clue who any of those people are.

my life is good.

 

[oldcarkook]

A buddy of mine lives across the street from Jesse James in Long Beach. James' shop that is...his REAL shop, not the TV shop which is not his real shop.

My friend has sent me some pretty interesting photos of stuff that Jesse has built. I voted for Arlen Ness because he's old school and so am I. Almost all of those guys are talented; cookie cutters or not, the stuff they put out is all pretty interesting.

My goal is to be physically exactly like Paul Sr., the father on OCC. I want his pipes and his attitude. Whether it's for TV or not I don't really care. I just like his seriousness and imposing presence and hjow it matches his mouth. Whether you have tv or not, have cable, like it, don't like it, I find all of those shows pretty entertaining and the fact is that I can't build any of that in my garage, so I admire anyone that can build it in theirs irrespective of how they got there. The OCC pop's made millions in only a few months after struggling a lifetime as a hothead street fightin' bike builder without notoriety. James has had a cult following for a while and he's the quiet serious type too.

But as far as cutting edge, Arlen Ness was doing this stuff long before James and Paul Jr. were even born.

 

[JetDoc]

I just watched the "biker build-off" show where all the builders came together to work on one bike... If you get a chance to see it, check out Arlan Ness wearing a gold Rolex watch while he sands and paints the gas tank!