As part of our sponsorship with Las Vegas Bikefest’s Artistry In Iron, we wanted to take a closer look at the builders who have been invited to this years event.
So one at a time we are going to ask each of the builders the same ten questions and let our readers get to know them all a little more.
Cut Throat Customs is our Seventh interview, but stay tuned for more as they come in.
Daniel Sanchez is a Texas born Motorcycle Builder, Automotive, Residential and Commercial Fabricator with more than 20 years experience in his field. Inspiration for his work comes from a family history of metal workers, including his Great Grandfather who was an Apache Metal Artisan. The style and originality showcased in CTC motorcycles is indicative of his diverse heritage stemming from Mexican, Apache Indian and American roots. CTC builds all styles and all makes of motorcycles to suit the rider.
I used to ride BMX bicycles when I was younger. I always wanted the top of the line performance bikes to do stunts on. If you didn’t know where I was, you’d find me completely disassembling my bicycle down to the last nut and bolt and reassembling it with new parts. I wanted to create the perfect bike even then. I guess I’ve always had it in my blood. I started out in Industrial Fabrication over 20 years ago and quickly became interested in the custom truck scene. For years I built trucks with custom suspension and metal work that ended up in magazines and winning trophies at shows.
About 13 years ago, I started my own company building custom cars and trucks called Cut Throat Customs. I named it "Cut Throat" after working for other people for so many years and realizing that I was doing a lot of work that I wasn’t getting credit for and that anyone was willing to steal my ideas for profit or fame. The business of customs is very cutthroat and political. First, I started out offering custom auto suspension and motorcycle frames. Once we got the first motorcycle jig, I quickly realized I wasn’t going to just build frames. After only a year of building full custom bikes, that side of the business pretty much took over, though, we still build a lot of custom cars and trucks. Our philosophy is "Hecho a Mano". In Spanish means: Made by hand/handmade. We try to use as many parts as possible that we make in-house and when we can’t, we add our flavor to it.
It doesn’t take long after meeting me to see that I like to joke around and have fun, but I’m humble and focused in my work and don’t put up with any BS. My personality rubs off on my builds, I dance to the beat of my own drum instead of going with what is popular. One minute I’m building one kind of bike, one minute another. Me and my work don’t really fit into a category. I’ve been told I don’t have a particular style by some Editors, but this is because I build my personal bikes to suit me and I build my customers’ bikes to suit their own styles. The most common denominator is that my frames are all unique and we build them in-house. I fit the bikes to our customers’ height, for what they want to use it for and at times with design elements that they collaborate with us on. I want my customers to love their bike because it is a part of them, not because it fits a style I’m expected to build by a current trend. I don’t want to build something that will end up sold on some site down the road because it isn’t a cool style anymore.
One of the things you’ll see me doing at shows is talking to the people. It’s really good to stay in touch with what the public likes about the different bikes we build. I also want them to know I’m just like anyone else doing what I love. I get a kick out of the kids when they get excited about the bikes.
I like to work with vendors and employees who complement the drive in me. People willing to work their asses off for the final payoff, not just when it suits them. People who have their own unique style and push themselves to want to learn more in their fields. People with passion and heart.
We are a family run business. My Father, Tony Sanchez is a retired Shell Executive and works in the front as the Office Manager and my Mother, Carmen, comes by the shop as often as possible to cheer me on (She’s my biggest fan). My long-time girlfriend, Heather Wright, not only does all of our marketing, graphic/web design and PR work to reach our customers, she works in the shop wiring bikes and doing some other prep and assembly work. She owns her own company (Red Phoenix Marketing & Design) and her office is located on the second floor of our shop. We also employ several other talented fabricators and artists ready to help me build the perfect bike for our customers.
Daniel Sanchez
Cut Throat Customs
Texas
https://www.facebook.com/theoriginalcutthroatcustoms
1. What people places or things do you get your inspiration from for bike building?
Sugar Bear. Builders who build because they have heart, not because it’s the popular thing to do.The ones who build handmade bikes. I get inspired when we go to shows and hear what the people have to say about the bike and what they love. It inspires me when our customers refer us to their friends. That’s when we can see what we are doing is satisfying the customers.
2. What is your personal philosophy on custom bike building?
Design as much as we can in-house. I don’t like to corner ourselves into building on a trend. I build everything with our flavor and try to be as flexible as possible with my styles. The key is building our frames in house. It gives the bike a unique profile.
3. What is on your “Must Do” list while you are in Vegas for Bikefest?
First it’s a business trip, so I want to meet people in the industry that we normally don’t get to see like editors, builders, etc. It has been years since we’ve been to Vegas, so after we work, we will try to hit up the popular tourist spots.
4. What does being invited to build a bike for Artistry In Iron mean to you?
I’ve been wanting to be a part of it for years, so I’m happy we’ve been noticed. I like bringing my style to new shows. A lot of times I go into shows and competitions with the intent to learn, rather than win (even though we’d like to win). Each time I compete, I can see where we are hitting and where we need improvement. With our business we are the same way. We have been steadily building the business the way we are steadily building our brand from what we learn at these shows. I don’t want to win big everywhere one year and just disappear. This show is another chance to show our work off and learn from it. Hopefully we win, but I want to take something else away from the show that will help us grow.
5. How do you feel about the judging at Artistry In Iron being peer based?
Peer based judging is good because your bike is being judged by people who do what you do, but as long as they are judging the bike and not the builder. I’m not a big fan of politics in bike building. With peer based judging you do miss learning from the people what is liked and not liked. We build for the customers, so we like to watch what the public likes and put our spin on it when they want it, so we are not copying anything trending. That is why we like to interact a lot with people at shows and get their feedback.
6. What is the best or worst feature of your Artistry In Iron build?
Best is that we made the frame, front end, wheels, fenders, handlebars, seat, tank, foot pegs, kick pedal, battery box, suspension with airbags on a pivot front end and behind the seat. We began in auto suspension about 20 years ago, so sometimes we bring that into our bike work. The bike also rides like a Caddy and will also qualify in multiple classes in shows. The worst, is what we had to do to find a way to hide the technology behind the suspension system and still make it look clean. The worst also is, when people ask how do you ride that thing so low, not understanding that it does lift up to a normal ride height or that when we do airbagged bikes people assume the front end is rigid when it isn’t.
7. What kind of time goes into a build that’s at the level of an Artistry In Iron bike?
It can take 6 months to a year, but we’ve built bikes on a tighter deadline before, though.
8. What is your most prized possession in your shop? Example: a tool or machine that was handed down from a family member etc.
I have a cotton hook on a plaque that my Great Grandfather made. I keep it there with a copy of his business card because he was confident enough in his own work to be a business owner in a time where it was not as accepted to be a minority business owner. Not only that, but he was a Native American beating the odds. He had a shop in Downtown Houston, too, not in a small suburb. It reminds me that there are no obstacles I can’t get past.
9. If you had the ability to look into a crystal ball and see trends in the future, what would you expect to see coming for the custom motorcycle scene?
Maybe cafe racers for a while, hopefully more Cut Throat Customs bikes on the road nationally. Probably see more minorities in the industry making a go at it now that the scene is becoming more diverse.
10. What do you see yourself doing ten years from now?
Hope to see more of our frames on the road. We sell wholesale parts to shops, so growing this and seeing more shops use our parts would be something we look forward to happening. We hope to be included in more events. We plan to be in a bigger shop. Maybe we will have done some TV work by then and become a household name. I hope to inspire others to want to build.
See the Cut Throat Customs entry and the other Artistry And Iron Bikes during Las Vegas Bikefest October 3-6 or to find more info go to www.lasvegasbikefest.com
