One personality to go, please
A dash of chrome mixed with a whole lot of personality makes for an interesting ride.
Fargo Custom Choppers specializes in transforming an ordinary bike into a personalized masterpiece.
“ When I first meet with someone interested in a bike, I like to ask a whole lot of weird questions just to get a feel for their personality,” Fargo Custom Choppers owner Herm, who goes by only one name, said. “Then I work with that and come up with a drawing.”
Herm said he asks for many details, like the person’s favorite color.
“ I even ask what their favorite drink is, and that helps me personalize it even more,” he said.
The customizing process can be tedious, but it is also the most important process in guaranteeing a quality outcome, Herm said.
“ When someone is interested in customizing a bike, they come in with pictures of different bikes. Then I draw something up and we talk about it and go from there,” Herm said. “To get a better feel for the bikes, I let them try out different bikes.”
Custom choppers are loaded with personality mimicking the image of the owner. Riders cherish the bikes, and each bike carries a special name so as not to be confused with other choppers.
“ Before starting a bike, I like to name it, (thus) creating an identity for the bike,” Herm said.
Building a bike takes a lot of time, talent and connections. Each bike is different, which forces its creators to invest a great deal of time into each product.
“ I can finish a bike in 90 days — no problem,” Herm said. “The paint takes about one month, along with the gathering of parts.”
Because customers are as excited about seeing the finished product as the artists, setting a finish date ensures a completed product within reasonable time for customers.
Bikes bought off a lot can be bland and resemble every other bike on the road. Even the slightest customizations can bring a unique personality to any type of bike.
“ Anyone can bring in a bike and I can transform it, but I won’t cut the frame,” Herm said.
Because a bike takes months to create and requires sole devotion from the artist, customized choppers carry a heavy price tag, but for most, the final outcome is worth the price.
“ A standard bike runs around $20,000, a mid-range bike is about $32,000 and an exotic bike will run a person around $50,000,” Herm said. “I usually ask for three-fourths of the payment in advance and the rest upon completion, but some people like to pay for everything up front.”
The ruggedness of a chopper may have been a turnoff to females in the past, but those days seem to be over.
“ More female riders are coming up,” Herm said. “I give them hints on what to buy — usually something inexpensive and easy to ride so they can get a feel for it … I have to look at what type of work they do and hook them up with a bike depending on their strength.”
Because choppers require a financial commitment, most women appreciate being eased into the lifestyle.
“ I usually suggest low-end bikes to women who are just starting out and within a year they are back here wanting something more powerful and customized,” Herm said. “It is just a way to ease them into it.”
Although the look of the bikes may scream “painful,” the design of the bike is customized to bring comfort to the rider.
“ There are so many different styles of bikes to go with and they are great to ride and surprisingly comfortable,” Herm said.
Creating a state-of-the-art masterpiece such as a custom chopper requires talent, which can be found at Fargo Custom Choppers.
“ I have been building choppers for 10 years. I started out in Minneapolis, then moved back here when my mom died,” Herm said. “I started working here (Fargo Custom Choppers) and took over the business about seven months ago.”
Fargo Custom Choppers is also on the Web at www.fargocustomchoppers.com.