Meet the Maker: The Man Who Creates Custom Motorcycles by Hand

Paul Cox makes four to six motorcycles a year based on very precise customer requirements—including individually tanned leather and hand-hammered tanks.

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By Maura Walters

November 17, 2015 at 1:30 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

“When I was a kid, I started tinkering with motorcycles—painting the exteriors, fixing broken fenders—and I got a job at Psycho Cycles in New York City’s East Village in 1988. I began getting requests for one-off motorcycles and started my own business in 1991.

At my Brooklyn studio, I make everything by hand and don’t outsource any products. I hammer all my own sheet metals for gas tanks and fenders. I have a separate section for engine and transmission building, as well as a tannery for the leather seats. I make about four bikes a year. Each one can take 6 to 24 months to complete, and they’re tailored to the customers’ priorities. One person might want a high-performance engine and be less concerned about paint. Another will request a superflashy bike but may not care about going fast.”