Orthodontist by day, Jets fan and motorcycle enthusiast by night, Fred Olli not only found a way to combine his passions, he's won tons of awards in the process.
Olli grew up in Westchester County, N.Y., and as a young boy often visited his aunt, who lived near Peekskill — home of the Jets' training camp back in the Sixties. Olli recalls watching the players walk down the street to the practice field. As a result of his up-close-and-personal access to the players, a young Jets fan was born.
Today, Olli lives north of Albany, N.Y., but as a committed season ticket holder he still makes the trek to the Meadowlands for each home game.
But cheering on the Jets isn't his only passion — he's also a big fan of motorcycles. Already the owner of an everyday motorcycle, a few years ago Olli became interested in buying a second bike that was unique and reflective of his personality. He approached Peter Knight of ERodTech Rides in Argyle, N.Y., to discuss the possibilities.
On Dec. 1, 2006, one year after Olli approached Knight, he became the proud owner of a bike so unique that it's already won eight best-of-show awards and 11 first-place awards in shows across the country. In April it won Best of Show at the Easyrider V-Twin in Hartford, Conn., and came in third at New York City's Javits Center.
Knight and his colleague, Adam Hennessy, spent roughly 3,000 hours over a full year to build the bike. Starting from scratch, they did everything in house from the mechanics to the actual design. The complicated project became a labor of love, and the hard work certainly paid off. The showcase will continue through the fall with two shows in Daytona, Fla., one in October and another in February.
Thanks for your support of the New York Jets, Fred. We wish you the best of luck at Daytona and hope you ride the bike to a Jets game this upcoming season!
