Motul Hot Bike Tour Invited Builder: Bryan Schimke of TPJ Concepts
I first met TPJ’s Bryan Schimke about 20 years ago when he was still finding his path as a builder. Seeing his enthusiasm was awesome and he was one of the early builders coming into the custom motorcycle scene from the motocross world. He’s really refined his craft since then and as a Motul Hot Bike Tour invited builder, you’ll be able to check it out up close and in person on this year’s Motul Hot Bike Tour.
Sign up to be a Motul Hot Bike Tour LongRider below!
BUILDER NAME: Bryan Schimke
SHOP NAME: TPJ Concepts
BIKE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL: 1982 H-D FXR
INSTAGRAM: tpjconcepts
Describe yourself in three words.
Creative. Resourceful. Dedicated
What are you currently building?
A 1982 FXR that has gone through some surgery, making it fit a larger rear wheel. Everything on it has been reworked.
What was your first bike?
My first road bike was a 2002 CFL rigid chopper I built. I bought the frame in 1999 and took two years building everything. I got hit six months later and had to redo everything.
What is your all-time favorite bike?
My favorite bike I have built is the blue chopper for the Bikerlive show on Discovery Channel. It was exactly everything I wanted in a performance chopper. Made everything in house and made every piece.
Why did you choose to work in the motorcycle industry?
I was young and stupid and didn’t realize what I was getting into. I raced motocross and loved working on the bikes. One day a buddy said he was gonna build a bike. That night I watched Easy Rider and then I was hooked. All I did is look for basket cases to build and then I went for it with a ground-up. I ended up building one and he didn’t. And then I just wanted to keep making cool motorcycles.
What do you think the future of the motorcycle industry is?
I’m worried for the industry. It has lost the luster that it had from the very beginning. When I started hand made was huge and the thing. It was awesome seeing what guys like Goldammer and Westbury and Cole Foster used to do. These guys were kings in my world. Now it’s how soon can I get it? Do you have it in stock? It’s gonna take how long? I just don’t like the mentality of what a builder is now. I have hope there are some great builders out there still. I have given 20 years plus of my life, blood, sweat, and tears. Sometimes I just get down on the choices the industry has gone through.
What inspires you?
Things that inspire me are things from the 1900-1930s. The guys back then were breaking barriers and doing things that had never been done. I am very inspired by racing and mechanical things. I love the way things are made and I love my Porsche 911 hahaha the German engineering is so great. Cole Foster, Roger Goldammer, and Greg Westbury were huge inspirations to me.
