Strolling the rows and rows of
custom and semi-custom choppers and bobbers that populate bike shows nowadays is
overwhelming. What began as an iconoclastic exercise in personalization has
become something of a commodity. These extreme machines are no longer the emblem
of the self-proclaimed fringe; they are a category of limited production
motorcycles. While displays of extreme design abetted by unlimited budgets
continue to result in motorcycles that are sculpture rather than transportation,
one company has chosen to focus on satiating the demand for those whose desires
are more tempered.
From its factory just outside of Pittsburgh, Hardbikes is
rolling out a custom that is truly tailored to the customer. The origins of the
operation are rooted in the entrepreneurship and ingenuity of the founder,
inventor Gene Kirila, cited for his innovation and accomplishments in lean
manufacturing by no less than Time and Fortune magazines. Making his mark in the
physical education machines that became the well-known Cybex brand, he then
developed Virtual Engineered Composites, whose patented fully-automated closed
molding technology has revolutionized the recreational marine industry. The
lessons learned convinced him that his knowledge base and capital could be
applied to building customer-centric custom motorcycles.
 This deceptively complex apparatus is the key to
Hardbikes’ unique results. (Click image to enlarge)
Kirila believed that riders wanted a bike that specifically fit
them.
His view of many customs was that they made owner/riders contort
themselves into extreme postures that were, he felt, ultimately
self-defeating
and even unsafe.
He also believed that it was
possible to
offer a custom for an affordable price—an entry point of
about $20,000—while
providing a comprehensive menu of personalization
options. Gathering around him
a brain trust steeped in the intricacies
of the two-wheeled world, and after a
year of research and development,
Hardbikes began operations in 2005. With 600
orders on hand in the
first year alone, the company has been ramping up its
production line
and dealer network. "Hardbikes is unique because every bike it
builds
will be designed by a customer with the support of a Hardbikes-trained
designer based at one of Hardbikes dealers." Kirila stated at the
company’s
launch. "Our customer designs the bike of his dreams, and we
build it for
him."
 Elegant shapes and premium textures are befitting of authentically custom motorcycles. (Click image to enlarge)
"Work Hard, Play Harder" being the company’s motto, the goal is
to make
choosing and building your Hardbike enjoyable, as well as simple. One’s
quest for the machine of your dreams might begin at the company’s stand
at the
next major bike show. You might be greeted by Bob Kay, who heads
up Sales and
Marketing for the company, drawing on his extensive
industry experience. "This
is a new way to buy a custom motorcycle,"
Kay states confidently as he sizes you
up for your new Hardbike. "The
industry has recognized us for our innovation in
designing with a
custom fit. We’ve come up with a system so that the individual
can have
all the features in their motorcycle that they like personally."
Contemplating and interacting with the jigs that assist you in
matching your height, reach, leg length and preferred seating position to your
bobber or chopper is not unlike getting a custom-made pair of shoes where a cast
is made to match your foot, or having your measurements replicated on a tailor’s
dummy as the template for your bespoke suits.
As Kay adjusts the variety of mechanisms that determine rake,
trail, handlebar position and seat height, it’s easy to see the ergonomic
influence of Gene Kirila’s background in gym equipment manufacturing.
The design configuration is assisted by a computer program that
invites the buyer to select from a menu of features and build in real-time at a
dealer or online, at his discretion. "This takes us back to the original idea of
customization, where the customer can make their choices before the bike is
built," Kay says. "The software program allows you to pick the model, the
colors, the wheels, the graphics, and any type of option you’d like to upgrade
your motorcycle."
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