hese days, the custom v-twin motorcycle scene is bigger than ever. The current generation of builders and manufacturers are more innovative than ever before and are continually coming up with ideas that defy the imagination and have brought so many new ideas to the custom bike world.
Names like Jim Nasi of Jim Nasi Customs, Billy Lane of Choppers Inc., and Jesse James of West Coast Choppers all come to mind as some of the most innovative in the industry. Now add to that list Independent Cycle Incorporated’s founder Jesse Jurrens.
     Independent Cycle Inc. (ICI) is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, a mere 30 minute ride from Sturgis, and employs 17 people in its 15,000 sq. ft facility. The company produces several custom motorcycle products including the “Legend Air-Ride” and unique custom v-twin chassis’, the “Low Life” and the “Hard Life”. The “Legend Air-Ride” is a 100% air bag suspension system for Harley Davidson; Softail, FL, Dyna and V-Rod motorcycles. New to the Independent Cycle Inc. product line are the “Lowlife” and “Hardlife” custom chassis’.
     Independent Cycle’s custom products have won numerous accolades including the 1998 Hot Bike Magazine “Most Innovative Product Award”, Hot Rod Bikes Magazine “10 Best New Products in 1998” and the Easyriders Magazine “New Product in the Year 2000 Award” for the Legend Air-Ride.
     In 2003, ICI designed and manufactured the Lowlife and Hardlife Frame kits, and in 2004, took 2nd place for Jurrens’ latest Hardlife Motorcycle, at the 2004 AMD World Championship of Bike Building ProShow.
     Having studied Business Administration in college and having worked for his father’s agricultural equipment marketing firm, Jesse Jurrens was destined for something different. An avid motorcycle enthusiast for 25 years, he had a feel for what custom motorcyclists wanted and needed. Jesse had the foresight to see what was currently lacking in the industry. In 1997, Jurrens founded Independent Cycle Inc. (ICI) and operated under the name Legend Air Suspension.
     We attended the First Annual Legend Top 50 Custom Bike Show, hosted by Jesse and his wife Shawna. Jesse greeted everyone he met with a smile and was always willing to talk to anyone who approached. There was always a crowd gathered around, asking questions, talking shop or just hanging out. Despite all the action, we sat down there with Jesse to discuss Independent Cycle Inc., Legend Air Suspension and where things are heading for his relationship with Drag Specialties…

DRAG: Jesse, what do you think about the current custom bike scene and where do you think it is heading in the future?

JESSE: “Right now the bike scene is progressing at a fast pace. Many of the bikes being built now are cool but not to rideable, I don’t understand that. What is cool right now in bikes and bike building is that so many people have so many different styles. I love to see that. I hope it means the bike craze will stay for many more years. All of these styles and new ideas have helped keep bikes changing over the past few years. I think the last two or three years have really set the stage for what’s to come. I know ICI is excited about the industry moving towards new styles of bikes.”

DRAG: Have you always been into motorcycles? How old were you when you got your first bike?

JESSE: “I’ve always been into bikes. I started out on dirt bikes, like many people, and still enjoy riding dirt the most. I’ve been riding since the age of four and by 16; I got my first street bike…a Honda Magna. I got stopped for drag racing and my troubles only started there. I lied to the officer and said that I had my license, but just not with me. I got by for a couple days, but eventually the police found out the truth and called my parents. Needless to say, that was the end of my first street bike.”

DRAG: Obviously, you kept riding after that. When did you get into custom Harleys?

JESSE: “In 1993, right after graduating high school, I talked my dad into buying a Harley Davidson Fat Boy. That same summer I was rear ended on the bike. After seeing a few pics of a bike that Arlen Ness built in ‘92 or ‘93 and, with insurance money in hand, I decided to start customizing the bike. Starting with the Ness Tail Dragger rear fender and ape hangers, I got to work. My dad found out what I was up to and was less than impressed when I cut into the frame of this bike (since the frame horns had to be cut off to accommodate the new rear fender).”
“I guess this was the start of it all. Several years later, I had really gotten into bikes and when it came time for new suspension, I began working on the prototypes, which eventually became Legends.”


Independent Cycle Inc., located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Hop on a bike for a half hours ride and you’ll end up in Sturgis, home to one of the biggest bike rallies in the world.

DRAG: So what’s new with Legend and Independent Cycle Inc.?

JESSE: “Legend has a new Softail suspension that is very exciting. The new air suspension is the same size as a stock shock, which tucks into the frame rails flush. This has been one of the complaints of our current Softail unit. Gates Rubber Co. and Legend have been working on this product for over two years. The hard part was to keep the air spring, which is the key element to a real air suspension. The Softail chassis is very tight and hard to work with in the shock area. The frame only allows an inch to an inch and a half of wheel travel, and an air spring is really the only way to deal with the weight of the bike and this small amount of travel.”
“Legend not only made the air spring work in this new compact design, but improved the dampening and ease of installation at the same time. Independent is also very excited to have our new Lowlife and Hardlife frames in the Drag Specialties Catalog for 2005. This frame is perfectly balanced for great handling and it has been narrowed so you can ride it hard and not rub the frame. Our stretched open primary and hidden oil tank are just some of the tricks in these new frames. Keep watching Drag Specialties for many new ICI products to be added mid-season or visit our websites.
www.legend-airride.com and www.independentcycleinc.com.”

     The past several years have been a whirlwind for Jesse Jurrens, Independent Cycle Inc. and Legend Air Suspension. In the product descriptions for the Low Life Chassis, it’s described as being “slightly to the left of insanity”, a fair and accurate description of the Low Life and Hard Life Chassis kits and a fair description of the pace Jesse Jurrens has to keep up at all times.
     With the success of the current products from Independent Cycle Inc. and the new products coming out in 2005, it’s proven once again that Drag Specialties and Independent Cycle Inc. are on the cutting edge of the custom bike scene for both builders and enthusiasts…and has Jesse Jurrens riding on air.




Drag Specialties Magazine
Volume 12 #1

Parts Magazine Index