Myrtle Beach Couple Building Custom Bike to Benefit Virginia Tech Shooting Victims

Two big “thumbs up” to local bike shop owners Homer Wright and Deborah Raymond (both pictured), whose tremendous act of generosity was reported earlier today by the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press and Associated Press:

STAFFORD, Va. - Homer Wright and his fiancee, Deborah Raymond, are out to dispel stereotypes, and help the Virginia Tech Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund in the process.

"We're not your average motorcycle people," Wright said. "Our new slogan is 'Building Bikes and Lives.’”

The couple, who own Milwaukee Iron 2 in Myrtle Beach, are donating proceeds from a custom-built motorcycle to the university and victims of the April 16 killings.

In October, the motorcycle will go on the auction block in Las Vegas. They are hopeful it will fetch at least a $100,000 donation to the fund.

All the parts for the bike have been donated by companies from across the country that want to do a little something for a good cause, Wright said.

He estimated a custom bike like the one he's building would cost $70,000 to $150,000.

The only major part that wasn't donated is the motor, a 113-cubic-inch S&S engine. That was paid for mostly by donations to the project, Wright said.

Razor Custom Paint Shop in Stafford worked last week to put its special touch on the bike.

Kenny Dean, who is painting the bike, has the most important job in the project because his work is what people will actually see, Wright said.

"It's a constant challenge to come up with new ideas," Dean said of the custom paint job, which should be completed over the next couple of days.

He said his ideas have included Tech's colors and the famous Hokie Stone pattern. He didn't do a sketch of what the bike might look like.

"The ideas are all up here," Wright said, pointing to his head.

Painting the bike takes about five days. It's then clear-coated and put in an oven-like room to bake at 140 degrees after painting.

It will be unveiled in Lynchburg in April at a charity event to raise additional donations.

Then, it will go to Virginia Tech to put on display for the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, which left 33 dead, including the gunman.

The university didn't endorse the bike, Wright said, so it can't have any Tech logos or emblems. But he said representatives at the school did tell him they were in full support of the project.

The bike's construction is being filmed, and Raymond said they hope to interest a television network in a pilot for a new show about their Myrtle Beach shop.