When it comes to motorcycles and paraphernalia, it seems the
more things change from year to year, the more they stay the
same.
Hollister – When it comes to motorcycles and paraphernalia, it seems the more things change from year to year, the more they stay the same.
Many of the T-shirts sport the same designs as in year’s past, and for good reason. When you get a Johnny’s Bar and Grill t-shirt, you expect to see Brando on it.
But with more single women and kids in attendance this year, as well as more casual bikers – according to anecdotal evidence from vendors – the tastes of the average rally consumer have changed.
Bikes
Custom bikes really took off in popularity this year, in part because the cost differential between a Harley and a custom-built bike has narrowed in recent years. “The price of Harleys has gotten so high, and for a little more you can get a custom bike,” said Jeff Wells at the J&P Parts tent.
The average Harley now sells for $18 or $19,000. Custom bikes range from about $30,000 up to whatever the customer can afford.
Marshall Reis of R&S Custom Cycles in of Modesto also believes custom bikes have have started giving Harleys a run for their money. R&S is a custom shop with a complete line of parts and accessories, and its own custom bike builder, the ‘S’ in the company, Rick Shoup.
Shoup said their bikes start as low as $30,000. The most expensive bike he has built ran $60,000.
“Half the fun of the bike is the way it looks,” said Reis, who also rides a custom chopper. “I don’t think I would buy a bike that was that flashy if that wasn’t the point.”
Parts for tricking out your own bike were also popular. Jeff Wells said J&P sold over $30,000 in parts Saturday.
Clothing
Leather was as always a mainstay, especially black. But with more women in attendance, pink leather has become more popular.
“I don’t know what it was, one day we put out a little pink and it and it took off,” said according the Jackie Ward, a vendor at D.O.T. Helmet.
Everything from pink t-shirts to studded bracelets to pink helmets were hot sellers.
“Pink’s cool, it’s the new Harley color,” said Evie Tulkowski, a vendor at Antelope Creek Leather. “It’s all about fashion. If it looks good, women will buy it.”
Tulkowski said that more women are jumping on their own bikes and pink gives them a sense of originality. “Women want to look like hard core bikers, but they also want to be feminine and fashionable.” Tulkowski said that sales for men and women were about equal this year, but that there are more women at the Rally.
Tina and Brian O’Lea also said there were more women this year. “There are more women out, more single women and more kids. It’s good because you want it to be a family event,” said Brian O’Lea. The O’Leas run a clothing company called Bad Pig. Seven out of 10 sales this year were to women.
Tina O’Lea also said that more women are riding bikes. “The last of my girl friends just got her bike, they all have one,” she said.
There were also a number of t-shirt stands trying to gear-up the female biker. Brand names such as Bad Bones, Hollywood Choppers and Sick-Pig all had quite a selection of pink and black t-shirts, each with snappy sayings or logos.
But some more experienced bikers had things other than fashion on their minds.
Sherry Thornton, 45, a Rally-goer and a bike passenger, said that function rules her fashion world. “I think it is about function at my age. These pretty little things can go out and buy that halter tops and stuff, but I want function,” she said. “I want to stay warm on the bike.”
Jewelry
Another popular item this weekend was custom jewelry to go with their custom bikes.
One retailer, American Biker Jewelry of Oklahoma City made it out to Hollister for their second year of beautifying bikers.
“Hollister’s a hell of a rally,” said Jim Kiper, a partner in the business.
The biggest trend in custom jewelry this year, according to Kiper, was white gold and diamonds. He sold out of white gold on Saturday and were taking orders for more the rest of the weekend.
“We are making one ring for $9,000,” Kiper said. The skull ring, a custom order, had 260 white diamonds inset in white gold with two rubies for eyes and four black diamonds for teeth.
Tattoos & piercings
Tastes in tattoos this year seemed to have changed, right along with the kinds of people who came to town this year.
A worker at Body Bazzare said that typical tattoos, like Harley-Davidson logos and American Eagles were popular, but “not as much as you would think.” Instead, bare-skinned rally-goers this year were interested in originality. “The craziest one I did this weekend was a lesbian scene all over this guy’s arm,” he said.
