Sorry, this blog positioned us totally wrong! Please go to our website to understand a bit more what we do. it is not for building custom bikes….most of or work is helping people customize there existing bikes. We are not building because we do not want to be lock into a bike manufacture or style….and we are not a builder or parts supplier so we do not mark up all the parts so you pay more!

For example, we had a client who had a Road King, and wanted something different and was looking at a chopper…he figured he would lose almost all the money he spent in mods and then have to come up with even more to get a new bike… so we used the additional money he would have spent to get the new one as a budget to customize his. We gave him 5 design themes (hate that word now, thanks OCC), and then managed the production.

By all means, if you find a builder and like his style and have the funds, go for it….then you are not are target and we would be a waist. We help people who have a bike (or want to start with a used one) and help them make it a one of a kind. If you have a chuck of money to have a custom built by a builder, than we add no benefit!

Thanks for all the input here because it is obvious I need to make sure it is very clear what we do and how we are positioned by others. And, again before slamming something please make sure you understand it. Nothing is perfect for everyone, but the people we have worked with feel it was very help and ended up save them tons of time and money…not adding $5000 like some posted!

We are very passionate about what we do and take great pride in helping others get the perfect bike….think of it this way…if you got money to go to a builder to start from scratch, they will help you through it…if you have a bike, but want to take it to the next level and do not know were to start, then we help with that! We can design the concept, and then stage it based on budget, and then we have spent years finding the best people to do the work so people don’t have to find out the hard way. We have clients that take our plans, budgets, and recommended parts and service suppliers and go and do it themselves, and that is perfectly fine, but they have it all figured out.

RE:
“… southern hemisphere has great moto minds…”

Absolutely!
Check out the concept Holden in the Feb-07 Hot Rod.
It makes Zztops’ Cadzilla look like a go-cart.

RE:
“… if everyone who couldn’t build something solid were to throw in the towel, all of these builders wouldn’t have much business….”

Sure, i understand that from a builder’s business perspective my view is blasphemy.
But then, i’m not a business man, i’m just a garage builder.

Ya gotta remember, i look at custom scooters from an early 60’s perspective.
In those days the expectation was that you had built the scooter you were riding.
In fact, someone who wanted to know if a bike was yours would point to it and ask “…is that you…?”
So, in the tradition of the era: if you “thew in the towel” you weren’t a biker and “everyone who couldn’t” … shouldn’t.

To be blunt, (the way i see it, anyway) if you ride in on a custom that you didn’t build, what possible contribution do you “bring to the camp fire”….?

I’ve always found people who design and build scooter to be interesting. To me, those who buy custom scooters are about the same as those who buy a “Honda”. And although (as the TV commercial used to say) “…You Meet The Nicest People On A Honda…” ….. Since i don’t sell Hondas, to me (although nice) they simply aren’t very interesting….. at all.

And yes, i’ll concede that’s not an egalitarian perspective.
But then i’ve never pretended to be enamored of the contemporary custom scooter scene, i simply see it as today’s reality.

To be sure, many of the builders are very talented, interesting people and they put out nice products. But let’s face it, their customers, in general aren’t very interesting.

I’m up font about my perspective, i am who i am, and i make no excuses.
Life ain’t a popularity contest ……

-nicker-

Now if everyone who couldn’t build something solid were to throw in the towel, all of these builders wouldn’t have much business.

Ian Drysdale is impressive. Did you check out his MotoGP V8 engine?

The southern hemisphere has great moto minds. Ian Drysdale, John Britten, Burt Munro. Small businesses make the world go around.

That ’s an interesting site, thanks for the link.
Talk about a reality check on the state of global MC design…. Cool!
Man the Ian Drysdale motor is the most drop-dead gorgeous V-twin i’ve ever seen!!!!

RE:
“…The ultimate gratification of one-off custom motorcycles would be to roll down the road on something you built yourself….”

Well, i’m think-n the “gratification” was in the building, the ride simply validated that process.

So, ” If you don’t have the time or skills to do that”…. What’s the point?
Wouldn’t Golf be cheaper?……….

-nicker-

There are other ways to pursue Motorcycle Design. Have you heard of MDA? check it out at:

http://www.motorcycledesign.com/site/

The designers within that Association are focused on numerous & varied aspects of motorcycle design. I don’t think many of them would position themselves as a “General Contractor” in the same manner as you suggest.

Roland Sands is a member as well as Brian Case. You will also note some very famous designers within the roster such as Massimo Tamburini.

The ultimate gratification of one-off custom motorcycles would be to roll down the road on something you built yourself. If you don’t have the time or skills to do that, then the next closest thing is to personally talk with a builder and make the ideas in one’s own head come to life through the builder’s expertise…..adding someone in between the customer and the builder (for a one-off bike) punts the experience further away for the customer.

The initiative was called “New Factory America”
The Small Manufacturers Association (and reality) put an end to that stupidity.
If ya want more detail just holler.

Do you guys really think the market can support a “middle-man”…….?

-nicker-

Why the hell do you think they are called “Custom Builders” ?????

Fausto Simoes

http://www.motoxcycle.com