West Coast Choppers

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West Coast Choppers
Founded1992[1] or 1993[2] in Paramount, California, U.S.[3]
FateIn Business
HeadquartersAustin, Texas, U.S.[needs update]
Key people
Jesse James
ProductsBranded clothing and other tie-in merchandise, choppers
RevenueUS$ 6 million[2]
Number of employees
50[2][4]
Websitewestcoastchoppers.com

West Coast Choppers (WCC) is a brand that began selling screen-printed T-shirts and stickers with the company's

Iron cross/Maltese cross logo while founder and "master marketer"[2] Jesse James was finishing high school, packaging the accoutrements of the chopper lifestyle long before any actual West Coast Choppers customs had been ordered or sold.[5][6][7] Even after the company did begin building custom choppers, 60% of revenue still came from sales of WCC-branded marketing tie-ins such as clothing, beverages and tools.[2][8] Yearly sales of approximately 12–15[5] motorcycles at prices of around US$150,000 each[4] actually lost money for the company, but attracted positive attention.[1] Publicizing the names of celebrity clients, including Shaquille O'Neal, Kid Rock, Keanu Reeves, Ty Law of the Denver Broncos, wrestling star Bill Goldberg, actor Tyson Beckford, and NFL running back Jamal Anderson, was a central feature of the WCC marketing strategy.[1][2][5][9][10][11] The other key to this strategy was the star power of Jesse James, presented mainly through television on the Discovery Channel in the Motorcycle Mania series and the 2002–2006 series Monster Garage.[5][12][13][14]

The Long Beach, California headquarters of West Coast Choppers shut down in 2010, but later reopened in 2013 with a new headquarters in Austin, Texas.[15]

History

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

1870 Iron Cross
Maltese Cross
Bundeswehr logo
St. Florian Cross

In 2004, the company's merchandise, along with the

Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003 drew protests from students.[20]

In 2005 West Coast Choppers agreed to pay $35,000 to settle a claim by the

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 than 50 motorcycles from 1998 to 2005 that failed to comply with the air pollution limits of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). James explained that he was unaware of rule changes that required small-volume manufactures to comply with regulations. James said the CARB refused his offer to recall and modify the uncompliant choppers. Since 2005 West Coast Choppers has built emissions-compliant choppers.[22] James said the fines were excessive and intended to make 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, and further that they were aware of no offer by West Coast Choppers to recall the motorcycles in question.[23]

In 2008 West Coast Choppers worked with the City of Long Beach to design steel artwork that will be placed in concrete planters between two city streets. West Coast Choppers also designed the "Long Beach 2030 Plan Van," a mobile classroom that will be used to promote the city's long range planning projects.[3][24] The City of Long Beach renamed part of a street as "West Coast Choppers Place" in 2009 to honor the company.[25]

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

In October 2010, West Coast Choppers closed the shop in Long Beach.[15] James' other Long Beach business, Cisco Burgers, remained, but no other details of the closing were announced, and it was not clear whether James would continue operations from his new home in Texas.[15] Cisco Burgers has since also 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 Apparel under a license agreement with Jesse James.[27] However, Jesse James, decided to open the company back up in 2013.

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

Marketing

Advertising Age Editor-in-Chief Scott Donaton says James is a, "relatable bad boy with blue-collar appeal" adding that West Coast Choppers, "has made a lot out of this bad boy image, has made a lot out of this connection to the name Jesse James and this sort of Wild West romance," which will remain profitable for years to come so long as it is "authentic."[1] James is compared with entrepreneurs like Martha Stewart and Coco Chanel for his ability to turn an image into multiple lines of profitable fashions.[2][12]

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

hotrod
part.
West Coast Choppers tie-in boombox

James sometimes displays a little unveiled contempt for his customers, as when he explained to

swap meet.[12]

This image is used mainly to sell clothing, the top moneymaker for the company.

Wal-Mart, as well as high-end lines available in more expensive department stores, such 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 manufacture of WCC clothing, as well as supplying the sales force to place the products in stores.[12] Clothing items include hoodies, tank tops, T-shirts and jackets.[30] There is also a line of Jesse James/WCC-branded bib overalls and other workwear.[31]

Besides clothing, and the small scale production of choppers made to order, tie-ins with other companies were a major part of West Coast Choppers. One such tie-in was a 2004 contest to win a motorcycle, with entries contained in bottles of chocolate

K-Mart was a fraction of bikes branded with children's characters such as Barbie, Disney Princess, Dora the Explorer, Power Rangers and Spider-Man.[34]

Other brand tie-ins are a

plasma arc 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 a WCC motorcycle with a sidecar made with a polished aluminum body to simulate the appearance of the iconic camper trailers.[37] Besides Yoo-hoo, another beverage company, Coors Brewing Company, added West Coast Choppers logos and pictures of bikes to their product in a mutually beneficial brand tie-in.[38]

Trademark style

A chopper in Japan with a West Coast Choppers accessory cross.

West Coast Choppers motorcycles are described as

Maltese Cross, is also typical of a WCC bike, though that symbol is nearly ubiquitous in Kustom Kulture regardless.[43]

The old school label of WCC bike designs fits loosely as well, especially in recent years as WCC has moved away from the traditional Harley-Davidson chopper, seen by James as too mainstream, and stretched the style in search of originality. Specific influences include Lambretta scooters, 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 to "old school bikers," such as Vietnam war squadron patches. This is crafted to reproduce for mass 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. ^ a b c d e Quick, Rebecca (July 26, 2006), "Chopper fame revs up business empire; Biker TV star Jesse James is rebel with a growing bottom line", On the Money, CNBC, retrieved December 26, 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gajilan, Arlyn Tobias (March 1, 2003), "The Outlaw", CNNMoney, retrieved December 26, 2009
  3. ^ a b America's Intelligence Wire (December 17, 2008), Pine Avenue planters get 'chopped': LONG BEACH: City turns to Jesse James of 'Monster Garage' fame for new tree barriers.
  4. ^
    ISBN 1-59228-841-3
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lucas, Michael P. (July 10, 2002), "Speeding Beauties; His custom-built choppers have won over many celebs. Now Jesse Gregory James 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. ISBN 0-7603-1849-2
  8. ^ Nygaard, Sandra (August 29, 2005), "Rebel on a roll; Jesse James branches out beyond choppers", Daily News Record, Conde Nast Publications
  9. ^ a b Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, vol. 14, March 1, 2005, p. 14
  10. ^
    Lowrider Magazine
    , retrieved December 26, 2009
  11. ISSN 1522-9149
    , retrieved December 26, 2009
  12. ^ a b c d e Khuri, Elizabeth (April 9, 2006), "Men's Fashion; Jesse James Wants to Take You From Dork to Cool in 20 Minutes", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, p. I.30
  13. ^
    ISSN 0032-4558
  14. IMDb
  15. ^ a b c Hanson, Kristopher (October 21, 2010), "Cisco Burgers positioning to replace W.C. Choppers as LB's most famous export", Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California
  16. IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  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 to 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 cross, Iron Cross", Simi Valley Acorn, retrieved December 27, 2009
  20. ^ Bach, Lisa Kim (September 9, 2003), "IRON CROSS SYMBOL: Students protest ban; Pupils not associated with 311 Boyz say school's clothing restriction unfair", Las Vegas Review-Journal
  21. ^ "Long Beach, Calif.-Based Motorcycle Business Settles Software Piracy Claim", Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California, November 1, 2002
  22. 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 Long Beach (2008), City of Long Beach, Jesse James Unveil Plan Van; Mobile Classroom Focused on Community Outreach, retrieved December 25, 2009
  25. 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, New Zealand, 2011, archived from the original on May 6, 2012, retrieved January 13, 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^ "Kimi launches fashion range with West Coast Choppers | GRAND PRIX 247". October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  29. ^ a b c Burns, John (January 2000), "Industrial Arts", Motorcyclist, p. 61
  30. ^ Newton, Jeff II (November 2005), "Street chic: fashions built for the boulevard", Cruising Rider, pp. 64+ (4)
  31. ^ Moon, Jill (July 14, 2009), "Dead man walking: Jesse James introduces new 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 liquid 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 plasma 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. ISBN 0-7603-1614-7
  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. ISBN 0-7893-0132-6
  43. ISBN 0-7603-2116-7
  44. ISBN 978-1-58180-868-1
  45. ^ "Akins Parker Creative" (Adobe Flash), West Coast Choppers, retrieved December 31, 2009

External links

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