New Klock Werks project with Abbott House aims to teach skills, life lessons through bike rebuild

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Abbott House residents, from left, Elizabeth Ryland, 16, and Paige Wasserburger, 15, with Klock Werks Kustom Cycles Vice President Laura Klock, unveil a motorcycle Wednesday at the Abbott House in Mitchell. Abbott House girls will repair the bike with Klock’s help as part of a 20-week classroom project. (Chris Huber/Republic Photo)

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The lit-up faces of girls at the Abbott House as they surrounded a motorcycle showed their enthusiasm and excitement for a new program aimed at bringing them inspiration and support.

Director Eric Klooz and Laura Klock, vice president of Klock Werks Kustom Cycles in Mitchell, announced the launch of Helping with Horsepower on Wednesday.

The 20-week classroom program will involve Klock spending 1½ hours a week with Abbott House girls rebuilding a slightly damaged motorcycle. Klock said the project fits the mission of Abbott House, a private Mitchell charity that provides residential treatment services to girls between the age of 7 and 17.

“You can take care of a damaged piece of equipment. You can take a damaged life, and you can find the right tools and make it better,” she said.

Klock plans to teach the girls how to use the needed tools to repair the motorcycle, a 2002 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail. A change of fenders, windshield, handle bar and seats is on tap, along with a new paint scheme and fixing some dents in the lights.

Girls also will have input on the design and learn about marketing. Every girl can enter a contest to name the Harley.

“When you have an idea and things to start to flow, you know it is the right thing to do,” Klock said.

Klooz said he met with Klock a couple of months ago and they were discussing things the treatment center needed when she devised the program idea.

Since then, Klock, her husband Brian and their staff have been working to make the program a reality, Klooz said.

Klock Werks will donate custom parts, and Gear Wrench contributed a complete set of tools. Other parts donors include Mustang Seats, Metzeler Tires and Lindby Custom.

“It’s inspiring to have this rare combination of people come together on this scale to provide something truly special for the girls,” Klooz said in a press release.

At first glance, it would appear the motorcycle hardly needs work. But there are noticeable details such as a missing light.

The motorcycle was covered with a black and gray tarp, then revealed to girls. Immediately, they flocked to the motorcycle and admired its sleek beauty, black leather seats and saddlebag.

Klock said afterward that her husband found the bike online and thought it would be ideal for the girls to repair and for potential donors to acquire, because it would not be a custom bike and would therefore be easier to insure.

Abbott House resident Paige Wasserburger, 15, called the program a great opportunity for girls at the center.

“Through this, we get to learn responsibility,” she said. “We work as a team, believing in ourselves.”

Resident Elizabeth Ryland, 16, considers the project to be another life experience she will learn at Abbott House.

“I think it will be fun,” she said. “I’ve never fixed anything before.”

Abbott House purchased the motorcycle for $6,750. The Vance Family Foundation in California gave $10,000 for the program, with the rest of the money being used to offset a nearly $300,000 budget shortfall with an anticipated 10 percent cut in the center’s state funding, said Virginia Wishard Lambert, Abbott House development director.

Vance and Hines, a company that is connected to the foundation, also donated parts.

Mayor Lou Sebert said the program is a great one for kids. As a Harley-Davidson owner, he knows the expense involved with replacing parts.

“Hopefully, they think in terms of, ‘I can make a difference in my life with a little fixing,’ ” Sebert said.

Once the motorcycle is finished, Klock will display it at events such as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 for most of the year, with the winner drawn at the Mitchell Parade of Lights in November. Proceeds will go to the Abbott House.

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