LOOKING BACK AT MY 2006 SHOP SHOOT AT PEREWITZ CYCLE FABRICATION

Pics & Post by Jack McIntyre

Way back in 2006, I made my way up to Massachusetts from Philadelphia to spend the day with Dave Perewitz & his family shooting his new shop. The images below are from that day and you can see that the shop was busting with work, even Jody was hands on at that point, learning from her Pop at every angle. I’ll borrow some words from the Perewitz website that explains this amazing motorcycle builder, his dedication, and plan. Go to Perewitzs.com to see more.

**DAVE & MYSELF AFTER THE BIKER BUILD OFF, MAIN STREET DAYTONA, BIKEWEEK 2004. THIS IMAGE HANGS IN MY STUDIO.**

One Man’s Passion Grown into a Nationally Renowned Business

In 1969, Dave Perewitz made modifications to his own 1964 Sportster, painted it and brought it to Laconia where all of New England had a first glimpse of what was to come from this self-taught, fabricator. The response to his motorcycle was positive, and the passion for the work so great, that Dave returned home ready to create more motorcycles.

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A few years later, in 1971, Cycle Fab, as it was known then, was born in a 4’ x 10’ shed in the Perewitz backyard. Dave continued to hone both his customizing and painting skills and soon the business outgrew the confines of the shed. A larger structure was built to accommodate the growing needs of the business.

Four years after starting Cycle Fab, Dave traveled to a show in Detroit where he met Arlen Ness, a custom builder from California, and formed a friendship that has lasted over three decades. Dave returned from Detroit ready to open a retail storefront, in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts, where the first custom line he carried was Arlen Ness parts.

Dave leveraged the expanding availability of aftermarket products in the early 1980s and began designing and building motorcycles from the ground up. Although Dave is a master painter of all designs, it was at this time that his signature flames began standing out on most all of the motorcycles that he created. Dave has since become known as the “King of Flames” and this is one of his specialties. Nobody does flames better than Dave.

As “The Look” was being created, the company outgrew both the first retail location and the structure used for the motorcycle fabrications. The retail location was moved to a bigger location in the same city, but the fabricating location was moved to a new facility in the next town, where Dave and his young family lived. Dave was never far from the business, as the building was in his backyard.

Traveling to different shows around the country, Dave made many connections and gained the admiration of a loyal following, including a mega-celebrity, wrestler Hulk Hogan. From this point forward, a custom Cycle Fab motorcycle became, and continues to be, a status symbol among celebrities. The company has built custom creations for rock stars, NFL greats and NASCAR execs, crew chiefs and drivers.

With the influx of business, celebrity builds and greater notoriety for the company’s principal, the company changed its name to Perewitz Cycle Fabrication. As the Perewitz brand became more well-known, television audiences were starting to recognize the uniqueness of the motorcycle industry and custom builders. As one of the nation’s original custom builders, Dave was chosen to represent the industry on numerous shows, including Discovery Channel’s now-famous Biker Build-Off, in 2003.

In 2003 Dave did a Biker Build-off for Discovery Channel. He went against Florida’s Billy Lane, as Dave describes the build and ride as a “once in a life time experience”. Well it just so happens that Dave is making it twice in a life time. He finished filming another Biker Build-off in 2006 that went to Sturgis South Dakota. He went against Phoenix Arizona’s Paul Yaffe. Dave came home with the trophy and a beautiful “Flaming Masterpiece”.

The notoriety gained from all of the television exposure catapulted the Perewitz brand name into another category all together. The company recognized the need to grow and began plans to bring both the retail location and the shop together. However, they didn’t stop there. In December of 2004, the company that started with one person in a small shed moved into a 12,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility. The new home of Perewitz Cycle Fabrications not only has a retail location and custom building area, but a down draft paint booth, full service motorcycle repair operation and a showroom for nearly 30 bikes. This is where customers and fans alike can attend numerous Bike Nights and Open Houses throughout the year as well as find Dave, when he’s not on the road.

The Perewitz Cycle Fabrication team travels to nearly 35 shows and events a year where the entire team pitches in to bring “The Look” around the country. The next generation of Perewitz are poised to continue growing the brand. Around motorcycles since the day she was born, Jody Perewitz has taken to the family business like a fish to water.

Jody is certainly no longer in her father’s shadow. She travels all over the country or where ever the motorcycle industry leads her. As the Perewitz legacy continues, who knows, the “King of Flames” some day may not be a ‘king’ at all.

With loyal, repeat customers, a growing fan base and the next generation jumping right into the business, Perewitz Cycle Fabrication may soon out grow their current location, too.

Here are a bunch of pics, the shop, painters, welders, sales floor. It truly was a great time for the industry, hopefully we can return to those days soon.