Nirve Sports Web Site: http://nirve.com GT/Dyno Kustom Kruiser Web site: http://kustomkruiser.com Aaron Bethlenfalvy's Personal Web Site: http://aaronb.org |
As GT's Design Director, I presume that you were responsible for all their bike products: BMX, MTN, etc, in addition to the Kustom Kruisers. It's pretty obvious that you're totally into the creative process and aesthetics of the kustom stuff. Was dealing with that other, totally function-driven product as boring for you as it would seem to me? I could be just insensitive to the nuances of the genre, but I really can't discern a bit of difference between most maker's versions of the BMX machines, as an example. Good question. I (and the staff of two that worked for me) were responsible for the design of almost everything at GT. That included the design of the product, printed material, graphics, etc. for BMX, Freestyle/Trail, MTB, Road, Comfort, Kruisers and even your occasional wheel-chair and electric bike. There's no doubt that the Kruisers were my favorite to work on, however, they only monopolized approx. 5% of my overall time. Thankfully, I was able to get a lot done in a short period of time, because of the personal interest. My free time is spent as an active participant in the Kustom Kulture scene. My friends and I have a chop shop where we've created some really bad-ass rides, I go to rod-n-custom shows and even the occasional kustom kulture art show, so, when it came time to create a product that was, in essence, an extension of my lifestyle if was really easy. BMX, MTN, Road bikes, etc. don't come as easy for me (since I don't wear lycra and shave my legs), however, I actually do still enjoy it. What I enjoy isn't necessarily the product, though. I enjoy the design process and the challenge. I've developed this "recipe for design" that I can apply to the design of anything and churn out effective results. In fact, I'm working on a freelance project right now. . . the redesign of the M1 Garand (WWII assault rifle) and when I started I didn't know jack-shit about firearms. I do now, though! The nuances of the genre are subtle, in virtually all categories of bicycles. In my opinion, that's the result of two words. . Techie Weenies! Who, unfortunately, have a strangle-hold on the industry. BR&K isn't an industry trade journal, by any means. But we generally have a pretty good feel for what's out there. So, it was kind of weird when we saw an announcement that one of the superstars of contemporary bike design had joined a company that was totally off our radar scope. Can you tell us something about Nirve? A little background on Nirve Sports. . . The company was started in 1999, by the ex-C.O.O. of GT, as an online one- stop entertainment shop for kids. They had everything. They designed their own "extreme" gear. Snowboards, wakeboards, surfboards, skateboards and bikes. And also offered free music, videos and video games to download. As with any dot-com company, their burn rate was ridiculous. They spent millions in advertising, trying to drive people to their site and they spent millions developing product that wouldn't sell because nobody knew of them. As a result, the financial backers were getting "Nirvous" and parted ways with the ex-GT C.O.O. guy. They then hired the Director of National Sales from GT as Nirve's new CEO (Dan Bon). This guy rocks. Dan moved in and narrowed the company's focus by eliminating all the board sports and internet B.S. and focusing on bikes.He's hired all the good people from GT and we run a tight, streamlined ship. We're (Nirve) really sitting in a good position right now. Especially with the demise of Schwinn and GT and the hiring of Dan Bon. Dealers across the continent are reluctant to continue carrying Schwinns and GTs when they're going to be sold in the mass market; and who are they going to turn to when they need another brand on the floor? Hopefully, Dan Bon, the guy they know and trust from when things were good at GT! I really feel that this company is going to kick ass. We have the right people, at the right time and we're just having fun. Dyno's site shows some really tasty kustom parts, especially the "double-down" fork, but doesn't sell them from the site. I approached my local bike-shop guy, and suggested that he carry them. He told me that he refuses to deal with them, as they insist that retailers order twenty bikes at a time, or no dice. So he won't carry any of their stuff. There may be a dealer somewhere in the NYC area who has the stuff, but who has the time or patience to seek them out? I presume that Nirve will have some similar parts and accessories, once you're really up to speed with the new line. Will it be possible to actually buy them from the site? If so, lots of our readers will be thrilled. I didn't have too much involvement with the sales side of the business while working at GT/Dyno, however, I can share the little bit of info I do have. Dealer selection is a tough nut to crack in the bike Bizz. GT was very committed to the Independent Bicycle Dealers (IBD's). When GT had a million dollar account in a given area it would "up-the-ante" for anyone else who may want to carry the product. The last thing GT wanted to do was piss off a great dealer, who may be buying large quantities of Kruisers at a time, by selling one or two bikes to the bike shop around the corner. Seems kooky, but, its true. Nirve is a smaller company, not bound by the same "rules of engagement". You want it? We'll sell it to you! GT had plans to expand its sales via the Internet, however, the scooter craze hit, bike sales dropped and budgets got slashed. The end result was. . . nothing. Nirve, on the other hand, is a different story. We already have internet sales capabilities and will continue to offer that service to the consumer. There are some difficulties involved with the selling of complete bikes online, however. Not everyone has the knowledge and/or tools to assemble a bike, nor does a company want to assume the risk of improper assembly by a consumer. The way Nirve works through this is by taking the order online and shipping the product to a local dealer. If there is no dealer in the area, we'll 99% assemble it and send it consumer direct Still on the subject of kustom bike parts: GT/Dyno had some good stuff, but not a huge amount of different things, assuming that it was possible to actually buy them. KustomBike builders have a crying need for all sorts of kool bits and pieces, like interesting handlebars, forks, seats, fenders, etc. Lowrider Bike sources have some such things, but the conventions of that genre are so limiting that there's actually not much variety out there. Is it possible that Nirve, under your influence, will be willing to supply us with a decent variety of kool goodies? ABSOLUTELY! That's great! I can hardly wait to see what you come up with. In a similar vein: can you give us any indications as to what the new line of Nirve bikes will be like? We realize that you'd have to be crazy to give out many specifics, considering the competitiveness of the bike biz. But, without revealing too much, can you give us some hints? I'm a little reluctant to divulge much right now. I'm still in the development stages and if I let the cat out of the bag too early, someone may try to beat me to the punch. I can say that the new line is going to change the game completely. We will re-define the cruiser market in such a way that it will be virtually impossible for our competitors to follow, while at the same time, offering the customer a quality product that is affordable. It will be evident that behind the Nirve cruisers there are actually people who are living the Kustom lifestyle! That's about as specific as I could have expected. You've certainly piqued my interest in seeing them. I know you're in the middle of the design process at this time. When will the new machines be hitting the street? And how many different models will there be? We're shooting for the initial models to be available in early Summer and the high end stuff to be available in September. Its difficult to say exactly how many models will be in the line right now. I promise to give BR&K the first sneak preview! You've got a deal, Dude! So, what happens to existing rolling stock when you have a radical product makeover like that? Do you slap weird decals on them and unload them on Wal-Mart? But seriously, your Dyno machines are having a real rush by collectors, now that you've left. I'm in regular contact with a guy who discovered BR&K just recently, and got bit hard by the KustomBike bug. He just scored a Tiki for way over MSRP, and was glad to get it. According to him, the street price of a Fireball slick just hit $70. Next time you change jobs, you should secretly buy up a barn-full of product, and dribble out signed and dated ones. It worked for Salvador Dali, and you don't even have to be dead for the big payoff. Was that collectability factor a part of GT/Dyno's original marketing scheme for the Kruisers, or does that sort of thing just naturally happen? What we're going to attempt to do is be selective with our buying. If all works as planned, we should run out of the old Nirve/Foose cruiser stock right when the new product rolls in. I think with anything that is Kustom, or in the case of the Dynos, Semi-Kustom you'll see some people start collecting. I'm blown away that street values are rising. I appreciate the compliment, however. I assure you, I'm a far cry from Savlidor Dali. With my luck, I'd stock up and lose my ass when I'd have to unload it for a loss! I kind of like one of those current Nirve cruisers-the olive-drab "Kilroy" model, reminiscent of a WW2 US Army vehicle with the star stencil. It gave me an idea for a Phantom Resto: a German boy's bike from the '30s decorated with SS insignia and swastikas- the officially-licensed "Hitler Jugend" model, supposedly.. Unfortunately, it would probably appeal to the wrong crowd, and the right crowd would likely be sending me death threats. Actually, thats a pretty cool idea. Controversy, which is what your idea would cause, creates sales! I pushed real hard at Dyno to do full-nude calender girls. Never took off because the marketing dude had no balls. The Dyno Roadster is a particular favorite for kustomizers, Contributing Editor Keith Moss got his in early '95. I presume that means it was designed before your time? Yes, The Dyno roadster was designed before I had started at GT. As well as, the entire Dyno frame platform. They didn't take on their "Kustom Kruiser" identity until I was allowed to give them a facelift and design some Kustom Komponents. The Roadster and the Kustom Kruisers are very interesting counter-points. The Roadster, aside from the stretch frame, is a real plain-Jane, and just begs to be messed-with. I've seen very few of them that haven't been kustomized to some degree, by their owners. The Kruisers, on the other hand, came out of the box with really interesting paint jobs and all that incredible kustom detailing you created for them. Someone would have to be really crazy to mess with them, I think. I suppose that this is getting back into high-security territory, but is there a possibility of something in your new Nirve line that begs to be kustomized? Maybe some sort of "Kustom KitBike", where someone could start with a bare, interesting sort of frame, go through the Nirve Kustom Parts Katalog for interesting components for detailing it out? Or is that unrealistic, from a marketing standpoint? You've definitely brought up points that have been kicked around during the planning of the new Nirve line. I don't think that complications would arise necessarily on the marketing end, however, I could foresee complications coming from the assembly/manufacturing side of the business. That's not to say that we haven't developed potential solutions to those foreseen problems! Remember. . . I said before that we're a group of guys LIVING the Kustom Kulture lifestyle and that's what will set us apart from the copycats! Unfortunately, I can't say much more. You graduated with a BSc. degree in Industrial Design from Ohio State University, had a couple of the usual recent-grad entry-level jobs. Then, slightly before your 23rd birthday, you scored what would seem to be the ultimate dream gig, as Design Director of GT. Even though the bike business is pretty youth-oriented, most corporate Design Directors, even in the bike biz, are considerably more "mature" than that. How the hell did you get that job, at that age? I didn't start out at GT as a Design Director! In fact, I was the low man on the design tottum pole. I got the job by calling the VP of Product Development on a daily basis. I left the guy no choice but to hire me. Once I was in, I was given the projects that the designers above me felt were too boring to work on. Little did they know that I have an incredible drive and get a bizarre enthusiasm about things I'm working on. As a result I churned out some pretty cool shit which turned the heads of upper managnent. Bottom line. . .I worked my way up by busting my ass. There goes a pre-conception out the window. I was sort of assuming that you just walked in the door with a killer portfolio, and knocked their socks off with it. So, it's portfolio plus persistance? You're obviously still having a lot of fun creating bikes, but it's also pretty obvious that you're capable of designing just about anything you feel like tackling. Is there an area of design to which you aspire, but haven't got around to yet? Portfolio plus persistance is good! I like designing bikes and bike-related product a lot. I do feel like I can design and make just about anything (stand back, my head seems to be getting larger!), so, I do dream of designing and making two things . . . a custom home and a "concept car", from the ground up. The bike industry hasn't been able to provide me with the cash to make either happen yet, hhmmm, go figure. I think the usual procedure is that a car company provides you with the cash to build a concept car. (MoTown Suits, please take note.) The house deal would be more problematic, as there aren't many "house" companies out there. Although, Bucky Fuller made a start toward that. One of his "Dymaxion" manufactured-house prototypes has just been restored and put on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. It's extremely Jetsons, and well worth checking-out. Aaron, on behalf of BR&K's readership, I'd like to thank you for sharing your work and thoughts with us. On behalf of myself, I'd also like to thank you profusely for the most fun interview it's ever been my pleasure to conduct. And, when you get to the "Now It May Be Revealed" point with your new line, we will be absolutely thrilled to show it here first. |
One of the most fascinating/horrifying stories of the past year in the bike industry has been the death spiral of Schwinn/GT, which began shortly after the merger of the two giants. This was in spite of the immense popularity and profitability of the GT/Dyno Kustom Kruiser line. We heard recently that Aaron Bethlenfalvy, GT/Dyno's brilliant and innovative Design Director, had joined Nirve Sports, a company which we, frankly, had never heard of. This seemed like a good time to talk to Mr. Bethlenfalvy about his work for GT/Dyno, and what he's planning for the future, in his new role at Nirve. |
As GT's Design Director, I presume that you were responsible for all their bike products: BMX, MTN, etc, in addition to the Kustom Kruisers. It's pretty obvious that you're totally into the creative process and aesthetics of the kustom stuff. Was dealing with that other, totally function-driven product as boring for you as it would seem to me? I could be just insensitive to the nuances of the genre, but I really can't discern a bit of difference between most maker's versions of the BMX machines, as an example. Good question. I (and the staff of two that worked for me) were responsible for the design of almost everything at GT. That included the design of the product, printed material, graphics, etc. for BMX, Freestyle/Trail, MTB, Road, Comfort, Kruisers and even your occasional wheel-chair and electric bike. There's no doubt that the Kruisers were my favorite to work on, however, they only monopolized approx. 5% of my overall time. Thankfully, I was able to get a lot done in a short period of time, because of the personal interest. My free time is spent as an active participant in the Kustom Kulture scene. My friends and I have a chop shop where we've created some really bad-ass rides, I go to rod-n-custom shows and even the occasional kustom kulture art show, so, when it came time to create a product that was, in essence, an extension of my lifestyle if was really easy. BMX, MTN, Road bikes, etc. don't come as easy for me (since I don't wear lycra and shave my legs), however, I actually do still enjoy it. What I enjoy isn't necessarily the product, though. I enjoy the design process and the challenge. I've developed this "recipe for design" that I can apply to the design of anything and churn out effective results. In fact, I'm working on a freelance project right now. . . the redesign of the M1 Garand (WWII assault rifle) and when I started I didn't know jack-shit about firearms. I do now, though! The nuances of the genre are subtle, in virtually all categories of bicycles. In my opinion, that's the result of two words. . Techie Weenies! Who, unfortunately, have a strangle-hold on the industry. BR&K isn't an industry trade journal, by any means. But we generally have a pretty good feel for what's out there. So, it was kind of weird when we saw an announcement that one of the superstars of contemporary bike design had joined a company that was totally off our radar scope. Can you tell us something about Nirve? A little background on Nirve Sports. . . The company was started in 1999, by the ex-C.O.O. of GT, as an online one- stop entertainment shop for kids. They had everything. They designed their own "extreme" gear. Snowboards, wakeboards, surfboards, skateboards and bikes. And also offered free music, videos and video games to download. As with any dot-com company, their burn rate was ridiculous. They spent millions in advertising, trying to drive people to their site and they spent millions developing product that wouldn't sell because nobody knew of them. As a result, the financial backers were getting "Nirvous" and parted ways with the ex-GT C.O.O. guy. They then hired the Director of National Sales from GT as Nirve's new CEO (Dan Bon). This guy rocks. Dan moved in and narrowed the company's focus by eliminating all the board sports and internet B.S. and focusing on bikes.He's hired all the good people from GT and we run a tight, streamlined ship. We're (Nirve) really sitting in a good position right now. Especially with the demise of Schwinn and GT and the hiring of Dan Bon. Dealers across the continent are reluctant to continue carrying Schwinns and GTs when they're going to be sold in the mass market; and who are they going to turn to when they need another brand on the floor? Hopefully, Dan Bon, the guy they know and trust from when things were good at GT! I really feel that this company is going to kick ass. We have the right people, at the right time and we're just having fun. Dyno's site shows some really tasty kustom parts, especially the "double-down" fork, but doesn't sell them from the site. I approached my local bike-shop guy, and suggested that he carry them. He told me that he refuses to deal with them, as they insist that retailers order twenty bikes at a time, or no dice. So he won't carry any of their stuff. There may be a dealer somewhere in the NYC area who has the stuff, but who has the time or patience to seek them out? I presume that Nirve will have some similar parts and accessories, once you're really up to speed with the new line. Will it be possible to actually buy them from the site? If so, lots of our readers will be thrilled. I didn't have too much involvement with the sales side of the business while working at GT/Dyno, however, I can share the little bit of info I do have. Dealer selection is a tough nut to crack in the bike Bizz. GT was very committed to the Independent Bicycle Dealers (IBD's). When GT had a million dollar account in a given area it would "up-the-ante" for anyone else who may want to carry the product. The last thing GT wanted to do was piss off a great dealer, who may be buying large quantities of Kruisers at a time, by selling one or two bikes to the bike shop around the corner. Seems kooky, but, its true. Nirve is a smaller company, not bound by the same "rules of engagement". You want it? We'll sell it to you! GT had plans to expand its sales via the Internet, however, the scooter craze hit, bike sales dropped and budgets got slashed. The end result was. . . nothing. Nirve, on the other hand, is a different story. We already have internet sales capabilities and will continue to offer that service to the consumer. There are some difficulties involved with the selling of complete bikes online, however. Not everyone has the knowledge and/or tools to assemble a bike, nor does a company want to assume the risk of improper assembly by a consumer. The way Nirve works through this is by taking the order online and shipping the product to a local dealer. If there is no dealer in the area, we'll 99% assemble it and send it consumer direct Still on the subject of kustom bike parts: GT/Dyno had some good stuff, but not a huge amount of different things, assuming that it was possible to actually buy them. KustomBike builders have a crying need for all sorts of kool bits and pieces, like interesting handlebars, forks, seats, fenders, etc. Lowrider Bike sources have some such things, but the conventions of that genre are so limiting that there's actually not much variety out there. Is it possible that Nirve, under your influence, will be willing to supply us with a decent variety of kool goodies? ABSOLUTELY! That's great! I can hardly wait to see what you come up with. In a similar vein: can you give us any indications as to what the new line of Nirve bikes will be like? We realize that you'd have to be crazy to give out many specifics, considering the competitiveness of the bike biz. But, without revealing too much, can you give us some hints? I'm a little reluctant to divulge much right now. I'm still in the development stages and if I let the cat out of the bag too early, someone may try to beat me to the punch. I can say that the new line is going to change the game completely. We will re-define the cruiser market in such a way that it will be virtually impossible for our competitors to follow, while at the same time, offering the customer a quality product that is affordable. It will be evident that behind the Nirve cruisers there are actually people who are living the Kustom lifestyle! That's about as specific as I could have expected. You've certainly piqued my interest in seeing them. I know you're in the middle of the design process at this time. When will the new machines be hitting the street? And how many different models will there be? We're shooting for the initial models to be available in early Summer and the high end stuff to be available in September. Its difficult to say exactly how many models will be in the line right now. I promise to give BR&K the first sneak preview! You've got a deal, Dude! So, what happens to existing rolling stock when you have a radical product makeover like that? Do you slap weird decals on them and unload them on Wal-Mart? But seriously, your Dyno machines are having a real rush by collectors, now that you've left. I'm in regular contact with a guy who discovered BR&K just recently, and got bit hard by the KustomBike bug. He just scored a Tiki for way over MSRP, and was glad to get it. According to him, the street price of a Fireball slick just hit $70. Next time you change jobs, you should secretly buy up a barn-full of product, and dribble out signed and dated ones. It worked for Salvador Dali, and you don't even have to be dead for the big payoff. Was that collectability factor a part of GT/Dyno's original marketing scheme for the Kruisers, or does that sort of thing just naturally happen? What we're going to attempt to do is be selective with our buying. If all works as planned, we should run out of the old Nirve/Foose cruiser stock right when the new product rolls in. I think with anything that is Kustom, or in the case of the Dynos, Semi-Kustom you'll see some people start collecting. I'm blown away that street values are rising. I appreciate the compliment, however. I assure you, I'm a far cry from Savlidor Dali. With my luck, I'd stock up and lose my ass when I'd have to unload it for a loss! I kind of like one of those current Nirve cruisers-the olive-drab "Kilroy" model, reminiscent of a WW2 US Army vehicle with the star stencil. It gave me an idea for a Phantom Resto: a German boy's bike from the '30s decorated with SS insignia and swastikas- the officially-licensed "Hitler Jugend" model, supposedly.. Unfortunately, it would probably appeal to the wrong crowd, and the right crowd would likely be sending me death threats. Actually, thats a pretty cool idea. Controversy, which is what your idea would cause, creates sales! I pushed real hard at Dyno to do full-nude calender girls. Never took off because the marketing dude had no balls. The Dyno Roadster is a particular favorite for kustomizers, Contributing Editor Keith Moss got his in early '95. I presume that means it was designed before your time? Yes, The Dyno roadster was designed before I had started at GT. As well as, the entire Dyno frame platform. They didn't take on their "Kustom Kruiser" identity until I was allowed to give them a facelift and design some Kustom Komponents. The Roadster and the Kustom Kruisers are very interesting counter-points. The Roadster, aside from the stretch frame, is a real plain-Jane, and just begs to be messed-with. I've seen very few of them that haven't been kustomized to some degree, by their owners. The Kruisers, on the other hand, came out of the box with really interesting paint jobs and all that incredible kustom detailing you created for them. Someone would have to be really crazy to mess with them, I think. I suppose that this is getting back into high-security territory, but is there a possibility of something in your new Nirve line that begs to be kustomized? Maybe some sort of "Kustom KitBike", where someone could start with a bare, interesting sort of frame, go through the Nirve Kustom Parts Katalog for interesting components for detailing it out? Or is that unrealistic, from a marketing standpoint? You've definitely brought up points that have been kicked around during the planning of the new Nirve line. I don't think that complications would arise necessarily on the marketing end, however, I could foresee complications coming from the assembly/manufacturing side of the business. That's not to say that we haven't developed potential solutions to those foreseen problems! Remember. . . I said before that we're a group of guys LIVING the Kustom Kulture lifestyle and that's what will set us apart from the copycats! Unfortunately, I can't say much more. You graduated with a BSc. degree in Industrial Design from Ohio State University, had a couple of the usual recent-grad entry-level jobs. Then, slightly before your 23rd birthday, you scored what would seem to be the ultimate dream gig, as Design Director of GT. Even though the bike business is pretty youth-oriented, most corporate Design Directors, even in the bike biz, are considerably more "mature" than that. How the hell did you get that job, at that age? I didn't start out at GT as a Design Director! In fact, I was the low man on the design tottum pole. I got the job by calling the VP of Product Development on a daily basis. I left the guy no choice but to hire me. Once I was in, I was given the projects that the designers above me felt were too boring to work on. Little did they know that I have an incredible drive and get a bizarre enthusiasm about things I'm working on. As a result I churned out some pretty cool shit which turned the heads of upper managnent. Bottom line. . .I worked my way up by busting my ass. There goes a pre-conception out the window. I was sort of assuming that you just walked in the door with a killer portfolio, and knocked their socks off with it. So, it's portfolio plus persistance? You're obviously still having a lot of fun creating bikes, but it's also pretty obvious that you're capable of designing just about anything you feel like tackling. Is there an area of design to which you aspire, but haven't got around to yet? Portfolio plus persistance is good! I like designing bikes and bike-related product a lot. I do feel like I can design and make just about anything (stand back, my head seems to be getting larger!), so, I do dream of designing and making two things . . . a custom home and a "concept car", from the ground up. The bike industry hasn't been able to provide me with the cash to make either happen yet, hhmmm, go figure. I think the usual procedure is that a car company provides you with the cash to build a concept car. (MoTown Suits, please take note.) The house deal would be more problematic, as there aren't many "house" companies out there. Although, Bucky Fuller made a start toward that. One of his "Dymaxion" manufactured-house prototypes has just been restored and put on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. It's extremely Jetsons, and well worth checking-out. Aaron, on behalf of BR&K's readership, I'd like to thank you for sharing your work and thoughts with us. On behalf of myself, I'd also like to thank you profusely for the most fun interview it's ever been my pleasure to conduct. And, when you get to the "Now It May Be Revealed" point with your new line, we will be absolutely thrilled to show it here first. |
As mentioned previously, I was involved with the design of just about everything at GT. This is the final comp for the Charger electric bike. I wish I had some of my early concept llustrations, as I feel they were far more interesting. My original ideas included bikes that resembled Indian motorcycles, Ducatis, space bikes, hot rods, etc. |
This rendering shows why I've never really been given FULL control over anything. I designed the "Cricket" for a movie, actually (Bicentennial Man). My idea wasn't used. |
Here's a concept for a full suspension comfort bike. |
While at GT I did more graphics than I care to remember. Here's how I tried to incorporate that classic car chrome trim style on a dirt-jumping bike. |
This is a concept that I developed for the Interbike show in 1997. Its a Mountain bike with a moto-cross feel. It had a planetary gear box in the frame which prevented pedal feedback. . . blah blah blah. . . damn techie weenies! |
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Concept "Tanks" for GT/Dyno Kustom Kruisers. |
I organized the Dyno calendar/catalog photo shoot each year and as a gag put myself in a photo each year. I'm the pygmy in the VonFranco Tiki bike shot (Above) and the bartender in the Kozmopolitan shot (Below). Yes, the women are every bit as beautiful in real life!!! |
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Aaron Bethlenfalvy: The BikeRod&Kustom Interview |
While at the design firm, we did a number of projects with Westinghouse. Pictured are the design of electric generators we designed. They both have the same internals, however, one (Above) is designed to appeal to trade people and the other (Below) is a consumer version. |
Above I worked on a project with Motorola to design a "Dick Tracy"-style video phone/watch. I named it the "Iris" because my final design semantically resembled the human eye. |
Above: Another project I was very involved with at a freelance firm was the design of the "New" Henderson Excelsior motorcycle. The photo shows the full-scale mock-up I created in foam. The only thing real on the mock-up are the tires! I had to mock-up everything else. The engine, tank and fenders were foam. The frame was PVC pipe. The forks were PVC & acrylic with rubber hose that represented the coil springs. |
Above: The Apache is a motorcycle project I was involved with at the design firm I worked for. It was a cruiser concept that featured "hubless" wheels and a native American theme. We made a prototype and the bike is now available by special order only. |
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