Thanks to a design collaboration with Adam Canni (Canni Design), here are the Guilty Customs new project renderings.Theses projects are for the promotion of Gatorz Glasses, which by the way makes some cool designer shades. Guilty’s objective on these builds is to bring together two different style bikes (chopper and street bike), yet have bikes that are both road worthy, comfortable and a head-turner. The goal is to roll these bikes out in early January to be present at as many shows possible all along 2008. Guilty Customs is taking suggestions on the name of the bikes. I will keep everyone updated on these projects as they move forward. Guilty Customs.
Business is not easy. Especially when you have big business plans in the State Of New-York where unions are extremely powerful. Hundred of union members riding motorcycles and wearing tee-shirts reading, “Shame on you Orange County Choppers” protested against OCC employing non union employees to build their new headquarters in Newburgh, NY. The contractors involved in the construction deny these charges. The protest was calm throughout the morning and afternoon, but police broke it up to avoid any incidents and also because some OCC fans showed up at the scene and became upset, The protest ended peacefully and there was no injuries and no arrests. Orange County Choppers
Even today, there is a proliferation of limited production custom motorcycles. One brand I didn’t know very well is Ecosse Moto Works. And the story is always almost the same. It was founded in 2001 by Donald Atchison, a former road racer & engineer who wanted to build his idea of the ideal street bike. Donald has a passion for Aston Martins and fighter planes, and it shows in his work. ECOSSE intends to build several different models with the same underlying theme: a synergistic combination of innovation, craftsmanship and technology with a nod to the company’s racing influence. The models share chassis styling, materials and certain elements to instantly alert consumers of the ECOSSE pedigree. Yet each serves a distinctly different purpose and is handcrafted in limited quantities to motivate innovators, collectors and aficionados. You are looking at the model called “Heretic” (which I think is a very good name) with all the attributes, aesthetically and mechanically, of a road racing bike. It features a polished 45-degree, 120 cu. In (1966 cc), square (4.25 bore x 4.25 stroke) American V-Twin engine, equipped with a Mikuni 45 mm flat side carburetor, installed in a chrome-moly frame, 6-speed transmission, wet chain drive, stainless exhaust, a wheelbase of 60.5 with 2 x 17” forged aluminum wheels, Ohlins adjustable front & rear suspension, ISR dual 6-piston brakes. And to increase output and reduce weight all body work is in carbon fiber (headlight, fenders, tank, tail, tach shroud, air filter cover & seat pans). There are many options and it will set you back a minimum of $50,000. Ecosse Moto Works
Harley-Davidson Motor Company was named one of the 2007 Top 100 Companies for Diversity by Black Professionals Magazine. The Company was recognized for its efforts to include diverse people at all levels within the organizational structure to effectively serve its customers. The Top 100 Companies were featured in a special edition of Black Professionals magazine which came out summer 2007. Harley-Davidson is among one of a wide range of industries who represent diversity and inclusion at its best.
I have built a custom swingarm bike (named Stardust) where the rear fender was attached (welded) to the swingarm. Advantage: you can place the fender very close to the tire which always look better (like with a hardtail frame). Of course, the solo seat pan must be off the rear fender with enough clearance for the swingarm/fender to move freely. But Stardust was a solo seat bike. This picture shows the new 2008 Harley Rocker FXCWC being ridden with a passenger. I like the new Harley Rocker, but as a designer, I have difficulties assimilating this passsenger riding position. For me, the new Harley Rocker should be a solo seat bike. Your reaction?
Big Dog Motorcycles has issued a recall of certain 2005 motorcycle models including Bulldog, DT Chopper, Mastiff, N-Chopper, Pitbull, and Ridgeback. Also included in the recall are certain 2006 motorcycle models including Chopper, K-9, Mastiff, Pitbull, and Ridgeback. On certain motorcycles, a warped bus bar within the voltage regulator can cause a short circuit. This could possibly result in a fire. 7611 units are affected. Dealers will replace the voltage regulators. The recall is expected to begin on or about October 1st 2007. Big Dog Motorcycles can be contacted at 316-219-9129.
If you wear a tattoo, you should know its roots, the culture, the history, the development. If you are interested into old school tattoos, tattoo humor and salty tales told by New-York City old-timers you are going to love this book. Go for a walk on the rough side of Brooklyn, Lower East Side and Bowery. Listen to the many funny stories of those who were there and did it first from pre-WW2 up to the 60’s. Great design with a lot of pictures of traditional style flash and tattoos. An history of urban art. New-York City Tattoo
Every top custom builder knows that if he dreams a wild performance custom engine setup the address to make it happen is in Alabama at the headquarters of Accurate Engineering. There they meet (usually in the office/kitchen) with Berry Wardlaw who will demonstrate to you in less time that one needs to finish a lunch, that wild can be outrageous, beautiful can be sexier, and that fast will be the number you give him (just follow his driveline recommendations). On the shelves, no dream engine in a crate waiting to be picked up. But a multitude of custom engine parts, most of them designed by Berry himself (wait to see the new aluminum cylinders for Panheads). So, ask him what you want inside & outside, explain to him how you ride, and Berry & crew will start machining, polishing, powdercoating, mixing parts following secret recipes for performance and reliability that he will never disclose to you or even to me. During these last years Berry’s trademark has been his refined and improved new Panheads, Knuckles & Shovelheads engines. But as told you before, he wrenches in the wild, and if you visit him at the right time, you can get a glance at much more unusual than this. Like a half Pan/half Knuck engine or the new Pan in preparation to be the fastest Panhead ever raced on Bonneville flats. Worth noting, all engines carry a warranty of 1 year or 12,000 miles. Berry is the man behind the custom engine used on my bike “The Bravest”, and in this picture you can see him assembling it front of me non stop during 10 hours and 45 minutes (including start, test on the bench and fine tuning). Accurate Engineering.
In july in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Polaris unveiled to its dealers the 2008 product offerings. The company showcased a full line of American luxury-touring motorcycle with the launch of the Victory Vision line, the all-new, revolutionary entry into the luxury touring motorcycle segment. Victory thinks that there is a demand for a new higher level of cruisers and touring bikes. After six years of development, the Victory Vision line of motorcycles tries to establish a new standard for modern American luxury-touring cruisers. The Vision boasts class-leading comfort and breakthrough styling, its own “Next Generation Freedom” 106/6 engine featuring 106 cubic inches, a 6-speed transmission with overdrive, 92 horsepower and 109 foot-pounds of torque. For this new line, Victory worked intensively on airflow management, new cargo capacity and increase in performance and reliability. The Victory Vision Tour(TM) and Victory Vision Street each share the same chassis and drive train but feature distinct equipment packages. Victory also unveiled the “Ness Signature Series”, with a pair of limited-edition Vegas Jackpot models for 2008. To reinforce the limited-edition nature of these models, each 2008 Ness bike will have a numbered badge on its engine with Arlen or Cory’s signature. Other features include custom paint schemes, tons of newly styled Ness chrome and billet accessories, along with Ness wheels and an extensive list of other Ness-designed details. Victory Motorcycles.
Orange County Choppers: from rags to riches through a TV hit. As Paul Teutul Sr states “we’re in a wave of opportunities". So, OCC takes an aggressive stance and wants to expand as much as possible. Next month they plan to open an 11,500-square-foot retail store in the Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y. This mall store will share its space with a restaurant partner, Rub BBQ, run by Paul Kirk, the self-styled "Kansas City Baron of Barbecue" – which has already made a mark in Manhattan with its West 23rd Street outpost. The Newburgh store will sell the OCC’s mass-produced line of motorcycles which will sell for $30,000 up to $65,000. By next winter they intend to move into a 100,000-square-foot world headquarters in Newburgh, N.Y. These headquarters will include a 32,000-square-foot store where they will sell motorcycles, parts, accessories and a new private line of apparel, including denim and leather jackets and assorted items from more than 70 licensees bearing the company’s logo ranging in price from $10 to $300. Other expansion plans include going global by offering a mass produced line of bikes through motorcycle dealers around the world. .
Why would I dedicate a post about a motorcycle magazine written in French when only 3% of my readers are francophone? (Yeah, I have all the stats and you cannot hide where you live). Not one reason, but many in no particular order. 1- Now they have a true very complete website and you want to spy (at least visually) what these bikers and custom builders are doing on the other side of the big pond. 2- The journalists behind the magazine are some of the most familiar foreign faces you see during the big US events, and you are curious to know what they are able to produce when it seems that they travel to Daytona & Sturgis only to drink beer and chase women…3- You could see your bike being featured in it. 4- You could ask (but no warranty) to have your custom bike or new part featured in it. 5- You can subscribe online and stop to bother me asking all the time how to do it. 6- You can speak to them directly by email and they will answer because, yes they speak English (Think of it. How would they chase American women?). 7- I was about to forget: it’s a very good magazine (layout, pictures & texts) and the proof (legal disclosure) is that I write a monthly rambling page in it. 8- Because I am Franco-American (of course, you didn’t know). For the 3% francophone remaining, the Freeway boys master the art of the play on words and you could seriously enrich your biker vocabulary. Freeway Magazine
Envision Engineering is a full service manufacturing company that specializes in the deep draw forming of sheet metal components. Products engineered and manufactured by Envision can be seen on several of the top OEM American made motorcycles, including after market fenders and covers for Harley Davidson. They also sell retail the shells as shown. Each side is approximately 25" long and has 6" of useable width. The tanks are constructed from 16 gauge steel with easy welding in mind. They are sold by the set, with a left and a right side shell. You can also order tank mounts, tunnels and inlet bungs. Envision Engineering.
I was young with already strong motorcycles and women fantasies. On December 31, 1967 Brigitte Bardot appears on the TV screen riding a chopper and singing (in french) a Harley-Davidson song written by one of my favorite artists named Serge Gainsbourg. I am panting from of the screen and millions with me hear a provocative dressed (for the time) Bardot singing these words (I translate) "vibrations of my machine make me feel desires between my…:". Well, I just re-discovered the video of this crucial time of my life, and it makes me feel….young again. A true "retro sexo video". Enjoy! . .
Marc Mazerolle is a teacher from New Brunswick Canada who created an after school program that has “at risk” and “introvert” kids build custom motorcycles. The program is in its 3rd year and has already helped many children and produced quite a few cool bikes. Designing, fabricating, assembling, team working and producing something unique with their imagination and their hands is an amazing way to boost self-esteem, prepare these kids for professional life, and will produce new members of our industry. In addition, Marc Mazerolle takes his students to many shows where they can meet with their preferred builders and also make them compete against other high school kids. But of course, as in any after market school, money is always tight. These kids are our future and deserve to be helped. So, this post is about asking you, vendors, motorcycle shops, individuals, to give something to these kids. Come on! Do it now. We all have a new or used part we will never use. Right? You can contact Marc at marc.mazerolle@nbed.nb.ca. The school program website is www.bmhsbikeclub.zoomshare.com. . .
Recently at the Portland International Raceway Scotty Pollacheck crosses the quarter-mile marker doing 156 mph. He has traveled 1,320 feet in 8.22 seconds, faster than any gas-powered cars, trucks or motorcycles that have raced in the drag sprints on this same raceway. Extremely impressive given that the motorcycle he is riding is powered entirely by lithium-ion batteries. His bike runs on 990 lithium-ion battery cells that feed two direct current motors, generating 350 horsepower. The bike accelerates from zero to 60 mph in just under a second, faster than many professional gas powered drag motorcycles. There is a growing movement that’s exploiting breakthroughs in batteries and could soon challenge the world’s fastest-accelerating vehicles in the $1 billion drag-racing industry. Electric gives instant torque, whereas gasoline you have to build it up. A lot of torque with no vroom. It is commonly believed that electric motorcycles will challenge the top records within five years.
Three weeks ago I was in a show in Ontario where I met with Michael Long and Ben Marleau, the Quebec team from the shop Zeel Design that I introduced to you in this Blog a few weeks ago. They were showing 3 bikes including this ultra radical custom named "General Lee". Of course, this muscle bike is a crowd pleaser wherever it goes, but more interesting for me is that it is not a Trailer Queen. It has already been ridden 1500 miles when I saw it. Not alot, but since the bike was still immaculate when I saw it, it means that "General Lee" functions the way it was supposed to. Like all Zeel Design bikes, it is not the kind of custom that you can improvise on a lift. Michael & Ben don’t start anything without stacks of CAD renderings. The tech sheet is long and I send you to their site for details. But you must know that all body is in carbon fiber, that the rear wheel is a juicy 360 mm, that the swingarm is single sided with internal chain drive, that the bike goes up and down via a front & rear air system from Legend. It’s really a unique piece and it can be yours if you make the right offer to the boys at Zeel Design.
Observing that all motorcycles in the Harley-Davidson showroom carry the same tag with “Sold under MSRP”. What is going on? Dealer answers “cannot move them and the new 2008 models are on their way”. Why? “During the last years a lot of Harleys bought with ELOC (Equity Line Of Credit) on appreciated/inflated real estate, or with cheap loans up to 5 years. These days are over. Real estate is down. Loan rates are up. Owners keep their bikes longer and many owners who can no more make payments have their bikes repossessed". What are you going to do? “If I can’t move them I will cut my 2008 models order”. Harley-Davidson stock (HOG) 52-Week high was $75.87. It closed yesterday August 14, 07 at $54.81, a pull back of 27.76%.
$14,000 were raised August 7th during the second Annual Sturgis Breakfast held at the Broken Spoke Saloon on Lazelle Street. This event was to benefit the "Make A Wish Foundation Of South Dakota" Jay Allen (Broken Spoke) and Dave Nichols (Easyriders) l emceed the event and led the live auction. For $25 Breakfast ticket holders were served breakfast and were registered to win one of over 50 gift bags filled with Builders shop merchandise, bid on once in a lifetime signed materials, meet and have their photo taken with the Builders present.They were Kim Suter,Roland Sands, Russell Mitchell, Michael Prugh, Donnie Smith, Dave Perewitz, Rick Fairless, Jim Nasi, Billy Lane, Brian Klock, Scott Webster, Paul Cox & Keino, Paul Yaffe, Eddie Trotta, Aaron Greene, Russell Marlowe, Chica, Jerry Covington, Matt Hotch, Chicara
I am writing a Blog, not an online magazine and sometimes I regret that my posts have to be so short. Frustration of not being able to describe in details a cool custom motorcycle, to feature all technical info about a new part or to present at length an individual whose contribution to the industry would deserve a full book. I am talking about Biker Rogue (Real name John Herlihy). May I say that if you didn’t recognize him in major or local biker events, met him or talked to him you are not a real biker? Rogue’s fight to repeal the helmet law in Connecticut and his fight for all and any biker rights are legendary in the industry. How many of you realize that the ride you enjoy today would never be possible without a few guys like Rogue. Where would we be today if it weren’t for people like him. Walk straight, don’t bad mouth, respect others, stand up and fight for your rights and never deviate from these rules landed him in 2005 in The Sturgis Hall Of Fame. But this gray bearded biker is also a superb mechanic (each year rebuilding and assembling a few bikes for a select clientele), a sought after new part R&D researcher and developer for many companies in the American V-Twin industry, a meticulous new parts tester and a famous photo journalist whose work is continuously published in all national magazines since the late 60’s. For some good technical information and latest legal news, visit his website at Biker Rogue. For bike assembly, parts testing or photo-journalism assignments contact Rogue on my behalf at rogue@bikerrogue.com
I knew about the work of Fitto (real name Martin Bouchard) long before I started, 15 years ago, to build my 1st bike as a professional builder . At that time, I saw first his psychedelic creations on fellow builder Mitch Bergeron bikes and then on many more other radical custom bikes from top builders. And each time, my reaction was wow, wow, wow! Each painter has a different style, and the one of Fitto is absolutely unique. But more than this, armed only with an airbrush, his execution of themes is the most realistic any human being can produce . And I really think that nobody will ever surpass him. Even my expensive high resolution digital camera cannot catch all details you can see on his paintings. Anti-conformiste, anti commercial and proud to be, enemy of computer design (because he was born with one in his brain), Fitto is the king of psycho paint. Don’t ask him about his fantasies, dreams or nightmares. Just look at his artwork. Fitto and me we had many missed opportunities to work together because he used to hate to leave his studio in Quebec and my shop is in South Florida. So, you had to ship your bike parts and my hectic life didn’t always give me such shipping time. But the good news is that while I was in Canada 2 weeks ago, he told me that he will now accept to travel to his clients, but only if your project is as unconventional, radical and excellent as is his airbrush work. For a free trip to his world, go to: Fitto Airbrush. Warning: you could get high.. .
S&S Cycle, Inc. announces the completion of a motorcycle project for Jay Leno. The project was initiated by the strategic relationship that S&S has with Exxon-Mobil. Both agreed that a “high profile” project like this would benefit the S&S/Mobil 1 National Lubricant Program, as well as highlight the third generation “performance-cruiser” chassis/power train kit that S&S has been developing for quite some time now. The power train kit features the new 49 state approved X-Wedge™ engine. Jay will take delivery of his new motorcycle sometime in September. This particular motorcycle features high end components and controls. The special edition paint (thanks to Dougz) features Mobil 1 and highlights the S&S 50th Anniversary with a celebration taking place in La Crosse, Wisconsin with dates set for June 27th, 28th, and 29th of 2008. The motorcycle weighs less than 550 pounds, has a wheelbase around 60 inches, a rake of 28 degrees and trail of 5.2 inches. The chassis is TIG welded, 1020 DOM steel tubular frame with a modular rear sub frame. The bike is rolling on 17” Michelin Pilot tires.
I blog for you and you read my posts, comment a lot, visit the websites of the builders, manufacturers and sponsors mentioned in it. Trust me, blogging is hard daily work but nothing can make me happier than to see its success. 10 months after its launch in October 2006 Cyril Huze Blog is already the most popular and credible true Custom Motorcycles Blog in the world (data provided by Google Analytics, the most reliable independent source for measuring the number of real visitors, not junk hyper-inflated data provided by free programs like "Webtrends" or "Webalizer"). It is read worldwide by the full spectrum of the industry, motorcycle enthusiasts, manufacturers and journalists. Each week with the help of my webmaster and equipped with sophisticated software programs we analyze and study traffic, its geographic origin, volume of real visitors, number of pages visited, topics getting your interest, the time you spend on each post, the volume of comments, the way you navigate from posts to ads to websites, and much more. What we found out is that we can still improve your reading experience by modifying the original design. After many graphical tests, it’s what we did Saturday morning in uploading a new layout, the one you have now front of your eyes. I needed to mention all this because many of you already noticed and wrote to me to ask the reason of these changes. Let me know what you think of this new design. Thanks again for reading me every day.
I am not in over aggressive designs but I know that a lot of you are. To complete the list of your parts to kill for, a company called Cheasapeake Performance which also manufacture boat & car parts, offers these tribal designs respectively called Torment (left) and Wrath (right). They have many more models (like for tattoos there is no limit for tribal designs) and they are all CNC cut from billet aircraft quality aluminum. A choice of polished, brushed, chromed or anodized are offered and they will work with Harley-Davidson, Performance Machine, Joker & Victory controls. CPI Metals
Looking for an employee, seeking for a job, looking for a school or training program to give you the tools you need to succeed in the motorcycle industry? A website called Cycle Careers promises to help you. Employers can list their offers and job seekers can post their resume for free. You can make searches by titles, zip code and state and even salaries. The site is simple, easy to navigate and read. You can bookmark this one even if for now you are not hiring or looking for a new job. Cycle Careers. By the way, don’t you like this picture?
I see this just released wheel looking good on a cruiser or sport bike, of course not on a chopper or bobber. New from RC Components is this new Calypso 9-spoke directional wheel. Design features smooth beveled spokes, and graceful flowing lines The Calypso is available polished, chromed, or black powder coated, and features matching belt pulleys, brake rotors, pulley rotors and sprockets. For more information, visit RC Components
Motorcycling is about real life. So Harley-Davidson uses only real folks for its advertising campaigns. A casting crew from the factory is all over the country to select new faces for their motor-clothing catalog and print ads. Right now, they are at Sturgis Bike Week at the parking lot of the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City (from 10 AM to 5 PM till’ Friday) They are looking for everybody, short, tall, big, thin, old, young and everything in between. Even dogs…You show up and you give your contact information, clothing size, a little information about yourself and get your photograph taken. If selected the company pays for expenses, including travel, and will work with you around your schedule. Next professional photo shoot is in October.
Business is not easy. Especially when you have big business plans in the State Of New-York where unions are extremely powerful. Hundred of union members riding motorcycles and wearing tee-shirts reading, “Shame on you 
Big Dog Motorcycles 
Trailer Queen. It has already been ridden 1500 miles when I saw it. Not alot, but since the bike was still immaculate when I saw it, it means that "General Lee" functions the way it was supposed to. Like all 
Observing that all motorcycles in the 
