From windshields, to earplugs, visitors at the 2004 rally has
one thing on their minds – customizing their look.
From windshields, to earplugs, visitors at the 2004 rally has one thing on their minds – customizing their look.
Vendors who were selling specialized merchandise cashed in this year as people shelled out to personalize their bikes, and their attire, according to Bike Customizer Mel Phipps.
“Most people can’t afford a custom bike so they buy a stock bike, but they don’t want to look like everyone else,” he said. “It makes it more affordable to buy your stock bike and then over time add personalized touches to make it unique.”
Phipps company, Mel’s Metal Magic, is the only one in the world that does customized sheet metal embossing, and throughout the weekend, he’s had lines of people interested in getting their signature or emblem added to their fenders. The price can range anywhere from $200 to $5,000, but Phipps said, more and more people are finding out about it daily.
“Other than a paint job, you can’t tell one bike from another,” he said. “This is another way of making your bike, well, yours and that’s really big right now.”
Biker Chris Marsh, who came up from Los Angeles, just bought his bike last year. He’s slowly been adding details to his Harley and said he’s spent way too much money getting new things for it this weekend.
“Your bike is just like anything else you take a lot of pride in,” he said. “You want to make sure it represents you.”
With the death of Marlon Brando Thursday, T-shirts of the actor esteemed by bikers for his portrayal of the rebellious Johnny in “The Wild One” were another hot item. The character’s namesake bar in Hollister, Johnny’s, ordered the shirts after hearing of the Hollywood legend’s death and sold them along San Benito Street Saturday and Sunday.
Another personal touch for sale at the rally was customized, engraved windshields, by Cool Windshields. Whether buyers wanted a Harley emblem or their very own design, the company either laser engraves or hand engraves the windshield, and can also include backlighting that illuminates the design at night.
“That’s bad,” Shopper Darrell Braden said as he walked by the windshield display. “It’s not just the run of the mill. If your bike doesn’t say you, then why should you ride it?”
Along with the custom bikes that filled the streets – with different seats, airbrushed paint designs and tons of chrome – some bikers who enjoy detail bought personalized ear plugs. For $45 buyers got silicon ear plugs molded directly to their ears. They came in a rainbow of colors to match their bikes.
“They take out a lot of the high and low frequencies that can be harmful to the ears,” Nichole Baker, of Baker’s Custom Ear Plugs said. “And a lot of people like them to match their motorcycles. It’s kind of fun.”
Customer Megan Wright bought bright green plugs to match her green bike.
“I know it soundS gimmicky, but I needed plugs anyway so I might as well get them to match my bike,” she said.
