| So you want to be a custom bike builder?
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| | totally believe this from the designs
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| Well friend, before you rush out and buy
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| | they produce!) They are constantly
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| that motorcycle kit, the one that will
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| | striving to build bikes better. Its not
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| set you on the road to riches and fame,
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| | about money for the top guys, I am
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| stop and think about the level of
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| | convinced of that.
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| expertise and artistry the top builders
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| | So where does that leave Average Joes
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| have attained. More importantly think
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| | like you and me? Actually, I don't think
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| about how long it has taken them to
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| | we are too badly off; in fact if you want
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| attain it! Let's look at a few key
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| | to build a custom bike, it has probably
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| issues...
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| | never been easier. Here's my take on
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| Education
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| | it....
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| You'd be surprised how well educated a
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| | Education
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| lot of today's top bike builders are.
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| | There is an unbelievable amount of
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| Several of them have degrees (some more
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| | information for the guys who want to
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| than one!) ranging from mechanical
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| | start down the road to custom bike
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| engineering to business and marketing
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| | building. Videos, books websites, all of
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| management. Billy Lane, the founder of
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| | them help to flatten the learning curve
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| Chopper Inc, has several patents relating
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| | for a novice. Most of the material out
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| to motorcycle technology in his name for
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| | there relates to motorcycle kits, and for
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| example. What about someone a little more
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| | the beginner, building a motorcycle kit
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| "old school" like Dave Perewitz? Dave has
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| | is definitely the best way to go if you
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| accumulated close to forty years of
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| | want to get real hands on experience.
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| mechanical, metalworking and painting
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| | After that there are motorcycle
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| experience. Not theoretical, but genuine
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| | maintenance courses, which again will
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| hands on, early morning late night kind
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| | allow you to get up to speed as fast as
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| of experience. Could you put that kind of
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| | possible in your quest to become the next
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| time in? Matt Hotch is still only young,
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| | Arlen Ness!
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| but has gained an incredible amount of
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| | Facilities
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| practical experience customizing first
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| | To put together a shop like the ones you
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| bicycles, then VW's before moving on to
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| | see on television costs thousands of
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| custom bike building.
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| | dollars. But you don't need all that
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| Facilities
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| | stuff if you start with a motorcycle kit.
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| These guys are building choppers and
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| | Motorcycle kits can be put together with
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| custom bikes that are state of the art.
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| | some pretty basic tools, providing they
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| They don't get thrown together in the
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| | are of good quality. Two things that are
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| yard; the motorcycle shops have all the
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| | an absolute must in my opinion though are
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| tools and equipment required to produce
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| | a torque wrench and a basic lift. With
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| almost anything out of metal, not just
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| | these two tools, you can tighten the
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| bikes. Just as important are the other
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| | motorcycle kits fittings correctly, and
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| services these builders use; the local
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| | not break your back while you are doing
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| chrome platers, machinists, painters and
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| | it!
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| so on. These guys have just as important
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| | Desire
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| a part to play in the construction of
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| | Well this is one area where you can match
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| these one off bikes as the designer
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| | the pros, no question. If you really want
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| builders themselves.
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| | to be a custom bike builder, start doing
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| Desire
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| | it for fun and put your motorcycle kit
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| All the top custom bike builders live for
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| | together.
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| one thing; building the best bikes they
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| | We can't all be Billy Lane, Eddie Trotta
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| can. They literally live eat even dream
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| | or Russell Mitchell, but we can have a
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| about custom bikes (and looking at some
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| | lot of fun trying!
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| of the more way out creations you can
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