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Car Maintenance TipsSo you want to be a custom bike builder? Start with a motorcycle kit!
by:
Michael Holmes
The step from reading simply about building motorcycle kits and look bike builds on television to the real thing is a little much difficult than it looks…
So you want to be a custom bike builder? Well friend, before you rush out and buy that motorcycle kit, the one that wish set you on the road to material resource
and fame, finish and think simply about the level of skillfulness
and prowess the top builders have attained. Much significantly
think simply about how long it has taken them to attain it! Let’s look at a few key issues…
Education
You’d be astonied how well educated a lot of today’s top bike builders are. Some of them have degrees (some much than one!) go from mechanical engineering to business and marketing management. Billy Lane, the founder of Chopper Inc, has several patents relating to motorcycle technology in his name for example. What simply about being a little much “old school” like Dave Perewitz? Dave has accumulated close to forty years of mechanical, formation and painting experience. Not theoretical, but genuine hands on, early morning late night kind of experience. Could you put that kind of time in? Matt Hotch is still only young, but has gained an dumbfounding figure of practical experience customizing 1st bicycles, then VW’s before moving on to custom bike building.
Facilities
These guys are building choppers and custom bikes that are state of the art. They don’t get thrown together in the yard; the motorcycle shops have all the tools and instrumentation
required to produce all but thing
out of metal, not simply bikes. Simply as important are the different services these builders use; the local chrome platers, machinists, painters and so on. These guys have simply as important a part to play in the construction of these one off bikes as the designer builders themselves.
Desire
All the top custom bike builders live for one thing; building the better bikes they can. They virtually
live eat even as dream simply about custom bikes (and looking at several of the much way out creations you can all believe this from the designs they produce!) They are perpetually
attempt to build bikes better. Its not simply about money for the top guys, I am certain of that.
So wherever
makes that leave Average Joes like you and me? Actually, I don’t think we are too badly off; in fact if you want to build a custom bike, it has probably ne'er
been easier. Here’s my take on it….
Education
There is an unbelievable figure of information for the guys who want to start down the road to custom bike building. Videos, books websites, all of them help to flatten the learning curve for a novice. Most of the material out there relates to motorcycle kits, and for the beginner, building a motorcycle kit is by all odds the better way to go if you want to get real hands on experience. After that there are motorcycle maintenance courses, which once much wish allow you to get up to speed as fast as possible in your quest to become the next Arlen Ness!
Facilities
To put together a shop like the ones you see on television price thousands of dollars. But you don’t need all that stuff if you start with a motorcycle kit. Motorcycle kits can be put together with several pretty basic tools, providing they are of nice quality. Two things that are an absolute must in my opinion tho'
are a force
wrench and a basic lift. With these two tools, you can tighten the motorcycle kits fittings correctly, and not break your back patch you are doing it!
Desire
Well this is one area wherever
you can match the pros, no question. If you actually want to be a custom bike builder, start doing it for fun and put your motorcycle kit together.
We can’t all be Billy Lane, Eddie Trotta or Russell Mitchell, but we can have a lot of fun trying!
Copyright Archangel
Holmes 2005
Simply simply about the author:
Archangel
Holmes is a enthusiast for all thing motorcycle. His website, http://www.motorcycleparts-accessories-andmore.com,is a great resource of articles aimed at motorcyclists of all levels.
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