Custom Motorcycle Luminary Arlen Ness Passes Away At 79
The motorcycle industry lost an icon last week with the death of
Arlen Ness. The unfortunate announcement of his passing on March
22nd 2019 was posted on the company facebook page the
following day.
Arlen was a master craftsman, skilled painter, and trend setter. He
was well liked and well respected by everyone he knew and met, not
just because he was an incredible custom bike builder, but because
he was a truly genuine and kind hearted person who loved sharing
his passion for motorcycles with anyone and everyone. With kind
eyes and always a gentle smile, Arlen made you feel welcome into
his world of motorcycles.
From his early years in the custom motorcycle world cutting,
raking, and flaking 60s era choppers and spindly low-slung diggers,
to outfitting the latest luxury baggers with the perfect mix of
parts, Arlen had done and built it all. Arlen was always
progressing not just his skills and business, but the motorcycle
industry as a whole. Beyond his skills with a torch, paint brush,
and hand tools, Arlen was also a smart business man that was able
to turn custom bike building into a multifaceted family business
that included a parts line, apparel, motorcycle dealership, design
consulting, and his own signature motorcycle models with Victory
Motorcycles.
Very few bike builders have built motorcycles that have stood the
test of time and become iconic pieces in the annals of custom
motorcycle history. Arlen however, has created multiple bikes that
other builders and fans constantly refer to or reflect upon for
inspiration. Of course there's his first build, the 1947
Harely-Davidson Knucklehead which was later dubbed "Untouchable".
There's also the Ferrari bike, the 1930s Bugatti inspired
"SmoothNess", the two wheeled version of a '57 Bel Air
"Ness-Stalgia", the "Hulkster" bike, "2 Bad", and "MachNess" are
just a few of his more famous builds.
Arlen's accolades and achievements are endless: AMA Motorcycle Hall
of Fame, Sturgis Hall of Fame, named "Legend of the Sport" by The
Quail Motorcycle Gathering, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, just to mention a few. From being
featured on national cable programming like Biker Builder
Off to having a hard cover book published with famed
motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter's photos showcasing some of
Arlen's most popular bikes he accomplished more through his love of
motorcycles than imaginable.
Arlen's journey was never about getting recognized, winning custom
bike shows, or being the best, it was just about love of
motorcycles and providing for his family. From the beginning with
that first Knucklehead there was no plan or road map, Arlen just
fired the bike to life and let the motorcycle take the lead. And
lead it did. For more than five decades Arlen kept the throttle
twisted and charted his own course.
Story time: When I first started out as a motorcycle journalist
many years ago one of my first work trips was to Daytona for Bike
Week. One day while out there my editor at the time told me he
lined up a few bikes for us to photograph for features in the
magazines we were working for, Hot Bike and Street
Chopper. We ran a very lean ship in those days so all the
editorial staff both wrote and shot pretty much everything in the
magazines.
I wasn't aware until we arrived at the backside of a strip mall
along the Halifax River that one of the four bikes we were shooting
was Arlen's latest creation a pro-street style, rubber-mounted
chopper based on the company's new Y2k frame. Being new to the
whole motorcycle photography thing, my editor said he would handle
three of the bikes and I could go down a ways and shoot Arlen's
bike.
Nervous excitement doesn't even begin to explain how I was feeling.
Not only was I shooting this incredible custom chopper but it was
but by none other than Arlen Ness himself. I was a wreck. I can't
recall who built the other bikes but I feel like there were other
custom motorcycle heavy hitters present like Donny Smith or Dave
Perewitz, because I remember them all huddled together laughing and
telling stories.
I also don't remember if it was a work policy or just one I
instituted myself but I rarely if every move someone's motorcycle
when photographing it-I don't want that responsibility or guilt on
me if it were to fall over. So Arlen wheels the bike down the
backside of the strip mall to get out of the way of the other
photoshoot and just hung out there with me as I began setting up my
tripod and camera. I remember feeling like I was being watched by
the principal while taking a test. I tried to calm my nerves by
chatting with Arlen a little as I got prepared. He was so
personable and friendly, I was able to collect my composure and
calmed my nerves.
Over the course of the shoot while I was absorbed into my camera
and trying to make sure I hit all the right angles and covered
every single detail of the bike Arlen would meander over to his
group of friends (the other builders whose bikes were getting
photographed) and I'd hear him chuckle as someone brought up
another story.
Every 15 minutes or so he'd walk back over to check on me and we'd
chat a bit and then I'd have to ask him to move or turn the bike a
bit. It was like being in a dream. Here I am shooting one of my
first bike features, it's an Arlen Ness bike none the less, Arlen
is watching me shoot his bike, and I have him moving the bike
around like he's my assistant. It was surreal. I felt awkward that
this legend in the industry was pushing his own bike around for my
photoshoot, but Arlen had no qualms about it. He just smiled, asked
where I wanted the bike parked, how I wanted the handlebars, and
then would stand back and talk with me or watch for a bit before
walking back over to the other bikes.
When the shoot was over Arlen walked over, shook my hand, and
thanked me for photographing his bike and I think I was a little
caught off guard. Here he was doing all the grunt work pushing the
bike around every which way making sure everything was how I wanted
it and all I was doing was pushing a button, and he's thanking me?
This had to be like the millionth time one of his bikes was being
photographed and he was just as gracious and appreciative as he
probably was the very first time. I thanked him profusely for the
amazing opportunity.
Months later, when it came time to publish Arlen's bike feature in
Street Chopper I was stunned to see that the editor had
chosen one of my photos to be the cover image. I could not believe
my eyes! My photo of an Arlen Ness bike was the cover for a
magazine. I have taken photos of a lot of motorcycles since that
time, but that photo session with Arlen and his bike has always
stuck with me as one of my most memorable and favorites. Not
because of the end result, but because I was so start struck and
nervous, yet Arlen was so gracious, personable, genuine, and kind.
Just like he's always been.
The custom motorcycle scene and motorcycling industry as a whole
will greatly miss Arlen. But for all his great successes and
accomplishments in life, his greatest achievement is that his
class, kindness, and deep appreciation for motorcycles will live on
through his wonderful family.
May the King of Custom forever ride in peace.