When you hear "Orange County" you may think of California, but the Hudson Valley boasts its own. It's there, specifically in Rock Tavern, N.Y., where you'll find Orange County Choppers - about 80 miles from New York City.

Inside the Garage
Established as a business in 1999, the shop grew out of Orange County Ironworks, a steel fabrication enterprise founded nearly 30 years ago by custom-chopper builder and rider, Paul Teutul Snr. OCC jumped on the custom-bike scene at Daytona Biketoberfest, 1999, with "True Blue," a classic chopper built in the basement of Paul Snr.'s house.

Other signature bikes soon followed, including the Spider Bike, purchased by musician Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, and the Jet Bike, built to honour U.S. military forces in Afghanistan.

Today, Orange County Choppers has garnered worldwide praise and recognition for their custom motorcycles. In 2002, OCC was recognised by American Iron as one of the world's top 12 builders; likewise, OCC was among 19 other top builders profiled in the book, Haute Motor: The Art of the Chopper.

OCC bikes have been featured on numerous magazine covers, including American Iron, Freeway (France), Norsk Biker Journal (Norway) and Street Chopper. Plus, the Spider Bike was one of three bikes chosen in the world-class competition at the Rats Hole Custom Show in Daytona, Florida, to receive an all expenses paid trip to Germany, the site of one of the biggest auto/bike shows in the world.

It's a garage that's come far in just a few years. Just wait to see what comes next!

Orange County Choppers at a Glance:
Founder: Paul Teutul Sr.
Chief Designer/Fabricator:    Paul Teutul Jr.
Established: 1999
Location: Rock Tavern, N.Y.
Employees: 20
Bikes Produced Annually: 150