The ladies you always see near Jim’s Giuffra’s AFT custom bikes are not only doing a modeling job. They are wrenching his bikes under his supervision. Yes, they are forming sheet metal, welding, assembling and in the case of this custom Honda VT 750 BR named “Halia”, one of them even of this ladies went to Bonneville to race it. Jim is probably the most well known Metric custom builder among his fellow American V-Twin fellow builders. Not only because of his feminine entourage but because of his original work on metric machines that very few of us know very well.
On this project, the Honda Street Tracker frame was heavily modified , fenders & side covers were hand formed out of aluminum, a one-off gas tank was fabricated out of sheets of steel and the hideous metric bike radiator was hidden. “Halia”(name of a Greek nymph) rolls on spoke wheels (19′ front, 18” rear) dressed in Avon ( 20/70 x 19 front, 180/55 x 18 rear), slowed by a 6-piston Beringer caliper in front and the Honda drum brake in rear. Internals of the Honda VT 750 BR engine were untouched, but the motor went through a beauty treatment with powder coated rocker boxes. Fellow builder and painter Kirk Taylor spayed the bike and created the artwork. AFT Customs. (photography copyright Onno Wieringa for AMD Championship Of Bike Building)
Jim and his team do really good work looking good. Love the business model too. Bikes are clearly unique in the market.
Jim and his AFT team do really good work looking good. Love the business model too. Bikes are clearly unique in the market.
The bike is awesome but i can’t say much for the ladies wearing there undergarmets for the picture.Where’s their dignity and class.Bathing suits would have been better.This is just my opinion.I saw these 2 ladies at the AMD show in Sturgis doing the same thing.I’m sure all the guys out there like it and really don’t care one way or another.But as a women with dignity,respect and alot of class and grace is it really OK.
You know bikerbabe, ever think maybe these women do not see it the way you do? For some reason, in america, it is ok to be a prude but not to pose in your underwear? What makes this any different from underwear models in clothing catalogs? After all, they are doing the same thing, using their body to promote something.
In europe, this would be a complete non-issue.
How come Jim is not in his underwear…???
Yeah, thats why in the early days of their carreers, Ness, Vetter, Corbin, Perewitz , et al traveled the country in thongs so they’d be taken seriously 😉 I think bikerbabe makes a valid point.
Welding in those outfits can cause many ouches just like frying bacon naked. lol Hope those heels have steel toes. You go girls.
OK, allow me to be the voice of moderation here ….. I say the ladies should just remove the “under garments” all together …. the “under garments” would then become a non-issue and all parties would then be happy! Damn, sometimes I even amaze myself with my peacemaking abilities!
Over & Out,
Jeff
I give Jim credit…always beautiful bikes, always beautiful women. If you’re more worried about what the ladies are wearing than the final product that was built, you don’t belong on this page.
Likewise, Jim’s girls are a class act, abide by strict rules of conduct in representing the company and are always very personable.
Me? I could never hire these ladies…I’d never get any work done other than “supervising” from my desk…
Like i said guys this is just my opinion.Most guys don’t care what a girl is wearing if nothing at all .And no i’m not being a prude.Woody makes a good point to.Thank you for that Woody.I knew i would get responses like this when i wrote my comment.Everyone has there own opinion and comments to be made.With that being said i still stand by what i said.Everyone have a great day.
Hey guys – I’ll clear up a few things. The AFT Girls are the official modeling agency for AMD. Frank & Onno shot 50 bikes in 3 days with the girls. Euro mags want models in that attire. Their tv commercials are very risque as an example. My appologies to Cyril for not getting him the bike info – we were waiting for the Bonneville photography. He probably didn’t get the pics from Onno with them in their AFT clothing. I had never seen that pic. It’s like a chineese fire drill for the photoshoots. Our bike was shot more than once for numerous reasons. Try to be undrestanding with the girls – they are very classy & have good morals.
The engine has our top end kit – pistons, cams,ported & polished heads. Has a Barnett clutch too.The girls took a sheet metal forming class from Cole Foster & Greg Westbury last winter & applied those skills to the bike. The front fender is an exact replica of an Acerbis Super Moto fender but made out of aluminum. The tank was desined for the rider to sit low for a lower profile on the salt. Holds 2 gal even though it has to carbs side by side under it. It’s quite narrow. We rode the bike part of the way to Bonneville & part of the way home. It’s street legal. It can also have a passenger. Very versatle bike. Shelby (tall blonde) was fastest at 104.75. Bike hit rev limiter in 5th. We now have new gearing & a Dynatek ign which should get us to 120. Next year the bike goes to Bonneville & the Mojave Mile!
Like i said this is just my opinion.Don’t want to cause any problems.I know you have to do what certain people want in any photo shot.And yes Euro mags are different.With that being said lets leave it alone from here.It’s an awesome bike so lets focus on that.
Ask French born Cyril. In his native country bare breast ladies at the beach don’t even get extra glances. Except…if they are very fat & ugly.
LOL …”feminine entourage”…. I think Jim should be in his underwear just to be fair…, but I think the bike is the star here, not the girls…..
Jim Giuffra and his all-girl work crew of spokesmodels at AFT Metric Customs have consistantly turned out beautiful Show winning bikes over the years, including having won Best of Show or taken Class Wins the last 6 years at the LA Calendar Show. Congratulations.
But even more importantly, they do more more than anyone I know in the industry to promote the custom bike building sport, the manufacturers, event promoters, while also meeting and interfacing enthusiasticly with the fans, spectators and media at all the events they attend. Jim incurs a huge expense in building bikes, traveling to Shows and Events with his spokesmodels. They work on the bikes unpaid, and often go to events just for the excitement to build a great bike and share it with everyone. They are not part of a successful parts and accessories company to cover their costs. AFT is essentially a one-man motorcycle repair shop. The girls all work other full-time jobs during the week to support themselves, and works on the bikes and travel to events on their days off. But its about their passion for the sport and sharing it, and their friendship with everyone they meet, that makes them so special.
Perhaps the girl’s uniforms could be restyled a bit to attract a more corporate image that bigger companies like to project – something along the lines of the vey sexy Monster Beverage Girls (which are very expensive hand-made uniforms) or better yet, All Girls Garage on TV (more affordable jeans and a logo embroidered work or T-shirt).
But more importantly, I’d really like to see more metric and custom motorcycle manufacturers / distributors and product companies step up and commission more AFT bike projects and help them with some financial sponsorship support. And more companies should utilize their spokesmodels who really are motorsports and mechanical savy. Jim and his girls are the best.
Our sport needs them, and more like them. Thanks AFT!
Thanks Jim .We have really cool outfits for them like what they wear at Moto GP events. The purple out fit Angela has on is what Halia has painted on the tank. Our web site will be updated soon with all that stuff. They do get paid when they work on the bike & a day rate when we travel. But it’s not much. They do it because they love it. They make money at events by selling their posters. They love meeting all the people in the industry & talking bikes. I make sure they stay in the best hotels & eat in nice retaurants. AND anyone that thinks models don’t eat is crazy. Those girls eat like bodybuilders! No joke!
One more thing about the attire. They are models & wearing what thre clients aked for. They’re proud of their bobys & work hard at that. You can go to your local public pool & see scimpier suits. AFT Girls may wear langeret for some shoots but you’ll never see an AFT Girl pose inappropriatly.
I have to say in all the years they have been doing this & literally hundreds of thousands of people they have come in contact with – everyone has been very respectful. Thank you all for that. We appreciate it.
Glad you all like the bike too!
Bikerbabe – no offence taken.
Poors Jim’s wallet.. Eat like body builders?, Id say it’s more like horses lol. Halia was a great bike to build & work on, and I’m happy with all the positive comments it’s been getting. Can’t wait to bring our next story/idea to life!
Great article Cyril Huze! Thanks for the recognition. We put our heart, soul and hard work into our motorcycles.
One more thing.I never said anything about the girls themselves or the job they do and how hard they work.I just didn’t care for the under garments ,thats all.Felt like they could have worn something alot better.This is my opinion and i made a comment about it.This is what the comment section is for here.All the other comments are great.No offense is taken on my part.Just didn’t think you had to write all that you did about the girls and all they do and how hard they work.They are doing an awesome job and thats all good.So good luck with your next project.
Bikerbabe – There are a lot of misconceptions out there & the comments were to educate all the readers – not pick on you. We understand that not everyone is comfortable with some of the attire. Those outfits are a lot classier than a lot of what I see walking around Sturgis- ha ha Next time you see us at an event stop & say hi.
Am I the only cynic here thats thinking maybe this whole ” the models build the bike as well ” thing might just be an utter fabrication as well as a publicity stunt on the part of Mr Giuffra ?
Like I just implied . Call me a cynic … but I’m just not buying it .
I’m not saying there’s no ladies out there completely capable of building some mighty fine customs mind you …… I know for a fact there are ! I’m simply implying I don’t think These ladies can … or do !
Now maybe I’m wrong about this . Having said that though ….. to quote Randy Newman ” But I Don’t Think So ”
>> Bikerbabe – Ten points for what you’ve been saying here . And another Ten Points for having the guts to do so on an otherwise pretty much male dominated site . As a guy myself I’m 100% in support of the points you’re trying to convey .
What’s up with that silly fuel tank? Isn’t this bike supposed to be competition “inspired”? Why have that hook like affair aimed at your crotch? Emergency braking NOT.
Guitar Slinger – or bullshit slinger? You’ve clearly been under a rock. These girls have the respect of the custom bike builders because they know they’re the real deal.They are apprentices. not journeyman bike builders. Read all the posts – they took a metal forming class from Cole Foster & Greg Westbury who happen to be two of the most respected builders in this industry. They’ve taken classes from other top guys like Kirk Taylor & will be taking a machine shop class from Alan Kraus. 2 of the girls got their TIG welding certification. This is their hobby & AFT is like a school for them .They do this with my help.They can all lace a wheel & do a valve job. Watch all the videos on our web site.Look at all the pictures.Watch You Tube. You clearly have never talked to them. Do you really think that the our peers are that stupid & could be fooled like that? You sound like a guy that is intimidated by smart women because you made it clear that pretty girls aren’t smart enough to do this kind of work.Do your research before you shoot your mouth off on a public forum. Makes you look like an ass. Let’s see something you built big talker.
Biker babe – see why we have to explain things in detail?
Septic – The tank shape was explained earlier. You’ve obviously never been to Bonneville because all those people loved it. The tank v’s in to fit the rider with penty of room. We needed as much fuel capacity as possible for street use. Several people have rode it with no complaints & it looks cool weather you think so or not. If you hit something hard enough to hit the tank you’ve got bigger problems. Hard braking ? You must have arms like a 5 year old girl.
Getting bloody boring… let’s move on fellas…
Bless Jim & the AFT ladies
Class Act, all the way…..
Nuff Said !!!!!!
Cyril has a lot of credibility in the industry. If the AFT girls would only be a marketing gimmick, he would know and would not publish about them.
Front fender doesn’t look the part for a racer. Nice bike . ..Z
What’s the matter, AFT? Unable to rebutt criticism without resorting to personal attacks? I’ll see you after school.
I was the studio photographer at the AMD show in Sturgis the last couple of years, and shot the AFT Customs bike, and I think it’s a great bike, built street legal and to be used as a racer too, which is a tough thing to accomplish. Jim’s a great guy and the models are the best ones to work with! No attitude but just fun to be around, professional when needed and always in for a joke and a laugh. Besides that they understand the industry and love to work on their own bikes, and do it the right way. A big thanks to them and Jim for working with me and I highly recommend them for photo shoots.
Oh yeay, why Jim’s not in his underwear? Simply because I didn’t let him, both my camera and me can’t stand the sight of Jim posing like that… I must admit, I like the way the girls look much better!
Mmmmmm, Shelby!!
so is the previously ‘ugly radiator’ under the tank? Or… where is it?
Admire the bikes and the babes.
That is what this industry is all about, nonconforming.
Git Real
Blah blah blah. It’s simple if you can’t do better just shut the fuck up and enjoy the motorcycles.
To quote an above post. You don’t see ness, perewitz or the other greats talking shit on this site about other builders like school kids. Keep it up AFT and all the other builders haveing enough balls to show there work to all the shit talkers.
congrats to jim ,Shelby and the rest of the team. I, like most thought the whole thing was a gimmick then I talked to shelby at the 2011 Amd Show and was impressed with her knowledge. While jim is the master mind behind it all, and perhaps the girls mentor. These women really have a big hand in putting together amd championship motorcycles. Sorry if some dont like the women dressed this way why is it everyone wants to be a biker but everytime we act like bikers the same people get offended
I couldn’t be more thankful for Jims vision of building once again another piece of art. All the aft ladies and Jim did it again!!! Us ladies are so proud to be apart of this family and we have all put in a lot of hard work and hours. Thanks everyone who made positive comments. We appreciate your support !!
hmmmm, just saw this. Yes, I was at the AMD show, in fact this bike beat me out at the show. I loved the bike, but, I also was able to hang out with Jim and the girls. I was very impressed with their work ethics and how disciplained they were. We actually went out the night after the awards and the whole crew acted very professional and had a great time.
One only has to look at the grils to know why there are a high # of responses . Honda never looked so good , I love the sight glass .The fact the grils work on the bike just makes them that much hotter . Keep up the work . Mac out
“The fact the grils work on the bike just makes them that much hotter”…
ha! Like a panting, slobbering virgin teenager…
“yeah-yeah, that 750 honda looks great” (stares at cleavage), “yeah-yeah, that tank looks awesome” (slobber now dangling from mouth, stares at cleavage more), “yeah-yeah, that fender looks badass!”
what the fuck are you looking at !?
Let’s just admit it, if Mr. Giuffra was standing there flanked by 3 fat guys in bib overalls there would be upwards of 50 comments making fun of the bike 😉
Great job!
Jim the girls and the bikes are killer.
Thanks for the great article…..Jim is an amazing Mentor and if anything family to us girls. This bike was a fun build, and I was able to learn even more about vision, and racing. When Jim took me to Bonneville for my 2nd time to race I wasn’t sure how we would perform. While making my run on the salt with the throttle wide open, and my wrist as far as it could twist the bike began bouncing off the Rev limiter. All I wanted was more because I knew in my hart the bike and myself had so much more to give. So, now we’ll take her back to the shop and work on it some more, take it to the next race and try it again and again till we get everything out of it we can. All I can say about those who don’t believe in what we do I invite you to come out and see us, and talk to us your self…..you never know, you might change your mind and see what everyone else can see, women who build and race bikes! xoxo
Jim, the Bike is a great looking machine the Women are all 9’s. Your Idea about teaching them as Mechanics in those Garmets are a graet, great Idea. Your School will be filled.
Thank you everyone for all of the amazing feedback!! This is an art form that has turned into a passion for me. I look forward to many more builds with AFT Customs and many more events where I can meet our fans and share what we do.
To all our haters out there, I’m sorry your closed minds can’t comprehend the fact that beautiful women build beautiful bikes. We’ve all shed blood, sweat, and tears to bring you this amazing piece of machinery and it’s sad that people have to degrade us saying that we don’t do the work. It would be guaranteed that if all men built this bike there would be nothing but congratulations for comments. I drive an hour and a half every weekend to weld, shape metal, assemble engines, do valve jobs, lace and true wheels so you all saying that it’s improbable is very rude and hurtful. As an added note, I spend two hours a day in the gym and consistently eat healthy to maintain a great physique to model all of these bikes. Just because a woman is beautiful doesn’t mean that she’s not intelligent or talented so jumping to conclusions only means that your either jealous or are too cold-hearted to recognize talent when you see it. I encourage EVERYONE to come and say hi to us at our booths. We welcome everyone with open arms and talk all day about the bike and we would love to see your bikes as well!! We’re here to build bikes, win championships, and have fun PLAIN AND SIMPLE 🙂
To see all of these women, including me, in action check out AFT Customs Fan Page on FaceBook.
To AFT Angela,just to clear up a few things.I’m not a hater or closed minded.Also i am not jealous or cold-hearted.I never said anything bad about you to women in general.I only commented about what you were wearing.Honestly when i first saw the picture you 2 looked like you forgot to get dressed.The other model had on a bathing suit and Jim was dressed.I just thought i could have been a better pic .Thats all, nothing more.PLAIN AND SIMPLE Angela that fact that you felt you had to explain and defend yourself above is sad to me..So with that being said this is only my opinion and everyone can make a comment on here and i did.If you can’t take the good comments with the bad then i feel sad for you.Not everyone is going to like what you do. Over and out.
Jim,
you and the cool AFT girls have nothing to defend or explain ! you all are doing what you want in a free country ! Its all the people that do the least that talk the most. You do a great job building the bikes and girls are do both building and looking cool so keep it up. I look forward to getting my next bike done and coming to seeing you at the shows. Been racing the boats so much that I just have not got to it yet. Good luck to you and the girls……………Mike