Steven Tyler, the front man for the rock band Aerosmith, is now in the business of building custom motorcycles, with his company "Red Wing Motorcycles".

Red Wing Motorcycles is not really a builder at all, the bikes are built by Mark Dirico and Stephen Talarico of AC Custom Motorcycles. Instead, Steven Tyler provides his artistic input, and AC does all the building. The bikes are then sold under the Red Wing Motorcycles brand.

Finally, each bike is signed by Steve Tyler himself.

It may very well launch a new trend in custom motorcycle building: celebrity designer motorcycles.


However, if the "art" of Steven Tyler is what Red Wing Motorcycles has to offer, then I don't think it has much to offer, or at least not right now. In looking at the two models he has launched with, I don't see much inspiration.

One model dubbed, "Pro Street" looks very much like your garden variety Big Dog, except powered by a 103ci Harley engine. The "Retro" model looks like a blacked-out Heritage Softail, and a 88ci Harley engine.

Tyler would have done much better to launch his company with two bikes that were REALLY out-of-the-ordinary, which is what he's known for. To his credit, he wanted to offer bikes that "you can ride for days". But I've seen other Harley customs that look much better than these two, and can still burn up the twisties.

But I'm sure Red Wing Motorcycles will be cranking out some more models. If anybody can create something wild and spectactular, I'm sure Steven Tyler can do it.

Right now, Red Wing Motorcycles can only be purchased in New Hampshire, at two Harley dealerships: Manchester Harley-Davidson and Nashua Harley-Davidson.

Via Brain Bucket Magazine

Labels: AC Custom Motorcycles, Red Wing Motorcycles