Family business breaks the mold
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

FINAL TOUCHES- Stan Reich, owner of Image Motorcycle Parts in Camarillo, grinds the burrs off a metal kickstand in the family shop. Except for the final casting in stainless steel, which is outsourced, each individual product is made by hand, using wax models, latex molds and the family's equipment.

In many ways, Stan and Celia Reich are typical baby boomers- active, successful entrepreneurs in their early 50s.

But when it comes to business, the Reichs break the mold, or, rather, they create it.

Owners of Image Motorcycle Parts in Camarillo, the Reichs design and sell biker accessories that are anything but ordinary, such as skeletonhand side mirrors, coffin foot pegs and eaglehead gas caps.

"What we're about is taking everyday products and turning them into functional artwork," said Stan, 54.

The business also incorporates the Reichs' talents and interests. While Stan, a biker since the age of 15, is the idea man, coming up with the concept for motorcycle parts, Celia, a schoolteacherturned-artist, brings them to life in a sculpted clay mold.

ALL TOGETHER- The Reich family, from left, son Robert, mom Celia, dad Stan and daughter Julie.

Their 27-year-old daughter, Julie, who has a degree in advertising, designs company brochures and literature.

Celia said theirs is a laborintensive production method, but they wouldn't have it any other way. They wouldn't trade the uniqueness and high quality of their products for the convenience of mass production, she said.

Their son, Robert, 31, builds a rubber mold of the sculpted clay piece and then makes a wax mold of it. The wax prototype is then sent off to a foundry to be cast in high-quality stainless steel, which is sent to a polisher.

The finished piece comes back to the Camarillo shop, where Robert ships it out.

Every single stainless steel piece requires a wax mold.

Stan came up with the idea of creating "rolling sculptures" in 1997, while he was the co-owner of an Oxnard foundry that produced aerospace parts and sculpture pieces. He designed and created a few accessories to testmarket at motorcycle rallies.

At one of those rallies, his motorcycle parts caught the eye of Willie G. Davidson, grandson of HarleyDavidson founder William A. Davidson. Stan said Davidson told him he liked the idea and congratulated him.

"It made me feel good because of the acceptance of it," Stan said. "It was a bit gratifying."

In addition to enjoying the creative aspect of his work, Stan likes working with his family. It's been just the four of them since they branched off from the Oxnard foundry in 2002.

"It's wonderful- I am so lucky to be able to see my family every single day," Stan said. "We're the antithesis of (the TV show about) Orange County Choppers- there's no yelling and screaming."

Robert and Julie agree, although Robert admits they have to hear family stories over and over again.

"They (arguments) generally don't even come up," Robert said.

Hundreds of motorcycle dealers in all 50 states and around the world sell Image Motorcycle Parts. Celia said they've filled requests from Moscow, Turkey and Africa.

And the business allows Stan and Celia to travel the world. Once while in Italy they saw a Harley-Davidson motorcycle equipped with one of their signature kickstands roll past them and park outside a restaurant. Without a word to the biker, Stan paid for his meal and wrote a note of thanks on the back of his business card and left it on the windshield.

"This is more of a creative endeavor than a production-type thing," Stan said of his work.

For more information about Image Motorcycle Parts, call (805) 482-1979 or visit the company's website at www. imagemotorcycle.com.