The Strong US Dollar has taken it's first two victoms, Prozac Choppers Closed it Doors last Monday with  Pedro resigning as Manager, at this stage it is unclear if they will reopen. Wild Rhino Motorcyles is also about to close it's doors on Friday. With Reno saying the last 6 months has been tuff.and losing money every week.. Tony from Memory Lane Choppers is also thinking about bailing out

It's a real shame , All  three guys have been great to me and have realy made a mark in the Austrailian Custom Bike Seen. There hasn't been a Bike Magazie that hasn't had one or two of there Bikes in each issue.

unfortunatly i think this year won't be the greatest for small buisness , bad news when top u

nits like this fold . sad days ahead i'm afraid .

 Retail in all areas has taken a big hit and it doesn't help when you pick up the paper and see how Australia missed the downturn and we are apparently booming. That might be true for finance and resources but I don't know anyone in small business who is doing ok.

If West Coast Choppers had to shut up shop because of the downturn, I can't imagine what it's like for custom builders here.  It's a shame.

i 'll 2nd the west coast choppers bit - story ive heard goes something like he'd had enough - closed the bike building side , moved to texas to enjoy the good life as jesse said himself - but they are still gunna pump out the tshirts and stuff.

its a shame to see bike shops shut down - but really i think it was only a matter of time - average joe just cant justify spending $60k plus on a custom bike - considering the price of everyday living is increasing more than our wages - luxurys have to go - hopefully everyone can keep hold of what they have and spend up when they can with their local parts suppliers like walka and the like.

So now we're agreeing with Gerry Harvey?

I iz confuzd

peoples tastes has changed choppers has been on decline for 2 years modified stockers which accounts for most of market will remain strong .sorry to see these guys go ..after the floods trail and off roaders will be the rage seeing the roads will be stuffed .

IMO: with the advent of the internet ,we as a whole have so much knoledge at or finger tips,most of us can customize or machines being it frames/engine/ignitions/bling/.etc.......OURSELVES!  that unless a shop has something to really offer at a reasonable price why pay someone else to do something that most of us asw riders enjoy to accomplish ourselves and be abloe to stand back drink a beer and say "WHY THE FUCK DID I DO THAT,WHAT WAS I THINKINS???" but we our having the same shit happening here in Canada for the last couple of years as well .hard to find a good shop that will give you and your bike the same attention to good quality and sevice that you deserve for the$$$$ that they are asking you to part with! "just my 2 cents worth!"

Hi all, although I've been a long time reader of this forum I thought this was a good time for my first post.

As an insider, Prozac Choppers did not close due to financial issues nor lack of work. Pedro offered to buy out the other 2 owners with a view to expand and as I understand there was another bike builder prepared to come onboard as a Partner after the buy out. Egos and Politics stopped the sale going through and Pedro walked. Although I agree that the big budget chopper is dead for the moment, Pedro still had at least 2 or 3 in the shop getting built and about 15 other bikes in the midst of misc. modifications towards the end of 2010.

Pedro's loyal customers will all need somewhere to get their Service Work and Modifications done and I have a feeling the void left by Prozac in the Custom Bike industry might just get filled.

Does anyone know where Gunna will be working?

Peter Stevens Geelong

I heard a roumer today that The Bike Garage in WA has closed ?