| Creativity, Courage and Confidence. These are three | | | | I saw one lowrider bike the other day that was built by |
| words that help define the lowrider bike artist who | | | | a kid (with the help of his father) that had a mural of |
| decides to embark on a bike building project. The | | | | the teenage mutant ninja turtles on it. As I said, anything |
| builder has to have creativity in order to design and | | | | goes. Some lowrider bikes come stock from a store |
| develop a bike that challenges the established and | | | | and then the owners will roll up their sleeves and dive |
| accepted rules that the masses follow. Their goal is to | | | | into customizing it. Other bike builders, the truly hard |
| create a work of art that is both unique and one that | | | | working and creative, will explore garage sales, flee |
| will shock people to stop, look and stare. Courage. This | | | | markets, swap meets and alleys in search of the |
| is needed by the lowrider bike designer in order to | | | | perfect busted up old bike that THEY can reclaim and |
| fearlessly step away from the crowd and try | | | | make a work of art. |
| something new and different. This is the courage that | | | | But how can this lifestyle impact a kid growing up? |
| comes with experience and with the intuitive sense | | | | Lowrider bikes can strengthen the bonds between |
| that, while what the builder tries may not be accepted, | | | | family members. Lets look at the relationship between |
| at least he or she is not following the crowd. | | | | the father and son mentioned above. These two had |
| Confidence. Their two wheeled creation is a | | | | many hours of quality time together to work on their |
| statement... an expression, if you will, of the designer's | | | | lowrider bike. The father had a chance to teach the kid |
| ability to conceptualize and produce a rock solid bike | | | | how to use tools, how to make a design and how to |
| that not only shows well, but rides well. | | | | problem solve when things don't go quite right. These |
| When you have a chance, go to some of the shows | | | | are skills and abilities that will serve the son well for |
| where you can see lowrider bikes and the people who | | | | years to come. The skills the dad helps his son |
| build them. See if you can pick out the people who | | | | develop may be the perfect stepping stone for |
| have the creativity, confidence and courage spoken | | | | greater things in his son's life. |
| about above. You'll likely see it in spades. The shows | | | | Not only will the son get some critical life skills, he and |
| are a place where people can shatter the conventions | | | | his father will also be able to look back with pride at |
| and show off themes that indicate who they are and | | | | the creations they made together. They'll be able to |
| what they believe in. You'll see themes that run the | | | | reminisce about the shows they went to and prizes |
| gamut. You'll see everything from power ranger | | | | they collected on the lowrider bikes they built together. |
| themes, to favorite legends, to spicy hot women. | | | | This is a great way to keep kids out of trouble and its |
| Anything goes when it comes to developing a lowrider | | | | entertaining and useful at the same time. |
| bike that will stop and turn heads. | | | | |