Laura Ellifson

If you asked anyone that knows Laura, they would tell you that she loves a challenge, is a great rider, team player, and has a gift for inspiring others. Laura grew up in the country in Wisconsin where riding anything motorized was THE pastime. Her graduation from dirt bikes to her first Harley happened in 1996 when she purchased, like many first time buyers, an 883 Sportster. She outgrew it in about a month. On to a ‘96 Softail that she rode everywhere. Laura has some great riding stories, from backroad Wisconsin riding, to marathon rides covering thousands of miles in a few days, to traveling to Cabo San Lucas Mexico and back on a Road Glide.

Laura and Brian Klock had been friends for a number of years and on one of her adventures, she stopped at his new shop to say hi. As fate would have it, she’s been at Klock Werks in Mitchell, South Dakota, ever since. In the last 3 years, they have taken Brian’s business to the next level, partnering officially as President and Vice President of the company, and completing 93 new part numbers that they distribute through Drag Specialties and their web site www.kustombaggers.com. Having a real interest in touring bikes, or baggers, the Krew at Klock Werks, with Brian at the lead, put together a frame up kustom bagger in 2006 for Discovery Channel’s Biker Build Off, and WON the competition. The Krew then headed to Bonneville in 2006, where their bagger was dubbed the “World’s Fastest Bagger” when, with Laura as its pilot, an AMA National Land Speed Record was set. In 2007, Laura piloted the bike again to an SCTA National Land Speed Record of 146.297, with her personal best, so far, being 147.359 mph. Brian and Laura had their wedding ceremony on the Salt Flats in 2007, and their 16 year old daughter, Erika, also set an AMA National Land Speed Record of her own!

Laura would tell you her 2 daughters, Erika, now 17, and Karlee, 14, are her greatest accomplishments. Having them follow in her footsteps with riding and racing has made her proud beyond words. Laura is scheduled for many dealership garage events and other venues to speak with and inspire women riders. She has been featured in magazines such as Hot Bike Bagger, American Bagger, American Iron, IronWorks, Cycle Source, Biker’s Ally, as well as PowerBlock TV, Speed Channel, and the History Channel. She was part of the XX Chromes All Woman Bike Build in 2007. Watch for her at Sturgis and Arizona Bike Week as she leads their charity rides. She and Brian are looking forward to growing their company and continuing with their ever expanding parts line. And with Brian being one of the premiere builders in the industry, there’s not much time for relaxing! They have an incredible team at Klock Werks and are proud of what they’ve built together.

Jessi Combs
As the daughter of a mechanical engineer, being “daddy’s little girl” develops benefits. Always by his side, watching, learning, and eventually doing, has brought Jessi Combs to some remarkable achievements in her life. Even though being a girl drove her down the road of dance recitals, matching throw pillows and wearing skirts, it was never too late to continue doing what she found most comfortable. It wasn’t until her late teens when she had fully decided to pursue a career in the automotive field. Having multiple speeding tickets, loved going to car shows, actually worked in the garage and went wheeling with the guys, it was very clear to her. Although, making it clear to mom and dad was another story as they has wished for her to stick with Interior Design. Not quite ready for the corporate world, Jessi turned down a major scholarship to a prestigious design school and traveled the continent for a few years. When she finally settled in Denver, CO, it was also time for her to settle into a career. Being that it was impossible to get hired into a custom shop without any formal training or schooling, a move to Laramie, WY came into play; to attend WyoTech and finally get college tuition. It was there where her metal fabrication schools were improved and solidified. Not only did she study collision/refinishing, street rod fabrication, chassis fab & high performance engines, but she did so at the top of her graduating class in all disciplines. Here achievements led to immediate employment to fabricate, customize, and paint a 1964 Mercury Cyclone bracket car as the school’s SEMA show car. Jessi also appeared as a guest fabricator in the ‘SpeedAir’ and ‘Cherry Nova’ episodes of the TLC television program ‘Overhaulin’

Kim Jordan
Kim’s interest in motorcycles began by complete coincidence and almost as a fluke when she was invited on the spur of the moment to accompany her dad to the Laughlin River Run in 1998. That one trip completely changed her life, and Kim returned from Laughlin with direction, purpose, and inspiration. Prior to the trip, Kim had been saving up to buy a house. But when push came to shove, she realized that “you can’t ride a house,” and so she bought her first Harley, a 1994 custom softail. Kim practically lived on her Harley for the next two years. Although she did not know the first thing about riding a motorcycle when she financed her softail, being the self-motivated type, she soon figured it out and rode it off into the sunset. Kim reports that she “rode that sucker all the way to the Extraterrestrial Highway, sleeping on the road, and drinking coffee out of a sock along the way.” Her friends and family didn’t see her again until two years later in 2000 when she graduated from MMI in Phoenix, Arizona. After graduation, Kim worked as a mechanic at Lakeshore Harley in Illinois for two years, and then traveled on to Chicago Harley for another two year tenure. Kim then returned to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she worked for Las Vegas Harley as a mechanic at the highly esteemed expert technical level. Kim left Las Vegas Harley in 2006, and has since bought a second bike (a 2006 Street Glide), participated in the production and filming of “Poker Run,” and acted as Project Supervisor for the construction of a palatial home at the top of Mount Charleston, Nevada

Jasmine Bluecreek

As an adult Jasmine realized that she actually liked fixing engines and wanted to know more. She took two years of automotive technology classes at our local college, & really got into the whole blend of the old internal combustion engine with the modern computer– sensor controlled technology. She went on to get my ASE certification in Brakes and subsequently worked as an auto-tech for 10 years. During that time she resumed her love affair with motorcycles in general and Harleys in particular.

Jasmine owns Bluecreek Art Works and Motorcycle Training Co. in Colorado and rides approximately 8-10,000 miles per year on her motorcycle. She has been a MSF certified Safety Instructor since 2001. In 2005 she received the prestigious MSF Rider Coach of the year, Colorado, for her work training deaf riders and students. Jasmine released her first book, Women In The Wind, Fearless Women Of The 20th and 21st Centuries in 2007. This excellent book encompasses inspiring riding stories from brave women from the 1930’s through 2006.

With Jasmine’s background, she is author to many published articles on mc maintenance and mc safety. She wrote for Genevieve Schmidts’ Woman Rider Magazine, as well as monthly column and feature articles for Rocky Mountain Rider. She was featured in Quick Throttle’s Women Who Ride. She is currently a staff writer for Biker Ally Magazine with two regular columns plus feature stories and product reviews. She has written for Shootin’ the Breeze, the international WITW club’s newsletter for the past 10 years. Jasmine has also been featured on TV in the local Denver market, representing women riders. She gives talks and seminars around the country on the mc safety and mc maintenance.

Jody Perewitz
Marketing Manager

Around motorcycles since the day she was born, Jody Perewitz has taken to the family business like a fish to water. She's had a hand in building numerous motorcycles, most notably her own 1963 Harley Davidson Panhead, but she decided long ago that she didn't want to be completely in her famous father's shadow. Jody has successfully focused her talents toward the marketing and growth of the Perewitz name to an instantly recognizable brand. Through these efforts she's gained the respect and admiration of the motorcycle industry in her own right.

Where her father's visions are seen by his ‘art in motion' motorcycles, Jody's are seen through the growth of the brand both locally and nationally. A few years ago “Perewitz” meant just Dave. Now, through the company's growth and Jody's hard work, “Perewitz” means a dedicated, talented team led by Dave. She's the driving force behind the massive amounts of exposure the brand gets throughout the year by the team attending dozens of trade shows and the hundreds of celebrity appearances by her father each year.

Jody designs all of the Perewitz merchandise, which depicts ‘The Look' of the growing brand name. She, too, designs all of the company's collateral material to ensure a consistent brand image.

Branching out somewhat on her own a little, Jody is currently building a new bike. This bike will depict the Perewitz image with a new look. The bike will have a uniqueness that will set it apart from others of it kind.

She organizes the popular “Perewitz Bike Night” series during the summer season at their shop. Each of the events is attended by hundreds, if not thousands, of motorcyclists. In this family business, Jody is also the webmaster for both the company site and Dave's personal MySpace page.

Jody recently graduated from Bridgewater State College as a Political Science major. While she was in college she juggled work and school but was determined to get her degree. Along with work and school, Jody was a multi-award winning member of the Equestrian Team. In her spare time she is always riding horses, whether it is four legged or iron.

Jody is certainly no longer in her father's shadow, but she has recently decided to add something else to her resume; painter. She is learning this skill from the best in the business. As the Perewitz legacy continues, who knows, the “King of Flames” some day may not be a ‘king' at all.

Sara Liberte

Since graduating from Montserrat College of Art in 1997, Sara Liberte has been a professional photographer specializing in motorcycle and portrait photography. Her photos have appeared in ads, marketing materials and annual reports, as well as leading motorcycle publications including Easy Rider Magazine, In the Wind, Hot Bike, Street Chopper and Iron Works. Her most recent commercial assignment was creating all the photography for GEICO Motorcycle Insurance's 2007 print ad campaign. She is also staff photography editor for The Cycle Source Magazine.

Besides photography, Sara's other creative medium is motorcycles themselves.

She co-owns and operates RT's North Hills Cycle Inc. in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania .

There she designs custom paint jobs and custom-builds cycles, in addition to working on motorcycles and managing parts and service. Sara has been working with motorcycles for the last 10 years. She was recently recognized as one of the leading motorcycle designers and photographer at the Sturgis Rally 2005. House of Kolor, a well-known paint manufacturer, named RT's North Hills Cycle prestigious painter for 2007 — the most elite award in the custom automotive/motorcycle paint industry.

In 2006 Sara authored the book “How To Repair and Maintain American V-Twin Motorcycles”, published by Motorbooks International. This book is a comprehensive guide to servicing a motorcycle, with useful information for those who have the will to service their rides but lack only the know-how.

Sara's fine art photography work focuses on “Image Fusion”, a technique she uses to combine images. Her work has been exhibited in several galleries, including Mingo Art Gallery in Beverly , Massachusetts , and Blue Ruin Gallery in Pittsburgh . Sara's “Woman and Machine” art show was featured at the Belknap Mill Gallery in Laconia, NH for bike week, as well on the Laconia Television show “Riding with Rossi” which aired on the Travel Channel. Sara's newest Image Fusion photo series “Builder and Machine” has just been released and has garnered favorable media attention in the motorcycle industry. Sara has been displaying her artwork at numerous motorcycle events and shows around the country and is set to be a featured guest at the 2007 Celebrity Motorcycle Builders Breakfast at Daytona Bike Week and the 2007 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Races.

Sara's unique blend of careers and creativity has been profiled in several industry-leading publications, books and television shows:

Created the photography for the GEICO Motorcycle Insurance 2007 print ad campaign
Guest appearance at the 2006 Sturgis Celebrity Motorcycle Builders Breakfast
Featured in a one-hour Speed Channel segment for JPL productions
Featured in the book “Riding High Living Free” by Ralph Sonny Barger
Featured on “American Thunder”, Speed Channel, November 2006
Featured on the 2006 documentary “Invasion of the Motorcycles, Laconia ”
Featured on “Corbin's Ride On”, Speed Channel, July 2006
“Chopping Tom Boy” by Mike Seate, Iron Works, March 2005
“Sara Liberte, the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of”, by Jim Moore, Hot Bike, October 2005
Featured on “Riding with Rossi”, The Travel Channel, September 2005
Featured in the book “Techno Chop” by Mike Seate
“The Moto-Art of Sara Liberte” by Ernie Copper, Easyriders, December 2005
Featured on “Two Wheel Tuesday”, Speed Channel , 2006
“Busted Knuckles” by Sara Liberte, Street Chopper, June 2006
“Master Builder Portraits” by Sara Liberte, Easyriders, August 2006
Featured in Sturgis Rally Magazine 2006

“How to Repair and Maintain American V-Twin Motorcycles” by Sara Liberte, published by MBI publishing.

TAMI WALKER

The name Tami Walker stands for uniqueness as well as innovation. She is the creative force behind Diva Customs.

Diva Customs has been in business for well over a year now, and her concept is growing by leaps and bounds. As Tami planned from the very start, she decided to keep her idea low-key, and ran her business from her home and online. That all changed when she decided to put on the “Divas Only” Bike Show held at the Chesapeake Convention Center last April. Her actual “emergence” came about in March when she began to advertise for the show. The show ended up being the largest all women's bike show on the East Coast, surpassing all her expectations. It was at that time that everyone knew the name Tami Walker and what Diva Customs was all about. The first actual storefront for Diva Customs opened a few weeks later on Seventeenth Street in Virginia Beach .

Tami's inspiration for Diva Customs actually came from riding in a Poker Run. She noticed that a bike parked next to hers was identical to her bike. Of course it was a guy's bike. Tami decided that she wanted her bike to be a “girls” bike. She wanted the pink flames, bags, fringe and tassels. She realized that men and women are built differently and Tami thought that a woman's bike should be different as well. Tami also took her concept a little further. She noticed that most riding apparel that was available for women were big, hot, heavy and uncomfortable. She wanted to be able to ride to a nice restaurant and not have to worry about looking like she just got off a motorcycle. Her idea was to provide beautiful jackets and accessories that are one of a kind to the woman motorcycle rider. The jackets and accessories are made by top designers using the finest materials handpicked by Diva Customs. All the items are tailored to fit the natural curves of a woman.

As Tami was putting all her thoughts and ideas together about what she wanted to provide at Diva Customs, she realized another frustration stemming from her own experiences. While looking through various catalogs to find a part or parts for her own bike, she would find a part that she liked only to discover that it didn't fit her bike. Not wanting to settle, she implemented a computer assisted design center to show the ladies what will fit on their motorcycles. It does not matter what type of bike, Diva Customs' design center can show them what will work on their bike no matter what brand. Tami and her staff can offer several options for all parts and accessories including pipes, seats, saddlebags, paint and graphics so women no longer have to “settle”. Tami puts emphases that customer service is a priority at Diva Customs. They will order parts, notify the owner when parts arrive and schedule the bike to be brought in for the installation of the parts. If necessary, they will even arrange to pick up the bike. The service department has the resources ranging from basic maintenance to complete fabrication and restoration with machining capabilities. Diva Customs DynoJet 200i Dynometer assists them with tuning the bikes after adding performance packages and upgrades.

Tami was born in Abbeville , Alabama , and now lives in Virginia Beach , Virginia with her two children, Chelsea and Walker.

Laura Ellifson (soon to be Klock)
Age: 38
Klock Werks, Mitchell , South Dakota
Position: Support/Management/Business Partner
Brian Klock's fiancé
Mom of 2 beautiful daughters
AMA National Land Speed Record Holder

Previous to full time employment and partnership in the business, I traveled to shows with Brian and the Klock Werks Design team and helped on a freelance basis with his ads and newsletters. Before that I held different corporate positions in marketing, graphic design and customer service, and was a biker. I call that R&D J

Why did you join Klock Werks Design Team.

I literally stopped in to say hi to my friend Brian one day when traveling along I-90 on a road trip from Seattle to Wisconsin . He had moved into a bigger shop since I had been to Mitchell last and I wanted to see it and check how he was doing. I walked into what ended up feeling like a job interview and offered up a couple weeks time to him to help him launch his new accounting system and get things organized. I'm still here. That was a couple years ago.

Do you ride?

Yes, as much as I can. I've taken some amazing trips. Girls only trip to Sturgis. San Diego to Cabo San Lucas Mexico and back to name a few memorable ones. Lots of miles under my belt on a variety of different kinds of rides.

Are you passionate about motorcycles?

Absolutely. They represent so many things. We work with all models, brands and styles including our own customs and partsline. We're always looking at new ways to make them unique, comfortable, practical…you have to have that passion to live right in it 24/7.

What got you interested?

Since I was a little girl I remember how the sound of a Harley passing by would stop me in my tracks. My dad always rode, so I've been around it all my life. And now being in the industry in the role that I am, peaks a whole new level of interest.

What does your job include?

My most important function is keeping Brian focused and making sure things are taken care of in the background so that he can keep doing what he does best. Without his initial drive, risk taking, ambition and creativity, there would not be a Klock Werks. We're a small team so we all need to stay diverse and step into all roles that are needed to run the shop – from accounting to marketing to designing and developing new parts to sales and more. We all wear many hats! I even weld when they let me!

Is this your dream job or do you plan on taking your career further or down a different road?

About as close as you can get! I plan to continue to do my part to grow our company and pursue new ideas that will keep us fresh and up front in the industry. We're doing some pretty amazing things right now with baggers and have developed a complete bagger parts line from frames to dashes to fenders and more that we are really proud of. We're marketing that in unique ways such as building a frame up kustom bagger for the Discovery Channel Biker Build Off, then taking that bagger and racing it at the Bonneville Salt Flats for an AMA National Land Speed Record. Watch for more in 2007!

What do you love about your job?

I feel so proud that I am part of a design team that creates products that are shaping what is offered in the industry. We're bringing new, cool, easy to use parts to riders that will allow them to customize their own bikes. We also build works of art for those that prefer that route. We get to travel, my hours are somewhat flexible, and I'm around something I'm passionate about every day. The industry is like a big “small town” filled with great people. I'm also fortunate to be able to spend time with my kids and take them to events with us whenever possible. (Erika, 16 and Karlee, 13)

What do you hate about your job?

Every job has it's challenges. I don't use the word hate very often. There's some “unsavory” tasks that I don't care for so much, but overall, the good outweighs the bad.

What would you like to learn from your job?

AS MUCH AS I CAN. I strive to learn something new each day, and in this fast paced industry, I usually can.

How do you feel about the way women are currently represented in our industry?

I think it's evolving. There will always be women sprawled across a bike in a bikini. Some think that represents us (women) as a whole is a bad way. I think it's ok, women are beautiful just like the bike they are sitting on and both are to be admired – it takes courage to put yourself out there like that. So while that may not change, the evolution lies in the fact that studies show and trends support that more women are feeling empowered enough to hop on their own ride, take maintenance and even fabrication into their own hands, race them, design them, demand better riding apparel, and get the validation and recognition they deserve. As a woman rider and a woman working in the industry, I hope to help with that trend.

Katie Putman

Katie was born in Wisconsin in 1982. No one in her family rode or had motorcycles when she was growing up. Her first ride at the age of 7 a family friends son, around the yard. Obviously Katie loved it.” I convinced my parents to let me have two bikes that didn't run, out of my grandpa's shed. One was a total basket case Yamaha the other a 1966 Honda. I never did get either running because the shops around weren't too excited to help a 14 year old girl fix a bike, ya know!” Katie exclaimed.

When Katie turned 18, she attended MMI in Phoenix . Katie finally realized she was good at mechanical application and actually really enjoyed doing the work. Katie says, “I still love it I've never woke up and not wanted to go to work.”

In 2003 school was all done and Katie moved back to Wisconsin and worked at Thunder Valley Cycles in Oshkosh until 2006. Katie worked on HD, Indian, Big Dog, USA V-Twins, some mopeds and Four wheelers. Than in mid July 2006 Katie moved to Palm Springs and is currently working for Mad Dog Motorcycle Company- Mitch Bergeron Designs. Katie's riding bikes include a 1963 HD/Aeremacchi 350 sprint, 2003 Buell XB9S, and finally a modified 1993 Sporty 1200.