The Hot Seat | 11 Questions With Pat Patterson
Describe yourself in three words?
Modest. Happy-Go-Lucky. Busy.
Why the motorcycle industry?
_I’ve been involved in motorcycles, you know just pretty much anything with two wheels, for as long as I can remember; bicycles, dirt bikes, mini bikes, dirt bikes to street bikes. I’ve just always been involved with them. I grew up with eight brothers who all had motorcycles, so I was always around some form of bike growing up. _
**What do you see in the industry’s crystal ball? **
_I kind of see the bike scene changing back to the garage builder. Dudes are wanting to do their own projects and a lot of guys have their own ideas and want to put their own input in it. I mean that’s how we basically make a living in our shop; the garage builder buying our parts and building their stuff at home. _
What is your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment would be literally kind of starting a motorcycle shop that I didn’t even know I was starting. Just kind of finessing it to where it is today and kind of learning as I’m going. I wanted a shop where I could just work on my own stuff. I wanted to buy a lathe and work out some grips and stuff, and I thought that was the coolest thing in the world to be able to make something for yourself. That’s what my intent at the time was and it just kept changing and changing into what it is now, which is real sweet because we have equipment now and programmers so we can just come up with an idea and make it.
Favorite all-time motorcycle?
I race enduros right now and the KTM 300 is my personal favorite. I like the Sportster platform in general; the simplicity. I like the performance.
Who inspires you?
_Arlen Ness inspired me in ’93 when I got my first Sportster. He’s always been on top. He was the first builder I’d ever seen and it was like, “Wow, you can do cool stuff to motorcycles.” Then there’s guys like Jesse James, Billy Lane, those guys, but from the very beginning, it was Arlen Ness. _
What’s your biggest regret?
Wishing I had more time to spend with my oldest daughter, Hannah. With traveling and building bikes, schedules get tighter and you don’t get to spend as much time with loved ones.
What is your proudest moment?
Having my kids.
Favorite place on Earth?
_I really like Breckenridge, Colorado. We’d go out there a lot when I was younger and go snowboarding and go to the microbreweries. It’s just a great place that’s kind of all its own. I haven’t been back there for a while but it’s a place that’s always kind of stuck with me. _
Biggest pet peeve?
Shit talkers. I don’t know how to explain it but it seems like the more popular we get, everybody’s got something to say.
What are you currently working on?
_We’re working on a lot of things. Business-wise we’re working on a lot more of a marketing platform, trying to be more professional in the motorcycle world. We’re never going to change who we are in that role, but 40 years from now, we’d still like to be a staple in the motorcycle community. Our newest product is the Evo Sportster Kicker kit, which is a kicker kit for the Sportster that should be available soon. _
For more information about Led Sled Customs, check out www.ledsledcustoms.com.