Billy Lane from Choppers Inc. is one of the most famous masterbuilder today. To let the work speak you find in this article four bikes, which are my personal favorites.

Born and raised in Miami, custom-bike builder Billy Lane holds an Associate of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida International University. His father got him interested in cars and hot rods early on, so Billy had quite a bit of mechanical knowledge before going to engineering school. Then, in 1989, he bought his first bike while in college. The bike was basically in pieces so he had to learn how to put it together. But with the help of some old-timers, he learned a lot — and fast.

After college, Billy got a job with his brother working on bikes, and then went out on his own. He started making custom parts as gifts for his friends when he was "poor." Eventually, a demand built up for these six-gun parts outside of his peer group, which led to the 1995 formation of Choppers Inc. in Melbourne, Florida. Billy credits his success to getting into the chopper scene ahead of the curve, before the motorcycle industry really started to recognize them as relevant. Now that chopper style is a huge industry, Billy is building a few high-quality bikes each year, which allows him time to develop new parts and ideas for new products and styles.



Hell´s Belle Featured on the cover of Easyriders, July 2005. 1948 Rigid FL Panhead that Billy bought at a swap meet at the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary in Milwaukee. Billy finished this bobber in raw form, with 8 coats of spray paint on the fender, and clear coat on the hand-formed gas tank. No hammer or english wheel, just sheet metal bent over Billy's knee. Kick-start, suicide shift, no front brake, custom wrapped exhaust, custom sissy bar, white wall tires, ball-pein traffic cop: all the Billy classics. Hand made leather seat from the first Harley Billy ever rode. Morris Magneto ignition, S&S Carb, Sifton Cam. Chica Fender, Mooneyes oil tank, Club Castings floor boards. Choppers INC Dice Tag Lite.



The HOW TO Bobber feature bike in Billy's How to Build Old School Choppers, Bobbers And Customs.



Le Big Mack. Billy's daily rider. 1949 Panhead Rigid, Kick-start 4-speed. 4-speed mousetrap shifting. Harley Davidson Hydraglide front end. Drum brake. Paul Cox seat. Super-sixties grips. Custom tail light from the junkyard. Harley fat-Bob gas tanks. Crocker Rear wheel.


Billys personal bobber, BOBZILLA, appropriately named for its fat (240) rear tire. Completely hand fabricated gas tank, fender, sissy bar, and Indian-style leaf-spring front end. Choppers INC Frame and NEW Sneaky Oil Tank, also hand fabricated by Billy. Xtreme Machine wheels. 1945 Knucklehead motor and handlebars. SU Carb and Super Delux air cleaner. Red Shift Cam. Early style Carter glass/ceramic fuel filter. Choppers INC Foot Pegs and Trucker Girl Tag Light. Finishing touches include a hand-tooled leather seat by Ryan Edwards, Plymouth radiator gas cap, antique doorknob shift knob, bottle opener, and Billy's famous "traffic cop" ball pein hammer. Billy used a special gift from our friends at Indian Larry Legacy - the engraved clutch release disc from Larry's WILD CHILD Bike.

Billy has written two books: Chop Fiction and How to Build Old School Choppers, Bobbers And Customs . He also was featured in Art of the Chopper - by Tom Zimberoff.

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