CHIC CHOPPERS POPULAR RIDE CAN BE ONE-OF-A-KIND.

Byline: CAROL ROCK Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- An expensive hobby is making a big comeback as motorcycles roar onto the cultural landscape.

More than 1.1 million motorcycles were sold in America in 2005, fueled by consumers' desire for a unique form of transportation, increased fuel economy and freedom on the open road.

Ron and Courtney Garner, owners of Santa Clarita Choppers, are catering to those looking for a custom ride.

And there's nothing ``factory'' about their Valencia showroom, which features four gleaming works of art that just happen to reach speeds of more than 120 mph.

Ron starts with either a frame or a rolling chassis that may already include the motor, transmission and belt drive. But once he adds customized tanks, pipes, a seat and wheels, it's hard to remember the bike's humble beginnings.

Each bike takes two to three months to complete amid the delivery demands of Garner's more than two dozen vendors.

``It would take two weeks if we had everything in front of us,'' he said.

Garner was inspired after meeting mechanic and chopper builder Jesse James, known for his ``Monster Garage'' television series.

Both James and Garner found out early -- around junior high days -- that customizing a ride would be their ticket to a good life.

Garner and his twin brother started customizing classic cars while they were in high school in the South Bay area.

``We had some pretty classic cars,'' the 34-year-old said. ``I had a '49 Chevy, a '64 Nova, a '52 lowrider truck, a '79 two-door Cadillac Coupe deVille with hydraulics and Dayton wire wheels. I had a new car about every four months.''

In 1999, he bought his first bike: a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, which he promptly tore apart and rebuilt to his liking.

``The difference between buying a factory `custom' bike and having one built just for you is like night and day,'' Garner said.

One constant in each of his creations is the Santa Clarita Choppers logo, emblazoned in gold leaf on the gas tank.

Because he isn't quite as widely known as celebrity designers including James, Matt Hotch and Paul Yaffe, Garner can offer customers bikes for $30,000 to $60,000. Big-name designers' bikes start at $80,000.

Garner and his wife make it a point to get away every now and then to keep in touch with the open road. The couple recently returned from a 300-mile cruise up and down the California coast.

For Dan Goetz, an executive with Ultraviolet Devices in Valencia, motorcycles offer the solitude of the open road.

``When I'm riding, I don't think about stress, whether it's business or personal,'' he said. ``I focus on where I'm going. I don't like freeway riding; I prefer the countryside and the silence. It's relaxing.''

Goetz rode a Triumph street bike before he was married, but gave it up until after his children were grown. On his 45th birthday, his wife agreed to let him get a new Harley-Davidson.

``It's slightly customized with some performance-enhancing equipment and look-good doodads -- enough to make it mine,'' he said.

And motorcyclists' love of the ride -- whether on a custom bike or a factory issue -- also has helped raise millions of dollars for health, civic and youth causes.

The annual Love Ride in November has involved as many as 20,000 riders, traveling from Glendale to Castaic, and has raised $17 million for 31 charities over the last 23 years.

Another major ride through the Santa Clarita Valley, the Downed Officer Support Ride, has raised more than half a million dollars in just seven years.

Insurance broker Jim Lentini rides with his two sons.

``Sure it's an expensive hobby,'' he said, laughing. ``But after five minutes on a Harley, you can't remember anything else. Seriously, when you get on a bike, you have to forget about everything outside of riding. It's really something when you're alone with your thoughts and surroundings.''

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Ron Garner of Santa Clarita Choppers works on an ``old school'' motorcycle he is building at his shop. Garner builds choppers from the ground up for riders looking for custom motorcycles.

(2 -- color) The motorcycles put together by Ron Garner are works of art, from custom wheels to unique rear-end designs, at Santa Clarita Choppers.

(3 -- color) Ron Garner shows some of his customized motorcycles at Santa Clarita Choppers. His bikes run from $30,000 to $60,000 -- a bargain, he says, compared with those of some designers.

David Crane/Staff Photographer