Interview : 7 Questions to Walt Siegl

Walt Siegl has been one of the most prominent figures more than a decade on custom motorcycle scene. Back in Austria at a young age he left art school.

His job profile includes working in various countries with various capacities.

• In France he worked as shunter in a train yard.
• As a Toolmaker and welder in Germany, Austria and Italy.
• While he was working with Austrian Steel company he received an opportunity to work in Austrian Foreign Service in Moscow.
• After getting transferred in 1985 to New York for position to promote Austrian Art and Culture for Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with a passion of building motorcycles lurking back of his mind it is at this time Walt started spending his time building motorcycles for himself and friends in basement in Long Island City.

This passion made him move his workshop and his family to Southern New Hampshire where he started to build motorcycles full time.

His style of making customs is different and rare and that is reason why world class motorcycle web magazines talks about him.

Since 2007, Siegl has been handcrafting some of the most sought-after two-wheeled machines on the planet. — Man of The World

Walt Siegl, I’d wager, is the world’s best custom Ducati builder. — BikeExif

• How did Walt Siegl started?
  Walt : I started the business in 2006, but have been building bikes since my early 20s.
  
  
• How will you define yourself Designer, Innovator or Builder?
  Walt : All three. All three aspects are equally important to me.
  
  
• Could you please shed some light on the latest electric bike that you had build and is displayed in Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles?
  Walt : The WSM PACT is the collaboration of Walt Siegl (WSM) and Mike Mayberry (Ronin Motoworks). The goal was to design and build an electric motorcycle that both would enjoy riding. The WSM PACT is agile in the inner city, powerful enough to hold momentum on open roads, the track, or on gravel, depending on tire choice.
  
  Using ALTA as the donor for their battery pack and sophisticated hardware/software was an obvious choice since they achieved great success over the years as an electric bike company that was truly competitive among race bikes with combustion engines.
  
  The design aesthetic resists the impulse to create novelty but seeks to be  honest, user-friendly, and durable, while using as few components as possible.
  
  The PACT shown at the Petersen is the prototype for a series of 8 bikes that are going to be available for purchase as of this Summer.
  
  We used ALTA battery pack and electronics to get our feet wet with electric power. I’m working on a concept for an all-WSM electric bike, with an affordable price point, that I will release at the end of
  2020.
  
  
• Do you see any change in the earlier customs say like in 70’s those were build and today’s custom?
  Walt : Custom motorcycles are an expression of creative choices made by the
  builder. That was as true in the 70s as it is today.
  
  
• You have achieved a lot of success across globe.Is there any specific motorcycle that you have in mind ans is still yet to be build?
  Walt : Yes, the electric machine I spoke of above. I’m excited about the future for electric power on two wheels.
  
  
• Do you have any expansion plans in Asia or other parts of the world?
  Walt : Yes, I will make every effort to have the electric bike available worldwide.
  
  
• How do i see Walt Siegl  10 years down the line?
  Walt : To continue building high-end bespoke motorcycles, but create a second leg of the company to offer energy efficient two-wheel transportation at an affordable price without giving up quality.

Some of Walt’s work you can find below in Gallery.

Source : Walt Siegl