A LEGEND REBORN By Robin Postell Jesse James, twenty-first cen {tury not your grencdadysout- law The Jesse James of today has chopper posture: His back ares over long legs that stretch below large tattooed arms, which extend into brawl- scarred fists. Whether siting in his office chair, bending over a piece of sheet metal in his shop, or eating lunch, he’ built to ride. Though he and the infamous bandit share a ‘name and a branch ch a family ‘reo—his greai-greal-grandta- ther was cousins with the James of the Oid West—Josse Jarhes ain't robbing banks these days. He's building motoreycles. the headquarters of Jesse James's West Coast Choppers is neatly spread out over 41,000 square feet in Long Beach, California. Its as im- maculate as a shop of its nature can be—not your typ ‘cal grease-monkey pit. Every ‘nook and cranny of the facility sinacks of James's personal ty From the orange-stenciled WCC boxes packed with fend- cers to the black iton spiderweb (tes to the velveteen painting cof an impish Satan taking a shit that hangs over the ohn, this is James's domain In the shop the air is thick wit the rank perfume of 9aso- ling and exhaust. There's 2 thundering din of hamenering machines punctuated by the spark and hiss of welding torches on metal. Bikes in vari ous stages of production fill the workstations a6 the smal alte. group of people who toil fon them perform meticulous tasks on each. ‘James picks up a plastic spray boils of kerosena/gaso- line. "Chicks dig this shit? he says of the concoction, hang- ing the bottle on the side of a monstrous red Yoder power hammer (circa 1920) he ac- quired recently, He dons ear ‘mufflers and slides athin piece of sheet metal into the ma- chins grasp. It shudders vio- lently to ile, ading wily 0 the racket. He begins to shape what will become one of his trademark original gas tanks. A full 100 hours of work will be required before the tank’ com pieton When James first started cut, his designs were s0 out landish that people didn't accept them. But that has changed through the years. "Sometimes the guys in the shop still think Im out of my mind," he says, laughing. “They'll see some- thing I've done hal way, and they/re tke, ‘Are you smoking crack? But! can see the whole picture while I'm doing t ‘age 22, has already ‘earned a position among the top names. in the reaim of all things motor- cycles. Creator of some of the most expensive bikes in the world, he’s quickly on the rise in the mainstream, cornering the market as the hippest bike ‘maker to the stars. When | met with him he was building a bike for Keanu Reeves, but he has already sculpted an tt-footer for Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille nc others for model ‘Tyson Beckford, Metalic front man James Hetfield, and pro wrestier Goldberg. The prices aro high. No bike ralis out of James's shop for less than '$45,000, and the celing thes days is about to teeter over the ‘$125,000 mark. However high the price tag for one of his creations, James Insists his business isnot all Jesse James, at | 19VIEW FROM THE TOP setpoint omemeunns SEU See | a eae | ma at Shs Seias | emcees | ese oa Seerariee | Site sates | Soran ae SEN | Ron Tenwers |wame he sei Some ESS a gene's | Trew ana my crt Bier eeickter | wits Meatratt Soho eas mie eerene Sete “ano snes he ora tan yt bats ‘ear tora et 3 James wi wp up aac at | si. as an Songer won perce pecan (ea eoout move. 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Sr or wae Dag freshman cen seven wat i's | would go nt he | my ace joc | ueteIfa ye | Sea na Sos Boake es Se ema ns Seo Surana Steemioies pence ness ee Se be fe ort inhi ema bs et owe de ui TA] cee Slayer Nivane, and Post Sree Sayre SarEzenVIEW FROM THE TOP ididtiaclu LG doing market research for what im doing now," he says. ‘Along the way, he married Carla, “The bodyguard job was getting old fast” he says. "I wanted to do something | lovedto do. My chick looked at me like | was crazy when | gave up a $100,000-a-year Job" He started working for Boyd Coddington, hot-rod- ‘builder extraordinaire. Absoro- ing everything he could about metalworking and reading up ‘on metallurgy, James eventual Iy decided to set up shop on Fis own, ‘With his wite at his side, he ‘opened West Coast Choppers nearly seven years ago. No Ioan. No partners, Just blood, ssweal, and tears. Every penny made’ was reinvested. Carla handled the money and Jesse worked, sometimes 15 hours 2 ay. "if dont work betwoan 12 and 15 hours @ day" James says, “I feel I'm cheating myselt.| didnt get where I'm at just reaming about It wasnt magi." James is fresh off the road from Sturgis, having ridden the entire 1,800 miles on his bike, Standing in his showroom, plate-glage windows overiook- ing Oregon Street, he greets visitors who gaze at him Unabashed awe. *That’s him, someane whispers. He shakes hands, they tell him he's an artist. I's becoming a bit of a tourist attraction. ‘Steve McQueen's last bike sits near two pinball machines. tank i filed with mini sharks, which slash their tiny fins through illuminated water. Goldberg's bike and Shaq’, too, await pickup, glowing as iF ontire. Business is better than ever. Pradustion of his bot-on parts has always fed the financial needs of the company and often supported the heart of the firms true love: building bikes. His fenders are ex- tremely popular in Europe, where he says he does ten times as rmuch business. But sinoe the Discovery Channel discovered him and ran the ‘one-hour documentary Motor- cycle Mania last year, James isnt having to count quarters anymore. A sequel to that show is scheduled to air in January, and James has been pegged by Dis- ‘covery to host an as-yet-untitled TV show. "Its good to see everyone ‘working, he says, surveying the buzz around him. When | first started it was just me and.a Cleaning guy" ‘Still early in the game, with only about 50 bikes Under his belt, James, an insom Tac, has a long way to go before he sleops. As a rman, he’ wrestiing the same beasts as any: His marriage of nine years to Carla ended recently, leaving two fowshead- (ed kids in its wake. The rest of his family re- ‘mains fairly remote. "My dad lives in a tralec’ he says. "He doesnt have a phone. If want to wish him happy birthday, | have to call the liquor store and leave a message” But the essence of Jesse James is fertile and promising, Unlimited. Every year his bikes {get better. Each bike is like a fingerprint, and James revels in his growth as a craftsman fe knows that ths is what wil keep him climbing steadily to the fop, "All the notoriety makes me ‘want to ty harder" he muses. want the bike to be even bet- ter than they thought it would be. | challenge myself con- stant, ty to keep eduoating rysatt | become more skiled. Inthis industry there are a lt of ‘copycsls, just bottom-feeders. I'm trying t0 expand. I'ma risk taker I bat the farm. Lets go. for it—thats me. If | dropped ‘dead right now, think | could say [dled a fullfe’OF a.