Recently, we had the chance to travel to Melbourne, Florida to see a very special bike and meet its builder.  Say hello to Billy Lane, owner and designer at Choppers, Inc.  Meet his most famous creation, the “Psycho Billy Cadillac.” 

We spoke with Billy from his shop.  We talked about this bike with its radical and even physics-defying “hubless” rear-wheel design.  First, Billy told us a bit about how he got started in the business.  Billy said that, when he was young, he helped his brothers work on their bikes.  Even though his parents forbade him to have motorcycles, (and tattoos as well) he bought a bike while he was in college.  His creativity and talent took over from there.  Billy possesses a degree in mechanical engineering from Florida State University.  So the “Psycho Billy Bike” didn’t come about by accident, but rather from painstaking design and care.

This special bike is all handmade.  In fact, Billy told us that legendary bike builder, Jesse James, built the gas tank for it!  What actually draws the “oohs and aahs” when someone sees this bike is the “hubless” appearance of the rear-wheel, which Billy tells us isn’t really hubless at all!  He created and fabricated an axel almost as big as the rear wheel and then hollowed out the axel that gives the “hubless” appearance.  He also told us that much of the credit of the shop’s success goes to his partner, Nick.  They have worked together for seven years.  Billy went on to say that their partnership is ideal in that both understand the other’s direction and influences when it comes to building bikes.  Finally, we talked Billy into firing up a second hubless chopper that they had built.  He talked to us about the bike and its nostalgic design.  First of all, we noticed that the bike sported a stick-shift.  Billy told us that he likes to keep the nostalgic concept and also pay tribute to builders, such as Von Dutch and Big Daddy Ed Roth, whose designs influenced him.  He also stated that he likes the “old-school” feel (such as not running any front brakes) even if it is a bike with modern technology.  “It’s like a rite of passage,” Billy went on to say.  Lastly, Billy told us that he had been asked about selling the second hubless bike.  He’s not saying that he wouldn’t, but he didn’t say he was ready to let go either…you’ll just have to stay tuned.

The crew had a great time visiting with Billy and Nick.  If you would like to see more about the “Psycho Billy Cadillac” and the other bikes from Choppers, Inc., give them a look on the web at www.choppersinc.com.  That’s it from Melbourne, Florida.  So until our next ride, “Keep the shiny side up and Ride On!”

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