Arlen Ness is one of the best-known builders in the
world of custom motorcycles. He went from customizing his own 1947
Harley-Davidson Knucklehead in the late 1960s to becoming a trendsetter whose
designs have been studied and copied—by everyone from other bike-builders to
factory engineers.
His first customs were made in the garage of his home in San Leandro,
California, but by the early 1970s he had moved to a storefront on East 14th
Street.
Ness was recognized for his unique painting style and for developing a line
of custom motorcycle parts. His popularity grew as he built new custom bikes and
then had those displayed on the bike show circuit and featured in motorcycle
magazines.
After more than three decades of custom bike building, his business, Arlen
Ness Motorcycles, moved to a Dublin, California facility that includes a museum
featuring more than 40 of his custom motorcycles.
