Mike had been riding motorcycles for over 25 years, and when he retired he and his wife decided to get a custom bike built. There are all sorts of things that can weigh on the decision when choosing a builder, and in the case of Mike Hannah's Perewitz Custom build, it all started with the book The Art of the Chopper, which Mike received as a Christmas present from his son the year before.
Being from California, there wasn't a shortage of talented builders in his backyard. Mike decided to travel to various events and get all the builders who were in the book to sign it and talk about their bikes. After making the rounds, Mike met Dave Perewitz a few times, was very impressed with how approachable he was and how passionate he was about building bikes, even after 25 years. They started to talk about building a custom, and Mike mentioned that the only real stipulation was that the bike needed a sissy bar for his wife and be a real rider, not a "garage show bike." Dave said that his bikes typically don't have sissy bars, but he would take it into consideration. It took a few weeks, but Dave finally got back to Mike and let him know that after talking to the guys at the shop, they had come up with something that would work and look cool. He said he enjoyed the challenge of designing something new.
Roger Goldammer Is Somewhat...
Roger Goldammer Is Somewhat Of An Engineering Expert, And The Perewitz Gang Utilized One Of His Frontends For This Specific Build.
Mike and Dave spoke again and they came up with a few design ideas; Mike wanted a motor bigger than his current 117-inch motor, and he wanted a traditional long, low Perewitz custom with a 300 tire in the back. The bike was going to be ridden hard, but would also have to be a head-turner. Perewitz Cycle Fabrication always takes those things into consideration when building a bike, and with 25 years of bike building, it's no wonder that Dave and his team would come up with such a subtle yet functional design for the sissy bar. Even though Mike was 2,500 miles away, the design process was fairly simple: Dave and Mike would talk periodically when decisions had to be made about components; Dave would make suggestions and typically Mike would OK those ideas. This was a smart move, considering the hundreds of functional head-turners Dave and his crew have built. The bike was coming together nicely and when it was time to decide on paint, Mike knew it had to be painted with Perewitz's signature flames. Mike asked if he could come out and watch the bike get painted, and with PCF being such a friendly place, they said sure, come on out.
Mike got to the shop, and all the people involved were almost as excited to see his reaction as he was to see the mock up of the bike. It was still in primer, but he could get the concept and he was blown away. He watched the guys do the base coat, gold leaf, and brandywine, then he had to head back to LA. He was going to have to wait until Daytona to see the final product. It's hard to imagine seeing a bike like this for the first time and the emotions that dominated Mike's thinking. When he saw it finished he initially had a hard time grasping it was his and that he was going to be riding it all around Daytona for the next week and then taking it home. He looked at all the details while his wife Lynette checked out the sissy bar and passenger seat. Mike was amazed at the fit and finish on the bike, and the low, fat stance it took. All the details were so clean, right down to the hidden wiring, complimentary Danny Gray seat and integrated handlebars. The lines run together smoothly from the Goldammer frontend all the way back to the Russ Wernimont Designs fender. It was time to find out whether it rode as good as it looked.
Mike threw his leg over the bike for the first time, Lynette hopped on back, and they went for a spin around Daytona, turning heads wherever they went. Mike had so much fun riding it in Daytona that he has not stopped riding it since. He has even taken it on some long distance journeys to San Francisco. Mike says he attributes that to the experience and attention to detail Dave and his team of builders put into every motorcycle that rolls out of their shop. Mike swears that it is the best riding motorcycle he has every ridden and it is also a three-time Best of Show winner. Seems like he found the best of both worlds.