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Big Mike Rouse joins One Gang Worldwide for a raw and in-depth conversation about the rise, explosion, and survival of the custom chopper era and the unbelievable story behind BMC Choppers.
From growing up in Santa Cruz and building his first shovelhead to landing magazine covers and turning a small garage operation into one of the biggest names in custom motorcycles, Mike takes us through the wild ride that led to over 18,000 motorcycles being built during the height of the chopper boom.
We dive deep into the golden age of custom bike culture, Biker Build-Off television fame, building a nationally recognized motorcycle and parts brand, the pressure of rapid growth, the brutal impact of the 2009 economic crash, mentorship from Mike Corbin, and how the motorcycle industry has changed in the social media era.
This episode is packed with motorcycle history, business lessons, industry truth, and the passion that still drives Big Mike to build today.
A must-listen for chopper fans, builders, motorcycle entrepreneurs, and anyone who lived through or wishes they experienced the golden era of custom motorcycles.
Connect with Mike Rouse:
Website: https://bmcnextlevel.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmcmotorcycles
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmcmotorcyclecompany
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bmcmotorcyclecompany
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Connect with Cycles Worldwide:
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CyclesWorldwide
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyclesworldwidellc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergey-tokman-2a78a6284/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cycles.worldwide
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome to One Gang
00:54 Meet Big Mike
02:28 Fame and Humility
03:50 Rapid Fire Round
14:29 Early Life in Santa Cruz
15:27 Football and Family
18:57 First Shop Breakthrough
22:22 Investor Money and Growth
25:02 Leaving Corporate Behind
29:16 Bend Oregon Production Era
31:44 Inside the Chopper Boom
34:09 Biker Build Off Call
40:12 Magazine Ads and Press
43:05 TV Reality vs Real Builds
45:36 Chop It with Big Mike
46:34 Chopper Boom Growing Pains
47:22 Helping New Builders Rise
48:31 2009 Crash and Buybacks
50:23 Hindsight on Scaling Up
53:07 What Made BMC Different
55:40 Social Media Era Shift
59:46 Design Studio and Storytelling
01:02:08 Mentorship With Mike Corbin
01:07:10 Pivot to Parts Innovation
01:13:57 What Still Drives Mike
01:18:27 Advice for Young Builders
01:22:18 Where to Follow and Final Wrap
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