Mark Fiedler got his first motorcycle, a Kawasaki dirt bike, about 15 years ago, but he’s getting older now and he’s looking for something a little more comfortable – and unique.
So he set out to build his own custom motorcycle.
That, whether you know it or not, is a time-consuming and expensive proposition.
Fiedler, 39, a machinist by trade, bought what he called a straight-up chopper frame from a licensed frame builder in Florida. The frame, he points out, has an MSO number – that stands for manufacturer’s statement of origin.
He picked out the kind of engine he wanted, and the transmission. He had to fabricate some of the body parts himself.
After a year and a half and about $20,000, he had a completed motorcycle with a candy tangerine paint job, all kinds of chrome and lots of custom made pieces.
“Nobody else has that style,” Fiedler said. “It’s unique. I just wanted a cruiser, the kind of thing that would turn heads.”
In a way, despite all the time and money he put into the bike, Fiedler got a bargain of sorts. Big Dog, a motorcycle maker, would charge $25,000 for a bike like his, he said, and some other makers might charge up to $60,000.
“It’s cheaper to build it yourself,” he said.
