Few would consider steel a precious metal, but when Russ Austin of Precious Metal Customs in Atlanta, Georgia, uses steel to create true mechanical jewels it makes you think twice about what’s considered precious. Rings, bracelets, and other jewelry fascinate women, but like the majority of men, my fascination lies elsewhere. For Russ, passion for motorcycles started in childhood...

Jason likes staring down a gauntlet; he likes problem solving and deliberately presenting himself with a complicated obstacle to overcome. “I used to build these vehicles that were really difficult to use, just because I needed a challenge,” he says. “Like, I’d build an 800hp really small car. You’d go 160 miles an hour in it and, it being very small, it was very temperamental....

“I had an idea for a frame inspired by some of Hank Young’s past customs that used leaf springs for suspension. I visited a few shops where I threw the idea around about it and everyone told me it couldn’t be done,” Bill said. Moving forward without paying heed to the naysayers, he started purchasing chromoly tubing and piecing together parts to fabricate his leaf-spring frame. He...

Click here for more photos… This bike feature originally appeared in Barnett’s Magazine issue #67, January-March 2009. SPECIFICATIONS Owner: Mark Kawakami Year/Make: 2007 Top Shelf Custom Fabrication/ Assembly: Top Shelf Customs Build time: 4-months Engine: S&S 113″ Cases/ Flywheels: S&S Rods/ Pistons:...

  His building style is distinct and it’s not known to include late-model power plants such as V-Rod or Twin Cam motors, Chica customs usually have a Shovelhead fit within their frame tubes. “I’ve had lots of experience with Panheads and Shovelhead motors because the original castings are nice and fat and there’s plenty of extra aluminum that can be shaved and shaped. The...

  Mark must have mentioned the bike to his friends and his wife on a regular basis, because after his visits continued for awhile, Mark’s wife ordered his Chassis Design frame through Top Shelf, making sure that it would be ready for their wedding anniversary. Setting up the foundation of her husband’s custom bike was a task that she took seriously and she consulted with Barry...

  Duane Barnett, a Dallas resident, was looking for an interesting way to promote his commercial and highway construction material business, SSI. “One of Duane’s warehouses is down the road from Strokers. Every once in awhile he’d stop by the shop, have a beer and look at bikes. Eventually he asked me if I’d build him a bike that was unmistakably associated with SSI,” Rick said....

  Like every enthusiast-driven industry, there are going to be some ups and downs, but where there’s a will, there’s always a way. One of the more interesting trends I’m starting to see is the guy who’s not trying to make his only means of living out of building one-off customs, but is personally doing a few ground-ups or serious makeovers just for the learning experience and fun...

   Surprisingly for me, it was built by Beach Customs in Little River, South Carolina, which I mistakenly thought of as just a custom bagger and trike shop. Could be that the other feature Barnett’s Magazine Online has done on them involved a very nicely done custom Harley-Davidson Freewheeler in the big wheeler tradition.  Click on the link and take a look for yourself, they do...