Rough Craft’s ‘ Winston Yeh ‘ talks more about the brand.

Rough Crafts is a professional design powerhouse. They specialise in custom motorcycle, graphic design, product development, street art and blend them all.

Founded in 2009 there mission is to create motorcycle art with both old school charm and new school technology. With their ability in both art and design, the development is limitless.

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Chat with Winston

Let’s talk with Winston Yeh, Owner, Rough Crafts, and understand more about Rough Crafts.

1. How did Rough Crafts start? And whats was the intention behind the name Rough Crafts?
Winston: A classmate bought a 150cc Yamaha, and he looked fantastic on it, so I got one myself. When I studied in California at the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, USA.

I started playing more bikes. Back in 2005, I figured I would take some parts home with me.

I won an eBay auction and when I went to collect them found out it was from the Performance Machine workshop. I met their R&D manager, and he introduced me to Roland Sands.

I showed Roland my design portfolio, including some photos of my graffiti designs. Roland said, ‘Our wall is empty. Why don’t you come over and paint it?’ So I did. I ended up working at RSD for nine months. I observed how they worked designing bikes and parts.

When I finished my studies and returned to Taiwan, Roland allowed me to choose a set of Performance Machine wheels. Those wheels started my professional bike building career when I put them on my AMD Championship bike.

Rough means the ambition and the drive of the mind. Crafts mean precision and craftsmanship.

2. How do you define yourself? Whether it will be Innovator, Designer or Builder?
Winston: I’m a designer, and I never try to hide the fact that I can’t correctly assemble a bike and I can’t weld either, but I’m happy to work with different professionals to accomplish what I have in my mind.

3. What is your process of building the customs? As your builds are very innovative.
Winston: I will imagine the donor bike naked, fully stripped down, and look for the possible direction first (like a bobber, cafe racer, tracker, etc.).

And study a lot of the direction from the internet, what’s been done, what’s cool and what’s not, what fits my style and what doesn’t and when the order is set.

I talk to my sub-contractors and my mechanics about my ideas, what’s doable, what’s too far. etc.

At the time, you’ll have kind of a clear idea of where it is going. Plus the collective styling I developed through all the past builds. Then all’s left is to make it happen.

4. Typically, what is the time frame for building customs?
Winston: It depends. Some bikes and directions we’re more familiar with could be done in 3-5 months, but sometimes some donor bike, or when customer request over the top, never be seen RC style, it could take up to 12-18 months.

5. Electric is the buzzword today. Any plans on building Electric Customs?
Winston: I’m open to it, but it’s still up to the customer, not me.

6. What is most important to you while building customs?
Winston: stay recognisable as a Rough Crafts build yet creating something new

7. Do you see any trend of building customs changing compared to classic builds in the ’70s or ’80s?Winston: The factory bikes get a lot more influenced by custom, making the custom more conservative (didn’t mean a wrong way), better thought out, less showy, more rideability involved. The ’70s or ’80s would be a lot more “no give a shit.”

8. How do you see yourself five years down the line?
Winston: Spreading more ideas, cars, furniture, anything I like, I always imagine what I would have done if it’s me.

Source: Rough Crafts