Arlen Ness

[f6john]

Passed away yesterday. He was at home with family. He seemed like a talented Kool dude.

[Bighead]

Made some kool aftermarket stuff for all makes of scooters.

[Patrick]

He died a little young I think, I wonder why. He had quite a talent.

[f6john]

He was 79, too soon I’m sure, but more years than many get to enjoy.

[LTD]

A one of a kind loved Arlen wasn't always down with all his designs but extremely talented person. RIP

[Alpha Dog]

I guess it was the cancer that took him down.    A day in the Life of Arlen Ness

https://www.hotbikeweb.com/day-in-life-arlen-ness

[sheets]

I visited his shop in Dublin back in around `08 or 9. A big fancy place. Went there to check out the Victory Vision. They had an extensive collection of bikes in the show room at that location. Somebody with the last name of Ness offered to let me take a Vision for a ride. I declined, being in a foreign city with much traffic. I still have his business card around here someplace. Must have been his brother, who I recall saying "he" rode a Vision.     

[TTG53#1717]

I used a lot of his stuff on my HD builds back in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Never any problems with fitment or early failure like some other chopper outfits.
Ness products were something you could trust at any speed.

A shop I did freelance work for in the mid 90’s had a dispute over some “off the wall” Ness custom fenders. The shop owner ( who was not a bike wrench ) was butting heads with Arlen for a couple weeks on the phone. Usually, with the end customer standing right there foaming at the mouth. Finally he asked me if I would talk with Arlen about the problem.
How could I pass on the opportunity to speak with a legend?
After a few minutes of me singing the praises of all his stuff I had used in the past, and more accurately communicating the customer’s issues, we reached some common ground and got everything smoothed over.
He was a genuinely nice man to speak with.

RIP Arlen

[Pappy!]

One of the greats of customs has passed on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50DXY5aXt1A