Danny Schneider Vs World RX

Tell us about Hard9 Choppers; how did it all come about?

The idea came out because I had a really bad accident riding professional FMX

(Freestyle Moto-Cross) actually, I broke my ankle in 18 pieces, and I was forced to quit my career. At the time my health insurance offered me 40,000 to work in an office. I just couldn’t face it - so I rejected the money and decided to make my own bikes. I knew I still wanted to ride, but I wanted something that suited my own style too. Making it myself was the only way I could get this, so Hard9 was born!

What inspires you with bike builds; do you check-out others work first?

Actually, I don’t read magazines, and I don’t go to bikes shows, because it puts ideas in your head that I really don’t want. I was not in the bike scene. I came from an athlete freestyle motocross scene, so I was like in the wrong game when I started building up bikes!

This was a good and a bad thing – because I could create something fresh but I didn’t have the knowledge right away on how to do it. When I approach a build I need to have a pure mindset to build something really different. The first bike that I built was the DMX bike, the red one, and it was a bike that was covered in every magazine and show. At the time it was totally different because it was a vintage Harley-Davidson modified with BMX parts. Everyone who was in the game for more than 20 years was like what the “F” is going on? I didn’t earn respect from the building scene at first; I think people just didn’t really understand what I was trying to do. I had to work myself up to the top, like other builders.

Is that what makes you stand out from the crowd?

I think so yeah; I don’t copy, I make everything from scratch, you know? I do new fresh bikes every time. Right now I'm building a flat-track bike. I know there are so many of them, but I'm working on one that has never seen before. So it’s a big challenge to me. My girlfriend helps me a lot too, because she hasn’t had anything to do with the motorcycle world, so she comes with a pure mind again. That gives me an honest but sometimes hurtful opinion of how everything looks; but that helps me a lot. So I guess yeah, that’s basically what I think makes me fabricate differently.

Would you like to build something other than bikes?

Well, I have previously designed shoes and lately a watch with a brand too. I like to do cooperation projects with people, but to be honest I prefer doing my own thing most of the time. Haha!

Do you consider yourself an artist in a way…

It’s a really good question, I will say that… at the beginning a bike was not a piece of art, it was an expression of my personality of my riding style. Over the last 10 years I’ve really pushed myself with my work. I have my own style, I think differently, I work with my own ideas; I work with a lot passion. I know that there are a lot of people out there that just look at bikes one way, as a tool almost. But for me creating something beautiful in a bike is all about the details, and the way I build a bike has changed. Maybe I am an artist? I just enjoy what I do!

Where can we see Hard9 Choppers work up close and in the metal next?

All around the world! At the moment I'm planning with Monster Energy to do a tour, to go to a city like Madrid and Barcelona, and bring my bikes, where everybody can join and ride, and that will be really cool. I'm trying come to all events I get invited to. Like here at World Rallycross!

The demos here have been awesome - how did this idea come about?

I met Luke in London, and out of nothing, we came up with the idea of doing a show together on a track. I think it was pretty successful in the end! The weather was bad on Friday and Saturday, but the sun finally came out on Sunday so we could have a proper session. I was sitting on the start line thinking life is pretty exciting at the moment – my girlfriend Noelle is 5 months pregnant, and now I’m about to ride my bike on the Barcelona F1 and rallycross track next to Luke in his car. Right now I have a smile on my face thinking about the future. I know rad things are coming up from this; and we totally just need to ride and practice more.

Thanks Danny!

Thank you guys too – I always appreciate the support!