The future is now

At 26 years old, Agathe Romain, of Grudziądz, Poland, is already an accomplished bike builder. Now she hopes to inspire more young people to follow their dreams by moving her passion in new directions

AS TOLD TO JEREMY PICK

I’ve been fascinated by motorcycles since I was a child; six years ago I customised my first motorcycle, and from then on I understood what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I would love to be able to say that I started my riding adventure as a youngster on some classic motorcycle, but in reality my dad bought me my first scooter and taught me how to ride it. As soon as I could get my driving licence, I bought a Yamaha 125cc scooter, which I later turned into a bobber.

Before long, I managed to buy a base bike for my next project, a Yamaha XS400, and my journey began. I found a job with a guy who restored old Russian and German motorcycles, which taught me a lot, and shortly thereafter I opened my own motorcycle repair and customisation shop with my old friend Kamil, whom I still work with.

It wasn’t long before I was able to raise enough money to buy the bike of my dreams: a 2002 Harley-Davidson® Sportster®. Soon I was dismantling the engine and quickly realised that a previous owner had uprated it to 1,200cc, so I had actually moved from a 125cc to a 1,200cc bike – quite a big change!

My current personal motorcycle is another Sportster, although only the engine remains from the original bike. It sits in a Paughco rigid frame with a springer front suspension, spoked 21-inch front wheel and a drum brake like on the old WLAs. I’ve made many parts from scratch, including the oil tank, seat, sissy bar, handlebar and exhaust. The electric starter-Bendix drive is activated by a rod through the cover attached to a small statue of Mary Magdalene, hence the bike’s name: Flying Mary. I also decided to convert it to a right-hand gear shift using a brass rod linkage activated by a figure of a naked woman – this component was actually based on a brass candlestick holder made by my grandfather. Flying Mary has many brass details, from grips and risers to levers, covers and air filter – even the muffler is handmade from an old brass artillery shell. Everything is raw steel or brass – the only painted element is the mint-green rear rim! The bike draws great interest and admiration wherever it goes.

For me, building a motorcycle has several steps. At the beginning, I decide on a stylistic direction in my head. From there, I produce a simple drawing and then remove everything from the donor motorcycle to get a clean ‘skeleton’ that I can start adding elements to. In some cases, all that remains of the donor bike is the engine! The end result can sometimes be very different from the original concept – on occasion I change my mind a lot until I achieve a ‘wow’ effect. I draw inspiration from a variety of sources, sometimes from things that have nothing to do with motorcycles; the bullet casings and brass candlestick holder on my current bike for example. Once I’m happy with the final design, I assemble the bike to make sure it all fits together, then the bike is disassembled for sandblasting, painting and chrome plating.

I started getting involved with bike shows in 2018 when my partner Agnieszka and I took one of my builds to the annual Kustom Konwent show in Wrocław, Poland. I love the atmosphere of this annual event and the amazing people who take part. I took first place with my Sportster in the Best Bike category, as well as a special additional award from industry experts. Today both awards have a place of pride in my workshop, alongside the other awards for my pearl diamond chopper and another Sportster project, Golden Bastard.

Last winter I started thinking about what activities I could take on that wouldn’t be so dependent on the current economic situation. Agnieszka inspired me; she works in a funeral home, and I noticed how carefully people choose an urn or a coffin as the last resting place for their loved ones. I thought to myself: Why not make something that reflects that passion for bikers? And so, Last Ride Urns was born. I ordered parts and got to work. Now I produce bespoke urns based on either Harley-Davidson fuel tanks or engine cylinders, often with custom pinstriping and custom name plates.

Making these personalised memorial urns is a complicated process, but when I send one to its final destination I feel good knowing someone appreciates Agnieszka’s and my art so much that they would choose this for someone who means so much to them. I recently finished an urn for a lady in Canada using an Electra Glide® tank on a burnished walnut base, painted in the colours of her father’s beloved pickup truck.

I’m also embracing the modern world by launching a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) called Rotten Rat City, featuring one-of-a-kind graphics and works of art by renowned Kustom Kulture artist Buster Wise. These NFTs will be based on unique themed bikes originally built by my company, Agathe Romain Customs, and will be offered only to members of Lost Riders, our NFT community. We’re thrilled to be one of the first custom motorcycle teams to be entering this new and exciting space. It’s a multi-year project, and we can’t reveal all the details right away, but it’s certainly exciting to be exploring the potential of the metaverse!

The beginning of my journey was tough. There were only a few people who really believed in me, while the great majority said I should get a decent and secure job. After all, what future is there for a girl who wants to work with motorcycles? I just clenched my fists and faced the difficulties I met along the way. Today I feel that people appreciate my work, but I’ll never forget those who supported and had faith in me from the start when I had nothing – especially Agnieszka, my parents and Kamil.

Now I’m doing what I love – whether that’s bike building, urn making or working on the NFT project. It doesn’t seem like I’m going to work, and I feel so fulfilled. I believe life without passion is pointless, so I’m determined to follow my dream and never let others stifle my desire and drive. I hope I can inspire other young people to do the same!

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