Creativity strikes at the strangest times. Some writers are inspired late at night, Al Bundy did his best work in the bathroom, you get the idea. Illinois resident Michael Fleury got hit with a good one while healing a leg injury after he lost an argument with a dirt bike. He was lying in bed watching American Chopper, and "I was impressed 'a little,' so I thought since I play guitar and enjoy creating things, I'd build a bike that would catch the eye of every player and non-player who saw it." A bike reflects its owner, and knowing that he set out to build a guitar on two wheels to reflect his passion for music.
All the creativity in the world wouldn't get the bike built, though, even for an experienced songwriter and guitar player. You need the skills to back it up. While Michael could make some things on his own, he needed someone with a lot more experience to create an entire motorcycle. That's why he turned to his good buddy Larry Marzano, who's a vintage car junkie. They worked a year's worth of nights and weekends coming up with ideas. Some were discarded, others were shaped in aluminum and steel by Larry's capable hands. You'll also find the guitar theme represented on the rear fender, where the duo incorporated strings the way other builders might use a pinstripe.
In fact, you can see Michael's handiwork throughout it. He made the air cleaner cover, molded the frame, reshaped the Jesse James front fender, Fat Katz rear and the Dynasty tank, and laid down the paint and graphics.
Making parts from scratch, though, is where Larry came into play. The two of them worked out the designs for the bars, risers, mirrors, dash, tanks, pegs, and lights, then Larry labored long and hard to bring them all to life.