Photography by Cordero Studios
Collection Gift Guide: Stylin' Shogun
December 1, 2005
Mercury Customs
After a career creating visual effects for films such as
Star Wars: Episode I and Matrix Reloaded, Joe Takai wanted to turn his love of
design, engineering and motorcycles into a full-time occupation he could share
with his family. In January 2005 he and his wife, Pam, founded Mercury Customs.
And given his background in the entertainment industry, it’s not surprising that
The 47 Ronin—a story of 18th-century samurai who commit ritual suicide after
avenging their master’s death—inspired the Takais’ Ronin chopper. The dark tale
of inherent emotional conflict translates into a motorcycle that marries
graceful beauty with raw power.
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(Click image to enlarge.)The Ronin design started as a blank sheet of paper: The tough industrial aluminum, clean lines, and graphic paintwork became a project unto itself. Development and execution of the motorcycle’s conceptual art took more than 300 hours, as its depiction of two heroes fulfilling their duty evolved from an initial sketch to its photorealistic conclusion. Every samurai wielded a sword, and the $62,500 Ronin bike comes with a genuine example; Takai does not, however, recommend taking it along for the ride.
The Takais’ goal with Mercury Customs is to build extraordinary motorcycles precisely tailored to the desires of each client, and to integrate his or her creativity into the process. The couple says that customer service is as important to them as the sculptural bikes they produce. At the beginning of the design phase, a client receives the full build sheet (including line items for labor, finishing, and more than 350 parts) and concept drawings, and participates in thorough discussions of each custom component. Clients may privately access progress reports—with photographs and updates of the bike throughout construction—at the Mercury Custom web site.
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(Click image to enlarge.)For customers who would not even consider the ordinary, Mercury Customs provides an exceptional ride that is exciting to own and certain to turn heads.
Mercury Customs, 949.453.9300, www.mercurycustoms.com
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