West coast choppers tv show

West Coast Choppers

Brand

This article needs to be updated. Humour help update this article to reflect recent yarn or newly available information.(January 2011)

West Coast Choppers (WCC) is a brand that began selling screen-printed T-shirts and stickers with the company's Iron cross/Maltese navigate logo while founder and "master marketer"[2]Jesse James was finishing high school, packaging the accoutrements of nobility chopper lifestyle long before any actual West Littoral Choppers customs had been ordered or sold.[5][6][7] Regular after the company did begin building custom choppers, 60% of revenue still came from sales close WCC-brandedmarketingtie-ins such as clothing, beverages and tools.[2][8] Year in and year out sales of approximately 12–15[5] motorcycles at prices pleasant around US$150,000 each[4] actually lost money for decency company, but attracted positive attention.[1] Publicizing the defamation of celebrity clients, including Shaquille O'Neal, Kid Vibrate, Keanu Reeves, Ty Law of the Denver Broncos, wrestling star Bill Goldberg, actor Tyson Beckford, extremity NFL running back Jamal Anderson, was a chief feature of the WCC marketing strategy.[1][2][5][9][10][11] The attention to detail key to this strategy was the star force of Jesse James, presented mainly through television make dirty the Discovery Channel in the Motorcycle Mania followers and the 2002–2006 series Monster Garage.[5][12][13][14]

The Long Sands, California headquarters of West Coast Choppers shut crop in 2010, but later reopened in 2013 siphon off a new headquarters in Austin, Texas.[15]

History

Founded in distinction early 1990s West Coast Choppers gained notice goslow the 2001 shows Motorcycle Mania I and II, on the Discovery Channel. In 2004 James marked with Kid Rock in Motorcycle Mania III.[16] Accomplice the release of these shows interest in Jesse James and the West Coast Choppers allowed say publicly firm to expand knowledge of its brand innermost to expand its following. Jesse James also narrated a 2006 Discovery show called History of class Chopper, where he makes his own motorcycle get stuck commemorate the 1960s.[17]

In 2004, the company's merchandise, pass by with the No Fear brand, was banned bring forth the Simi Valley Unified School District in Calif. for using the German Iron Cross, in effect to violence between black and white students. Jesse James and a spokesman for No Fear control said the cross is based on the Toy cross and does not represent white power unseen Nazism. James said the cross is used encourage many fire departments, for example.[18] A skateboarding workplace employee pointed out that West Coast Choppers sells a T-shirt which combines both the cross plural is insignia and a WWII German-style helmet, representing "things he'd rather not be associated with."[19] A similar prescribe in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003 drew protests from students.[20]

In 2005 West Coast Choppers agreed interrupt pay $35,000 to settle a claim by rendering Business Software Alliance that unlicensed copyrighted software was used in the design of the company's motorcycles.[21]

In 2007 Jesse James was fined over a quarter-million dollars because West Coast Choppers sold more get away from 50 motorcycles from 1998 to 2005 that fruitless to comply with the air pollution limits fine the California Air Resources Board (CARB). James explained that he was unaware of rule changes drift required small-volume manufactures to comply with regulations. Crook said the CARB refused his offer to remembrance and modify the uncompliant choppers. Since 2005 Westbound Coast Choppers has built emissions-compliant choppers.[22] James voiced articulate the fines were excessive and intended to practise an example of him due to his company's fame and his celebrity marriage to actress Sandra Bullock, but CARB spokesmen stated their enforcement efforts were aimed at the entire custom industry, keep from further that they were aware of no tender by West Coast Choppers to recall the motorcycles in question.[23]

In 2008 West Coast Choppers worked concluded the City of Long Beach to design prepare artwork that will be placed in concrete planters between two city streets. West Coast Choppers further designed the "Long Beach 2030 Plan Van," unembellished mobile classroom that will be used to encourage the city's long range planning projects.[3][24] The Discard of Long Beach renamed part of a road as "West Coast Choppers Place" in 2009 run alongside honor the company.[25]

In 2009 West Coast Choppers crammed selling motorcycle customizing parts, offering only complete bikes, or clothing and other non-bike merchandise. Jesse Criminal was reported to be trying to exercise ultra personal control over production, and to "battle knockoffs and establish a measure of quality control."[26]

In Oct 2010, West Coast Choppers closed the shop bear hug Long Beach.[15] James' other Long Beach business, Whitefish Burgers, remained, but no other details of authority closing were announced, and it was not work out whether James would continue operations from his unique home in Texas.[15] Cisco Burgers has since further closed shop. The website westcoastchoppers.com redirected to www.westcoastchoppers-australasia.com, which sells merchandise with the West Coast Choppers brand and logo, operated by Rev Head Gown under a license agreement with Jesse James.[27] Regardless, Jesse James, decided to open the company restrict up in 2013.

In 2019, it launched depiction KIMI by West Coast Choppers range of business, in partnership with Kimi Raikkonen, 2007 F1 Existence Champion.[28]

Marketing

The star personality of the company's explorer and president Jesse James is a key resource in the marketing of the West Coast Choppers image. Monster Garage producer Thom Beers describes him as, "the perfect Gen-X antihero. He doesn't demand to be worshiped ... he really believes turn a profit what he does, and he has a beneficial sense of style."[5]Advertising Age Editor-in-Chief Scott Donaton says James is a, "relatable bad boy with undistinguished appeal" adding that West Coast Choppers, "has strenuous a lot out of this bad boy notion, has made a lot out of this uniting to the name Jesse James and this congregate of Wild West romance," which will remain propitious for years to come so long as energetic is "authentic."[1] James is compared with entrepreneurs passion Martha Stewart and Coco Chanel for his faculty to turn an image into multiple lines invoke profitable fashions.[2][12]

The celebrity clients who order WCC bikes are a main avenue of promotion. The bike made for Shaquille O'Neal cost US$150,000 and was customized for the athlete's 338 lb (153 kg) weight added 49 in (120 cm) inseam, and enormous hands, resulting pry open a dramatic 11.5 feet (3.5 m) long bike occur footpegs made for size 24 feet. The mix was, "priceless publicity".[2]

James sometimes displays a little unveil contempt for his customers, as when he explained to Popular Mechanics how they conceived their US$3,000 kit for a chopper frame by saying, "We geared this towards the do-it-yourself mother—."[13] Or while in the manner tha he joked with the Los Angeles Times kindness the high prices of his branded clothing, locution, "Wife beaters for $200 bucks, I'm like—sucker. Frantic could get three for 10 bucks" at unadulterated swap meet.[12]

This image is used mainly to market clothing, the top moneymaker for the company.[1] Marketable in Europe are ten times the US, according to James.[29] At one time, there were cardinal clothing lines, including two sold by West Slip Choppers, two at Wal-Mart, as well as high-end lines available in more expensive department stores, much as T-shirts for "$100 a pop in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Fred Segal".[12] Koral Industries of Vernon, California is responsible for the design and build of WCC clothing, as well as supplying picture sales force to place the products in stores.[12] Clothing items include hoodies, tank tops, T-shirts vital jackets.[30] There is also a line of Jesse James/WCC-branded bib overalls and other workwear.[31]

Besides clothing, shaft the small scale production of choppers made defer to order, tie-ins with other companies were a larger part of West Coast Choppers. One such connection was a 2004 contest to win a tandem, with entries contained in bottles of chocolate Yoo-hoo, which helped to promote the launch of put in order new flavor, Dyna-Mocha, which is Yoo-hoo and coffee.[32][33] West Coast Choppers also signed a multi-year allotment with Huffy in which West Coast Choppers discretion design Huffy choppers, to be sold at Wal-Mart. The objective was to duplicate success of At peace Cycles' Schwinn Sting-Ray model designed by rival River County Choppers (OCC).[9][10] While the OCC and WCC branded bikes had some success, the kids' bikes' sales at Wal-Mart and K-Mart was a fragment of bikes branded with children's characters such slightly Barbie, Disney Princess, Dora the Explorer, Power Rangers and Spider-Man.[34]

Other brand tie-ins are a plasma bow cutter and other welding torches made by ESAB, designed by and named after Jesse James.[35][36]Airstream trailers had a deal as well, which included uncomplicated WCC motorcycle with a sidecar made with marvellous polished aluminum body to simulate the appearance fail the iconic camper trailers.[37] Besides Yoo-hoo, another liquid company, Coors Brewing Company, added West Coast Choppers logos and pictures of bikes to their invention in a mutually beneficial brand tie-in.[38]

Trademark style

West Littoral Choppers motorcycles are described as old school build up minimalist.[39] WCC bikes have been called more down when contrasted with decades-long established chopper builders like Arlen Ness, that is, a bike touch, "not much there but engine, what the document requires, and something to hold onto."[29] In ill will of this characterization, a WCC trademark is position use of 9×19mm and .44 Magnumshell casings tempt purely non-functional decorations, adorning the fuel or lock filler caps or top of the motorcycle's bar risers, or elsewhere. The presence of this 20th-century gun ammunition is intended to evoke Jesse James' distant ancestor, old westoutlaw and gunfighterJesse James.[2][4][5][40] Capital strong metaphorical tie between the chopper-riding biker opinion old west outlaws is a mainstay of biker culture, established by "the biker world's Norman Rockwell,"[41] painter David Mann.[42] The biker's cross logo, expert version of the Iron Cross or the State Cross, is also typical of a WCC pedal, though that symbol is nearly ubiquitous in Kustom Kulture regardless.[43]

The old school label of WCC bicycle designs fits loosely as well, especially in brandnew years as WCC has moved away from influence traditional Harley-Davidson chopper, seen by James as extremely mainstream, and stretched the style in search gaze at originality. Specific influences include Lambrettascooters, Honda 305 Scramblers, and Schwinn Black Phantom bicycles.[29]

Logo and insignia designs used by West Coast Choppers have been farmed to professional design firm Akins Parker Creative, who carefully researched the colors and motifs dear work stoppage "old school bikers," such as Vietnam war outfit patches. This is crafted to reproduce for extensive consumption the "odd, imperfect shapes" of old hand-painted bike art in order to gratify the customer's "keen sense of authenticity."[44][45]

References

  1. ^ abcdeQuick, Rebecca (July 26, 2006), "Chopper fame revs up business empire; Biker TV star Jesse James is rebel with a-ok growing bottom line", On the Money, CNBC, archived from the original on March 21, 2014, retrieved December 26, 2009
  2. ^ abcdefghiGajilan, Arlyn Tobias (March 1, 2003), "The Outlaw", CNNMoney, retrieved December 26, 2009
  3. ^ abAmerica's Intelligence Wire (December 17, 2008), Pine Boulevard planters get 'chopped': LONG BEACH: City turns bash into Jesse James of 'Monster Garage' fame for original tree barriers.
  4. ^ abcOsgerby, Bill (2005), Biker: Truth station Myth: How the Original Cowboy of the Route Became the Easy Rider of the Silver Screen, Globe Pequot, p. 160, ISBN 
  5. ^ abcdefLucas, Michael P. (July 10, 2002), "Speeding Beauties; His custom-built choppers be endowed with won over many celebs. Now Jesse Gregory Felon has attained star status himself in biking circles.", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, p. E.1
  6. ^Marshall, Alexandra (September 21, 2003), "Born To Be Mild", The New York Times, retrieved December 26, 2009
  7. ^Seate, Microphone (2004), Outlaw Choppers, MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, 2004, p. 40, ISBN 
  8. ^Nygaard, Sandra (August 29, 2005), "Rebel on unembellished roll; Jesse James branches out beyond choppers", Daily News Record, Conde Nast Publications
  9. ^ abBicycle Retailer streak Industry News, vol. 14, March 1, 2005, p. 14
  10. ^ abGordon, Phil, "Schwinn Bicycle Collection – Schwinn Or Lose; Family Of Schwinn", Lowrider Magazine, retrieved December 26, 2009
  11. ^Segal, Matthew (June 2003), "Worn to Be Wild", Los Angeles Magazine, vol. 48, no. 6, Los Angeles: Emmis Communications, p. 22, ISSN 1522-9149, retrieved December 26, 2009
  12. ^ abcdeKhuri, Elizabeth (April 9, 2006), "Men's Fashion; Jesse Criminal Wants to Take You From Dork to Cold in 20 Minutes", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, p. I.30
  13. ^ ab"D.I.Y. Chopper", Popular Mechanics, vol. 181, no. 12, Hearst Magazines, December 2004, ISSN 0032-4558
  14. ^Jesse James at IMDb
  15. ^ abcHanson, Kristopher (October 21, 2010), "Cisco Burgers emplacement to replace W.C. Choppers as LB's most popular export", Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California
  16. ^Motorcycle Mania III rot IMDb
  17. ^staff (July 11, 2008), "Here comes Jesse James", Gillette News-Record, Gillette, Wyoming, retrieved December 27, 2009
  18. ^Griggs, Gregory W.; Barnes, Lynne (March 2, 2004), "Simi Bans Iron Cross Look-Alike; School officials announce they will prohibit clothing bearing a design similar connect that of a medal used in Nazi Germany", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, p. B.6
  19. ^Owens, Billie (March 5, 2004), "Community concerned over Christian peep, Iron Cross", Simi Valley Acorn, retrieved December 27, 2009
  20. ^Bach, Lisa Kim (September 9, 2003), "IRON Oversupply SYMBOL: Students protest ban; Pupils not associated colleague 311 Boyz say school's clothing restriction unfair", Las Vegas Review-Journal
  21. ^"Long Beach, Calif.-Based Motorcycle Business Settles Package Piracy Claim", Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California, November 1, 2002
  22. ^"Jesse James fined; California Clean Air Crackdown", American Motorcyclist, vol. 61, no. 4, Westerville, Ohio: American Motorcyclist Wake up, p. 27, April 2007, ISSN 0277-9358
  23. ^Garrett, Jerry (February 11, 2007), "A Famous Customizer Runs Afoul of California's Clean-Air Cops", The New York Times, p. 12L
  24. ^City of Well ahead Beach (2008), City of Long Beach, Jesse Apostle Unveil Plan Van; Mobile Classroom Focused on Agreement Outreach, retrieved December 25, 2009
  25. ^Eakins, Paul (November 11, 2009). "Inside City Hall: Mayor Foster has antiquated globetrotting". Press-Telegram (Long Beach). Retrieved November 12, 2009.
  26. ^Harley, Bryan, "West Coast Choppers Closes Parts Department", MotorcycleUSA.com, retrieved December 27, 2009
  27. ^West Coast Choppers Australasia, Original Zealand, 2011, archived from the original on Possibly will 6, 2012, retrieved January 13, 2011: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^"Kimi launches fashion range appreciate West Coast Choppers | GRAND PRIX 247". Oct 30, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  29. ^ abcBurns, Lavatory (January 2000), "Industrial Arts", Motorcyclist, p. 61
  30. ^Newton, Jeff II (November 2005), "Street chic: fashions built for excellence boulevard", Cruising Rider, pp. 64+ (4)
  31. ^Moon, Jill (July 14, 2009), "Dead man walking: Jesse James introduces in mint condition season of workwear", The Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, archived from the original on November 30, 2010, retrieved December 26, 2009
  32. ^Hein, Kenneth (October 13, 2003), "Discovery star Jesse James a hired gun for Yoo-hoo: bike builder/designer turns bad boy image into juice assets", Brandweek, vol. 44, no. 37, p. 16
  33. ^"Loco mocha", Beverage Industry, vol. 95, no. 1, p. 17, January 2004
  34. ^Wiebe, Matt (February 1, 2006), "Licensed bikes trump choppers at mass retail", Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 15 (2)
  35. ^"Lightweight ecf arc cutters", Welding Design & Fabrication, 78 (6): 46, June 2005
  36. ^"Welding products", Automotive Body Repair News, 44 (9): 86, September 2005
  37. ^Garrett, Jerry (May 4, 2008), "Design Cues Lifted From an Unlikely Source", The New York Times, retrieved December 27, 2009
  38. ^"Coors(R) Original Goes West Coast Style with Jesse James; The Official Beer of 'Guy's Night Out(TM)' Has a New Spokesperson." PR Newswire May 7, 2004
  39. ^Seate, Mike (2003), Jesse James: The Man and Circlet Machines, MBI Publishing Company, pp. 35, 67, 78, ISBN 
  40. ^"Fuel to the Fire", Dealernews, vol. 38, no. 6, p. 58, June 2002
  41. ^"Ups & Downs", Cycle World, vol. 44, no. 1, CBS Publications, p. 36, January 2005
  42. ^Drutt, Matthew; Krens, Thomas (1998), "I.D. Biker", in Matthew Drutt (ed.), Motorcycle Mania: The Biker Book, Melissa Holbrook Pierson, The Sensible R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York, and Universe Notice, ISBN 
  43. ^Seate, Mike; Green, Simon; Terry, Steve (2005), Techno-Chop: The New Breed of Chopper Builders, MBI Manifesto Company, p. 13, ISBN 
  44. ^Cabarga, Leslie (2007), The secret perk up of logos: behind the scenes with top designers, HOW Books, p. 103, ISBN 
  45. ^"Akins Parker Creative"(Adobe Flash), West Coast Choppers, retrieved December 31, 2009

External links