American Chopper celeb rumbles into HawgZotic

Slideshow: Build a DreamTo avid custom-built motorcycle enthusiasts, Jason Pohl is a household name. Well the popular 28-year-old bike designer from Orange County Choppers (OCC) in New York pulled into Langley recently, and was reluctant to leave. Pohl creates both graphical components of the OCC bikes, as well as custom parts such as belt covers, handlebars, frames, air intakes, coil covers, triple trees, headlights, wheels and shifters. He's also a regular on the television show American Chopper. And it's this member of the celebrity bike-making team who came to town to catch the grand opening of the new HawgZotic Custom Cycle store - B.C.'s new OCC dealership. A day prior to HawgZotic's official show 'n' shine, Pohl arrived in town and immediately saddled up with Varga and about 30 other riders for a charity ride back and forth between Langley and Cultus Lake on July 25. It was the ride through the Fraser Valley that left Pohl longing to stick around, explained his host Tom Varga, the 52-year-old owner and founder of HawgZotic. "He was really disappointed he had to leave," Varga told the Langley Advance. "He really enjoyed the people, as well as the ride. But [Pohl] was just awestruck with the scenery," Varga explained. Apparently the cruise through Fort Langley, Glen Valley and along the Trans-Canada Highway to Cultus tied as the top ride of Pohl's life, with the celebrity unable to decide if a previous Tahoe run, or the Fraser Valley trip was the best. "He loved it. he said it was one of the best rides he's ever been on," Varga recounted, noting the weather was pristine for the ride. he noted that the clouds opened up and rain and thunder blanketed Langley only 10 minutes after they returned to the new shop. Reflecting on the event, Varga said there was no better way to officially launch his new, expanded store than with a ride atop the new OCC bikes alongside Pohl and all the others who came out to support the Association for Injured Motorcyclists and the Ride for Diabetes. But that fundraising excursion was only the beginning of the weekend-long festivities that raised $1,000 for the two charities and almost raised the roof off HawgZotic's new digs. To celebrate the reopening, Varga and his wife Bonnie Dickson also hosted a bike wash back at the shop on Saturday, then a VIP dinner at Sonoma Grill with Pohl and Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender as special guests, followed by Sunday's show 'n' shine. "We all were a little worried with the cloudy weather and the thunderstorm during the night on how the show 'n' shine would turn out," Dickson said. "But by noon [Sunday] the sky was clear and the sweltering heat heavy." That day's festivities featured raffles, a barbecue, live entertainment, and a chance for guests to visit with Pohl, who spent a few hours signing autographs and having his pictures taken with fans. "It was a blast watching Jason with the crowd, especially with the kids - he will make a good dad someday," Dickson said. She and her husband, Varga, started HawgZotic out of their backyard more than 17 years ago, and built it up to an award-winning shop that crafts custom-built and customized motorcycles for people around the globe. Eventually, they moved to a 1,000-square-foot shop on Langley Bypass, and last August, Varga began transforming a new space for HawgZotic in the first motorcycle mall in B.C. being developed at 200th Street and Highway 1.

American Chopper celeb rumbles into HawgZotic