A must-have item this fall is the biker jacket. And I picked my favorites with a little explanation why I choose that particular jacket. You can click on the pictures to see them in full size.

This is my absolute favorite. But it’s really the overall outfit that does it for me. The model plus the jewelry makes it look so chic. The jacket is from Blumarine.

Picture: style.com

And then there’s this amazing biker jacket by Diesel. The gradient effect in the shape of smoky swirls plus the black and gray in the jacket make it look so mysterious.

Picture: style.com

Picture: style.com

This jacket from Julien Macdonald has an military edge to it, yet it still manages to stay chic. The things on the shoulders are kind of abstract which is why really love this jacket. The shape of the jacket  itself is so minimalistic but the ’spikes’ on the shoulders gives the garment that extra boost. You shouldn’t wear this jacket when your broad-shouldered though. But I think that speaks for itself.

This vintage jacket from the 80’s was on the website of Nasty Gal. The oversized tuxedo lapels look amazing in combination with the black leather and the gold buttons.

You can buy this jacket for 248 dollars on nasty gal.

Picture: shopnastygal.com

Another quick and easy post today. Sorry, but I don’t have much time what with Thanksgiving tomorrow and all.

Here’s another commission piece, the first ever commission I ever did actually. A fellow gamer had collected a large Ork army and although he was quitting Warhammer 40,000… goodness, thinking about it I know so many people who have quit playing Games Workshop games… maybe I need to rethink my decision to get back into this infuriating hobby… hmm….

Sorry, I drifted off a little there, didn’t I? Where was I? Oh yes, this was a commission piece for a fellow gamer who, despite having quit playing, wanted his army leader painted. He’d already built his own version of Ghazkull Thraka (or however you spell the name of the Ork biker character) and so I had to work with what he had already built and primed. It wasn’t a perfect miniature, unfortunately, but I did my best with it. He seemed happy with the end result too.

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Circa 1937– Springfield, Massachusetts. Since the creation of the Indian Motorcycle, the Indian Factory (the Wigwam) has been the greatest of its kind in the world. The tremendous facilities of this factory are laid out over 12 acres of floor space– nothing short of an actual visit will enable you to visualize the manufacture of today’s Indian motorcycles. In making a tour of the 35 departments of the factory, a person would walk a distance of 7 miles. The row upon row of machinery, if placed end to end, would alone stretch out over 1 1/2 miles. Indian leadership has been maintained thru the years by that manufacturing expertness which finds its outlet in making each new Indian better than the best Indian which has gone before it. When you ride on an Indian, you ride on the Best. — Image by © Lake County Museum

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When you think of classic American Iron, two brands typically come to mind– Harley-Davidson & Indian. Well, Harley-Davidson always comes to mind– and if you know a thing or two about bikes, then hopefully you’re familiar with Indian too.  For those of us that came along after the heyday of American manufacturing, it’s easy to overlook that in the early days there were literally dozens (some even say hundreds) of companies producing motorcycles right here in the US.

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Indian co-founder Oscar Hedstrom on left, CA. 1902.  And I suspect that’s him on the right, ca. 1901.

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Dig around and you’ll find an amazing archive of stories behind companies like– Ace, Cleveland, Crocker, Cushman, Emblem, Excelsior/Henderson, Flying Merkel, Flanders (mainly accessories), Iver Johnson, Marsh, Pierce, Pope, Reading Standard, Schickel, Sears, Thor, Whizzer, Yale, just to name a few.  Out of the crowded pack, two iconic brands emerged, and for years went head-to-head for dominance on the race tracks, and in the hearts of the American motorcycle enthusiast.  In the end, one clearly came out on top.  And while we all know who won– it’s interesting to glean from the many missteps that would eventually lead to Indian’s demise.

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A vintage Indian motorcycle on display at the Guggenheim Las Vegas. -- Image by © Ted Soqui

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Indian is recognized as being the first major player on the scene, rolling out production (all of 3 bikes) in 1901– two years before Harley-Davidson.  Started by Oscar Hedstrom & George Hendee, a couple of bicycle racers and self-taught engineers, they set out by essentially bolting Hedstrom’s small engines on to Hendee’s bicycles, and from there they quickly honed their craft to create some of the best motorcycles of that era.  Indian became the force to be reckoned with, and first-to-market with innovation after innovation– the first V-Twin engine, the first two-speed transmission, the first adjustable front suspension, the first electric lights and starter, and many more.  Indian was clearly dominant in the marketplace, and on the race track– setting and breaking speed records hand-over-fist.

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Indian originally began manufacturing under the corporate banner of the Hendee Manufacturing Company, which was later reincorporated as the Indian Motocycle Company (an apparent nod to the European style of “Moto” motorcycle company names — i.e. Moto-Guzzi), early Indians were inspired by Hedstrom’s work with “pacing” bicycles, see below–

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Circa 1910 -- A track cyclist is shown in practice behind an early Indian motorcycle. -- Image by © Underwood & Underwood.

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Competition with Harley-Davidson in the early days was fierce, and factory sponsored racers were expected to be loyal– it was pretty unheard of for guys to switch allegiances back then without controversy.  Legendary Indian riders over the years like Bobby Hill, Bill Tuman, Ernie Beckman (all a part of the legendary “Indian Wrecking Crew” of the 1940s & ’50s) Ed Kretz, Burt Munro, and Mad Max Bubeck were motorcycling Hellcats in their respective days, and their exploits and success became synonymous with the Indian brand.

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Circa 1914– “Baker and O’Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, back of White House.”  –How American is that, I ask you? Erwin ‘Cannonball’ Baker (right)– After the record-setting five-month, 10,000 mile transcontinental run by Baker on an Indian motorcycle in 1914, a New York newspaper writer compared Baker to the Cannonball Express train and he picked up the famous moniker that would stick with him the rest of his life.  Harris & Ewing. (images via Shorpy).

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You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in motorcycling history more interesting than ‘Cannonball’ Baker. His record attempts often put him directly in harm’s way.  In one three-flags record attempt back in 1916, Baker had to change routes several times to avoid vast forest fires. In another run he took a turn at a high rate of speed and came upon a herd of cattle in the road. In trying to miss the herd, Baker turned sharply, hit a hole in the road and was thrown off his motorcycle into a fence– which in turn bounced him right onto the back of one of the cows. The surprised cow bucked him off and he ultimately landed in a ditch off the side of the road.  Baker took his skills overseas and set numerous records in foreign countries, most notably Australia and New Zealand.  Baker began shifting his focus and most of his record attempts were in automobiles.  In 1922, he ran in the Indianapolis 500 and finished 11th.  Baker also worked for Rickenbacker Automobiles, which was owned by the famous World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. Eventually he became an AMA race official, and later was named national commissioner for NASCAR. Not a bad run, eh?

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Circa 1911–  Motorcyclist Oscar Godfrey poses with his Indian motorcycle during the B.M.C.R.C. trials at Brooklands. — Image by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection.  Indians fast growth was fueled by early and impressive wins, such as the Isle of Man TT in 1911– when Indian riders Godfrey, Franklin and Moorehouse finished first, second and third. Indian star rider Jake De Rosier set several speed records both in America and at Brooklands in England, and won an estimated 900 races on dirt and board track racing.

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Circa 1914, Brooklands — J.C. Brooke sitting on his Indian motorcycle at the Brooklands Easter Meeting in Scotland. — Image by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection.

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Circa 1920. Herbert McBride, who recently broke the world’s motorcycle record for amateurs on his Indian.  His time was 105:24 miles per hour, which beats the old professional speed record. — Image by © Bettmann.  Speaking for myself, shots like these give me the chills.  The beauty of form and function coming together simply in all things, in a way that’s matter-of-fact and with a sense of pride, but not boastful.  The practical mix of quality apparel and accessories that are no nonsense and get the job done– all topped of with a neckerchief (tucked-in of course, so as not to flap in one’s face)– a nod to more civilized times. *

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With all their success early on, sadly Indian soon began a slow descent stemming from several changes in ownership and top management over the years. While great innovations continued at Indian, they often went unappreciated by a market that simply wasn’t willing or able to pay the steep prices that came along with them.  Bikes like the Model H– the first true board-track factory racer ever offered for sale directly to the public. It was loaded with features like a four-valve-per-cylinder,  overhead-valve engine and a lightweight rigid frame that was free of racing “nonessentials” such as brakes, fenders or a throttle (the bikes were run with the carbs wide open).  The Model H carried a top speed of over 120mph along with a whopping price tag of $375, roughly a third more than a fully equipped Chief of the era. Problem was that not too many club racers had that kind of dough to part with, and the motorcycle-buying public also lacked the finances, but also didn’t have the balls to get on the beast– so relatively few were built. But for Indian, it still notched a moral victory of sorts.  For those few Model H bikes were pure Hellcats in the capable hands of their sponsored riders, whom they “loaned’ them to with great success– bringing home trophies and track records almost everywhere they competed.  Still, perhaps there was an important lesson there that Indian should have filed away for future consideration–

Know your market, and what they’ll pay you for– and what they won’t.  Meaning that you should resist over-engineering a commodity product far beyond the end-user’s expectations– without their buy-in, and at their expense.  Always fully understand the specific needs you aim to address with your product, along with the price ceiling associated, and focus on delivering against that.  Don’t go cutting corners, but also be careful not to be driven by vanity to take it to the extreme where it’s no longer relevant (in terms of practicality or value) to the consumer– that is, unless you want to own them all.

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More proverbial writing was on the wall, when in 1913 Oscar Hedstrom left Indian after heated disagreements with the Board of Directors regarding their questionable accounting practices  that inflated the company’s stock values.  Co-founder George Hendee was not far behind, with him resigning in 1916.  The “powers that be” at Indian tapped Hedstrom’s long-time assistant Charles Gustafson and Charles B. Franklin (an Irish immigrant and former rider for the “Indian Rules” team that swept the Isle of Man TT in 1911) to pick up the company’s top engineering duties.  In the years that followed, Indian released Franklin’s iconic V-twin powered designs that would become the hallmark of the brand.

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Circa 1922, Los Angeles, California -- Speed demons beware... the Los Angeles motor corps with their new fleet of Indian motorcycles all ready and waiting to set out after Californian motorists who like to step on the gas. -- Image by © Bettmann.

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To be continued…

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Great motorcycle rides in the state of New Jersey

Sensasi mengendari motor emang beda. Saya pribadi, dibanding mengendarai mobil, lebih “kerasa” kalo naik motor. sebagai biker, iseng2 saya cari artikel mengenai sejarag motor, dan saya ringkas.

Sepeda motor pertama di buat oleh ahli mesin Jerman Gottlieb Daimler tahun 1885 ketika dia memasang sebuah mesin dengan pembakaran sempurna pada sebuah sepeda kayu yang dia desain sendiri. Sepeda tersebut memiliki empat roda, termasuk dua roda tambahan (seperti roda pada sepeda anak-anak).

Putra Daimler menjadi orang pertama yang mengendarai sepeda motor ketika dia mencoba kreasi ayahnya tersebut pada tanggal 10 November 1885 dengan kecepatan mendekati 10Kpj.

Beberapa model sepeda motor kemudian di perkenalkan di Jerman, Perancis dan Inggris dengan fokus pengembangan pada kepraktisannya sebagai alat transportasi.

Tahun 1903, Arthur Davidson dan saudaranya Walter bersama tetangganya William Harley membuat motor Harley-Davidson yang pertama. Setahun kemudian mereka mulai memproduksi sepeda motor untuk di jual. Tahun 1909 Harley-Davidson mengenalkan mesin V-Twin yang pertama, yang memiliki dua silinder dengan konfigurasi seperti huruf “V”. Mesin tersebut memiliki suara yang besar, bergemuruh dan terkesan jantan, tak lama mesin tersebut menjadi mesin Amerika klasik.

Selama tahun 1914, bentuk dasar dari sepeda motor modern mulai terbentuk. Bentuk tersebut meliputi peletakan mesin di antara roda depan dan belakang dan sebuah rantai untuk mentransger tenaga dari mesin ke roda belakang.

Selama PD I (1914-1918), sepeda motor terbukti sebagai sarana transportasi yang tangguh bagi militer Amerika dan Eropa, mampu mengurangi beban jalan raya dan mampu membawa alat komunikasi jauh lebih ke depan garis pertempuran. Sesudah perang, penggunaan sepeda motor menyebar luas ke Eropa dan Amerika.

Sampai tahun 1950-an, kebanyakan sepeda motor di Amerika utara di produksi oleh Harley-Davidson atau oleh perusahaan Inggris seperti Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA), Norton, dan Triumph.

Periode 1960 dan 1970, perusahaan Jepang seperti Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, dan Yamaha, mulai memperkenalkan sepeda motor dengan pengembangan pada mesin dan suspensi dan mereka mampu bersaing dengan produsen motor yang sudah lebih dulu ada.

A Hells Angel who went on the run after being convicted of rioting at an airport is jailed for six years after handing himself in…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: air trip. The blog is also related to: cheapest flights.

Bucólico

Vantagens das bikes

Como deveria ser

Um louco

Muitos loucos

Obs.: mamãe, não se preocupe, porque eu não ando assim!

Nice short film about the last biker on earth. Filmed in Halle.

I was working today so I didn’t get to a chance to get out and ride in the beautiful weather we had. I did however stop by the local H-D dealership for a minute and they were giving away these 24×36 posters of Marisa Miller. It’s a part of Harley-Davidson’s “Salute to the Millitary” campaign and I love the retro look! I have always been a fan of “Nose Art” and the old “Pinup Style” of  WWII… I’ve done a few shoots in this style before but I would love to do an entire calendar like this one day. I don’t know why everything I like is old-school, but it is for some reason. Guess I’m just an old fool at heart!

BTW… I also scored a new H-D T-Shirt sent to me by a family member in Cody, Wyoming. An orange one… my favorite. Happy Birthday to me!

• cuadro de 20,5″ de 100% cro-mo 4130
• tensores integrados
• horquilla: Eastern Slim Style 100% cro-mo
• dirección integrada
• abrazadera integrada
• pivotes de freno desmontables
• potencia: Eastern Choker Stem II
• bielas: Eastern Stealth heattreated (tratamiento termal) con MID BB (eje de 19mm)
• manillar: Eastern 4130 cro-mo 2pc bar de 8.25″
• pedales: Eastern Syntetic Carbon Fiber
• plato: Eastern Medusa 25t
• cadena: KMC Z410
• llantas: Kinlin doble capa de 36h
• buje delantero: Eastern Pro 36h sellado con eje de 10mm
• buje trasero: Eastern Pro cassette 36h sellado con driver de 9t y tecnologia Bi-Rectional RHD/LHD
• pegs: Estern Bird pegs (2 unidades)
• sillin: Eastern Pinner
• puños: Eastern Skull
• freno: Tektro U-brake con cable linear
• peso: 11,8kg
• colores: negro y cromado

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The William Gedney series continued–

This time we turn our attention to Gedney’s incredible shots of bikers back from ‘66 & ‘67, taken in both New York and San Francisco.  The custom handlebar work, while a little over-the-top, is pretty amazing to see, and a real moment in time.  Great stuff by an artist who immersed himself in his work– often living with his subjects for a period of time (as he did with the Kentucky coalminer family from the previous Gedney post), and experiencing a level of intimacy that few photographers would dare to risk.

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Man on ornate motorcycle, New York-- taken 1967. William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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Nazi bikers and motorcyle, New York-- taken 1967. William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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Bikers with helmets and tattoos smoking, New York-- taken 1967. William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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Biker with helmet and ornate motorcycle seated near a Nazi flag, New York-- taken 1967. William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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Man with cigarette on motorcycle, San Francisco --taken '66 or '67. William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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Man in leather jacket, San Francisco. --taken '66 or '67. This so reminds me of my buddy James Burgess. Have you ever been to the Tenderloin, Jimmy? William Gedney Photographs and Writings. Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/

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setiap sore menjelang pulang, langit pasti gelap. sudah terjadi selama kurang lebih 2 minggu ini. jadi was-was.

untungnya tanggal 7 Nov kemarin komuter ulang tahun. “maksod loh?”

begini, entah dimulai dari kapan tradisi tidak tertulis ini berjalan. namun sepertinya sudah tiga kali atau lebih, setiap komuter ulang tahun pasti dibelikan jas hujan oleh ’sang mantan’. dan memang setelah dipakai + 6 bulan, biasanya jas hujan tersebut rusak. maklum, komuter memiliki gerakan yang “lasak” kalau kata orang melayu. terutama di bagian selangkangan. ‘mantan’ bilang di bagian itu komuter tajam. sangat tajam bahkan…. terbukti sabtu tanggal 7 malam diberikan, keesokan harinya saat dipakai untuk menjemput, padahal baru dipakai, robek di area tersebut. gara-garanya ? hujan di tengah jalan, pakai jas hujan, setelah sampai dan parkir motorpun, tetap dipakai jas hujannya. karena malam dingin jadi sambil nunggu ’sang mantan’ datang selama + 2 jam komuter pakai jas hujan, nongkrong di depan mesjid UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Ciputat.

dulu, lihat kakak yang berkeluarga, saat berulang tahun, keseringan saling memberikan seperangkat alat sholat. sekarang kok tidak nular yah ??

balik lagi ke jas hujan, setelah itu, dua bulan kemudian atau tanggal 20 januari ’sang mantan’ ulang tahun, 31 januari abang aji ulang tahun. komuter sering kebingungan harus memberikan apa untuk mereka, terutama untuk ’sang mantan’?

tahun kemarin tanpa sengaja menang lomba blog di bulan Januari. salah satu hadiahnya adalah jas hujan dari salah satu sponsor yang memiliki bisnis online di bidang jas hujan khusus wanita. waktu yang tepat…..

ulang tahun yang akan datang kasih apa yah ??

]]> http://backroadsrider.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/can-i-have-a-little-label-too-please/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:32:45 +0000 backroadsrider http://backroadsrider.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/can-i-have-a-little-label-too-please/ http://nbbb.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/bike-down-on-eutaw-street/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:22:03 +0000 Johnny http://nbbb.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/bike-down-on-eutaw-street/ http://bikerswag.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/an-interview-with-paul-jr/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:46:23 +0000 bikerswag http://bikerswag.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/an-interview-with-paul-jr/

Since 2003 the motorcycle industry as a whole has received a huge visibility boost courtesy of The Discovery Channel’s (and later TLC’s) reality based show American Chopper. The wildly popular show chronicles the day-to-day operations of Orange County Choppers, a custom motorcycle shop located in Newburgh, New York. Of course, unless you have been under a rock for the past few years you already know this… and you also know that besides manufacturing some of the most incredibly detailed theme bikes in the world, part of what has made the show so interesting is the often tumultuous relationship between father and son owners Paul Teutul and Paul Jr. Things have gotten so bad that Paul Jr has now left OCC to launched his own design company Paul Jr. Designs.

I recently caught up with him to discuss his past with OCC, his future with Paul Jr. Designs and a few other things.

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SWAG: I’ve often wondered what you were like growing up. Were you a good kid or one of those troublemakers?

PAUL: I was a pretty good kid. I hated school but loved my friends.

SWAG: What were your interests back then and what was your family life like?

PAUL: I was always very curious about how things worked and I enjoyed sports and building things. I had a pretty dysfunctional upbringing due to the fact that my father was a heavy drinker. Only by the grace of God am I.

SWAG: At what point did you become interested in motorcycles?

PAUL: I didn’t become interested in motorcycles until about 18. I was always around them but not that interested. Growing up we always had quads instead of motorcycles but my first motorcycle was a Yamaha RZ 350… it was a 2 stroke. I eventually sold it, but bought another one just like it and still have it to this day.

SWAG: By the time we were all introduced to you on TV you had already developed a keen eye for design and the ability to make your visions reality. What were some key things in your life that brought you to that place and honed those skills and when did you know you had the gift of design or that it would be your life’s passion?

PAUL: I was exposed to motorcycles at such a young age, but again had little interest. I had worked in the steel business for 10 years prior to television and then had the opportunity to have creative freedom with building motorcycles. Only then did I realize my God given creative abilities and started really exploring what I was capable of.

SWAG: OCC got a huge shot in the arm when Discovery began broadcasting a behind the scenes look at your business. How did the relationship between OCC and Discovery begin? Did they approach you guys or did you take the show idea to them?

PAUL: Discovery was looking for a motorcycle reality show on the east coast. They asked the co-executive producer of Survivor to find the show and he looked online, found us and almost immediately we began filming. We had no intention of having a show and we had no idea the phenomenon it would become.

SWAG: In the past 10 years you have designed some of the most recognized custom bikes in the world. Is there one that you are particularly proud of?

PAUL: Always what comes to mind is the Black Widow. It was the first bike for the series and not only is it one of my favorites; it seems to be a huge fan favorite as well.

SWAG: You experienced a tremendous amount of fame at a relatively young age. How has that affected your personal life?

PAUL: The good part about fame is you gain some financial freedom, become a role model and have the ability to have a positive impact on people around the world. Fortunately for me, I’ve lived in the same town all my life so I think that adds to the normalcy. The down side is that you lose your privacy and anonymity.

SWAG: You have worked with your father for a couple of decades. How does it make you feel to be on your own and calling all the shots now?

PAUL: It feels really good to be on my own, in my own company. I still own a part of OCC, so technically I own two companies. With that said there are a tremendous amount of challenges as well as expenses in starting a company, but I’ve been fortunate enough to have some unbelievable clients.

SWAG: Your volatile relationship with your father has been laid out there for anyone with a TV and a cable connection to see. First, how much of the rough side we see on TV is reality and how much of it is edited for the sake of a good show? And second, do you see a time when you might work with your father again? Would you ever consider going back to OCC?

PAUL: In the past our arguments, though always intense, could seem more frequent then they really were due to the obvious desire in production to use every one of them in the show. I wish I could say the fights were staged, but unfortunately that’s not the case and that’s exactly why I can’t see us working together in the same capacity. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have been forced out of the situation, in spite of my ownership interest. I think my brother Michael said it best when he said, “It would take an act of God to get us back together.”

SWAG: It appeared that you and Vinnie DiMartino had a close relationship. Just out of curiosity do you have contact with him now?

PAUL: Me and Vinnie were very close. We grew up in the same town and went to school together. I see him on occasion, but our relationship is not what it used to be.

SWAG: By the way… the new website www.pauljrdesings.com looks great. It also looks like a lot of work… it’s very intense!

PAUL: The new website was very time consuming and continues to be time consuming as it is always changing.

SWAG: And speaking of looking great… the new logo is killer! Tell me about the process of developing it.

PAUL: It was important to me for the Paul Jr. Designs logo to be as good, if not better than the OCC logo I created many years ago. The idea behind the logo was to use my new company name, Paul Jr. Designs, and integrate it into the logo itself. I figured the “JR” that makes up the crown would be appropriate because that distinguishes me from my father, even though technically I’m not a junior.  As far as integrating the “JR” into the crown, it took both me and Rachael (Ed Note: Paul’s better half) to figure out how to make that work. I am extremely excited about the new logo and feel like it is diverse enough to be used on a variety of things.

SWAG: The new Coleman 10 Year Anniversary Grill you created is a testament to your skills as an innovative designer and to the fact that those skills are not just limited to motorcycles. How did the Coleman relationship come about and was your approach different with a non-motorcycle project?

PAUL: Being that the idea behind Paul Jr. Designs was to expand my work into new products, the transition from bike to grill was a no brainer. We set out to find a company that had a vision for innovation, and Coleman was that company. With ten years of working with some of the top companies in the world, Coleman is up there with the best of the best and they have been phenomenal to work with. I look forward to future projects with them.

SWAG: For a lot of us, you were and will always be the true talent at OCC. I know you are expanding your horizons with other product and that is way cool… but many would be disappointed if you stay completely away from motorcycles. Will we see a Paul Jr. theme bike one day?

PAUL: First of all thank you. As for custom theme bikes, I can’t wait to build the first PJD blown out custom chopper. I think I will find a nice balance between inventing and innovating products that are both practical and affordable, including building tricked out custom bikes for individuals and corporations. The future is a very exciting thing!

SWAG: Paul, thanks for taking the time to chat. I look forward to seeing what Paul Jr. Designs creates in the future! Any parting words?

PAUL: Thanks so much to the people who have supported me and continue to support me! I hope everyone finds my new company and new direction as exciting as I do.

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© 2009 Biker Swag, All Rights Reserved. No part of this article/interview may be reproduced in any format without express written permission.