The Success of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication with Dave "King of Flames" Perewitz and Jody Perewitz

The Museum School at the Cape Cod Museum of Art presents:

The Success of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication with Dave "King of Flames" Perewitz and Jody Perewitz

Thursday, October 10, from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm.

Member $18 / Non-Member $24

Perewitz Cycle Fabrication: One Man’s Passion Grown into Nationally Renowned Business

The Perewitz name is world renown in the custom motorcycle industry for producing some of the most sought-after customs. Dave Perewitz the"King of Flames" and his daughter Jody,  one of the most recognizable women in the motorcycle industry today, discuss their success in the industry including being the only father/daughter duo in the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

This lecture is offered in conjunction with An Artful Ride: The Motorcycle on view through October 13, 2024.

In 1969, Dave Perewitz made modifications to his own 1964 Sportster, painted it and brought it to Laconia where all of New England had a first glimpse of what was to come from this self-taught, fabricator.  The response to his motorcycle was positive, and the passion for the work so great, that Dave returned home ready to create more motorcycles. A few years later, in 1971, Cycle Fab, as it was known then, was born in a 4’ x 10’ shed in the Perewitz backyard.  Dave continued to hone both his customizing and painting skills and soon the business outgrew the confines of the shed.  A larger structure was built to accommodate the growing needs of the business.

Four years after starting Cycle Fab, Dave traveled to a show in Detroit where he met Arlen Ness, a custom builder from California, and formed a friendship that has lasted over three decades.  Dave returned from Detroit ready to open a retail storefront, in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts, where the first custom line he carried was Arlen Ness parts. Dave leveraged the expanding availability of aftermarket products in the early 1980s and began designing and building motorcycles from the ground up. Although Dave is a master painter of all designs, it was at this time that his signature flames began standing out on most all of the motorcycles that he created. Dave has since become known as the “King of Flames” and this is one of his specialties.  Nobody does flames better than Dave.

As “The Look” was being created, the company outgrew both the first retail location and the structure used for the motorcycle fabrications. The retail location was moved to a bigger location in the same city, but the fabricating location was moved to a new facility in the next town, where Dave and his young family lived.  Dave was never far from the business, as the building was in his backyard. 

Traveling to different shows around the country, Dave made many connections and gained the admiration of a loyal following, including a mega-celebrity, wrestler Hulk Hogan.  From this point forward, a custom Cycle Fab motorcycle became, and continues to be, a status symbol among celebrities.  The company has built custom creations for rock stars, NFL greats and NASCAR execs, crew chiefs and drivers. With the influx of business, celebrity builds and greater notoriety for the company’s principal, the company changed its name to Perewitz Cycle Fabrication.  As the Perewitz brand became more well-known, television audiences were starting to recognize the uniqueness of the motorcycle industry and custom builders. As one of the nation’s original custom builders, Dave was chosen to represent the industry on numerous shows, including Discovery Channel’s now-famous Biker Build-Off, in 2003.

Jody Perewitz has become one of the most recognizable women in the motorcycle industry today. Jody has paved her own way into history by becoming the first woman to ever jockey an American V-Twin motorcycle into the record books at well over 200 MPH. She currently holds 16 Land Speed Records, one of which is a World record. 

 

In 2018 Jody competed in the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Race in both 2018 and 2021. In 2018 she rode a 1926 Harley Davidson JD and 1921 Harley JD. She completed all the miles from Portland, ME. to Portland, OR. becoming one of 3 women to complete all the miles on the Cannonball that year. Jody also completed in the 2019 Motorcycle Chase, another antique motorcycle endurance race across country on a 1936 Harley Davidson VLH. Once again, she completed all the miles from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Key West, Florida.

 

Old motorcycles seem to be a theme lately with Jody. She is currently completing in the Sons of Speed races. She rides 3 different motorcycles, a 1919 HD, 1920 Indian, 1951 WR 45, all with no brakes and no gears! In October of 2018, she took home the checkered flag with a win at New Smyrna Speedway, in Florida.

 

In 2020 Jody was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame. She is the youngest member to be inducted into that HOF. Jody and her father Dave are the only father/daughter duo in the Hall of Fame. In 2021 Jody was selected to be the Grand Marshall of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. 

 

When Jody is not on two wheels, she handles all the day-to-day, and marketing activities at Perewitz Cycle Fab in Halifax MA. She works side by side with her legendary Father, Dave Perewitz. Having a great teacher Jody's knowledge grows every day, including in the paint department. Jody designs and paints motorcycles, helmets, tumblers and more! Following in her father’s footsteps with their mutual passion for paintwork. Jody spends a lot of her day in the paint booth putting her creative genes and ideas to work. The Perewitz name is world renown in the custom motorcycle industry for producing some of the most sought-after customs.

 

In her spare time, Jody works with a few charity groups. The All-Kids Bike program is her favorite charity. This program provides small balance bicycles in kindergarten classes. Kids learn to ride two wheels with this program. Jody also raises money to provide this program in local schools. 

 

Jody is also part of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. 2023 was Jody’s second time on this ride, which raises money for the Victory Junction Camp in Randleman NC. This year she painted a custom helmet for the auction, raising $42,000 for the charity. 

Photo credit: Michael Lichter

Cancellation policy: CCMoA must be notified 1 week prior for refund.