Custom thunder
By Michael A. Brothers - Mar 3, 2006

When Mike Edwards is riding his motorcycle, he doesn't want to see another bike like his under someone else's torso.

He wants his bike to be different. More than that, he wants it to be unique. Into motorcycles since age 18, the local Department of Energy employee decided a few years ago to have a bike custom-built to his taste and riding style. "So I could have a one-of-a-kind," he says.

Edwards' bike, built by Guillotine Choppers in Lamar, isn't as outlandish as some of the custom jobs featured on the television shows and magazines that helped make these bikes so popular in recent years. But it is his own design, even if he didn't actually build it.

"I wanted something that was only mine, but comfortable," he says. "I'm 56, and I like comfort."
 
Fueled by a desire for individuality, TV shows like the Discovery Channel's "American Chopper" and a general interest in motorcycles, the custom bike market is booming.

From after-market accessorization to one-a-kind bikes built from the ground up, these machines are hitting roads across the country and in the Ozarks.

"There's always been a mystique and an allure to motorcycles," says Bob Moore, co-owner of Sick Pigs Motorcycle Company, a customization and service shop in Springfield. "Even for people who don't ride, there's a fascination."

The market boom has been driven by boomers, say Moore and others in the business. As the baby boom generation gets older, motorcycles are fast becoming an outlet for recreation, stress and a whole lot of excess spending money.

"The most common thing I hear is 'Boy, I used to ride all the time until I had kids, and I haven't ridden in 20 years,'" Moore says.

The other big factor is television shows like "American Chopper" and "Biker Build-Off."

"You can credit the Discovery Channel almost single-handedly," says Tim Broadbent, a Springfield physical therapist whose Harley-Davidson has been stripped down to a bare-bones "bobber" style bike. "You don't know how many people I know that ride who always try to tune into those."

Mostly, owning a custom bike is about being different.

"It's all about personality," says Paul York, who owns Thompson Choppers in Springfield. "It's all about one's desire to be a little different from the next guy."

York bought Thompson Choppers, which focuses on building custom frames, eight months ago. In that time, the small shop has seen its business nearly double, from about 15 frames a month to 28. Thompson builds whole bikes and it recently created one for a customer who lives in the Virgin Islands.

"It was all done via e-mail and through our Web site," York says. "He'd view our progress and make tweaks and changes."

The attraction is a strong one and for many goes far beyond a mere hobby. Springfield couple Mark Phillips and Tammy Vestal bought a 2001 Harley-Davidson Softail last year and have since customized it. Besides cosmetic changes like lowering the frame, they've also retooled the engine for power.

Even after an accident in November left Vestal with some broken ribs and internal injuries (she's scheduled for at least two more surgeries), both she and Phillips want to continue to ride their custom bike.

"There's no reason for somebody's stupid mistake to take something away from us that we really love," Vestal says of the accident in which another driver was found at fault.

A factory-made Harley-Davidson, which remains the iconic king of motorcycle sales and mystique in the United States, costs between $9,000 and $25,000. Most metric bikes — those manufactured by foreign companies like Yamaha or Honda — are generally cheaper, but are a fast-growing market.

Shane Crawford, editor of The Ride, a motorcycle magazine based in Springdale, Ark., says those who buy metric bikes are often younger than the Harley crowd, yet want to be different nonetheless.

"They're looking to customize their motorcycle, too," he says. "... A custom bike is a stand-alone, one-of-a-kind, nobody-else-has-it kind of thing."  And when it comes to customizing, the possibilities are limited only by imagination and the money a person has to spend.

Sick Pigs is a federally licensed manufacturer, meaning it can issue vehicle identification numbers on bikes and parts, and is recognized by the government for insurance purposes. Its production bikes cost between $20,000 and $25,000. A truly custom bike built from scratch can cost much more, depending on taste and budget.

Most potential customers start the process by looking at other bikes at shows or riding events, in magazines and on TV. Once they determine what they like, they find a builder. If they're customizing a factory bike, they look for an after-market shop who will do the work.

That's the niche Bill Eft of Chubby Customs serves. A lifelong Harley enthusiast, working with that brand is his specialty. But Eft has built plenty of bikes from scratch, too. He's currently building one for a rider who wants a completely black motorcycle. So Eft has taken apart every single piece he's ordered for the bike and painted them black — right down to the nuts and bolts.

Eft's advice to those interested in custom bikes is to begin by knowing what you want out of the bike. Is it largely for show or is it for street use? Do you want to focus on power or are you riding just for pleasure?

Next, know your budget. In today's market it's easy to spend and spend if you don't set a limit, Eft says.

It also helps to have photos of what you like, even if you're taking inspiration from parts of many different bikes. Some people like to focus on power and smaller cosmetic additions, while others go more for "the pretty end of it," Eft says, and build more outlandish bikes.

"I want to get your style," Eft says of his process. "The sky's the limit any more with what you can do with a motorcycle."

It typically takes two to three months to get a bike built, but it can take longer. Edwards' bike took almost a year to build.

Another aspect to consider: buyers should know it will be more difficult to obtain insurance, especially full coverage, for a completely custom-built bike made by someone who isn't federally licensed, Edwards explains. When you do get insured, expect to pay a bit more. He says he went to several insurance companies before finding one that would work with him.

It's not as easy as buying a basic bike from the factory, but those who ride custom bikes say the extra work is worth it.

"The majority of people riding a motorcycle are seeking that individuality," says Moore, 57, who's been riding and building bikes since he was a teenager.

"It's that time out from their normal lifestyle."

By Michael A. Brothers, News-Leader.com