Chronicle: Combat Motors' hand-built, custom-tailored motorcycles

NEWS. BRITTANY: WHEN HURRICANE KATNARI FORCED A MOTORCYCLE COMING TO FIND A NEW HOME IN 2005, THEY DISCOVER BIRMINGHAM. NOW COMBAT MOTOR XHOSA MAGIC CITY HOME. -- THE COMBAT MOTORBIKES CALLS MAGIC CITY HOME. IAN: THEY ARE TRACKING THE ATTENTION OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS ALL OVER THE WORLD. >> IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR UNIQUE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND YOU HAVE MONEYO T BURN, CHECK OUT COMBAT MOTORS ON BIRMINGHAM SOUTHSIDE. >> THIS IS AN AMAZING MOTORCYCLE. >> THEY DESIGN AND BUILD GORGEOUS INDUSTRIAL LOOKING CUSTOMESIK B BWITH BIG AND IS CAPABLE OF SPEEDS UPWARDS OF 160 MILES AN. >> A LOT OF THEIK BE IS DESIGNED AFTER AIRCRAFT. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED BY BEHRINGER AND THAT SYSTEM IS THE SAME SYSTEM SCALED-DOWN IN A BOEING 747. >> SO THEY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT, UNDER 600 POUNDS. WHILE THERE ARE FOUR MODELS, EACH ONE IS MADE BY HAND BY JASON REDDICK. SO, EVERYONE CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WITH THE SPECIFIC DESIRES OF EVERY CUSTOMER. JASON SPENDS 1000 HOURS ON EACH BIKE. >> THE TYPICAL CLIENT CAN BE ANYONE. WE HAVE GENTLEMAN WHO SAVED THEIR WHOLE LIVES TO GET ONE. WE HAVE HAD SHEIKS. >> TOM CRUEIS AND OTHER CELEBRITIES HAVE ONE BUT I COULD NOT GET THEM TO DROP ANY OTHER MENAS. WHEN YOU SEE THE PRICE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPICAL BUYERS ARE MILLIONAIRES. THEY START AT $85,000 AND GOP U TO A FEW HUNDRED K. BECAUSE OF PANDEMIC RELATED SUPPLY ISSUES, PRODUCTION IS DOWN BUT TYPICALLY THEY SELL SEVERAL DOZEN Y AEAR AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO BUY ONE OF THESE BAD BOYS DO NOT ACTUALLY PLAN TO REID IT. >> OUR AVERAGE CUSTOMER PUTS LESS THAN 250 MILES A YEAR ON HIS BIKE. >> MANY THINK OTHF EMS A ART. >> I DELIVER A BIKE TO CALIFORNIA MONTHS AGO AND I HOPE THE JUDGMENT PUT IN A PLASTIC UBUBBLE. >> IN ALABAMA THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL SEE ONE OF THESE BIKES IS IN THE SHOWROOM BECAUSE THERE ARE LYON TWO ALABAMA OWNERS. MOST OF THE MOTORCYCLES ARE HEADED TO RSIUSA, CHINA, AND THE U.K. IF YOU’VE GOT AN EXTRA SIX FIGURES BURNING A HOLE IN YOUR POCKET, YOU COULD BE ALABAMA BUYER -- NUMBER THREE. BRITTA:NY WHAT AN INTERESTING STORY. IAN: THAT IS WHILE THAT THE AVERAGE MILEAGE, 250 MILES A YEAR. THEY WANT TO LOOK AT TM.HE BRITTANY: I NEVER UNDERSTAND IT. IT DOES MAKE SENSE WHY THEY ARE SO EXTENSIVE. 1000 HOURS HE PUTS INTO EACH ONE OF THEM. IAN: THIS COULD BE AN INVESTMENT. ENWH THEY TAKE ONE INCOME AND TRADE IT, THEY SELL MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL PRICE. BRITTA

WVTM 13's Lisa Crane shares a must-see Chronicle report on Combat Motors in Birmingham, Alabama, where hand-built, custom-tailored motorcycles are being sold to the likes of Tom Cruise and Tim McGraw. Check out the story in the video above.With starting prices at $85,000, you quickly understand why many buyers of these one-of-a-kind motorcycles are celebrities and millionaires. But there are some customers who have spent much of their lives working saving enough money to buy their dream bike."The typical Combat client can be anyone," said Combat Motors brand ambassador Jay Etheridge. "We've had gentlemen that saved their whole lives to get one. We've had sheiks come in and buy bikes."Because of pandemic-related supply issues, production is currently down but typically the company sells several dozen bikes every year. The most expensive motorcycle currently for sale is the "Combat Wraith," a lightweight bike carved entirely from solid billet blocks of military-grade aluminum. It lists for $155,000. Believe it or not, many people who buy one of these bad boys don't actually plan to ride it. Etheridge said the average customer puts less than 250 miles a year on their bike. "I delivered a bike out to California about a month ago, and I helped the gentleman. We put it into a plastic bubble where all the air was taken to vacuum it so it will be preserved forever," Etheridge said.Right now there are only two people in the state of Alabama that own a Combat Motors bike, so the best place to see one is at the 6th Avenue South showroom on Birmingham's Southside. Etheridge said most of the motorcycles they sell are shipped overseas to places like Russia, China and the United Kingdom.On its website, Combat Motors says it "delivers a unique riding and ownership experience through an obsession for innovative design, engineering excellence, and dedication to the rider."Learn more about Combat Motors at www.combatmotors.com.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

With starting prices at $85,000, you quickly understand why many buyers of these one-of-a-kind motorcycles are celebrities and millionaires. But there are some customers who have spent much of their lives working saving enough money to buy their dream bike.

"The typical Combat client can be anyone," said Combat Motors brand ambassador Jay Etheridge. "We've had gentlemen that saved their whole lives to get one. We've had sheiks come in and buy bikes."

Because of pandemic-related supply issues, production is currently down but typically the company sells several dozen bikes every year.

WVTM 13

The most expensive motorcycle currently for sale is the "Combat Wraith," a lightweight bike carved entirely from solid billet blocks of military-grade aluminum. It lists for $155,000.

Combat Motors

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Believe it or not, many people who buy one of these bad boys don't actually plan to ride it. Etheridge said the average customer puts less than 250 miles a year on their bike.

"I delivered a bike out to California about a month ago, and I helped the gentleman. We put it into a plastic bubble where all the air was taken to vacuum it so it will be preserved forever," Etheridge said.

Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images

In 2006 actor Tom Cruise arrived at the premiere of "Mission: Impossible III" in New York City on a Combat Motors motorcycle.

Right now there are only two people in the state of Alabama that own a Combat Motors bike, so the best place to see one is at the 6th Avenue South showroom on Birmingham's Southside. Etheridge said most of the motorcycles they sell are shipped overseas to places like Russia, China and the United Kingdom.

On its website, Combat Motors says it "delivers a unique riding and ownership experience through an obsession for innovative design, engineering excellence, and dedication to the rider."

Learn more about Combat Motors at www.combatmotors.com.

Chronicle: Combat Motors' hand-built, custom-tailored motorcycles

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