Crescent-News.com - Ney man helps students build motorcycles

By HEATHER BAUGHMAN

PIONEER -- When the school bell rings at the end of the day, students scatter, heading to ball practice, quiz team or to rehearse their lines for the upcoming play. But for 16 students in the year-old Hill's Angels class at North Central High School in Pioneer, after-school activities are a bit different. They build motorcycles.

The three-day-a-week class challenges students to work as a team, use their math and computer skills, think outside the box and get a bit greasy. Last year, the group started with a simple frame and ended with a shiny, fully operational custom, dark red, "bobber" style motorcycle, "that is very practical and ride-able," said Jeff Hill, onwer of Hill's Performance ... and adviser for the class. The bike has an 80 cubic-inch Harley Davidson motor, five-speed transmission, 180 rear tire (fatter tire than stock), three-inch belt drive and rigid frame. "The students were involved in the design and picked out the major components," Hill explained, "I tried to get across to them that we needed to make a 'sellable' bike, one that anyone would want to ride." He added, "Even if I like extreme and you like extreme, that doesn't mean that the average person likes extreme."

In the end, student Brandon Moore said, "It couldn't have been any better." Now hooked on the class, Moore is one of several students who returned for another year of motorcycle school.

Classmate Mary Fogle agreed, saying it "turned (out) nicer than I had thought it would."

Nate Tyson simply said, "I loved it."

But they all recognize that the class was more than just listening to Hill and learning where to connect the wheels to the frame. "There is no 'I' in team. To do something important, you may need a helping hand," Moore said.

NCHS art teacher Steve Lundy was the catalyst for the class. While driving past Hill's Performance in rural Ney, Lundy was in awe of the custom motorcycles parked out front. Lundy proceeded to contact Hill, which led to a field trip of NCHS students -- and later led to Hill becoming the adviser-teacher for the class.

Lundy and his class returned from that field trip by 2:30 in the afternoon. "By 3, I was showing a proposal to the principal (for the class)," Lundy said. The proposal continued up the chain of command, receiving 100 percent support the whole way, he added.

Now in its second year, the one-quarter credit class gives students a hands-on approach to learning.

"When I was 15, 16, 17 years old, that opportunity was not there for me. The door wasn't opened," Hill said, noting that this was one of his main motivations to become a part of this class. "I realize that not everyone is going to build motorcycles (as a career)," but the class at least offers the students a bit of real-world experience.

"You can be and do anything you want if you are dedicated," Hill tells the students.

Hill has confidence in the students in the class, which the students eagerly named in his honor. "There's more to (building a motorcycle) than just picking up a wrench," he said, noting how impressed he was with the imagination and creativity that came out of last year's class. "They were willing to do extra work to make something unique."

Everyone was impressed with the final product. "The students could step back and say, 'That's my creation. I made that,' " Hill said. "You can't buy that kind of satisfaction."

The second Hill's Angels class began two weeks ago, starting with a group of nine boys and seven girls, some ideas for a new motorcycle, and a frame. By April 1, Hill said the class should have their motorcycle completed, just in time for part two of the course.

Like last year, the students will take turns attending motorcycle shows with their finished project, selling raffle tickets for their bike.

To make sure they turn a profit, the students are responsible for doing their math homework to determine a reasonable price for tickets -- and figure out how many they need to sell to make a profit.

Last year's class sold $15,995 in tickets at $15 each, and raffled off the bike on Dec. 11, 2008, at the first home boys basketball game.

The initial investment for the class was a $9,135 loan from the school board. The class also received close to $4,000 in donations. After the raffle was complete, the class had earned $10,839, which will be used for this year's project.

This year's class is eager to create something totally different, but just as appealing as the rookie-class' ride.

But just to make sure they don't get out of hand, Lundy and Hill will be there to make sure that their motorcycle will not only generate a "wow" factor, but also appeal to the masses.

New on board this year is Brenda DeGroff, an elementary schoolteacher in the gifted program, who will closely monitor the funding situation and make sure budgets aren't blown.