Legenda Motor "Kustom" Arlen Ness Tutup Usia
- Bagi para penggemar motor kustom, nama Arlen Ness sudah tidak asing lagi terdengar. Tak heran, bila kabar meninggalnya Ness, Jumat (22/3/2019), meninggalkan duka yang membuat para builder di dunia rama-ramai mengucapkan belasungkawa, termasuk builder Indonesia.
Pria kelahiran 12 Juli 1939 ini telah banyak melahirkan karya-karya kustom yang tidak bisa dinilai secara materi. Jenis sepeda motor yang digunakan dalam menbuat karyanya pun beragam, namun lebih didominasi moge terutama Harley-Davidson.
Hampir semua karya Ness selalu bisa memberikan inspirasi dan menciptakan suatu tren baru, bahkan selalu merajai diberagam kompetisi motor kustom. Tidak heran bila Ness pun menyandang gelar "The King of Custom Motorcycles" dan akan menjadi sebuah legenda bagi para builder di dunia.
Selain melahirkan banyak karya yang apik dan memiliki karakter, Ness pun juga digandeng oleh pihak pabrikan motor besar untuk berkolaborasi, seperti Indian dan Victory. Mulai dari membuat motor kustom, sampai menyiapkan ragam part kustom yang plug n play.
Melansir dari Rideapart.com, Ness mulai malakukan kustom sejak dia memiliki motor pertamanya, yakni sebuah Harley-Davidson Knucklehead lansiran 1947. Motor tersebut dibelinya dari uang yang didapat dari olah raga bowling semi-profesional.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce Arlen Ness the visionary, loving husband, father, grandfather and leader of our family passed away last night March 22, 2019. Arlen passed away comfortably in his home surrounded by loved ones after the most creative and inspirational life anyone could imagine. . . . The most important things in Arlens life were his wife of 59 years Beverly, his children, grandchildren, friends and motorcycles. Arlen once said that Motorcycling has been a great ridemy whole life since Ive been motorcycling has been wonderful. Ive met so many nice people. Friends all over the world. We can go almost anyplace and stay with friends. Its been great. With few words Arlen conveyed his priorities every day, family and friends. . . Everyone who knew Arlen respects him for his achievements and for who he was as a person, both of which are superlatives. The respect is how Arlen came to deserve the commonly spoken nickname The King of Custom Motorcycles. Arlen rarely reflected on his own success. He never planned for it, this is because what he achieved had never been done before; it had never been dreamt of. . . . Arlen has touched the lives of our family, the Arlen Ness team and thousands of others around the world with his genuine character. We will announce a memorial service and celebration of life after some private time, and appreciate your understanding. We thank you for your respects and condolences. . . Although the Ness family cannot put their loss into words, they can look up and smile knowing Arlen has done something that few men do in a lifetime of trying. He has inspired.
Pengerjaan kustom mulai dilakukan pada 1970, saat itu Ness juga bekerja sebagai tukang instalasi pintu dan jendela alumunium. Singkat cerita, beberapa tahun kemudian dia membuat bengkelnya sendiri, Arlen Ness Motorcycles di Dublin, California, sebagai spesialiasi motor kustom dan suku cadang yang kemudian jejaknya diikuti oleh anak dan cucunya, yakni Cory dan Zach.
"Mengendari motor telah menjadi perjalanan yang menyenangkan. Seumur hidupku sejak bersepeda motor sangat menyenangkan, aku bertemu banyak orang baik. Teman-teman di seluruh dunia, kita bisa pergi ke mana saja dan tinggal bersama teman-teman. Sangat menyenangkan," ucap Ness yang dikutip dari akun sosial media miliknya.