Orange County Choppers Unveils Custom Klipsch® Bike at CES
Bike reflects speaker company's rebellious spirit and no-compromise audio legacy
INDIANAPOLIS (January 25, 2008) — Nearly 600 attendees gathered at the Body English nightclub inside the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on January 8—evening two of the International Consumer Electronics Show—to witness Orange County Choppers™ (OCC) unveil its latest creation: the Klipsch® Chopper. Watch footage from event.
All three members of the famous Teutul “American Chopper” family—Paul Sr., Paulie and Mikey—were present, along with the show’s film crew, to celebrate OCC’s completion of the Klipsch chopper, an epic piece of machinery that reflects the speaker company’s rebellious spirit and no-compromise audio legacy.
“Our bike rocks—literally! For us to be part of something like this is too cool for words, but you definitely feel it once you sit on it,” said Mike Klipsch, president of Klipsch Audio Technologies. “High performance all-around—it’s ‘eye-catching style meets sheer brute strength’.”
Cheers ensued immediately following the Teutul’s grand entrance into the nightclub, especially for Mikey, who’s well known for adding comic relief to the chopper-based reality series. Unfortunately, Paul Sr. couldn’t coast in coolly and rev the bike’s engine like he normally would because of code violations; but that did not stop the crowd from chanting “fire it up” for three minutes straight. All three spoke to the enthusiastic crowd, and Paulie discussed the intricacies of the bike and the Klipsch and OCC partnership.
Klipsch executives also weighed in about the alliance. “This collaboration makes perfect sense as we do more than just build bikes and speakers, we create powerful and emotional experiences for our customers that stir the soul and lift the spirit,” said Klipsch.
Like every OCC chopper, the Klipsch bike is unique. It reflects the legendary 62-year-old company’s true personality by featuring its signature copper and black color scheme, horn and woofer assemblies, a working iPod® dock, detailed Paul W. Klipsch (PWK) logos on each chrome wheel’s blade-like spokes, as well as Klipsch logos on the air filter and black leather seat.
For those who are unaware, proprietary horn-loaded technology has—and will always be—the driving force behind Klipsch’s highly acclaimed and stunningly precise sound. In fact, Paul W. Klipsch founded the company in 1946 on the promise of a corner horn-loaded speaker design.
“We customize theme bikes for lots of different companies, but this one is second to none,” said Paul Sr. “It really incorporates Klipsch’s standards of high-performance, high-quality audio into a truly unique ride.”
Also as part of the partnership, OCC is currently building a new 92,000-square-foot corporate facility in Newburgh, N.Y. and has chosen Klipsch as its preferred audio provider. From the retail area to the shop floor and from the gym to Paul Sr.’s new office, more than 100 Klipsch speakers will bring dynamic sound to the entire building.
“The Klipsch name has always stood for high-performance audio,” said Paul Sr. “Whether it’s their headphones, home theater products or commercial designs, everything I’ve heard from Klipsch sounds fantastic.”
On February 4, Klipsch hosted a special bike unveiling at its corporate headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind. for employees. “This is a big, once-in-a-lifetime deal for us and we wanted everyone inside the company to be a part of it,” said Klipsch. Watch footage from event.
TLC aired the “American Chopper” episode featuring the Klipsch bike on March 13, 2008.
Additional Chopper Details
• 10 ft. long and weighs 600 pounds
• Back tire is 300 mm
• Size and type of engine: A S&S 117 cubic-inch motor (1916CC)
• 120 horsepower with 135 foot-pounds of torque
• Six-speed transmission
• 3.5-gallon gas tank with a half-gallon reserve
• Features a pair of Klipsch K-77D horns and an RVX-42 woofer
About Orange County Choppers™
Orange County Choppers (OCC) is a New York-based custom motorcycle manufacturer founded by Paul Teutul, Sr. and Paul Teutul, Jr. in 1999. OCC was started as a sideline to Paul Sr.’s steel manufacturing business, which was founded in the 1970s. The Orange County Choppers’ shop is featured weekly on “American Chopper,” a reality TV show that airs on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. EST on TLC.
About Klipsch
Founded in 1946 by Paul W. Klipsch, one of America’s most celebrated audio pioneers, Klipsch® has long been a high-end name in loudspeaker design. Today, the brand continues its success as a leading global manufacturer of premium sound solutions for home, personal and commercial use. From massive professional cinema speakers to tiny headphones, Klipsch remains committed to delivering the most powerful, detailed and emotional sound experiences. Family owned and operated, chairman Fred Klipsch and vice chairman Judy Klipsch set the vision and strategy for the brand as well as the entire Klipsch Group, Inc. organization.