By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Two movies, a music video, and now … a TV show based on custom motorcycle builds. The Rellik Tavern is putting Benicia on the map with an event next Sunday that will feature the unveiling of a customized motorcycle for a nationally broadcast show.

The new series, “Let It Ride,” is produced by Pilgrim Studios, which also produced shows like “American Chopper” and “Fast N Loud,” for the National Geographic Channel.

“Let it Ride” focuses on Zach Ness, grandson of legendary motorcycle builder Arlen Ness and a bike builder in his own right. He and his crew at Arlen Ness Motorcycles build bikes on inspiration or when a client comes to them with a specific request. Some of the creations are resurrected from old bikes, others are customized from brand-new bikes. The show will premiere Aug. 14 on the National Geographic Channel at 9 p.m.

One of the episodes this season will feature a bike custom-built for Delando Pegan, co-owner of The Rellik Tavern, 726 First St.

Pegan, a motorcycle enthusiast, has an Arlen Ness custom chopper, recently bought a new touring bike for the purpose of having it customized in the show.

“A friend of mine, who at the time worked for Arlen Ness, knew I was going to have it customized anyway. He told them, and they called me up. I got a phone call from L.A., saying, ‘Hey did you want to have a motorcycle customized?’”

So Pegan bought a brand-new Harley Davidson Road Glide Custom, and about seven weeks ago turned it over to Ness.

“This is the first new bike they are doing,” Pegan said. “The other bikes, from my understanding, were bikes that people already owned. They’d take them and trick them out, and give them back.”

The first part of filming occurred when Pegan dropped the bike off at the Arlen Ness shop in Dublin. He met with Zach Ness to go over ideas and set a budget of $20,000.

“The big thing for me with this show was for me to say, ‘Hey look, you know, I really love what your grandfather’s done, I really like this bike, are you going to be able to do something that is going to be as good?’ he said. “He has a lot to stand up to.”

Pegan said he wanted comfort and a design to reflect his personality, as well as his fondness for ravens and skulls.

“This is my cross-country bike, I’m going to take it to Florida, Sturgis, stuff like that, so the first thing I said is, it has to be really comfortable,” he said. “It also has to show my personality when I’m going down the road.

“It’s kind of a Rellik-themed bike. At least I think it will be,” he said. “I don’t actually see the bike until the reveal on Sunday (Aug. 11).”

That’s when the final filming for the episode will take place — and it will happen in The Rellik. It will be a double celebration for Pegan, whose birthday is Aug. 6.

“The challenge was to have it (the bike) done for my birthday,” he said. “But Sturgis is going on, and they are shooting at Sturgis, otherwise we would have actually had it on my birthday. So we’re going to have my ‘TV birthday’ on August 11.”

Filming for the big bike reveal will be open to the public, said Pegan, who plans to have friends and family over for the event, too.

Though he is not yet sure when his episode will air, he said when it does, he plans to have a viewing party.

The Rellik’s commercial will run during the episode, too, he said. “It’s basically national advertising for The Rellik Tavern, and it gets Benicia talked about on TV,” he said. “It will be a lot of fun.”

If You Go
Filming for the bike reveal will take place during the day Aug. 11 at The Rellik Tavern, 726 First St. The series “Let It Ride” premieres Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel.