Paul Teutul Sr. is mostly known for three things: the "American Chopper" TV show business, the motorcycle business, and the yelling-at-his-sons business. He has been working with metal since the age of 12, when he started to be involved in his father's steel business.
Aside from custom bike building at Orange County Choppers and TV appearances, he spends time with a longtime girlfriend Joan Bulger-Kay. They both love motorcycles, so they work together in Orange Country, New York.
As of 2020, Paul Teutul Sr. is battling debt and a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. He has already sold his mansion in New York to cover the costs, as well as a bulldozer, two boats, an ATV and a tractor.
Teutul, who served in Vietnam as a member of the United States Merchant Marines, has a net worth of less than $500K. Here are 15 sickest custom bikes from Paul Teutul Sr’s shop.
15 Black Widow Bike
If you're a fan of American Chopper, you know the Black Widow bike very well – it was the first model that Junior and Vinnie worked on together. This model launched American Chopper as a series 17 years ago. This was the first sign to fans of his obsession with spider webs.
14 9/11 Memorial Bike
The 9/11 Memorial bike was built to commemorate the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Paul Teutul Sr. tweeted a photo of himself with Cuomo and Daniel Tishman, co-chairman of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum's board of directors. They commissioned the famous bike builder to create the custom model.
13 Cadillac Bike
In 2011, American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior began its 2-part Cadillac build-off that put Orange County Choppers against Paul Jr. Designs. They wanted to know who can build a better bike for the same client. Both OCC and Paul Jr. Designs used the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe as an inspiration for the bikes.
12 Anti Venom Bike
The most popular build of all, the Anti Venom bike was Paul Teutul Sr’s first creation with web details. It was shown at the Biker's Choice booth in 2010. Even today, it's the signature model for his company. Paul continued with the spider theme while building parts for the Black Widow bike.
11 One Call Bike
Tom Hoff, CEO of One Call Concepts, was looking for ways to convey a message of damage prevention. He says, "When I came across American Chopper, I was hooked. Given the tremendous popularity of American Chopper, it was inevitable that working with Paul Jr. would be a great way to reach a new audience."
10 Bebop Bike
Paul Teutul Sr. created two bikes built for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows movie. This 2-wheeled golden model with spikes is for Bebop. It isn't strictly an OCC creation. It's actually built by Paul Teutel Jr. after he decided to set up his own business customizing vehicles.
9 Cepheid Bike
The company Cepheid was planning the unveiling of their new GeneXpert Systems at a big show. To make the unveiling more interesting, they reached to Paul Teutul Sr. to create an epic bike that was innovative and cutting edge. The result is a modern bike that captures the brand and highlights their technology.
8 Build-Off Bike
In 2011, Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Jr. went head to head in the bike-builder showdown. They decided to style the PJD bike and used the classic P-51 Mustang fighter plane as an inspiration. Featuring many retro details, this bike reflects the classic WWII airplane design. The theme is conveyed brilliantly, indeed.
7 Cranky Ape Bike
Paul Teutul Sr. says that "The power of auctions comes to the power sports industry, and to turn the spotlight on the leading auction house for power sports, Paul Jr. Designs built them a killer bike. To showcase their website, the PJD team purchased a FatBoy and did a bolt-on dresser custom to be sold for charity."
6 Faro Bike
The Faro Bike was built without any pre-build drawings to work from. The concept was conceived on the go. According to Paul Teutul Sr., the client had no idea as to what the final version would look like. Thanks to years of experience, the result left the client stunned. The bike revels in handling geometry.
5 Dekalb Bike
This bike commemorates the 100-year anniversary of DEKALB. It traveled across 10 states on a Chopper Tour. The auction for the Dekalb bike raised $250K with proceeds going to the American Red Cross. The winner was Rick Brandt, CEO of BRANDT from Springfield. He got his bike at the 2012 Farm Progress Show.
4 Gears Of War Bike
The Gears Of War bike was inspired by the computer game, Gears of War 3. The bike was launched at the Comic-Con International in San Diego. The result is unconventional. This is a three-wheeled trike rather than a standard chopper. Game designers were impressed, and the game launch was a huge success.
3 March of Dimes Bike
The March of Dimes bike has an interesting story behind its creation, "Lamar Construction commissioned Paul Jr. Designs to build a bike to raise money for the March of Dimes. Except that purple is a notoriously difficult color to work with. The combination of sense for color and sleek curves make this bike stunning."
2 Loopster Bike
Paul Teutul Sr. showed the custom Loopster bike in 2012 at Gateway Canyons Resort. The event was aired on American Chopper. The trike is roadster style with yellow paint, hot rod flames, keg gas tank, dual wheels that look like reels, a unique exhaust and a filmstrip chain guard.
1 Geico Armed Forces Bike
In 2012, Paul Teutul Sr. unveiled the Geico Armed Forces Bike at the Patriotic Festival held in Virginia Beach. The bike celebrates all military branches. It toured the country and appeared at all major military events. It even had a 2nd unveiling on August 6, 2012, at the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground.