Sure. I watch the show every week, and laugh every week at the notion that these guys are given credit for building bikes. All they do is leaf through the Custom Chrome catalog and buy a prefab bike. Then they weld a bunch of pieces of stock to them, and call themselves mechanics. I do give them all the credit in the world for their artistry, but none for their mechanical ability. They're truly gifted at making their bikes look pretty, but making them run properly is a whole other story. They seem to know as little about the internal workings of their bikes as the common viewer that has never even picked up a wrench. Judging by the appearance that the show gives off, I could give you one hour of training on a MIG welder, and teach you to ride a bike and you would know as much about bikes as Tuetuls do.

I'm willing to concede though, that appearances can be deceiving.

I was a little disappointed after the first couple shows when I saw how much they buy off the shelves. If you've ever seen any of the Jessie James specials, you'll see him fabricating his own fenders, frames, etc. Same with Billy Lane and several others. But I quickly discovered the appeal of the show isn't to see the Tuetuls building something from scratch, it's to watch their dysfunctional family in action. And they do build some really great bikes even if they take a few shortcuts to get there.

I just think of it as a "Reality Sitcom"

Very informative thanks guys. It also seems like the Tuetuls rely on the talent of others a lot (i.e. seat makers, painters, etc...). I do like that these people get credit on the show though.

One question. With a bike by Jesse James or Billy Lane, are the engines built custom from scratch or are they bought off the shelf?

They buy their engines as well as lots of other parts. I've never seen a bike builder build his own engine.

I think Jesse and Billy will rebuild some of their engines, but not all. I do not think you will find anyone that builds a bike 100% themselves. Most will send out paint, chrome, engine, wheels and leather work. They may make the designs or the specs, but will not/can not make it themselves.

Even Jesse James doesn't build all of his bikes from scratch. His paint is done elsewhere, engines are crate motors, his seats are done by the same guy who did the fire-bikes seat. head lights,hoses ,oil coolers, trannies all of that is all bought and pieced together.

The frame and the Tank and fenders are the things that most builders will do from scratch. In Jesse's case he has spent the money in a CNC where he can do his own rims now. But that machine is very expensive.

The art of building a bike is exactly what it is an art of assembly, taking parts from all over and making them a cohesive unit. I personally don't like the bikes of Jesse or the Tuttle's I am a Fatboy/Indian guy at heart and choppers seem just to thin and raked for me. That being said the show is great

There is a New episode tonight.

thanks for reminding me D-ball, I just saw paulie and mikey at Mcdonald's, I live right next to them.

Hummer, gave them 2 brand new 2004 Hummer on either 24 or 26 inch( i forget which size) spinning rims, for free!!

Once you finally have money you no longer need to spend it.

Once I get off my lazy ass and recrop the pics I took of the firebike, and the black widow, I will post them here for people to see.


What is eeven better is I might be working for them starting this summer!, I will be going on the road and basically be the product manager(selling all the merchandise), it will be sweet if I get to do this, because it will be me and Mikey selling the stuff, which should be fun.

and like Sn0 said, noone builds a bike 100% by themselves, Jesse who I have met( me and him got a tattoo at the same time, when I was out in California) use to build more on his bikes, then he does now, but they are still incredible bikes.

Sn0 you should check out Discovery's great biker build off, between Billy Lane, and Indian Larry(you should love Larry's work) I also have some old pics from sone of larry's bike but they were taken on 35mm film, and I do not have a scanner to post them

That would be sweet. Although I'm not sure how much Mikey puts on his doofus act but if it's real there is no way I could work with him. Mr. Statue of Liberty torch holder

it takes a special kind of person to crash not one, but two trucks at the end of the day, and instead of having it ruin their mood, be the funniest thing that happened to them.

no he really does act like that(mikey) he just likes to make people laugh, and noone every takes him serious

O.K., so this was the first episode I have watched in quite a while. In fact, it was probably the first I have seen this season.

Have they begun staging events just to cause or fake family confilicts and strife, in an effort to keep it interesting?

The reason I ask

Paul Sr's truck was already wrecked on the front from when he hit Paul Jr's truck with it last season. I think Mikey just did it to piss him off and play infront of the camera. They both laughed about it. What I can't understand is why it's going to take 3 episodes to finish the MIA bike. Most of the bike looks like crap. Especially the back fender. Maybe they are running out of ideas.

Yeah, I'm not to impressed with hand forged wroght iron. Maybe this should have been a Victory Garden bike instead.

Did I see Paul Sr. put up 380 lbs. on the bench press. Pretty impressive.

I like the way the bikes have looked lately. I thought the tool bike was one of the best yet. It's still a great show whether it's staged or not. I just think Mikey hams it up for the cameras more than the others.

You sure did. I was like wow, that guy has some stuff, but he is one of those guys, who's built like a bulldog.. He had 4 45s on each side. Pretty imperssive

I agree, I don't get why they're taking so long on this bike. I think it's ugly, plus I don't like the fact they're having so much with those other two guys instead of the sons.. I esp. dislike the guy working on the fender part of it.. Could the guy take longer? Sure, it's precise work, but he's been on it like 4 days I think in real time.. I also agree the bike looks ugly, looks like they're just throwing all these different parts on it, to make it look different, none of it goes together well in my opinion.

Best part of the show was watching them put the nitro kit in.. That was sorta cool.

What happened to Paul Jr.? I haven't seen POW2 yet but he wasn't on part 1 at all and just showed up at the end of Christmas bike to make fun of it. Isn't he doing the designs anymore? That's why the bikes are so ugly this season.

On part 2, he put a nitro kit in his prowler.. That was his only contribution, that and he walked in and made fun of the bike, well he said it was alright

I think Paulie is in control of the customer order side of it so that means less time on tv. I could be way off though.

I think Sr. wanted to show that he actually started the bike building business, too bad he is having the other 2 guys do the whole build.

nope Paulie, stills builds the bikes, and Paul takes care of all the customer bikes, what is even worse is Hummer just gave Paulie 2 brand new Hummers(1 black, and 1 white for free) and instead of giving one to his dad he gave it to his girlfriend, he drives around in the black one, which has a set of 22" spinners on them, which were custom made with the occ logo. I have not seen Paulie's Prowler at his apartment lately, so I am not sure if he got rid of it or not

Paulie lives in an apartment? He drops all this money on the Prowler and other stuff and he is not smart enough to buy a house, even a smaller one, over throwing away money on rent!

And in a year when this show is dead and gone I'm sure he will be broke. Spending all this money on crap like that.