Cody Leaves Orange County Choppers
December 9, 2007
Hey,
We got an email from Stan at Fun with my money. In the email Stan talks about the new houses that all The Teutel’s have bought in the last year including brother Dan.It’s interesting information but not a surprise.The Helicopter was a surprise. We know the Teutels have made a fortune and frankly we don’t care. These guys got THE break when they got to t.v. first and one can’t deny the success they have made.This is America and if you work hard(some of them) and have a good idea, you can become rich.The Teutels made theme bikes that caught on. We don’t think that they are very functional and personally, i am not a fan but, it caught on.They did the “Fire” bike and the “Statue of Liberty” bike which was right after “Sept 11″.These theme bikes caught on and ultimately they have built motorcycles for numerous companies, for movies, for Jay Leno,for CAT, for HP,for I Robot, etc.They have appeared several times on Letterman. They even made a bunch of commercials and appeared in the film “Wild Hogs”. These motorcycles were obviously “very profitable with huge price tags”.
The Teutel’s also are great marketeers with their apparel, their self agrandising toys and gizmos, anything they could sell to the public. Either they are very smart or, they employ a marketing company which is.I am thinking that Mikie and Jr. didn’t come up with the ideas. One must remember however, for them it is about money, not about lifestyle. There is a big difference.
I don’t like the show and I am not a fan of the bikes but that doesn’t mean a whole lot as many people seem to be both.I didn’t like Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton but Nixon was elected president and Clinton was elected twice.
I don’t much give a crap about how much money the Teutel’s have. I am not jealous of people who succeed. I do not however, like the t.v. show or the way they treat people.I don’t like bully’s or control freaks.I am very much against abusive, destructive behavior.
The Teutel’s are not friendly to their brothers and sisters in the industry. They seem to feel they are better than others and that puts me off. They yell and scream and try to intimidate their employees which is disturbing. I recall them firing Nub( the painter), hiring Justin to do paint and then firing him.Nub is back now and it’s all about money. The kid did some of the best paint they ever had. They were constantly putting down employees like Campo, Cody, even Vinnie.I didn’t much care for Campo but he didn’t deserve humiliation.I just thought his skills were lacking, I remember when Paul Sr. told Vinnie he was being held accountable for cleaning the shop. Ironically it was Jr. and Mikey who made the mess. Vinnie is a very talented wrench who, in my opinion was the backbone of the production side of OCC. Vinnie solved problems. He was Sr. and Jrs. go to guy and he was always there. That can’t be said about the Teutel clan.
Vinnie finally walked out and according to Stan, Cody has left as well. Cody leaving was never on air but, it had to piss off Sr. who took him in as a kid. It seems that he too was tired of being the butt of harassment and the OCC environment.Only Rick is left and the Teutels must try and replace the chemistry and skills these guys have.I am betting they can’t do it. I think this is the beginning of end.
I felt that Paul Srs. comment that ” everyone is replaceable” was pompous, arrogant, and wrong. It is insulting to people who slaved and worked for him and had a huge hand in their success to be just replaceable parts.. It is not surprising as Sr. has disdain for everyone except himself.I believe what goes around comes around so, we will see.
Vinnie and Cody are together in a new venture called V-Force Customs. It is located in Rock Tavern just a stones throw from OCC.We do not know personally that this part is true but, according to Stan it is. It will be interesting to see if Vinny has the business accumen to make it work and if the market will dig what they do.I wonder if t.v. will pick them up.
This is a whole new twist on an old story.Will Vinnie succeed? Will the Teutel’s start to decline? Can anyone worth a crap put up with the Paul’s and the disfunctional work environment at OCC? Does Mikie have any backbone at all?
The Teutel’s are building a huge place which seems to be a monument to them.We’ll have to see if it turns out to be a monument or a headstone.
The boys are now making production customs. I saw the models out in Sturgis and frankly, I don’t think this line will make it. There are so many nicer bikes being made and many talented builders they must compete with. Give me Perewitz, Ness, Smith, Yaffee,Bourget, Big Dog, Victory, Keim, Hotch, Young,Trota, Goldammer, Pugh, Mitchell etc. every time.
Good luck to the Teutel’s. I think they are going to need it.
Beach
For the most part I agree. These people are living the American dream. How wonderful that is for anyone of us. As for their attitude , well I do not much care for it. We all know the show has a lot of hype. Even with the somewhat of the negative crap being toned down. Is it worse in real life who knows? But growing up around corporate America I can’t wonder if OCC has but an interest in V-Force. Vinnie leaving on the show seems like it may be a set up. I would dare say that V-Force will be buying their main components from OCC. I’m sure Sr. knows all good things come to an end. And what a business move that would be. Think of when they are at the shows with their bikes. The hype that would bring. It would be wise to be diverse He knows what a lot of us think. Including all the other builders. Just wondering.
I went into V-Force’s web. It shows the new shop. It is of good size and looks really nice. I would dare say that with two people going into this that OCC paid them well. The shop is not small and if they bought it it was not cheap. Now I do wish them all the best. But having been self employed it takes a lot of money to do what looks like they are doing. Ya still got to eat and pay bills. I think it is fantastic they have this opportunity. And I hope it all works out. But I still have to but wonder as to my earlier post.
Bankrupt OCC’s ironworks and mother ship filed in August for protection. Interesting! Whats up with that? I read where OCC is a separate interest. Smart. Who knows what is really going on in the whole picture. I hate to see anything fail. This could be a wake up call or the state of our economy. Time will tell.
as i watch OCC series my thoughts were that vinnie was the man with the no how, and i often wonder why he and rick was not on the stage with the teutuls when the bikes were shown to all those who wanted to see them. the TV SERIES will never be the same for me. NO VINNIE NO SHOW. i know in life that when money is on offer people forget who they are and were they come from mike london england.
Hi Mike,
Welcome to the Beachcruiser and hello from across the pond.
I think Vinnie got on stage a couple of times but obviously the Teutuls didn’t think he was important enough to retain. I don’t know what Vinnie wanted but even if it was a small part of the company I believe he deserved it. He was one of the origional three and obviously the best wrench.He did keep it all together and sacrificed everything for O.C.C. Neither he nor anyone else was treated with respect and he was always pulling the Teutuls “nuts” out of the fire.Paul S.R. and Paul jr. were out playing while Vinnie did all the important work. He fixed things when no one could figure things out and he did all the wiring. He was the first to learn the CNC machine and everything else that needed to be learned.Rick is a good wrench but he came along much later. It was Vinnie who helped build that company.The comment S.R. made that ” everyone is replacable” was pompous, insulting and demeaning. Vinnie is the rare breed who is very talented, loyal and always there in a pinch.I too am a Vinnie fan and I too will miss him.I think Cody got tired of being picked on and demeaned as well.They are together in a new venture in a tough time for the industry.I hope they can make it.
Some people think that the Teutuls are supportive of this move. Some people think the Teutuls are part of the new venture( silent partners). I am not one of those people.We’ll just have to wait and see how the Paul’s and Mikie do going forward.
Thank you again for writing and we hope you come back often.
Beach
I felt that Paul Srs. comment that ” everyone is replaceable” was pompous, arrogant, and wrong”.
You said it all there, I was disgusted to say the least, Vinny was the definite backbone of that place, And i think he has made the right move, By leaving.
Its obvious that he wasnt getting shares in the show, bike sales, and so on. The way campo got treated of the Teutel’s was a disgrace. But anyway yeah, the whole concept of the show now, seems to be, More on how well they have done, what they have got on so on. While the real talent gets left in the shadows. Rick will be next to leave mark my words.
Vinny done most of the work on the televised bikes, And he was always left out of the unveilings.
But dont worry vinn atleast you got that new roof. lol.
Good luck to vinny and cody. And vice versa for occ.
Michael From England.
Hi Micky,
Hope things are good on the other side of the pond. Thanks for your thoughts.It will be interesting to see what happens at OCC.I saw a photo of the new headquarters and you wouldn’t believe it.It makes Arlen Ness’s place look small.
Well,I also wish Vinnie the best.He definitly seems like my kind of guy(someone you would want on your team).It’s a tough business especially these days.If hard work and talent have anything to do with it he should be just fine.
Beach
As someone that worked for a large corporation, the term “everyone is replaceable” is a standard statement. If you work somewhere long enough you will see that the statement is true. There are plenty of talented people out there just waiting for a break.
I don’t like the show, but Sr. is correct, as far as this statement goes.
Hey Ford,
Good to see you. We’ll see what happens at OCC. I read an interesting article last night from the local newspaper. It was written in 2004 but it does give some objective insight into the Teutuls and O.C.C.
Beach
I personally think money is NOT the big issue. It does have a bit to do with it cuz you should Share the Wealth where deserved… Vinnie was well deserved and knows the business as well as Paul JR and could do almost anything in the OCC business. His comment was he was there for 5 years and still doin the same thing. Most companies PROMOTE within to higher positions and they are usually successful. Good Luck Vinnie, Cody and whoever else comes to you from OCC
Rog
Hi Roger,
I respectfully disagree. I think, with the Teutuls it’s all about money. The cars, the houses, the bikes, the helicopter, the monstous new headquarters, everything you might expect from people who “won the lottery”.I have information to prove the point but, I prefer, for now, to keep it to myself.The restraints as I have been told that the Teutuls have on Vinnie and Cody are very restricitive and, if true, will effect the odds of V-Force succeeding.I will say that if correct, V-Force is not allowed to participate in any show that the Teutels participate in for the next 13-16 months.That would be a pretty tough pill to swallow for a new company.This information came from someone in the industry whose name we will protect.
If you read the background information on the web page for v-force customs you will see that O.C.C. is not mentioned by Vinnie or Cody as a place of previous employment. It is obviously left out on indtructions from their lawyers.I leave you to draw your own conclusions.It sure doesn’t sounf friendly to me. I have heard more but do not feel at liberty to discuss it.
Beach
I wish Vinne and Cody all the luck in the world. With a shop that big, no matter how much talent there is, They are gonna need it with the times and economy the way they are.
I’m sure Vinnie knows that he was the back bone of OCC, or at least a big part of their spine anyway.
I feel sad that he did not get to be a pert of more unveilings. He was like part of the family but appeared at least on the show to be treated like just another grease monkey.
I’m glad he left. I stopped watching OCC before he left. I was already sick of the Teutels.
Hopefully this will be Vinnie’s big break. He deserves it. As for Cody, good luck as well. You couldn’t have a better teacher.
I hope T.V. picks up on a show for them to skyrocket their shop into superstardom. I’d watch it. It would be refreshing to see some level headed folks build bikes that aren’t all about the show.
I also agree that Justin got shafted. Nubby is a great painter, but so is Justin.
As far as bigger is better. Some of the “best” bike builders in the world work out of holes in the wall.
Mr. Motorcycle
Sr. Saying “Everyone Is Replaceable” Was A Little Mean… But At The Same Time Hes Right… Its Not Like Vinnie Was The Best Of The Best. Because You Never Know What Really Was The Reasoning Behind Vinnie Leaving. As Far As Someone Saying Vinnie Might Of Wanted A Stake In The Company! Thats Crazy… Thats Like Saying I’ve Worked At Walmart For 5 Years And They Should Make Me Vice President… Bottom Line He Was An Employee. And Some Teams Employees Aren’t Happy… But If Vinnie’s Main Reason For Leaving OCC Is Because Of Stressful Deadlines Then He’ll Never Make It With His Own Business.. I Own My Own Business And Its Nothing But Stress… I Wish Him The Best Of Luck With It But It Just Seems To Me That He’s A Baby… And As Far As Cody Leaving The Company… I’m Not Sure Why He Left But If It Was Just To Quit And Go With Vinnie. He’s A Back Stabber Because Sr. Gave Him His Shot At 15. He Even Gave Him His Very Own Chopper And Paid For Him To Go To College To Learn The Trade… OCC Isn’t Going Any Where Anytime Soon They Make Nice Bikes “Not The Best Around But Nice” They Market Their Company Very Well And They Have Earned All The Success They Have Achieved With The Company…
Robert From Illinois
Thanks for your comments Robert. No one knows for sure why Vinnie or Cody left except them and i’m sure a number of people at OCC.Vinnie said that he had been there for 4 or five years and he wasn’t doing any better than when he started.I can only guess why Cody left.
People who work for a company and feel they have not been treated fairly leave all the time.You have to admit that Vinnie was there from the very beggining and played a huge role in the success of the company.He did whatever it took to make sure things got done on time and got done right.He seemed to work a lot more hours than anyone else and was always the go to guy when there was a problem.He obviously felt he was not treated fairly and we all can guess what it was like for him to work there.A lot of abuse goes on at OCC and some can take it and some can’t or don’t want to.That’s everyone’s right.
Vinnie and his wife had two children while he worked at OCC and that can change the way a man looks at things.Life certainly looks different and is different.
I am quite sure that Vinnie didn’t make the move lightly.He chose to take a big risk and go out on his own.I respect his courage. Paul Sr. did do the things you said for Cody.Cody also took a ton of abuse. As you said, he was just a kid when he started and maybe when he gre up a little he didn’t want to take it anymore. I’m sure this was not an easy decision for him either.I don’t think either Vinnie or Cody betrayed anyone. I am pretty sure that the Teutels could have kept them but chose to let them go.It’s a business decision and sometimes those are hard and ugly.
I wish all of them well and I hope Vinnie and Cody make it with V-Force.We’ll see how things turn out.
Beach
Cody did not get to keep the old school chopper Senior ‘gave’ him. In his own words he has stated, “As soon as the cameras stopped rolling, the deal was off.” In other words, it never was his. Anyone who watched the episode when it aired noticed that Cody really didn’t seem to be too excited to be getting a new ride. Why would he be? He knew then it was only for the benefit of the camera. He has confirmed this in emails to numerous people who have written to ask him about it. Also, if you go to V-Force’s fan forum and find a thread titled “Cody” there is a post in that thread from him about it as well. Apparently, he was too young when everyone else signed confidentiality agreements and never signed one. Therefore, he is free to talk about what happened without fear of legal repercussion.
I don’t expect anyone should just talk me at my word on this. Skepticism is a good thing. However, if you do a little research on your own, it will confirm what I have written.
Hi Succente,
Welcome to the beachcruiser!! I didn’t know that and I take pride in knowing or finding out what is going on. If that is true, it sucks.What sucks even more is that it wouldn’t surprise me at all.
There are a lot of people who are NOT what they seem to be or pretend to be.I have experienced that several times over the last couple of years.One can only hope that eventually people see through the smoke and mirrors and find out who these people really are.The motorcycle industry is NOT immune to these people and hopefully, what goes around comes around.There are some amazing people in the industry and these are the folks I root for and call friend.Me and Train will and do everything we can for them.
Beach
I’ve only just seen the episode in question (over here in England it’s been shown on Discovery in two parts last night [20th Aug 08] & and tonight [21st Aug 08]). Something people seem to have missed is that we only see a small proportion of what goes on because of the way the show is edited. I’m getting tired of the way American Chopper is edited i.e. showing mainly arguements, crazy antics of the people and publicity stuff. I would prefer if they showed more of the actual bike building e.g. seeing more of the other components being built like the engine and transmission etc but this doesn’t create ratings.
I see that one of their numerous sponsers is Nub Grafix. I’ve had a look at Vinne and Cody’s new place on the internet and think they’ve got a good thing on the go there.
Good luck to Vin and Cody.
Pete (England)
Beach - This show was great in the beginning, a few guys in a small garage doing what they do best. The comraderie and friendships seemed geniune. I could tell as the show progressed that Paul Sr. was looking for more (expansion, major mktg. etc.). It was cool to watch this small idea grow into something larger, and more complex. Unfortunately what’s left? Taking the company public? Bigger is not always better, basically the show is no longer entertaining to watch.
Sorry to see viny go but Cody … did he actually do anything??? Good Luck to Vin, he is the best.
I’ve been watching the show for a while and I still like the show. I don’t know the TRUE details in the background relationships between Vin, Cody and Sr., I only know what was aired on the show and all I can do is speculate like mostly everyone else. I liked Vin a lot, like Rick even more, and hate Sr.’s antics, but if you don’t like your boss, find another job….it’s that simple.
Beyond that though, I’ve noticed a couple of issues that not a lot of people talk honestly about on the bike forums, though there are tons of complaints and b*tching about OCC. First, a lot of “purist” bikers don’t seem to like the OCC Clan, and it ain’t only because of how they treat people on the show. Second, there is a whole new wave of folks who are now interested in biking (and not sport bikes) because of the exposure the show brings, and those folks are increasingly non-white, younger, and more educated —- the very demographics that Harley Davidson has been unsuccessfully targeting…as has NASCAR.
To these points, I think there is a large segment of “purist” bikers who are resentful of OCC’s success. I think a big part of that resentment comes from the fact that OCC has opened up biking to folks who otherwise wouldn’t even have considered it. From what I’ve observed, to most “purists”, biking is a lifestyle or culture…and since OCC’s major fan base does not include folks who’d consider riding a “lifestyle” or “culture”, but more of a recreational activity, that then becomes a personal affront. If this was not the case, I believe we’d see much more celebration within the industry and bike forums in regards to new interest in biking that OCC brings, as supposed to a subtle, but strong current of disdain.
I hope I’m NOT offending anyone, that’s not my intent here. I’m just a brand new rider who loves his “new”, second-hand HD Fat Boy who wouldn’t have felt the least bit comfortable talking to a biker, or walking into the HD shop, before my exposure to these wonderful heavy bikes through the Teutul’s show.
Hi Guys
I am an avid OCC watcher over the years here in Ireland , and only noticed the goings on in this weeks new series, it did not register that Vinnie had left until I noticed Snr trying and making a balls off the wiring, Also I though Snr look off form, not him self I got the sense something was bothering him beside the fruit of his loins and he was just going through the motions, so I decided to Google whats up?and here I am, I am not a biker but I love watching guys take pride in there work, its a shame what has gone on there, but that’s the way it goes, I agree Paul Jnr comes across as we used to day over here a sleeving and a bit of a waster,, i also think the money has gone to his head, mind you his girlfriend is a bit of alright, but paul jnr is not a patch on Vinnie, i think the show is on borrowed time, they had a good run and they have played out there patriots hand, maybe Mickey should sign up for Afghanistan, Finally i was in NY last year and saw the NASA bike and some other in one of the merchandise shops, anyway they did not look all that up close, and i was a bit disappointed.
finally what ever the ins and outs of it are i wish everybody well and i hope they all remember the good times, i feel sorry for poor old Rick in the middle
regards
Lar
Hey Lar,
We love Ireland and welcome to the beachcruiser!! I agree with your thoughts and think back to the beginning when the show began.
I don’t watch it anymore at all. It’s a shame and I hope Vinnie and Cody make it. The economy here is not good so: builders and dealers and all the others in the industry face a challenging time.
It was a hell of a lot more fun just a few years ago. We’ll see you across the pond!! Keep writing and visiting. We love to hear from our friends.
Beach
hey guys scotland here , loved occ until vinnie left, but has been going downhill for a while anyways, senior saying everyone replaceable is just sour grapes trying to look the big man for the cameras, vinnie was the worker and a wizard on the wiring, always left to figure out the problems and 99 times outa a 100 he came thru, i hope all works out for him on his new venture cos i reckon jr and sr are so two faced its unreal, well guys i gotta go find a new programe to watch now cos i aint watching that no more, i feel better having had my say so will sign off , cheers guys feel free to visit scotland its an awesome place
Hey Roscoe!!
Welcome from Scotland! I have pretty much the same feelings you do.How things have changed in just a few years.O.C.C. made a huge financial success but along the way everything that was cool about the show changed. I remember three guys working out of a garage and doing something everyone would love to do.It was Paul SR,. Jr. and Vinnie.Then came Mikie who was an ornament and Cody, a young, nice kid who got the job cause his mother knew Sr. He was in high school so: he only worked part time.
It was fun for awhile but, then everything changed.Success affects people differently and for me, it became more annoying and frustrating to watch the show then fun. Slowly but surely, I stopped.
We love Scotland, beautiful, historic country. We hope to get there soon.
Beach and Train
I respect what Senior has overcome in his life, and replacing the alcoholism with the bodybuilding and such.
I really think he has serious anger issues and needs help before he blows a vein though.
His anger is irrational, and a serious illness. He needs to own up to the fact that he is as addicted to the rage as he was to the booze and needs to scrap it too.
Nobody is perfect though. I like and respect the dude, I hope for his sake he gets the help he needs.
Hi to all from green and leafy Dorset - after getting in late with the show, I have to admit, without Vinny the show has got very jaded - Snr has become so annoying - recently saw a rerun of him painted up like The Hulk - great image of him cos he really needs to get a grip of the temper as it seems to have become the main thread of the show. Must admit, if my old man yelled at me like that all day, I’d jump ship - I suppose Jnr doesn’t have the guts, like Vin.
Mikey winds me up the most - us over in England can only dream of having a home the size of his place - what exactly does he do to afford it ? - that said, at least he seems a nice bloke.
Snr and Jnr really need to work hard to keep Rick - if he jumps ship (may be works for Vin?) , then OCC may as well call it a day. Still - damn fine looking bikes.
Any body fancy applying to be their project manager, they seem to need one bad !
Steve
vinnie,cody live long and prosper God bless you and business. It about time. when is your show. I’ll be watching
all the best vinne and cody, the sho hasn’t been the same without you guys. i’ll be watching for your show..canada
Hi guys, Roy from England here, it was stated earlier that we are way behind on the OCC shows in this country so we have only just heard about Vinnie leaving, great shame he seemed to be the main man on the shop floor working late and calling his wife to say he would be home late again, if the speculation is true regarding his resignation (wanting a cut of the company) then i say some shares were the least he should have got to say the least, Snr remarking that “everyone is replaceable is true but personality and loyalty are not replaceable IMO, i say good luck to him in his new venture and every success he deserves it, wonder if we will ever find out the reasons for Cody leaving, maybe it was that he looked up to Vinny and felt he would learn more under his wing, glad i found this place interesting reading i will bookmark it for the future. Chow for now. Roy.
Hey Roy,
Greetings from across the pond.Thank you for the compliment!! I agree with pretty much eveything you have said. I was raised in a time when people were rewarded for hard work, loyalty, ability and decication. Vinnie was all that and more at OCC.He was there from day one and in my opinion was the backbone of the organization.In the very beginning it was Sr.,Jr and Vinnie in a very small space.It became obvious that the Teutels were obsessed with money as soon as they had some and they flaunted it at every chance.Vinnie never was like that and his work was what really mattered.He did it all and then some.
The Teutels became rich and famous and Vinnie and his wife had two kids. Vinnie deserved a share of the wealth and he didn’t get it. He took a lot of crap over the years and I guess he had enough.
Cody’s mom knew a friend of Sr.s and that’s how he got a part time job while still in High School.He went on to MMI and became a full time part of the team. Along the way he also took a lot of crap especially from Jr. Vinnie was his closest friend and Mentor so , being young and with just himself to take care of he left with Vin.
Times are tough so, I hope the boys are making do. I’m interested to see what happens to the Teutel Empire when the industry isn’t white hot.I haven’t watched the show in a long time. It just wasn’t fun anymore and not really about motorcycles.I don’t care how much money the T’s have or how many t.v. shows they are on. I don’t care who Sr. marries and how many cars and bikes he has. I care about motorcycles and the people who make magic.
Beach
Hmm i was wondering if any of you guys could throw some light on the latest rumour, that Paul Jnr has left OCC, i have read on a couple of sites that he has left, it would be interesting to see the outcome regarding the business if he has, maybe someone can enlighten me?
Regards Roy
Hey Roy,
I don’t know the answer.We haven’t heard that but I suppose anything is possible.
Personally, I don’t think that Jr. has a snow balls chance in hell of making it on his own as he has no discipline or business skills to run a business.I remember Sr. owns 90% of the company unless that’s changed so: I seriously doubt that Jr. could get out of it easily and he doesn’t seem to be the kind who saves up for a rainy day.
Sr. however, is a control freak and if this rumor has any substance it is probably about Jr. wanting more. I don’t know how OCC is doing these days but given the economic environment and that huge new place they opened anything is possible.Truthfully, I couldn’t care less. I got tired of the ego, money, attitude, thing a long time ago.The only one left that I have respect for is Rick. I’m hoping that Vinnie and Cody are getting by as their timing of opening the new shop was pretty bad.At the moment, making money, even surviving is not easy in the motorcycle industry.
I’ll see what I can dig up and if I find something credible we’ll get it up.
Beach
I’ve been watching American Chopper for a few years and in the beginning the arguments and Mikey, wandering around doing nothing except irritate everybody else was sort of funny. But then I watched show after show where Vinnie busted his backside to get the bikes built only for Mikey to go onstage for the unveiling. Vinnie didn’t get the recognition he deserved and I’m not surprised he got fed up and now I think Rick’s been put in the same position as Vinnie. The show is a joke now with every episode seeing Mikey doing some other ‘wacky’ stunt. My sides ache from laughter. Paul Jnr and Paul Snr are so rude. They turn up to meetings and even awards nights wearing their normal everyday clothes and can’t even muster up enough respect for other people to put a suit on. They’re happy to take the money they’ve made from their lucky break but cling to the myth that they’re still just good working class blokes. I wish Vinnie and Cody all the best and if they do well, I hope Rick goes to join them.
FWIW-anyone on eBay lately would have noticed Paul Sr selling off a lot of his muscle car collection, whats up with that, is the end near? And yes, he is a pompas arse. From an outsider viewing the whole biker scene, it seems to me the market is now saturated with bikes of all makes, good or bad, Does’nt seem to me a good time to expand, not to mention our wonderful economy and newly elected PRES :-O
Hey all. Great forum here! I was just cruising Vinnie and Cody’s website and they have a link to an artice called “Letting the cat out of the bag!”. It’s a link to this site: http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/October08/14/VForce_TV-14Oct08.html.
According to this they are working toward having their own t.v. show. I can’t wait for something new and fresh!
As for Jr. leaving OCC, Sr. and Mikey were on David Letterman a few weeks ago and that’s all that Dave wanted to talk about was the rumors of Paulie leaving and it was quite obvious that Sr. was very uptight about it and Mikie was trying desparately (and failing) to crack jokes about it. You can see this on YouTube if you search, “David Letterman, HQ, the Teutels, 10/13/08″.
Hey Dan welcome,
Thanks for the info on V-Force and the Teutels.There is such upheaval in this country these days that you have to wonder how it will all shake out.Vinnie is a good man. I haven never met him one on one but I feel I know him after all the years of doing what I do and the beachcruiser.I thought the Teutels were going over the top with all the cars and houses and the mamoth new headquarters at the very top of the market. I wish I was wrong but I can’t imagine that there isn’t a whole bag of trouble in this environment.
I looked in the paper today and I saw that Harley stock is selling for $13 a share. It was $70 only a couple or three years ago.If people aren’t buying Harley’s( they’re not) then bikes built by OCC have to be a very hard sell.Dan Teutel is in the iron business and construction and we all know what’s happening there. We’ll see.
I hope Vinnie and Cody get the show and that they succeed.
Thanks again Dan, come back often and let us know what you know.
Beach
The Teutels are like Paris Hilton, I watch them to see the disfunctional family play like little kids. Thanks to them my family seems to be functional.
Paris Hilton I like that one lol.
well..I guess its the american dream…every mediocre bike mechanic hopes a TV station will knock on his door and he gets filthy rich with his pathetic homework….sad!!
Hi everyone. Talking to you from UK. When OCC first aired I loved it. Thought it very entertaining and different but sadly watched its decline. I actually laughed out loud when Paul Snr. got married in a jacket with the arms cut off. I thought it was a joke. He and his wife were also so arrogant when they were discussing getting tattoos from Kat on Miami Ink. Kat takes her work seriously but Paul Snrs attitude was “I’ve summoned you now get over here and think yourself lucky I picked you”.
Every now and then I dip into the new series but cannot watch for long I get too annoyed. Vinnie and Rick were the backbone of the company and I sincerely hope Vinnie is doing well. I used to see the big houses etc of the Teutels then you saw Vinnie’s small house and it was obvious he wasn’t getting much of the wealth.
Paul Snr has become a caricature of himself. And is it just me who dislikes Justin?
Hi - re previous comment - I meant Jason not Justin - sorry!
Hi Lorraine,
Welcome!! No, you’re not the only one.The Teutels were a great story in the beginning. They got lucky and were the first to get the T.V. shot.The economy was booming as was the industry.It’s incredible what has happened in just a couple of years to this country’s economy, the world’s economy and our passion(motorcycles).
The Teutels are the poster boys for excess and it probably has caught up with them.We don’t have the numbers but, it is very unlikely that many can afford pricy custom bikes anymore.The Teutels knew how to market but may turn out to just be another flash in the pan. They expanded into that huge building at the exact top of the market plus the houses, cars, and ill concieved expansion will turn out badly.
I haven’t watched or even looked for this show in a long time. It became annoying and stupid and had been heading in that direction for awhile.I don’t miss them but, I miss BBO and a couple of the other shows that have disappeared. I am also concerned about my brothers and sisters and how they will get through tough times.Some of the guys and gals have been through it before but no one can remember an economy like this.The smart people who are the industry and didn’t get caught up in the hype will survive and be here for the turn. Those who were in it for the money only probably won’t make it. There will always be an industry and many real bikers who will always be there. A lot of good people will fold.There is so much talent in the industry and so many whose very lives are entwined with it that there is a future.This is like the “great flood”. You hunker down, cut back, pray and think about the future and support each other until it’s over.
We worry about hte great ones, the good ones, the amazing people we know and will continue to support them.The Teutels are not on that list but we wish them well.Vinnie is.
Beach
Hi guys I noticed vin had gone a little while ago I live in the uk, Cardiff and as has been mentioned here we’re a little behind. I really liked vin and used to feel bad that he didn’t get the recognition he deserved.
An episode of occ was on last night here, Snr. Jason & Jim Q built the sakorski (helipcopter bike) not sure if I spelt that company name correctly but anyway they made helicopters etc.
The bike was the worst effort I’ve seen from occ as far as a theme went they stuck the company logo on the tank!! Not that the theme bikes are really my thing but that’s what the show has been built around no effort was made on this bike well apart from cutting out the backbone to fit the tank? WTF
I guess my point is snr was just going through the motions just for cameras and it wasn’t even a good show let alone a good bike!
I’m typing this on my phone so apologies if it’s all over the shop!
Would defo tune inn to see vin again if he made a new show! Good luck with the new shop guys