Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Famous Stunt Rider Indian Larry's Motorbike Shop Grows 9 Years After Death

By Meredith Hoffman | May 10, 2013 7:12am | Updated on May 10, 2013 9:10am
 The shop and legacy of Larry Desmet, who died in 2004 in a motorcycle accident, continue to grow.
Indian Larry Motorcycles
View Full Caption

WILLIAMSBURG — It's been nine years since iconic motorcyclist Larry Desmedt soared through a "wall of fire" in his last stunt before falling to his death at age 55, but his Williamsburg shop is doing better than ever.

"We have a hub of tourists visiting," said Indian Larry Motorcycles' current co-owner Elisa Seeger.

"Today we've already had people from France and Germany...Larry's an icon in the industry, We're looking to expand to a new space, it might be in Manhattan or it might be in Williamsburg."

Seeger and her husband, who were close friends of Desmedt — known to his fans as Indian Larry — witnessed the intrepid rider's death after he passed out performing for the Discovery Channel's "Great Biker Build-Off" show in 2004.

They have made it their mission to continue his legacy by adhering to his style in their custom motorcycles and memorabilia. 

"He was a real man, unlike most people," said Seeger's husband Bobby Seeger of Desmedt, who was candid about his wild youth, including drug problems and a robbery arrest.

"I think about him every day... Doing what he was doing is one of the highlights of being here."

Seeger, who met Desmedt in a tattoo parlor in the 1990s in Manhattan, now designs new bikes that the shop sells both locally and to devoted clients around the world, he said.

And as the Seegers seek out the perfect new space for their second Indian Larry shop, they're already adding more parts and accessories to their inventory line-up.

"Oh yes, we have the demand," nodded Elisa Seeger when asked about the couple's reason for expansion.

"There are few people out there who really build custom bikes."