It's obvious that things have run far and away from the behemoths of the TV chopper shows and big-number production lines.
In fact, it's not so much a custom "scene" as it is a bunch of guys (and gals) building and riding bikes — just as it's always been underneath the pop culture glamour that's been piled on top of custom motorcycle building the past few years.
Pick up a copy of The Horse, Cycle Source or a handful of other publications and see that bikes are back into the hands of those willing to get their hands dirty. Sure, the show bikes will always be there, but these days there are more people who want to chop, grind or weld their own way into a custom machine.
This is the world that Flyrite Choppers inhabits. The Austin, Texas-based company builds frames, rolling chassis and completed bikes specifically for those looking to buy basic and bare-bones. Much like some of its competition in this niche, Flyrite offers straightforward machines for the basic biker.
Its line of parts and accessories also reflect the kind of wrench-on-it-yourself mind-set that's been inherent to motorcycling since way back. To hear owner Jason Kidd, 37, tell the company's history, it's easy to see why this grass-roots aesthetic is such a big part of Flyrite's appeal.
And you've got to love a story about a business's chronology that Kidd sums up by saying, "It kind of spiraled out of control from there."
RAISED ON SPEED
In the beginning Kidd was just your average guy raised on a steady diet of hot rods and motorcycles, and who honed his skills working on vintage Lambrettas and Vespas. In fact, Harley-Davidsons never entered his scootercentric world until a time years ago in France when he rode one.
After a stint at a Texas scooter shop, he decided he was done with scoots but didn't know what to do next. His wife did: get a job or open the shop he always wanted to own.
So Kidd struck out with the idea of building a bike for under $10,000. When all was said and done, he had a rigid with a springer front end, a Rev Tech 88 motor and 5-in-4 kick-only transmission. Only thing is it cost $16,500 retail to build. "I thought if I was a dealer of this stuff, I knew I could get it cheaper," he says.
That's the bike Kidd took around as his calling card. One person bit and commissioned a build, but backed out at the last minute. This was after he'd already set up shop and maxed out his credit cards. So he started passing out fliers and going to bike nights to get the word out. He took some paint work to get by. He even took out a big, full-page ad in The Horse.
A day after the ad hit, a guy stopped by the shop, checked out the orphaned, commissioned bike and, at the last minute, decided to buy it, Kidd says. And then the phones started ringing. "It was like a light switch. We had 10 bikes on the [job] board, which was a lot. It was just me and a friend," Kidd recalls.
It continued like this with more people sending in down payments, the job board filling up. Pretty soon there were 20 bikes on the board between two guys. They had a waiting list that was 12 to 16 weeks long and a few more friends helping out. Even his wife ended up quitting her job to help assist.
They were doing all of this in a 1,200 sq. ft. space that had no room for inventory. From here they moved to a larger space and added some bike builders and graphic designers.
Up to then, Flyrite had been building bikes from catalog parts, but the demand was tapping out their suppliers. They were also modifying parts from vendors, so the idea formed that perhaps they should start moving some of the parts in-house. It all started with a frame jig.
"That was the turning point in our business," Kidd says. "We decided it's time to make stuff rather than pick it out of catalogs. Let's be different. Let's do something that's a little more challenging. Once we figured that out, we said we could make frames, we could make fender struts. Kidd bought a CNC machine and hired some more craftsmen, including one who planted the seed about making Flyrite's trademark front and rear brake calipers rather than buy them from a vendor. "This is what happened. Everything that we do has been out of frustration with suppliers and companies," Kidd says.
FROM ROLLERS TO PARTS
By then, Flyrite had enough rollers and finished bikes out on the market that customers were concerned about post-sales support and service, so Kidd figured it was time to set up a dealer network. His primary goal was to find established dealers with real service departments, not just storefronts selling plastic scooters.
Flyrite has since landed 10 domestic dealers in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas and four international sellers in the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia and Belgium.
Customers can order the N.A.D.A.-listed bikes through these dealerships or directly from Flyrite if they don't have one local. Most of the completed bikes are built to order, and customers can design their own via Flyrite's Web site by using a series of drop-down menus to change out parts such as motors, transmissions, paint, wheels and exhausts.
The company's Web site states,, "We have basic principles that we adhere to when building a bike. We use 1-inch tubing. Our frames are made in-house. We use springer front ends. The largest tire we will offer is a 180 mm x 16 inch. We make as many of the parts as possible in-house so you can have a one-of-a-kind bike."
These days with new unit sales on the decline across the motorcycle market, Kidd says Flyrite is getting into a lot of cast aluminum parts and dress-up bits for hot rods (Flyrite Hotrods is his new business). Parts, he notes, are hot right now. The idea is to reach those people who wanted a bike but can't afford one. Now they can get a used Sportster, buy a Flyrite frame and carve out their own custom bike.
"A lot of guys out there right now want to build their own stuff," Kidd says. "A lot of magazines are running more articles on people who are building stuff themselves. I think this empowers people to do it themselves."
Flyrite Choppers is looking for dealerships to carry its completed motorcycles and parts line. Interested dealers should go to www.flyritechoppers.com/Pg/frcdealerinquiry.html for more information.
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Attention! Our time has arrived: the prime season to make money. The weather is right, and people are out riding their bikes: It's what we all pray for in the winter. Now's the time to bring on the bands, bring in the girls and get those riders into your store.
Events bring back regular customers, attract new business and make some bread. Think about it, every rider you see is buying parts somewhere and getting service work done somewhere. They're all wearing biker T-shirts, chaps, jackets and sunglasses that they're buying somewhere. Why not from your shop?
Many dealers wonder how they can publicize their events without spending too much money. The best way is to think about the important things — food, beer, entertainment, music and people — and look for ways to utilize partnerships, sponsorships and special invites to cut the costs of those factors.
GET EVERYONE INVOLVEDSince food and beer are a must for any special event, partner with a local restaurant or bar to get deep discounts or donations. In exchange for putting their logos on your event fliers, ask them to pass out information about the event to their customers.
Use sponsors for your contests. Team up with a local gentlemen's club to guarantee some quality contestants in your bikini or wet T-shirt contest. They are always happy to come out and participate because it's free advertising for their club (and believe me, the crowds love those girls). Ask a local tattoo shop to sponsor a tattoo contest in which the winner receives a gift certificate to their parlor. It becomes a free contest for you to host and added exposure for their business. You can do trade-outs and put a bike at their business to draw interest for their company as well as yours.
For additional entertainment, hire local bands to provide live music. You can usually find smaller acts to play for a good price, and they provide all of their own equipment. Or, if you don't want to pay each band, try having a "Battle of the Bands." Each group pays to enter, and the winner gets a cash prize at the end of the weekend.
Work the local radio stations for your advertising. This is where you'll need to spend some money, but trust me — it's worth it. Advertising on the radio legitimizes your event and gets the word out to tons of people. Make sure that a live remote broadcast comes with any ad package.
For more inexpensive advertising, take advantage of the free online event listings. There usually are several Web sites dedicated to local motorcycle events, and it costs nothing to add your party to the list. If you plan far enough ahead, you can submit your ad to several industry magazines. Even if they can't make it to your event, people around the country will see your dealership name and maybe even visit your Web site.
If you're worried about getting people to the party, invite some local bike clubs. These guys all love to show off their stuff, and it won't cost you a dime — just a little reserved parking space. When you give these clubs a special invite, they will tell their buddies that they should come and hang out too.
If there is a big-name bike builder in your area, then invite him out to show off his work. I'd also invite the local HOG chapter, Ladies of Harley groups and vintage bike clubs. Bikers love to be around other bikers.
Most importantly, make sure you have lots of stuff to buy. Remember, this is about making money. Load up on impulse items like T-shirts, sunglasses, shot glasses, bandannas and hats. Make sure you have more than one shirt design so that people have more to choose from and more to buy.
Decorate your store to encourage people to walk around and stay longer. I put stuff everywhere to get people to browse — banners, pictures, old signs. I even have the ceiling airbrushed. If people can walk in the door and see everything, there's no reason to hang around and keep shopping.
You may need special permits to hold an event in your town, especially if you plan to serve alcohol, have tents, or play live music. Call your city hall and check it out. For my events, I work with the Dallas Police Department to provide security. I like to have them around, just in case.
Just remember that people come to see you too, so make sure you're out there shaking hands and kissing babies. Believe me, events are hard work, but they're worth it in the end.
Rick Fairless hosts his own radio show, Texas Hardtails Scooter Show, and is the owner of Rick Fairless' Strokers Dallas.*****************************
