Harley-Davidson engines and parts are often used to help produce bespoke "creations", which can veer crazily off the straight road of mass-produced designs. Such a "custom" enterprise is ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPERS, stars of the "American Choppers" t.v. show. The company, which produces exquisite and expensive two-wheeled "works of art", was founded in 1999 as a side-project to the steel-manufacturing Orange County Iron Works. Its first bike was "TRUE BLUE"!

T.V. also sparked the rise of Jesse G. James' WEST COASTCHOPPERS. The company featured in the Motorcycle Mania shows! Their bikes were considered "Old School", or minimalist, with a distinct lack of the ornamental add-ons favoured by other members of the customising brigade. Nevertheless, they possessed their own unique, pared-down look!

In contrast, ARLEN NESS, world-renowned in custom bike circles as a "master builder", has for over three decades produced a somewhat more exotic breed of pedigree motorcycle. Such refinement extends to a "bolt-on extras" parts catalogue comprising hundreds of pages. Supremely skilled custom paintwork has always been key to his success. When his company moved to new Californian premises, they included a museum for over forty of his "art-works" !