About Me
During the original chopper craze, some 30 odd years ago, you couldn’t just call up a bike builder you saw on TV and have them build you a custom motorcycle. Since there always has been, and always will be more riders then there are builders, many of them came to grass roots guys like Perry Sands. Perry was never afraid to modify a bike or try new things. He was also not afraid to build a jig, document the project and generally make it right. Beginning in 1970, newlyweds, Nancy and Perry Sands created Performance Machine. Starting with relatively crude tools and the singular passion to build motorcycles, they became the local magnet for custom hungry Southern California bikers. Everything from sissy bars to wild one-off front ends came out of their Paramount, CA shop. Perry’s true passion though, was high Performance. For those of you that can remember back that far, the wheels and brakes of the bikes of yester-year left a lot to be desired and were rendered virtually useless once the motor was breathed on a bit. This is the point in the custom bike timeline that PM made its biggest mark. Experimenting with some of the available aftermarket disc brakes, the Sands quickly realized that nothing out there would live up to their standards. The obvious solution would be to create it, on their own. Within a few short years Performance Machine disc brake systems were the defacto standard for any well-sorted custom. The presence of their product on high-end bikes persists to this day. Perry’s continual involvement in racing also contributed to the growth and development of the PM product line. With an unwavering enthusiasm for all things two wheeled and damn fast, they concentrated their efforts on drag racing, dirt track and even road racing. To this day, PM is heavily involved in the art of going fast and continues to sponsor many of the major players in the various racing disciplines. The need for speed gene has also been passed down to their son Roland, who continues to amaze onlookers and fellow racers with his riding skills.Wheels were next on the needs-improvement list and PM was again the innovator in both custom and race applications. Everything from cast magnesium wheels for Kenny Roberts to beautifully machined billet units for the local customs came out of PM. Perry was also one of the first to recognize the arrival of CNC mills and lathes as the turning point for the motorcycle aftermarket. A keen sense for machinery and an ability to push the envelope of manufacturing has kept PM on the cutting edge.These days, Performance Machine operates out of a 150,000 square foot, high tech compound, wired for sound, video and state-of-the-art manufacturing. Always the innovator, PM has also established the first ever in-house testing facility in the US wheel and brake aftermarket. Perry and Nancy Sands have made their mark in one of the most exciting and dynamic industries on the world!
