HOGGING THE ROAD MIDDLE-AGE EXECUTIVES LIVE FANTASIES OF YOUTH ON GLEAMING $40,000 BIKES.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

The rumble of a 1,000 cc engine, the squeal of 18-inch tires and an attempt to tap into the speed and craziness of youth have sent motorcycle sales speeding onward.

Largely fueled by empty-nesters looking to recapture their youth, sales in California have grown an estimated 76 percent in the last five years, making it the top market for two-wheelers in the nation, the Motorcycle Industry Council says.

With increasing exposure from cable programs such as ``Monster Garage'' and ``American Choppers,'' the bikes that once evoked images of greasy leathers and snarling gangs are now just as likely to turn up in executives' garages.

``I'll tell you, personally, riding a bike puts you in a different world,'' said Micah McCloskey, owner of a Canoga Park custom shop. ``You can have a lot of stress, a lot of pressure; you forget that in a couple blocks. You get on, start accelerating, listen to it, feel it, and in a couple blocks, all your problems are gone.''

Last year, he struggled to sell his Iron Horse choppers, which start at $23,000 and can approach $40,000 with custom work. Now, they're roaring out of his showroom, with customers thinking nothing of dropping an additional $7,000 on a custom paint job. Grizzled road vets, as well as those who aspire to be grizzled, prowl his aisles, sizing up brain-bucket helmets and tapping flame-painted fuel tanks - the same flame designs that are intricately inked up both McCloskey's forearms.

In nearly every sector of the industry, from choppers to sport bikes to dirt bikes, dealers report strong interest.

Mike Cavinder, who opened West Coast American Eagle in Thousand Oaks last year, said an 84-year-old man who'd won the lottery came in and salivated over a bike, though he ultimately walked out without investing the $31,000 required to take the most basic model home.

``The TV stuff has made it way more acceptable for a 40-year-old person to get on a chopper,'' Cavinder said. ``That's what we've always wanted. Before, you had to know someone in a little dive down in Chatsworth to get a custom bike, but now it's gotten mainstream.''

Harley-Davidson dealers say the median age of their buyers is more than 45 years old, with a median income of nearly $80,000. Both numbers have gradually climbed upward over the past five years.

So have the number of people killed in motorcycle accidents. And, in a depressing sign of the growing popularity among older people, the age of motorcyclists killed has also risen. In the most recent data available, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 44 percent of motorcyclists killed in 2002 were 40 or older, compared with just 14 percent in 1990.

``They rode motorcycles as a kid way back in the '70s,'' said Bill McLean, general manager of Kolbe Cycles in Woodland Hills, a purveyor of Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha bikes. ``Now they're grown. They've got kids. They're established.''

At the same time, cycle-inspired fashion by the Von Dutch Originals line has made riding hot with younger fans, as well. The media saturation has helped transform the culture, shedding its former outlaw image.

``As more and more people ride them, the nonriding public sees the lawyer next door bringing home the bike,'' said Mike Mount, a spokesman for the Irvine-based industry council. ``It's not a Hell's Angel next door. He's your friend, or it's your mom who bought it.''

Indeed, the council's latest figures show an estimated 10 percent of riders are women. Some like the good gas mileage, salesmen said. Some like the price, and everyone likes the look.

``These bikes are fueled on ego,'' said Ian Berger, sales manager for Beverly Hills Ducati, which sells high-end Italian performance machines. ``People buy them because they stand out in a crowd. What people look for in a motorcycle is something that caters to their lifestyle or the lifestyle they'd like to have.''

Ryan Campbell, a plumber from Thousand Oaks, dreams of hopping a chopper and tackling the open road. Right now, the 29-year-old sticks to a Suzuki 400 dirt bike for weekend rides, but he's already ogling Iron Horses for when he hits middle age.

``Once you try it, you're hooked,'' he said about the feel of the leather seat and rubber-handled grips. ``For me, I was 19, riding my dad's street bike. I'll definitely get back to it. I already know I'll have that midlife crisis.''

Brent Hopkins, [phone]

brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Dave Quintero, service manager at Micah McCloskey's custom shop in Canoga Park, personally repairs a motorcycle.

(2 -- color) Ryan Campbell of Thousand Oaks tries out a $28,450 chopper at Micah McCloskey's custom shop in Canoga Park.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer