Every since Gottlieb Daimler created the first prototype in 1885, bike builders have been putting their own spin on the motorcycle. Harley-Davidson was the first major player out of the gate. Founded in 1903 by William S. Harley and the brothers Arthur, Walter and William Davidson, The Harley-Davidson Company quickly set the standard for what a motorcycle should be.

Today, many custom bike builders create amazing motorcycles. One of the most famous is Arlen Ness, who purchased his first Harley in 1967. He used spray paint to give it a custom paint job that was so impressive, it instantly propelled him into the motorcycle customization business. Over the years his work has continually graced the covers of industry magazines like Easy Rider and Hot Bike, and even to this day he is still considered one of the foremost designers of custom motorcycles.

Soon after Ness got his big break, Ron Simms opened the doors of SIMMS Custom Cycles. Not only are their bikes regarded as extremely stylish, but they're also recognized for having a lot of horsepower. Simms has been operating out of the same storefront since 1988 and in addition to custom motorcycles, he also sells parts to those who want to do the customizing themselves.

And relatively new to the game of building custom motorcycles are the guys at Orange County Choppers (OCC). Founded in 1999, by father and son team Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., interest in the company quickly took off. Today their design methods and other antics can be seen weekly on the television show American Chopper, which airs on the Discovery Channel.