2009.01.06
More on Salem motorcycle builders: Matt Dillon's futuristic rides
No one would ever know that Matt Dillon's garage, Automotive Specialists on Roanoke Boulevard in Salem, housed two futuristic motorcycles in the reception room. One ride has three-dimensional flames all over, and the other, a dragon-toothed beauty with an alligator seat, looks like something out of a pulp fiction movie.
While business is booming on the mechanic side of things for Dillon, his two artworks sit in the waiting room, waiting for just the right Pro Street Choppers fan or fans (lingo for futuristic motorcycle enthusiast) to come along and take them home.
Both of his bikes have won first place and People's Choice in local shows like the Annual MDA Show at the Roanoke Civic Center and in out-of-state shows like the Cycleworld Show in Washington D.C. And even though both bikes have been finished since January 2006, the $45,000 asking price hasn't caught any offers yet.
"If I had a dollar for every picture that was taken, I'd have sold it," said Dillon. He and his partner, Robin Leonard, hope that one day, Dillon's work might catch the eye of big name custom-motorcycle builders. But building out of this world bikes is nothing close to a pipe dream for Dillon, it's his creative outlet and his passion.
"I'll just set it up on the lift and think about it for a minute and start making it from scratch," Dillon said. "If you can cut and weld and measure, to me it's not that hard at all." The detail work on his bikes doesn't bombard the eye all at once, but more intricacies emerge with each closer look.
For more photos of Matt Dillons two rides, click here.
The dragon bike has teeth along its frame and is delicately painted with dragons and their teeth and talons all over, even on the rotating belt. Along with the toothed metalwork, the wheels are detailed in sharpwork, too. An airlift system raises and lowers the bike when it's ready to ride or to park.
For both of his works, swingarms hold the back tire in place and LED lights compliment the features, and most of the parts are custom made in his shop.
The flame bike has backlit three-dimensional flames, pounded out by Charlie Overfelt's students in William Fleming High school's welding shop in 2005. The bike he's working on now is going to be called "Area 51" and will have an alien-weapon look, inspired partially by a paint filter and partially by the movie "Predator." The aluminum rifts he's planning on giving it will make the bike seem "like it's ripping open because of the speed."
Dillon graduated from WFHS in 1980, and he started his career in mechanical work by fixing lawnmowers at age 12 on Williamson Road. He worked on bikes, mopeds, motorcycles, dirt bikes, and drag cars, and when he was 17 and a senior at Fleming, he landed a job as a diesel mechanic for tractor trailers at $17 an hour. He opened up shop in Salem 15 years ago and has been here ever since.
