Customizer legend Arlen Ness passed away at the age of 79
He was a visionary in the customizer scene, he was one of the first in the scene and still has a big name today. On March 22, 2019 is Arlen Ness At home surrounded by his loved ones deceased.
His whole life was dedicated to customizing and motorcycling, he has friends all over the world who mourn him today.
His distinctive bikes have their own unmistakable character, which have also inspired many other customizers.
„When Arlen Ness the machine drives over sandy ground, it will create a hint of a desert storm.“
That was said about Arlen in the early 80s when he and Ken Puccio put the 1966 XLCH engine into the „Unreal at Speed“ bike. They rebuilt the bike in 1983, the owner at the time was Dave Kerwood from Dunsmuir, Califonria.
In the early days of the custom bike scene there were no laser-controlled milling machines, so real manual work and a lot of imagination were required.
Over the years until his death, Arlen Ness always left his own signature on the bikes and parts. He understood how to survive on the market in the long term and how to give his brand a unique profile worldwide.
His parts are still very much in demand today, and his product range covers pretty much everything that can be fitted to a motorcycle.
In December 2018, I visited his large parts stand at a trade fair in New York, and I am sure that his brand and spirit will remain with us for a long time to come.
Many fans will continue to install the parts from his accessories range on their bikes in the future.
The most important things in Arlen's life were his wife of 59 years, Beverly, his children, grandchildren, friends and motorcycles. Arlen once said, „Motorcycling has been a great ride...my whole life since I've been riding motorcycles has been wonderful. I've met so many nice people.
Everyone who knew Arlen respected him for his achievements and for the person he was. Both are superlatives.
His nickname in the scene, „The king of custom bikes“ reflects Arlen Ness's success and his life's work.
REST IN PEACE
