Brian Wyatt’s Motorcycle Collection Will Get Your Motor Running
By Fred Tscheulin

     What’s better than a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage? How about five motorcycles? That’s what I found when I met with Brian Wyatt. He hit the garage door remote and, presto, there they were: five beautiful, customized motorcycles gleaming in the sunlight. It was the morning after the Super Bowl – clear sky, bright sun and with the wind blowing across the Lake, it was definitely cold. But one look at Brian’s collection and I forgot about the temperature.
       Brian was introduced to motorcycles by his dad and at a young age was active in motocross racing. Today, he creates, customizes and collects motorcycles and enjoys riding with his wife Heather. Together, they attend bike rallies and special events in Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas. Heather rides a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic, a beautiful motorcycle with all the trimmings.
       In 1999, Brian began his collection with the purchase of a Harley-Davidson Night Train. After several years, he sold the bike to a good friend, Ron Stone. But several years later, when Ron mentioned he was thinking of selling the Night Train, Brian bought it back. He explained, “I loved that bike and could not see anyone else owning it but me.”  He then took it to Jeff Bennett at Windy Gap Cycle where it was repainted and fitted out with a new set of handle bars. Today it’s in showroom condition.
       For a brief time Brian owned a customized Harley-Davidson Springer. Unfortunately, while he was attending a bike rally in Myrtle Beach, the bike was stolen. He then decided to build a custom show bike and hired KRI in Daleville to do the job. Brian provided KRI with photos and they assembled the bike using custom and hand-made parts. It took about seven months to complete the job.
       “It’s unique,” he said, “because it’s 10 feet long, has a 124-cubic-inch S&S motor, a 4-inch Kenney Boyce outer primary, hydraulic foot clutch, Baker 6-speed transmission, one of the first sets of Extreme Wheels ever made, customized blue paint and a Bud Light shifter.” And although it was built to be a show bike and has been displayed at the Easy Rider show in Charlotte, N.C., Brian explained, “It has become my favorite to ride.”
       A bike Brian said he always wanted is called a “Bobber,” a kind of old-style design, customized, but made up of an assortment of traditional and unorthodox parts and materials. To get started, Brian took various bike parts to mechanic Jeff Bennett, including a motor, 4-speed transmission and frame.
       “I described the style I wanted,” he said “and Jeff began buying parts and building.” The finished bike has knobby tires, spool wheels, Buck handle bars, a foot clutch with an 8-Ball Jockey shifter and a bottle opener!”
       Still painted in primer red, it may not be a gleaming genie, but it sure is cool.

In past issues of the Laker we’ve featured a variety of classic, sports and muscle cars. What’s next? I’d like to discover “What’s in your Garage?” Contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to share your story idea.