Garage Builder: Adam Kotch

British Customs: When did you start riding?

Adam Kotch: June 2016

BC: What was your first bike?

AK: 1985 Honda Magna V30 (It sat in my garage because it didn’t run. I gave it to someone who knows how to rebuild engines so he could get some use out of it.)

BC: What is your background/interest in motorcycle customization?

AK: Family hobby, self-taught, trained pro, etc? I guess the reason why I first started to customize my bike was the desire to make it more proficient in performance and functionality. When I was in the Army we were expected to know everything about the equipment we were issued, especially our rifle. I think that really rubbed off on me. Just like my rifle when I was a young soldier I want to know everything about my bike, how to fix it, properly maintain it, and ride it well. There is also the creative side to customization which is my favorite part. Everything I do I learn from YouTube or from asking people who’ve been riding for a while. I don’t want to rely on a mechanic unless it’s something major. It’s more rewarding for me to do my own work.

BC: What is your inspiration when wrenching on or designing your bike?

AK: I’m inspired by all kinds of bikes and different builds that I see. I like just about every kind of bike that there is. I don’t have a specific goal in mind when it comes to customization. I think I would like my bike to be in a category of it’s own eventually. Most of all it’s the learning experience of learning how to customize, repair, and maintain my bike that inspires me. Every time I work on it I learn something new about how my bike actually works and I appreciate it more than before. I also learn something about myself when I set out to do a project that I’m not sure I can do and I eventually accomplish it, it’s a very rewarding experience. I also like the idea that with every mod I do on on my bike the better it will function when I ride it. The first time I realized the advantages of customization was when I replaced the stock seat with your Slammer seat. The Slammer seat is way more comfortable which helps me ride much longer and it looks better too. 

BC: What things outside of motorcycling inspire you?   

AK: I like to play guitar, and build them occasionally. I also like repairing my friends’ guitars.

BC: What are your goals in the coming year?

AK: My goals this year are to ride my Bonneville, get engaged to my girlfriend, work on my house and play guitar. I learned to appreciate the simple things in life because of some of the experiences I had when I was young.