Harley Airstream, West Coast Choppers

[Colonial Airstream]

From Forbes.com

Hooligan Chic - Forbes.com

Hooligan Chic
Dirk Smillie 12.24.07, 12:00 AM ET
Celebrities and corporate moguls are fueling the boom in custom motorcycles--and creating a new subculture of fierce collectibles.

Jesse James, a distant relative of the outlaw from the 1880s, nervously scans his e-mail on a recent afternoon from a tiny office inside his 250,000-square-foot motorcycle shop in Long Beach, Calif. He's searching for a reaction from a customer: Robert Wheeler, chief executive of Airstream, who is paying $300,000 for one of the most elaborate masterpieces James' shop had ever produced--a gleaming silver motorcycle-with-sidecar to commemorate Airstream's 75th anniversary. James and his welders machined, riveted and hammered 18-gauge steel and razor-thin aluminum into a space-age-looking vehicle, applying some of the same construction methods Airstream uses in its shiny luxury trailers. "I can't wait for Wheeler to see it," James says.
Word soon came. "It's an absolute work of art," says Wheeler.

Airstream Side-Car

[345bill]

250,000 sq. ft. shop! wonder if he has Courtsey parking w/hookups in there?

[Fyrzowt]

I want one. Does Jesse do donations?

[flyfshr]

I want one too but don't think I could even afford the sidecar, which is the coolest part.

Brad
FF

[safari57]

I see he can carry enough gas to make it two to three blocks at a time

Very nice piece of artwork. The craftsmanship is evident every where you look.

Barry

[A-Merry-Can]

I visited his shop several years ago... half of it was T-Shirts! haha!

Nice bike, though. More pics, please! (if anyone's got em?)

JP

[safari62]

Ho hum. Another exercise in excess.

Did you really say the that Bob Wheeler spent $300k on this scooter as a personnal expense or as a way to advertise the 75th anniversery?

If I were Jesse James I'd be nervous about the call from the customer too....Like how much are you charging me for this?

What a waste of money.
Gary

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by safari62

Ho hum. Another exercise in excess.

Did you really say the that Bob Wheeler spent $300k on this scooter as a personnal expense or as a way to advertise the 75th anniversery?

If I were Jesse James I'd be nervous about the call from the customer too....Like how much are you charging me for this?

What a waste of money.
Gary

Don't forget......When someone spends a lot of money on something like a custom motorcycle or custom Street Rod, the money is not put in a pile and burned. It goes for product, wages, rent, some of which also goes to pay various taxes.

My mother always said......"Money is like manuer. It doesn't do any good unless it gets spread around".

[A-Merry-Can]

in Jesse's case it probably goes into tattoos, booze and strip clubs! hehe!

JP

[rickandsandi]

$300,000.00 ! ? ! No wonder Airstreams keep going up so much in price each year!

[Sean Woodruff]

Well, it is a work of art, that's for sure.

I'm not sure how one would justify $300,000 for it out of a public company. Or, if it is out of his pocket, how to justify the salary one must make to afford such a work of art.

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Well, it is a work of art, that's for sure.

I'm not sure how one would justify $300,000 for it out of a public company. Or, if it is out of his pocket, how to justify the salary one must make to afford such a work of art.

Hey, be nice. That is only about the cost of three of the most expensive Airstreams. Of course, he could get those wholesale!

[safari62]

Hooligan Chic - Forbes.com

Hooligan Chic
Dirk Smillie 12.24.07, 12:00 AM ET
Celebrities and corporate moguls are fueling the boom in custom motorcycles--and creating a new subculture of fierce collectibles.

I read this clip from the first postand this project sounds even dumber.

Corporate Moguls....Motorcycle subculture?
Forbes thinks this is noteworthy I suppose, but it sounds like a poor use of the Companies advertising budget. I won't even start to mention all the things that could be done with that kind of money that would put Airstream in a much better light.
Jesse James stills lives, and has learned to steal from the rich like Robin Hood.

I guess "Celebrities" that can afford Airstream toy haulers will be impressed.
I know, I'm just no fun right now. Just had to vent.
Gary

[zamboni]

Might be cooler if sidecar actually looked (shaped) like an early AS...JMTCW! )

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I personally don't like it. The side car just looks like a regular side car skinned with aluminum and rivets. It looks as much like an Airstream as it does the Spirit of St. Louis. NOT. Oh wait, I got it, it looks just like a DC-3. I have seen pictures of home made bird and dog houses that actually look like Airstreams.

[campadk]

Whats the towing capacitiy of that there bike?

Might do a better job at towing an Airstream than the 'original' bike. Could end up this bike is used in the revised version of the Airstream logo with the bicycle.. don't know.. hey... its 12am here!

[rseagle]

Originally Posted by safari57

I see he can carry enough gas to make it two to three blocks at a time
Barry

Perhaps, it's just intended to be towed on a trailer like a Harley. Maybe he can stuff it in a BaseCamp.

[john hd]

jesse who?

don't like it or would own one.

here is what the real deal looks like...

john

[john hd]

here is a little updated photo from last summer...

john

[safari57]

Very nice John. You are right, you have the real deal.

The other might as well be a model for as impractical as it is and for as often as it is likely to get driven.

Barry