Lucille by Guilty Customs

Corporate success guarantees nothing in the cutthroat world of custom bikes. After tasting big-league success with Bank of America and Compass Technologies, CJ Hanlon seeks to savor the lingering sweetness of success in his newest enterprise, Guilty Customs, and has been busy assembling the cogs for his latest business machine.

It starts with a businessman who has the know-how of the Fortune 500 corporate world but who also has been breaking bikes down and building them back up as long as he can remember. Throw in a self-motivator who grew up in the Bondo dust of a body shop where he honed his talent doing custom paint jobs and breathing life into vintage vehicles. Stir in the all-around talent of an MMI-trained shop foreman with fabrication and body-work skills and you have the foundation for Guilty Customs.

In May of 2006, shop owner Hanlon utilized his business savvy when he merged two respected local shops from the Apopka, Florida, area: Jason Gray Customs and Orgazmic Choppers into Guilty Customs. Since the merge, Guilty Customs has used venues like Sturgis and Biketoberfest to put its foot in the door of the custom bike building industry.

When asked about how Guilty would survive in the ultra-competitive, overcrowded custom chopper market that's ready to chew up and spit out any pretenders, Hanlon coolly responded.

"At Guilty Customs, we will stay competitive by staying true to our design philosophies. We will not build according to trends, but will stay true to what we believe in."

Guilty Customs plans on carving out its niche by combining modern, high-performance components on classically-styled bikes. Hanlon is a fan of the resto-mods, old cars that have been restored in a way that stays true to the period-correct shape but utilizes modern technology under the hood or to improve styling cues. Guilty aims to make streamlined, retro-styled motorcycles with simple lines that avoid the excessive ornamentation and fluff.

"With all the overdone, complicated choppers out there, it almost feels like a fresh idea to strip a bike down and keep it real," Hanlon said.

Guilty's feature attraction, Lucille from its Starlett line, is a prime example, combining a springer front end and a '39 Ford taillight with a 260mm rear tire and modern drive-train.

Guilty's "Indian" model line is another example. Not only Indian-themed, this bobber uses an upgraded 1950s-era flat-head Indian V-Twin. The 84-cubic-inch, 42-degree V-Twin is a proprietary motor from the Kiwi Motorcycle Company, a California-based business that manufactures vintage-design motorcycle parts, including the classically-styled Kiwi leaf-spring fork fitted to Guilty's Indian bikes.

Kiwi MC is a leader in the design and manufacturing of Indian brand motorcycle parts, and it supplied its Flathead 42-degree V-Twin engine. Hanlon claims it is the industry's first manufactured custom Indian bobber.

"With the bobber's unique styling, low center of gravity, simple lines, superior handling characteristics and rider comfort, this bike will not only interest the Indian fan but will be uniquely positioned to satisfy female riders," Hanlon stated.

Hanlon expressed concern that custom bike builders had not really been listening to rider's needs or wants. Guilty Customs seeks to bridge the void between consumer and manufacturer.

One of his first strategies is to create bikes that are affordable, reliable and comfortable. A common problem with custom choppers is the custom price. You see those sporty bikes in magazines and see celebrities riding them on TV. You'd sacrifice a finger to own one, but you're a hard-working stiff that can't forfeit a year's wages solely to sate your ego. One of Guilty's first marketing strategies is to offer a cool custom ride that the average person can afford. Guilty keeps the sticker price down by claiming that it does not mark up parts. The price of its customs, starting in the mid $20's, lends validation to Guilty's claim.

Reliability of its customs is a source of company pride. Guilty aims to offer a bike that can be ridden daily, a bike that is going to get you to your destination without breaking down in a Podunk town on road trips where there's not any parts available and Jim Bob, the only mechanic around, stands at the ready with his greasy wrench and dollar signs in his eyes when his brother comes towing your bike in. Guilty puts its handcrafted creations through a thorough shakedown before they leave the shop, testing the craftsmanship of its certified master mechanics.

Guilty supports the confidence it has in its workmanship with the guarantee that if one of its bikes experiences any type of complication in the first 60 days, Guilty Customs will fix it or take the bike back, no questions asked. The company also backs its work with a two-year warranty. Owners who live in the central Florida area can further take advantage of Guilty's guarantee of quality service by having their bikes tuned in-shop by Hanlon's crew.

Another arena where Guilty's marketing strategies can carve out a niche is through its Women's Line of bikes. Clothes aren't one size-fits-all. Neither are motorcycles. Hanlon, a resident of Florida, recognized the increasing number of women bikers on the roads. He asked several female friends who ride what they would like to see in a bike. A motorcycle with a narrower frame and seating was high on their request list.

"We don't want to feel like we're riding a 50-gallon drum," Hanlon quoted them.