Building His Own Business…And His Own Choppers
Having his own business creating custom choppers is a dream job for Kenny Brown, but that’s definitely not where he started out.
After college, this southside native soon took a job that required him to travel to nuclear power plants all around the country.
It was a good job, but Kenny didn’t like having to leave his family so often. “It was tough,” Kenny recalls. “My son was growing up; he wanted to play ball, and he wanted me to watch him.”
Not wanting to miss out on an important time in his family’s life, Kenny and his wife Sharon started Brown Machine Works just south of Lynchburg nearly 20 years ago. “It was scary at first,” Kenny recalls. “We put a lot of hours in, getting it going. My wife would come in at night and we’d both run lathes. But I was at least able to go to my son’s ballgames!”
Today, Brown’s shop has achieved some of the highest quality ratings in the industry, and makes replacement parts for the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine group. And his wife, who stood by him in those early days, is now the owner of the business.
Shifting Gears
Once Brown Machine Works was on solid ground, Kenny formed a separate company that combined his machining skills with his love for fast cars and stylish bikes: Lone Stallion Motorcycles—an operation that designs and builds custom choppers.
Lone Stallion also provides Brown’s employees with the chance to work on an intriguing variety of projects beyond choppers. “There’s always something new we’re working on; it could be for an AC Cobra or a GT40…cars worth a million dollars you thought you’d never see in your life come in here, and you get to make parts for them. It’s really neat.”
Brown says he’s always looking for new talent. As you might expect, his employees need to be proficient in math and computer skills. But Brown encourages students to apply themselves in all areas of their studies – especially English! “Comprehension of English is very important here. You’ve got to be able to understand and apply what you’re reading on blueprints, manuals, and customer specs.”
Forming his own company gave Kenny the freedom to apply his skills, take risks, and to enjoy the rewards of those risks. It’s also given him and his wife the chance to provide a future for their children. His son David is now actively involved in the company, taking the independent spirit to another generation.
How long does it take to construct a bike like this from the ground up? “Four years of weekends!” says its builder.
“I was always mechanically inclined,” Kenny Brown recalls, “and I wanted to be able to do it myself. Finally, with my own shop, I could do my own stuff, run lathes, and do welding.”
