In February of 1998, Ray A. Shott, Founder of HellBent Motorcycles, burst onto the custom bike scene with a vengeance. With his first bike, WFO, Ray established himself as a creative thinker who didn’t feel constrained by “the conventional way it’s always been done ”. WFO would go on to have an undefeated show record and would be featured in countless magazines and numerous television shows.
The success of WFO fueled the drive in Ray to continue building bikes and establish himself in the custom industry as an innovative, envelop-pushing motorcycle designer who consistently looks outside-the-box, while still paying tribute to old-school design philosophies. With each bike, Ray features original and fresh concepts, reaching beyond industry standards and separating his designs from the rest. Much of Ray’s design style is heavily influenced by his intense passion for and history with AMA road racing, Motocross, Supermoto, and dirt-tracking. His multi-faceted approach blends form, function, simplicity and performance into machines that perform as fiercely as they look. The lines are smooth and classic, seamlessly blending one curve into the next. The designs are deceptively simple with no extraneous additions that add weight and/or detract from performance. Ray's bikes are the ultimate expression of a racer’s mentality fused with old-school chopper cool.
HellBent Motorcycles was essentially founded on a hobby, motivated by an innate interest and fascination with building bikes. From humble beginnings in his father’s garage at their home in Prunedale, CA, Ray built his first shop, literally, from the ground up. His success is a direct derivative of endless hours of hands-on labor, dedication, passion, and sheer determination. Now headquartered in Hollister, CA, every bike that rolls out of Ray’s shop drips with original artistry, while incorporating the distinct West Coast body style and HellBent flare. Producing only 12-14 hand-built bikes per year, chopper enthusiasts from across the board seek out HellBent Motorcycles’ expertise and withstand a year-long waitlist prior to receiving their coveted custom machines. HellBent Motorcycles’ iconic iron cross logo is now recognized worldwide.
By surrounding himself with a dedicated, dynamic, and professionally eclectic team, Ray has been able to extend his entrepreneurial talents into several different arenas. In 2002, HellBent Inc. ventured into the entertainment realm through promotions and production. In cohorts with reputable industry talent, HellBent, Inc., partnered with the record label SpinRich . SpinRich successfully released their first titlein 2004. Ray also serves as host and producer in a commentary series, showcasing the vitality of car culture in a high quality, coffee-table lifestyle format. The approach is gritty, insightful, and touches on this prolific aspect of pop culture. The series focuses on the relatively unknown personalities in the custom car/bike world who are making a significant impact.
Not one to pass up a diversifying opportunity, in 2007, Ray’s entrepreneurial spirit has fruitfully engaged him in the Italian wine import business. FMZ-HellBent Imports’ mission is to bring fine, quality, traditional Italian wine to the U.S. market on a competitive price to quality scale.
When Ray is not setting sparks a-fly at the shop or occupied by his multiple businesses, he is pursuing his passion of off-road racing. He and his team of builders have custom designed and engineered racing bikes, which he competes with year-round alongside legendary racers; tenaciously proving himself as a formidable competitor. Currently, Ray and his team are working on an eco-friendly battery powered motorcycle and are looking to set the “clean” land-speed record in 2009.
At the end of the day, Ray steadfastly stays true to his craft of creating unique works of rolling art and the HellBent Motorcycle brand, which has acquired an unwaveringly loyal and passionate following. His gratitude and appreciation is perpetually evident and he prides himself on not becoming jaded by success and celebrity. Ray’s modest upbringing and his bicultural roots, sprouted from the heart of the California Central Coast, instilled in him at a very young age the significance of solid work ethic, family and community pride. Ray is incredibly proud of his two younger siblings and devoted to his role as a big brother. Providing for his family, in all aspects, is his most satisfying accomplishment to date.
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