Shannon Aikau was born on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. His love of all things “motorcycle” began at such an early age; he watched and learned from his father Jimmy, an avid rider and mechanic. Shannon began tinkering with bikes at the age of 6 and built his first Harley at the tender age of 12. Tracing their heritage to a line of watermen, the Aikau Family is related to the famous surfer and first official lifeguard of Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau.
In 1998, Shannon moved to the 9th island: Las Vegas, NV. There, Shannon met Danny “The Count” Koker while working for Evil Twin Cycles. A few years later, “The Count” opened Count’s Kustoms, a custom motorcycle and hot rod shop. Shannon found a home there and has been building custom motorcycles at Count’s for 20 years.
In 1998, Shannon built Danny’s first bike, dubbed “Tattoo.” The Count’s everyday rider, “Coffin,” soon followed. Both choppers feature 30-over Sugar Bear Springer front ends, because Shannon only chooses the very best components.
Shannon can be seen on The History Channel’s hit series, Counting Cars, filmed on location at Count’s Kustoms and now in its 8th season. He has built over 300 bikes, each one a new, exciting and totally different experience. As Shannon says, “Building bikes is an art form, a passion; it’s shared through generations, builders, and riders alike. Putting a smile on the customer’s face as they take their first ride; that’s what it’s all about.”