I met The Devil today. He wasn’t quite what I had expected. For one thing, his horns were smaller. He was also calmer than I expected. No, I’m not talking about Lucifer; I’m talking about Kent Weeks. Kent is owner/operator of Lucky Devil Metalworks in Houston, Texas. I was sent on a mission to see this blue beauty he built for an exclusive in Bikernet.com. I set my compass, drank a protein shake, and headed out the door on a Saturday morning to meet the evil one face to face.
Pulling into the shop area on a Saturday morning, I expected to see custom bikes parked outside and big signs pointing directions to would-be customers. What I found instead was a closed up shop with Do Not Enter and Beware of Dog signs. Now, I will do what I have to do for a story, but getting gnawed on by a pitbull ain’t one of them. So, I walked around the shop banging the walls until someone finally heard me. Luckily, Mrs. Devil, Holly came to my rescue. She hollered around the side of the building and invited me into the shop.
As I walked in, I noticed four bikes and one bike frame in the entry. Each vehicle had a wild story and a history. From the almost finished Triumph set up with an internal throttle and right-side jockey shift, to the stripped down 1969 ironhead Sportster, each bike had a unique look and feel. My mouth dropped when I saw the blue bike. She sported a twisted springer front end topped with a nasty set of apehangers. I peeled a crumpled assignment sheet from my demin pocked and compared the image. She was the baby blue darlin’ in the photo.
From the moment I laid eyes on this bike, I notice details that obviously took long hours and artistic talent to complete. From the one-off motor mount, to the hand fabbed neck gusset, down to the license plate bracket, this bike contained some seriously evil fab work. The Devil outdid himself on this one.
The man himself walked out and greeted me. The devil turned out to be one cool cat.
He began his death-nail career working on hot rods because he had a family. While all his friends were out partying, Kent worked to support his nefarious children. He moved around for a while working on cars, tubbing them out, making them cool. For a while, he hid his wickedness and twisted steel for handicapped vehicles.
“The coolest part about that were the crash tests,” he confided in me. “We had to build the vehicles so the DOT would be satisfied to license them.”
I guess building a box strong enough to withstand crashes gives someone the knowledge of how to build something to last.
“So, from the beginning, I had to build things that were meant to withstand a beating.”
I wipped the sweat from my brow, although the room was cool, and studied the quality of his work, while trying to ignore his snarling animals. They appeared to be chained, but there was something about their red eyes that coarsed chills down my spine. His detailed fabrication was impressive, but Holly, his voluptuous wife called to me, but never uttered a word. His welds are textbook perfect and you can tell the man takes pride in the quality of his work and the long, razor-sharp knife on his hip. He is a man who seems to have mastered his trade, but not to hear him tell it.
“I’m just a 13-year beginner,” he said humbly then snapped his blade free of his leather sheath and carved on his fang-like finger nails. I had never seen anything…
When asked about his inspiration to build, or where he gets his ideas from, Kent just laughed. He casually shrugged it all off saying,
“I’m just a fabricator and welder. I just build bikes.” But there was a glint in his eyes the belied his natural confidence.
”Yeah, you do build bikes,” I thought, “Some of the cleanest fabricated bikes I have ever seen. But your wife’s nipples are screaming to me, and I know I’ll die if I touch them.” These bikes truly must be seen to appreciate the quality put into them. There were literally thousands of hours of fabrication etched into each weld, each component, from the Devil’s tail rotors, to the custom brackets. Each piece screamed quality, precision, and death.
Kent gave me a tour of his facility, which was much larger than it appeared from the outside. We roamed through his shop, where several bikes were in the works. I was grateful to be out of eye-shot of the dogs, but the woman followed. I attempted complete composure, but the sweat ring building on my black t-shirt indicated by growing level of fear. He had enough space to work comfortably and move his bikes around. The set up was first class, and any mechanic would love to work there, but there were none. I saw at least two hydraulic bike lifts, and plenty of toolboxes.
“We turned a profit in three years, but I’m a tool junkie. Kind of keeps me chasing the eight ball, if you know what I mean?” Kent said then he showed my his latest acquisation, a paint booth.
Oh, I know. It seemed with the rising gas prices and cost of living increases; the only thing not going up was wages. That included bike builders.
“You can’t get mad at the yuppies for wanting to get all dressed up and riding a motorcycle. If they want to spend their money on a motorcycle to be happy, well good for them. If it wasn’t for their money being in the industry, we wouldn’t have bikes like these to look at. You can’t fault a man just because he makes good money. Just don’t spend the money to get a bike, put on your biker costume, and then try to come around me acting like a bad ass,” Kent said. “There are enough assholes out there without you having to act like one.”
Sounded like a pretty damn good philosophy to me. I nodded, jotted notes like a nervous school girl who suspected never to see the light of day again.
Kent showed me his new toy, a custom paint booth. I got to see a bad ass looking Road King re-do that will make others look like road queens. He definitely had the set up, but I couldn’t find an exit sign. When asked if he did the painting too, Kent laughed.
“Shit, man. I barely can get all my work done doing everything up front. No, I have a painter who does killer work for me. If I tried to do all the fab and the paint, bikes would take dark ages to complete.”
I asked him how long a ground up custom takes, and he said anywhere from 3 weeks to 1 year. It all depends on the guy’s wallet and how far he wants to take it.
Judging by some of the bikes in the shop, some guys want to take it as far as their imaginations will let them. The Devil takes it all in stride. He knows the chopper craze that has swept the country has been good for business. Unlike some other builders out there, he definitely isn’t looking this gift horse in the mouth. He’s just enjoying it while he can, as best he can. His wry smile told me there was no holding him back.
For all the kids out there who watch TV and think this profession is all fun and games, come talk to Kent Weeks. The guy is putting in 16-18 hour days, 6 to 7 days a week, every week. He doesn’t get paid hourly, so he is working often on his own dime as if he has a torrid mission. He just loves to build radical bikes and make the customers happy.
“The pay-off is when a guy picks up his bike and he’s completely happy with what he straddled. The look on their face and the satisfaction he feels are priceless. You can’t buy that.”
Seems The Devil is actually a stand –up guy. Don’t let him fool you though, if you mess with his stuff, he’s going to come ready to play.
“Yeah, my alarm is set to my beeper. I can get here within minutes of the alarm going off. You don’t want to be here when that happens, the real devil comes out.”
I think I’ll take his word for it.
Looking around the shop, seeing all the crazy bikes, I was surprised to learn that Kent owns only one bike; the ratty 1969 Sportster up front.
He laughed when I asked him if that was true.
“Oh yeah, that’s my only bike. I don’t have time to build anything for myself, and besides that, I wouldn’t know what to build.”
I know what I’d build; I’d build a Sporty like the one that pulled up in front of the shop as I was leaving. I can’t say anything about it, but it’s coming up in Street Chopper real soon. Wait till you see that one, a real “sex machine”.
I left the shop today feeling good about life in general. I met the Devil and lived. I didn’t get chewed up by a dog. But best of all, I saw the birthplace of some of the sickest bikes around and got to meet the man who builds them. Kent Weeks proved to be a friendly, generous, and very professional businessman with whom I hope to build a long working relationship with. As for the blue bike, well let the spec sheet speak for that. Check out the pictures, and try to visualize the time put into each component. When actually figuring out time to fabricate and design, the build time of 4 months seems extremely fast. But hey, what do I know?
If you’re ever in the Houston area, check out Lucky Devil Metalworks. You won’t be disappointed. Just be prepared to atone for your good deeds, you are going to see the Devil, you know.
Name-Lucky Devil Custom Cycles
Address-9311 Shoal Creek Dr.
City-Houston
State-Texas
Zip-77064
Phone-281-477-3738
Website-www.Luckydevilmetalworks.com
Make/Model-Lucky Devil/Blue Devil
Year-2005
Fabrication-Lucky Devil
Assembly-Kent/Lucky Devil
Build Time-4 freaking months!
Year/Size-2005/96”
Type-Evo
Builder-S&S
Cases-S&S
Flywheels-S&S
Rods- S&S
Pistons-S&S
Cylinders-S&S
Heads-S&S
Valves-S&S
Rockers-S&S
Rocker Boxes-S&S
Pushrods-S&S
Pushrod Tubes-S&S
Cams-S&S
Lifters-S&S
Carb-S&S
Air Cleaner-S&S
Ignition-Dyna
Exhaust-Lucky Devil (Check that out!!!!)
Finish-Poly Dine
Builder/Year/Type-Primo/2005/6 Speed
Finish-Polished
Case-Primo
Top/Side covers-Primo
Clutch-Primo
Primary Drive-Primo
Final Drive-Chain
Year/Type-2005/Rigid
Rake-38 degrees
Stretch-Up
Molding-Mike/Lucky Devil
Finish-Mike/Lucky Devil
Swingarm-No!!
Front-Springer
Builder-Sam Springer
Year-2005
Rear-It’s a rigid, Bitch!
Front
Size/Type-21” spoke
Tire make- Avon
Hub/ spokes-60 spoke
Calipers-PM
Rotors-Lucky Devil/ Devil Tail Rotors (patent pending)
Rear-
Size/Type-16” spoke
Tire make/size-16*150 maxis classic
Hub/spokes-60 spoke
Calipers-PM
Rotors-Lucky Devil/ Devil Tail Rotors
Builder-DNA
Color-Custom Candy Blue
Painter-Mike Landburg/ Lucky Devil Paintworks
Graphics and
Artist name- Devil Girl/ Ken Hill
Molding-Mike/ Lucky Devil
Chrome Plating/
Polishing-Albas
Front Fender-Hell no!
Rear Fender-Lucky Devil
Fender Struts-Lucky Devil
Gas Tank-Hot Match
Gas Cap-Hot Match
Oil Tank-Lucky Devil
Dash-Fuck no!
Gauges-Dakota Digital
Handlebars-Apes
Risers-DNA
Mirrors-Mini Clamp On
Hand Controls-BDL
Foot Controls-Legends
Foot pegs-Legends
Headlight-CCI
Taillight-V-twin
Turn signals-NO!
License Mount-Lucky Devil
Oil Cooler-Perform
Seat-Joe Noack/ Lucky Devil
Electrical-Kent Weeks/ Lucky Devil
Coil-Dyna Mini
Starter-All Balls
Custom or Special Features-Custom neck gussets, top motor mount, sissy bar, battery box cover, hand fabricated devil tail pipe mounts.
Special Notes-
“This is one of four production bikes we are putting together for sale. This one we’ll set the asking price at $37,000.00. The others are coming together soon and coming to a theater near you.” —Kent Weeks (The Devil)
