At last year's rally in Sturgis, Brian Jackson had the good fortune to meet Jesse Rooke, a bike builder from Phoenix , Arizona , who has burst onto the custom motorcycle scene. Rooke's custom motorcycles, such as his "Cali Cruiser," have already made quite an impression on the industry, and recently Brian had the chance to sit down with Jesse and find out just how and where his inspiration came about.

Jesse told Brian that he always had a passion for bikes; in fact, he said that he had always loved anything on two wheels. His flair for design came at an early age as he once customized his own skateboard! Then, during the mid-1990s, Jesse became involved in the designing and selling of racing carts. He built this venture into a nationally top ranked dealership, but soon he began to search for something new and exciting. It was at that time he saw a television show featuring custom bike legend Jesse James, and at that point he had the idea to build his own bike!

According to Jesse's website, that first bike, "Dinah" was built with little first-hand knowledge of how a bike was supposed to be fabricated; however, Jesse drew from his love of two-wheelers, including bicycles, to create a design that won the Best in Show at the 2002 L.A. Calendar Show the first time the bike was shown! The Dinah featured beach cruiser style bars and a one-sided front end ( www.jesserookecustoms.com ). Today, Jesse's latest creation, the "Cali Cruiser," is stopping people in their tracks as soon as they see it. Featuring a rear-brake caliper hidden in the swing arm with the rear disc also serving as the sprocket is one of the unique designs of the bike. Other "old-school" touches include a stick shift and there are no front brakes. The punch that makes this bad boy rumble is an Indian Power-Plus 100 engine fitted with a Mikuni carburetor and coupled to a Baker transmission and primary. Next, Jesse told Brian how the bike came to be known as the Cali Cruiser. First of all, Jesse said that everyone thinks that he is from California , and second, " Cali " was the name of his first racing cart. So there it is! Finally, Brian didn't have to talk long into persuading Jesse to fire up the "Cali Cruiser" so he could see what all the fuss was about. And after watching Jesse ride this rocket through the desert, it is definitely a fact that this bike is the real deal! Jesse added that his entire family is supportive of him in his venture and that means a lot. He also said that it is bit overwhelming to have so much fame in this area so quickly! One thing is certain, however, if he keeps going the way he is now the sky is the limit!

If you would like to learn more about Jesse and his bikes, you can visit him on the web at www.jesserookecustoms.com .

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