Below is mostly the words from an article written by Wilburn Roach for American Rider on Ron Finch's first dresser project. You'll enjoy it and it covers much of what Ron is up to. He's a classic cycle artist.–Bandit
It was my first Bagger,” Ron admitted as if he was confessing to an affair. He's a noted high-priest chopper builder. Baggers denote the anti-Christ to a life-long chopper rider.
“I can't use custom manufactured frames,” Ron said, sparks dancing off the concrete deck around his feet. “I never know where the gas tank will end up.” He barked in a gravely voice referring to his latest rolling metal-art-sculpture coupled to a strong handmade chrome moly frame. “The frame is light,” Ron said, “I could run smaller O.D. tubing and no-one builds a pure swingarm frame anymore. They're all goddamn Softails.”
“We hard mounted the bags,” Ron said, “but they leaked so we tested rubber mounting.” The front third of the handmade aluminum bags contain fuel. They hold 4 gallons total which will power the light frame and 120-inch Keck motor for over 100 miles. “That's enough for me. I'm ready for a beer stop,” he added.
Ron rode this Keck driven twisted sculpture to Milwaukee from Pontiac, Michigan and to Myrtle Beach 1,200 miles from home. Ron's twisted steel for over 38 years and continues to rock the custom industry with one-of-a-kind creations. In 1965, he created Finch's Custom Styled Cycles, in Pontiac. In 1972, with an expanding clientele, Ron and his wife Ruth, moved to Auburn Hills, Michigan. With a dedicated crew, an artistic eye, genius for sculpting rod and wild painting techniques, he's still behind the torch. “I tig weld,” Ron said describing his welding choice. “I usually have a helper to hold pieces together and prefer team work.
Hell, I would prefer to braze everything.”
I asked him for the notion behind this concept and he coughed, “I always have a design in my mind,” Ron said, “but I never draw anything. I just go for it.” He made the handlebars by hand, the headlight out of cut 2-inch tubing chunks, and modified the Milwaukee Iron fenders. “We widened the rear fender and cut slots in the front which I framed in 3/16-inch tubing.” He built the battery box out of a threshold door vent. “The first battery would barely turn over that big engine,” Ron said, “I finally scored an Odyssey and installed compression releases. My partners hated push-starting me. As soon as the Keck fired it blasted away leaving them lying in the street.”
He recently sold his shop of 25 years to Home Depot, gathered up all his tools and metal art and moved it into the building behind his house. “We shut the retail shop down,” Ron said, “I build bikes, paint and get to ride more.” He also actively builds metal art sculptures and appliances for whoever wants his artistic touch in their home or office. METALife is the company title. Building everything from plants, animals, gates, bed frames, furniture, fences, even railings, a bridge and a deck, Ron is using his mastery of metal-working toward art. “I'm designing racks and art in a couple of doctor's offices right now,” Ron said. “They're nuts, but if they like my shit, they'll get it.”
When he told me this was the last bike he built for himself, it begged the question, “You're last bike?”
“No goddamnit,” Ron snapped, “Of course not. It took me a while to move my shop, but I'll start another project before long. I'm still building several bikes for customers. Now get off my back.”
I hung up the phone, took another look at this acid trip metallic concoction on wheels and sought solace in the garage behind dark welding glasses, the spark of a surreal torch flame and a cold beer. Inspired to build another ashtray with a burnt piston and an old cam shaft, I snapped the spark lighter. If you want to reach Master Finch, don't grab the phone. He won't answer it. Try his web site: finchscustoms.com.
Just recently Ron competed with Jesse Rooke in a Biker Build-off. “The ride was incredible until we hit the Delaware Bridge,” Ron told me. “My rear wheel bearings blew out.” Original productions was paying $5,000 an hour for helicopter footage and they needed a set of bearings quick. It wasn't the wheel manufacture's fault. As they assembled the bike in record time for the Build-Off competition Ron hammered the rear axle in place only to jar a bearing race out of wack.
They contacted Hallcraft for new bearings and were informed that any standard bearing would work. That wasn't the case and the bearing shop wasn't able to replace the set, so they contacted the nearest custom shop, two hours away. “No Problem,” was the response, but when they arrived the parts weren't available.
“But a customer, with the same wheel, came to my rescue,” Ron explained and they were on the road again to the show where Ron and Jesse competed for top honors. Can't tell you what the results are until the show airs.
Rumor has it that he scheduled for another Build-Off in the near future. Hang on.
–Wilburn Roach
