Jeff Nicklus

Motorcycle Master Builder (awarded to only 18 custom bike builders in the United States by the Motorcycle Editors Association of America), Jeff Nicklus, is President, CEO and Chief Designer of Desperado Motorcycles. Desperado Motorcycles is widely recognized as the leading manufacturer of custom motorcycles in the US. Desperado Motorcycles builds a complete range of “Signature”, “Limited Edition” and custom motorcycles entirely by hand, each representing the pinnacle of sleek design and cutting edge technologies. Desperado Motorcycles is dedicated to creating the bikes that everyone wants to copy. Jeff also has a passion for children. He has designed, built and donated many “Signature Series Bikes”, one of a kind motorcycles, for charity fundraising that includes the Ronald McDonald House Charities (creating the McBike) and many others.

Jeff Nicklus has an addiction, an obsession, a total love for bikes. This is evident with each Desperado motorcycle that rolls out of his shop. If the bike does not “wow” Jeff, he simply doesn't’t sell it. As a degreed aeronautical engineer, Jeff is a “gear-head” in the purest form of the word; Jeff began building bikes at age 15 in Dallas, Texas. What began as a hobby soon became a passion. Today, that passion has grown into a lucrative business – Desperado Motorcycles.

Following in the Ferrari model, Jeff caps Desperado’s production at 600 bikes per year. His goal is not to be the largest motorcycle manufacturer, but rather the manufacturer of the world’s best motorcycles. Jeff incorporates only the finest materials and parts into his bikes. Every component part of a Desperado Motorcycle is individually tested and retested to meet Jeff’s strict specification guidelines. Jeff often describes his motorcycles as “finely engineered machines that have the intricate movement of a Swiss watch.”

In addition to motorcycles, Jeff has many interests within the “high performance” sector. An engineer by original training, he designed and built an exotic sports car prototype, which generated a significant buzz within the automotive world. He has held an NHRA Pro Stock, NHRA Top Fuel license, CART and Formula 1 driver’s license. In short, Jeff Nicklus is an adrenaline junkie. Jeff was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force with over a hundred combat missions flown during the Vietnam War. Most notably, however, Jeff now enjoys taking that first ride on each new Desperado motorcycle produced – that’s right – Jeff test rides every Desperado motorcycle prior to being delivered. If it doesn’t pass the “Jeff Test” it doesn’t ship.