West Coast Choppers is a brand that started selling printed T-shirts and stickers with the infamous Iron cross logo. Jesse James was the owner and mastermind behind the creative brand, who began the business while he was finishing high school. Add this to the list of little known facts about Jesse James.
Founded in Paramount California, this business grew into a lucrative multi-million dollar company with James at the helm. Throughout the years, there has been some controversy about the brand. Decide for yourself if this is the truth, or if these are just urban legends and myths that are concocted for fame.
Let's see the real story behind West Coast Choppers and some hidden truths...
The Beginnings
Founded in the early '90s, West Coast Choppers was brought into the spotlight during the 2001 show Motorcycle Mania on the Discovery Channel. After gaining some notoriety, James was a part of other shows and movies on the same channel, like Motorcycle Mania III and History of the Choppers.
Controversy
In 2004, the company's clothes were banned from a school in California for using the German Iron Cross, a sign that was the former military decoration of the German Empire and Nazi Germany from 1933-1945.
Jesse James claimed that the cross was instead based on a Maltese cross, and does not represent white supremacy or Nazism. Despite his claim, a similar ban occurred in Las Vegas in 2003, showing how schools would not tolerate the insignia.
The Truth Behind The Fine
In 2007, James was fined over $250,000 because West Coast Choppers sold motorcycles that did not comply with the air pollution rules of the California Air Resources Board. This Board is the clean air agency of California, establishing the air pollution levels that are deemed acceptable.
James explained that he did not know about the recent rule and law changes that required small-businesses to abide by the rules. He stated that CARB refused his offer to recall the choppers and make changes.
He was angry about the high amount of fines, and was convinced that the Board was trying to make an example of him due to his fame and celebrity status. CARB disagreed, and said that they weren't made aware of James' offer to rescind the motorcycles from the market. So who was telling the truth? We may never know.
Closure
In 2010, West Coast Choppers closed their shop in Long Beach. Jesse's other Long Beach business, which is a burger shop, still stood. It wasn't clear at this time of closure whether he would continue operating and manufacturing apparel from his new home in Texas.
When James closed his doors, there was little reasoning behind the decision. He mainly stated that he just wanted his life to go back to the way it was before he started building bikes on TV.
The Ending
Part of the reason behind this departure could have been tied to his relationship with Sandra Bullock. The married couple unfortunately divorced, and caused some serious financial strain and personal stress to both parties.
James' house on the beach was sold after the divorce for around $4.5 million instead of the $6.75 million asking price, which could have affected why James decided to relocate to his smaller abode in Texas. James even said in previous years that he enjoyed living in Austin more than Long Beach, with the vibes and the environment fitting his personality better.
Maybe the closing of West Coast Choppers was due to his break-up with Bullock, his controversies with the schools in the past years, or his desire to just have a change of scenery. We may never know the real truth...