Ron MacLeod wants a motorcycle and is going to great lengths to get one.
The Whonnock resident has entered a competition to custom build his own motorcycle and be featured in an upcoming episode of Orange County Choppers featuring chopper designer Paul Teutul Sr. – a reality television show about Teutul Sr. and his team as they reach new extremes with their bike-building skills. The prize is worth $100,000.
The Dream Chopper competition is in its third year. This is MacLeod’s first time competing.
MacLeod first heard about the competition in March and applied to be a part of it.
He then received an email asking him questions like if he ever owned a motorcycle or ridden one before. There were a lot of questions about watching Orange County Choppers. He was also asked his age.
Then he sent them a headshot of his “biggest and burliest” biker look and the following day received a congratulatory message saying he was in the contest.
MacLeod quickly went to work building an online presence a week before the competition went live and has been on the ground running ever since.
He is now in the quarter-finals.
“With all the support that I’ve had from my family and friends, the social groups that I’m in….I took the lead from day one and I haven’t let it go,” remarked MacLeod.
MacLeod wants a motorcycle badly. He used to ride in his youth and owned his own until his mid to late 20s. Then, he said, life took over.
“So you’ve got to let go and I’ve been dying to get one ever since,” the 58-year-old said, adding that he has been without a motorcycle now for about 30 years.
He has friends who go out riding now, and he can’t be a part of their adventures. And he made a pact with another friend that when they retire that they would each purchase a motorcycle and go touring together.
MacLeod has his eye on modifying a Harley Davidson model of motorcycle.
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“I’m not a small man,” said the six-foot six-inch tall, 280-pound man.
He wants to lengthen the motorcycle, put a rake at the front end, and add suspension so he can ride it all day long – if he wins.
The U.S.-based contest started with more than 110,000 entrants. Now MacLeod is in the top 512.
“It’s going to get a lot tougher from here on in,” added MacLeod about the competition. “I need all the votes I can get.”
Votes are being tallied again on Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. PST and if he comes first in his group he will make it into the semi-finals and there will be another week of voting before the finals.
The winner of the competition will travel to Florida, where Teutul Sr.’s shop is located to design their unique bike and film the episode.
Voters get one free vote in the competition for the person of their choice. But there is also an option to purchase votes with all money raised going towards the Hudson Valley SPCA, a no-kill animal shelter located in New Windsor, New York.
To vote for MacLeod go to dreamchopper.com/2022/ron-macleod.
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