This art is made for riding

Kootenay Motorcycle Art is driven to design custom motorcycles

Robbie, right, and Stephen Kerr. — Photo by April Cuffy

Robbie Kerr, owner of Kootenay Motorcycle Art, said he strives to “create pieces of art that impress 85-year-old women as much as they impress 19-year-old boys.”

With an impressive list of accolades and championship titles awarded for his custom motorcycles, Kerr can be confident he’s making his mark both here in the Kootenays and around the world.

In 2010 Kerr’s Glasgow Kiss bike won both the freestyle class title in the AMD Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show and the Ness Enterprises Partner Pick of Excellence Award at the AMD World Championship. In addition, Glasgow Kiss took top honours at both the Dam Inn Show ‘n Shine in Crescent Valley and the Gastown Show ‘n Shine in Vancouver.

But it’s not the awards that compel Kerr to design and build some of the most visually appealing bikes you’ll ever see. His passion stems from a lifelong love of motorcycles and a desire to be an artist. He wants to make his clients smile with pride as they ride the winding countryside.

Based in Nelson, B.C., Kootenay Motorcycle Art creates custom bikes in its fully-equipped shop. Kerr strives to do his best for each individual client, regardless of riding background or experience.

“I have a vision of the complete bike and the person that’s going to be riding it and what they will look like on it, and then I set about completing it,” said Kerr.

“It’s been really refreshing to do that—being able to look at someone and decide what I think is the motorcycle I see for them. It’s given me complete artistic freedom, which I’ve never really had before.”

Kerr calls himself an artist because “the formats and principles are the same,” as the creative process of a visual artist or musician.
Inspired by the artistic community in Nelson, Kerr keeps his creative ideas fresh by staying in touch with local artists and by producing his fully original custom motorcycles from the ground up.

“One of the most positive aspects of it is the vibrant arts scene; the creative energy of the community,” Kerr said.

While the passion is Kerr’s, it’s local Kootenay suppliers and businesses who help achieve the finished product. Kerr admits there have been challenges to working in a remote community, but he still wouldn’t want to live and work anywhere else.

“I’ve been really inspired by the people here that I’ve worked with,” said Kerr, speaking of local painter Ken Sherbinin as well as the specialized welder-fabricators at Keever Welding and Shasheen Machine, who help complete his unique pieces of art.

Originally from Scotland, Kerr is trained as an engineer and completed a four-year apprenticeship from Rolls Royce before emigrating to Canada in 2000.

After spending a few years in the Lower Mainland, Kerr finally found his home after a visit to the Kootenays.

“A friend brought me here and I was sold within a few hours. It’s different than anywhere else I’d been in Canada,” said Kerr.

Kerr’s son Stephen recently joined the Kootenay Motorcycle Art team. Trained at Selkirk College as a welder and metal fabricator, Stephen creates unique shapes by hand and also assists in the repair side of the business.

As Kerr explains, the company serves two roles: designing custom motorcycles and offering regular bike service, repair and maintenance specifically for Harley Davidson bikes.

But Kerr’s main goal is to create “unique and one-of-a-kind motorcycles that haven’t been done before,” in order to satisfy his compulsion to create beautiful objects.

“It’s what I’m driven to do—I don’t do it for [monetary] worth, I do it because I’m driven to do it,” said Kerr. “In five years, I’d be really happy if I could just keep doing what we are now, and as Stephen becomes more trained we can take on more.”

Check kootenaymotorcycleart.com for more information.