Excluding Jesse James, how are
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
Most of the ones that were established for years like Arlen Ness, Perowitz (sp) and others are still going.
By the way the financial deal with OCC is to force GE Financial to forgive some of the loan to equal the current property value just like home owners are doing. OCC and Sr. have what the newspaper stated as "substantial" assets.
By the way the financial deal with OCC is to force GE Financial to forgive some of the loan to equal the current property value just like home owners are doing. OCC and Sr. have what the newspaper stated as "substantial" assets.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina, US
The best builder I see that make the best looking, high quality and for the best prices would probably be Big Bear Choppers. I can't say who is the better bike builder but Big Bear gives you a what used to be a $50,000 bike a few years ago for half the price. He also built the company on his own to a multi-million dollar business in 5-10 years. They basically grew at the same rate as OCC but without a TV show.
I'll also say that I think people found out that you can make more money selling less expensive bikes (while still keeping the quality high) than trying to sell more expensive $40,000+ bikes. You can sell more $25,000 bikes than you can $50,000 bikes. Plus it gives blue collar people the ability to get a bike from a bike shop and know you don't have to make 6 figures in order to get a bad *** non-original bike.
I'll also say that I think people found out that you can make more money selling less expensive bikes (while still keeping the quality high) than trying to sell more expensive $40,000+ bikes. You can sell more $25,000 bikes than you can $50,000 bikes. Plus it gives blue collar people the ability to get a bike from a bike shop and know you don't have to make 6 figures in order to get a bad *** non-original bike.
Last edited by SouthernGuy8503; Feb 5, 2011 at 02:40 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 781
Likes: 1
From: central, ohio
Big Dog dealer around here went belly up. No surprise, imo not very well built. I know of a local builder, pretty small, but they are surviving. It must be tuff, I am thankful everyday that I have my toys still. It blows me away what OCC charges for those choppers@!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 11
From: Kentucky
My local HD dealer has an OCC chopper in the show room. It has throttle cables and brake line hanging loose like somebody put the wrong ones on and couldn't find a clamp to clamp them to the frame and it's "ghost flame" paint job is the result of some amateur outlining flames, very roughly (not smooth curves) with 1/4" tape and then tracing over it with an airbrush, for a 30 minute custom graphic paint job. It's an obvious POS, as far as looks.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 6
From: Portland, Oregon
I think many of them fabricate parts as well. I think Jesse James made Frames, tanks and fenders as a big percent of his business.
Martin Bros http://www.martinbrosbikes.com/ made pipes.
A lot are possibly turning to make mods to HD, more practical bikes for riding? just a guess.
Martin Bros http://www.martinbrosbikes.com/ made pipes.
A lot are possibly turning to make mods to HD, more practical bikes for riding? just a guess.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 6
From: Portland, Oregon
according to this West Coast Choppers is closing?
http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2010/10...oast-choppers/
http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2010/10...oast-choppers/
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,598
Likes: 14
From: navarre ohio
i dont know if the demand was ever big enough for all the custom builders..i think dealers and indys are doing all they can to break even lately..i have always dreamt of opening a small bike shop(order parts,put them on),i have the place to do it in my back yard,but now is a bad time..someday..
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 2
From: South County, CA.
Not a lot of people with disposable income anymore either. There was a guy around here that would boast to anybody who would listen about how much he paid for his Rucker Performance Predator, Then I saw he had it on ebay with no minimum bid; it sold for under $25k.
But a lot of the builders make parts as well, that's the core of their business nowadays.
But a lot of the builders make parts as well, that's the core of their business nowadays.
Choppers ran there course IMO. At least the fat tire new style ones. Some bikers had them, then the yuppie wanna-be bikers thought if they bought one they'd all the sudden be cool, but they don't ride 'em anyway.So now the market is flooded with the wanna be's selling their bikes with no miles on them for what they have in them. I am looking at building an FXR with a S&S 124 in it, I can get the 124 from S&S for about 7 grand, found a chopper here with the S&S 124 in it, 4 years old with 1400 miles in it for 8 grand, seams like a better deal to grab it, take the drive train out and part the rest. No brainer.