Career in bike building / customisation

daviddelaney

Hi All,

I was just looking for abit of advice. I've always had a love for motorbikes espically customising them. I'd love a career in the industry but not entirely sure the best way to go about it.

Has anyone got any advice?

I have a mechanical background but there doesn't seem to be very many opportunities in this industry.

Thanks in advance.

Del2005

Not much work here for custom building. I knew a place that tried during the boom and didn't last a year.

What you need to do is start buying and restoring bikes. As sales improve or when people are looking say I can do x or y to the bike for them. Then hopefully word of mouth will have people come to you looking for work to be done on their bike.

daviddelaney

Del2005 wrote: »

Not much work here for custom building. I knew a place that tried during the boom and didn't last a year.

What you need to do is start buying and restoring bikes. As sales improve or when people are looking say I can do x or y to the bike for them. Then hopefully word of mouth will have people come to you looking for work to be done on their bike.

Thanks for the info. Seems a real shame that there's no entry level way into the industry. Even training as a bike mechanic seems impossible unless you already know someone in the industry willing to take you under there wing.

Bluefoam

Custom bikes don't seem to have much demand in Ireland... In fact, bikes in general don't seem to have much of a market in Ireland.

The only way to start would be to customise bikes and sell them on... Build a customer base and network... Irish people seem more interested in getting the same Audi their neighbour has and then driving it badly. The idea of owning a bike purely as a luxury, or even a second car is difficult in the Irish market.

cantdecide

Ireland's definitely a weird place for all things motoring. Even in New Zealand with a near identical population, when I was there, I was stunned at the amount of specialist bike and hot rod shops.

Bluefoam wrote: »

Irish people seem more interested in getting the same Audi their neighbour has and then driving it badly.

It's not even about keeping up with the Joneses IMO, it's about the vast majority treating vehicles in strictly utilitarian terms. We are not a car loving nation and we don't see looking after our vehicles as a matter of personal pride. Between the inflated cost of buying and running bone stock disposable cars, I think people resent even maintaining them. I remember a colleague who had a basic Focus from new and when the recession hit, he told me one day 'I can't afford to change it now so I should probably service it - I haven't serviced it since I've had it'. After four freaking years like.

A bike is strictly a luxury and when you see the state of decent newish bikes presented for trade-in, you can see that some people are only interested in paying for petrol and credit union payments and everything else is optional.

To the OP, if you're dedicated to the idea of customising bikes, just bear in mind it will be a part-time vocation. There are custom bike builders around but they appear to be more like suffering artists who with many of them working on bikes and perform paint and repair services to pay the bills.

daviddelaney

cantdecide wrote: »

Ireland's definitely a weird place for all things motoring. Even in New Zealand with a near identical population, when I was there, I was stunned at the amount of specialist bike and hot rod shops.





It's not even about keeping up with the Joneses IMO, it's about the vast majority treating vehicles in strictly utilitarian terms. We are not a car loving nation and we don't see looking after our vehicles as a matter of personal pride. Between the inflated cost of buying and running bone stock disposable cars, I think people resent even maintaining them. I remember a colleague who had a basic Focus from new and when the recession hit, he told me one day 'I can't afford to change it now so I should probably service it - I haven't serviced it since I've had it'. After four freaking years like.

A bike is strictly a luxury and when you see the state of decent newish bikes presented for trade-in, you can see that some people are only interested in paying for petrol and credit union payments and everything else is optional.

To the OP, if you're dedicated to the idea of customising bikes, just bear in mind it will be a part-time vocation. There are custom bike builders around but they appear to be more like suffering artists who with many of them working on bikes and perform paint and repair services to pay the bills.

Thanks for the insight, there definitely seems to be a common opinion towards bike building not only with everyone posting here but also with any one if talked to. It's a real shame.

I've gone as far as to research even how to become a bike mechanic / technician and short of one PLC course based in Cork there's absolutely no way to go about it in this country. I understand alot of people who are in the roles are self taught or have life experience. It just seems ridiculous that in a country so hell bent on qualifications that it's impossible to receive any sort of training or certification.

CJhaughey

I'd say its such a specialised field that there wouldn't a course that could cover all the skills you may need.
I'd say you would want to be able to weld, Mig, Tig, and be competent in gas as well. Then you'd want to be able to work sheet metal so folding and the use of english wheels.
Then some pretty decent motor mechanic skills including being able to make new looms and wiring from scratch.
Being able to paint may or may not be necessary and then upholstery as well.
All in all a lot of pretty technical skills.

Max Headroom

If youre that interested, just buy a cheap bike and start messing around with it, it seems you have an interest so i assume youre mechanically minded and capable of a build....I've built a couple of bikes for myself , i've no mechanical experience at all but for what i've learned (the hard way mostly) over time.. as for making a business out of it i,d never go down that road..you have to deal with way too many azzholes...;)..

I'd imagine most people in it are self taught in every aspect of mechanics and fabrication tbh

Bluefoam

It has crossed my mind to set up a workshop in Ireland, assembling custom bikes... most of the parts can be bought off the shelf and fitted with little knowledge of mechanics. Anything technical, custom made or mechanical can be outsourced... It really is simple to build custom bikes (cash permitting), but there seems to be a lack of market in Ireland. The government have made it so miserable to do anything engaging. There's a movement around the world at the moment to build distinct bikes, but Ireland seems to be left out... everyday life seems to be such a struggle that simple pleasures like owning a custom bike aren't viable.

I'd be interested to go to the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride in Dublin to gauge the activity in the scene...

From my own point of view, I am looking to get back into bikes (with a modern retro custom), but living abroad I can't apply for a theory test, IBT etc... and my plans are on hold until I can get on of these mystical national identity cards (which apparently aren't national identity cards), because I can't seem to do anything without one. My point being that the process is disjointed, confusing and deliberately stifling... if you do manage to get through the system, the costs are prohibitive & thus the lack of a viable market...

Max Headroom

A guy asked me to build a bike for him after seeing my bike at a show...i told him how much it cost me WITHOUT labour costs " sure i could buy a new Harley for that" he said...azzholes...guys dont realise the time it takes to do a build, not just labour..ordering things on line can take weeks to arrive, plus travelling to get metal and other parts....American chopper makes things look easy but most builders in ireland dont have the equipment that these idiots seem to think they have ..plus imo theres no REAL desire to own a custom bike like that....its the reason for the upsurge in cheaper to build cafe racers/trackers....just my tuppence worth..:)

Del2005

Another issue in Ireland is that insurance companies don't like modifications, for cars or bikes. Some don't even like crash bobbins or a noisier exhaust. So how are people supposed to insure a totally custom made bike.

antiskeptic

daviddelaney wrote: »

Hi All,

I was just looking for abit of advice. I've always had a love for motorbikes espically customising them. I'd love a career in the industry but not entirely sure the best way to go about it.

Has anyone got any advice?

I have a mechanical background but there doesn't seem to be very many opportunities in this industry.

Thanks in advance.

Biking is a bit of dying entity in this country. When I were a lad, bikes were everywhere. You'd ol fella's using honda 50's as utility transport, youngsters on 125's, mid-20 fellas on 350LC and 550-750 four strokes. Motorcycle couriering was rampant too - Dublin was awash with them

The trickle-trickle of contra-bike legislation has made it more and more difficult for anyone but the seriously motivated to enter into it. In the old days you just bought a banger, got a provisional licence, perhaps insurance .. and off you went.

And so, these days, you rarely see youngsters on bikes, indeed, you (relatively) rarely see bikes at all, in day to day settings. If you removed older people who got into biking when it was easy to in their youth, then there'd be virtually no bikers.

With little new blood, the decline will continue as the older current riders retire out.

I wouldn't be planning a career in a dying game.

Max Headroom

antiskeptic wrote: »

Biking is a bit of dying entity in this country. When I were a lad, bikes were everywhere. You'd ol fella's using honda 50's as utility transport, youngsters on 125's, mid-20 fellas on 350LC and 550-750 four strokes. Motorcycle couriering was rampant too - Dublin was awash with them

The trickle-trickle of contra-bike legislation has made it more and more difficult for anyone but the seriously motivated to enter into it. In the old days you just bought a banger, got a provisional licence, perhaps insurance .. and off you went.

And so, these days, you rarely see youngsters on bikes, indeed, you (relatively) rarely see bikes at all, in day to day settings. If you removed older people who got into biking when it was easy to in their youth, then there'd be virtually no bikers.

With little new blood, the decline will continue as the older current riders retire out.

I wouldn't be planning a career in a dying game.

I half agree with you there...my thinking is that young guys just arent into bikes these days the way we were...theres no need to get a bike when you can get a car so cheap, plus young guys nowadays have kids/familys...no time for bikes..
A mate of mine is a perfect example, he has a son who was on motox bikes since he could walk...17 his girlfriend gets pregnant, now they have two small kids..he's only 22..he'd love a bike but she "wont let him"..his life is over..!!!
Maybe in a few years time ther'll be another batch of born again's to carry on the tradition...IMO if you REALLY want a bike you'll get one..and in ireland bikes tend to be more a hobby or fashion..or both.;)

Cian_ok

Max Headroom wrote: »

A mate of mine is a perfect example, he has a son who was on motox bikes since he could walk...17 his girlfriend gets pregnant, now they have two small kids..he's only 22..he'd love a bike but she "wont let him"..his life is over..!!!
)

We need to encourage more women onto bikes. And then they can share their passion for bikes

Bluefoam

Max Headroom wrote: »

A mate of mine is a perfect example, he has a son who was on motox bikes since he could walk...17 his girlfriend gets pregnant, now they have two small kids..he's only 22..he'd love a bike but she "wont let him"..his life is over..!!!

He would seem to be the exception rather than the rule. Although young people don't have the same interest in bikes, mainly to do with the excessive cost of getting started in life and also the lack of positive role models...

Cian_ok wrote: »

We need to encourage more women onto bikes. And then they can share their passion for bikes

That is the worldwide trend. Ireland seems to be the exception

hi5

Del2005 wrote: »

Another issue in Ireland is that insurance companies don't like modifications, for cars or bikes. Some don't even like crash bobbins or a noisier exhaust. So how are people supposed to insure a totally custom made bike.

Carole Nash advertise custom bike insurance.



These guys build custom bikes to an international level.

https://www.facebook.com/medazacycles

Also...

https://www.facebook.com/CC-Choppers-Ireland-281860365158894/?ref=page_internal

And there are others..

Most bike builders are self taught, but you could start on something simple like a Honda 50 which in itself is a big hobby...

Max Headroom

Sometimes its cheaper to buy a build or part build..here anyways.....i'd say a lot of guys lose money on their build tbh..

hi5

Max Headroom wrote: »

Sometimes its cheaper to buy a build or part build..here anyways.....i'd say a lot of guys lose money on their build tbh..

True, but it's It's a labour of love really, about being creative and the satisfaction of having built it yourself.
You'd need to be in the states to make money and charge $100,000 per bike.

Reminds me American Chopper is coming back on TV soon, they're all broke!!.

Max Headroom

Tell me about it..:)......you'd be lucky to make a days wages for three months work.....:(..