California Choppers Home of the Original Frisco Style Chopper By Leslie Kaye Photos by Conan Soranno and Rodent Jan.19.2010 California Choppers is the fourth incarnation of Frisco Choppers which was renamed and moved three times, to this location on Howard at 11th Street for the past 10 years. They are San Francisco’s only Harley specialty shop and they specialize in stock and custom Harley Davidsons. They’re a one-stop shop for parts, service and merchandise, and they can do customs. Owner Wayne Hodges, and his partner Ron Aiello, are both native San Franciscans. It’s a two-man operation; Wayne is front of the shop, and Ron is the Service Department in the large garage out back. An old flat track racer, Ron has well over 40 years of experience working on bikes. He knows all the Harleys, new and old – sportsters, knuckleheads, panheads, shovelheads, evolutions, and twin cams. They’re very proud that they can work on all the old bikes that most mechanics don’t know anymore. Yelp.com gives them great reviews! It’s easy to see why the business does well. Wayne stands 6’6” and is very easy and comfortable, always smiling. He treats the biz very professionally, but has fun. And he cares about the customer. It’s evident. In fact they’re sort of known for their “no attitude.” Wayne often hears “it’s really nice to meet someone in this biz who cares!” Customers come from all over the world: Europe, Australia, Asia, Japan and South America. Of course a lot of good business is from online and over the phone sales. When I was there, phone orders came in from both Australia and Sweden. Two rock’n rollers came in looking for directions to Slims (Boz Scagg’s music club at 11th & Folsom). Wayne stopped what he was doing, “Just up the street, bro, one block up, same side.” Wayne was so open and friendly to the two, even though they weren’t looking for parts or motorcycles, that they came back five minutes later to buy a t-shirt! Besides well-stocked, the shop is super organized, neat and clean. Behind the front counter, a whole room houses the miscellaneous small parts -- row after orderly row of neatly labeled boxes on floor-to-ceiling metal shelving fills the room, the walls covered with hanging cables. Every square inch of the tidy jam-packed room is filled with an abundant, yet accessible inventory of Harley parts. Another room holds all the stacked t-shirts and merchandise. Wayne attends Sturgis every year – in fact, he’s ridden his bike there every year since 1981, never missed one. He also looks forward to the Cincinnati Easy Rider trade show every year to see old friends and get up to date on the new products. Wayne rides a bagger, but his show-bike sits out front in the shop windows. Besides the eye-catching Horst flames and colors that he custom ordered, Wayne had the 2000 Harley outfitted with a Paul Cox seat, Jesse James gas tank and fender, Eddie Trotta’s redo of Jesse’s fender, Mikuni carburetor, Daytec frame, belt drive on the side, and a special gas cap of little skulls done by a local artist. When I ask about the glass cases of collector’s hot wheels still in their boxes lining his office like a toy store, Wayne says, “You’re not going to believe this,” and reaches into his wallet to pull out a red card. “I’m a card holding member of the Red Line Hot Wheels club.” California Choppers 1490 Howard St @ 11th San Francisco, CA 94103 415-431-8181 www.californiachoppers.com M-F 10-7, Sat 11-5, closed Sun Harley parts, service, merchandise · California Choppers