I am Arjan, creative director and founder of the Ironwood Motorcycles custom workshop.
I am Arjan, creative director and founder of the Ironwood Motorcycles custom workshop.
I started wrenching and modifying scooters & mopeds at the age of 15 and cars followed shortly. People know me as a grease monkey from back in the days.
I studied mechanical engineering and always worked in technical environments like an airbag factory, an after-market cruise control developer and hydraulic/industrial engine/application manufacturers. Having my motorcycle license for a decade now and riding several Japanese super sports in the past years. Knee down became the new standard.
After some nearly fatal accidents and broken bones , I decided to set sail in 2013 for different directions ’’return of the cafe- racer’’. It started as a hobby but turned into business in 2016 when it felt it was time to really do what I love to do.
The unexpected passing away of my dad that year to brain cancer inspired me to quit my day job. He worked 30 years in Automotive. This out of the blue loss (he was not ill at all before) was for me a big life changer, it opened my eyes: life can stop in a heartbeat. He was 63, we were very close and supposed to go to Vietnam together for some weeks but then he was gone. He just missed the birth of my little brother’s son, my new house, my new shop and my son Nolan. Life can be tough for sure but now I’m even more focused and determined!
Probably urban, a blended mix of styles.
The workshop is dirty and easier to wreck nice clothes so I’m trying not to wear the same outfit to work and private but it deviates a bit. One thing I don’t do in general is wearing new or favourite sneakers to my atelier. Lesson learned haha.
It comes from anything around me. From food to buildings, materials, travel, drawings and art. My brain is storing it all to let it out at future projects.
The same thing as every morning: kissing my son good morning.