Moto 1 and REV Graphix – Blending Art with Motorcycle Merchandise

By Ed Kuhlenkamp, Build-Momentum

The partnership between a motorcycle promotions company and an artist turned graphic artist might sound odd to some, but one look at the end result will make believers out of even the most doubtful. Cameron Gray of M1 Entertainment (the promoter) and Brian Vogel of REV Graphix (the artist) founded Moto 1, a company that produces motorcycle t-shirts that look more like works of art than simple action images of riders screen printed onto shirts.

Moto 1 shirts are clearly not just some motorcycle race memento. Each motorcycle image is started as a free hand drawing; pictures only serve as a reference for the details that go into the drawing. A shirt with two bike images might require over 70 hours of Brian’s time to get them ready for screen printing on to the shirt. To create a painting effect, Brian uses a special stylus with 1,048 points of sensitivity to make the illustration look like it was painted by hand.

Cameron and Brian started working together back in 2001, although they didn’t realize it until a few years later. As the story goes Cameron was with MotoGP rider Nicky Hayden and asked Nicky to show him his favorite t-shirt designs. Nicky picked a shirt designed by Brian Vogel. Cameron decided that he needed to find a way to work with Vogel, and when he discovered that Vogel had already been designing his Road Atlanta t-shirts through an intermediary.

The impromptu request of Nicky Hayden put the wheels in motion for a motorcycle promoter and a motor sport artist to begin working together to create motorcycle merchandise that would be a big hit with fans. The selection of the best t-shirt put two people together who share a commitment to pushing limits in their chosen professions. 

 Cameron Gray is well known in the motorcycle world as a very successful race promoter. He currently promotes the Suzuki Big Kahuna at VIRginia International Raceway, one of the most popular events on the Superbike schedule and Cyclefest, a motorcycle event that takes place in Copper Mountain, Colorado. He also promoted the World Superbike event at Laguna Seca from 1995 thru 2004.

Cameron developed his knowledge of motorcycle merchandise through his experiences handling the merchandise for World Superbike, the Big Kahuna and Cyclefest. He also built relationships with many of the top riders during that time, a key piece to getting access to selling their merchandise.

Brian Vogel started his career in studio art and counts Walt Disney World and Xbox among his clients. Earlier in his career he specialized in oil and acrylic painting, focusing on styles from abstract to detailed studies. He developed artistic skills that have helped him excel in Pantone screen printing separations.

Brian started drawing when he was a two-year-old boy while attending car races with his dad. He would take his drawing pad and his ear plugs and sit in the grandstands and draw. He mostly copied comic books (late 1970’s Conan and X-Men) and Japanese animation images in the early days. He considers Ed Roth, the famous artist, and John Byrne to be the people who have most influenced his art work.

Brian has created the artwork for t-shirts and merchandise for many of the top racers in the motorcycle industry. His clients include a Who’s Who List of Motorcyclists, with names like Valentino Rossi, Scott Russell, Kevin Schwantz, Nicky Hayden, Tommy Hayden and Roger Lee Hayden, Colin Edwards, John Hopkins, The Roberts family, Josh Hayes, Eric Bostrom, Ben Bostrom, and Aaron Yates. He has also designed the Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway MotoGP shirt since 2005.

Brian and Cameron knew that by working together and leveraging their unique abilities and connections, they could build a successful merchandise company. However just combining talented people is not enough to start a company – this requires money. The money for Moto 1 came as seed capital from Cameron’s mother. “One day my mother, TheLea Gray, shows up at my house with a $5,000 dollar check and tells me to go start Moto 1. I guess she got tired of listening to me talk about it for four years and wanted me to make it a reality,” notes Cameron Gray.

Additional funds came from Isan Hung and his brother, who became the next investors. Brian Vogel also owns equity in the company. The company was formally launched in 2004 and is run like a small, family-oriented business.

Now, four years later the company is just starting to get a firm hold on all aspects of the t-shirt business. In addition to producing their own world class, artwork-inspired t-shirts, Moto 1 also has a growing business producing t-shirts for industry clients like Michelin’s motorcycle division and the Laguna Seca MotoGP event merchandise. Since the company’s inception, it has grown every year with 2008 being the best yet.

Cameron, Isan and Brian are avid motorcyclists and share a passion for motorcycle racing. Brian is a WERA National road racer who started sprint races in 1997 and endurance races in 2000. Isan and Cameron grew up riding dirt bikes and four-wheelers and club raced in Colorado with the MRA. All of them are insiders in the motorcycle industry and get to spend time with many of the top names in motorcycling.

Moto 1 is a division of M1 Entertainment. At M1 the goal has always been to provide fans with more than just a motorcycle race. M1 events include extra attractions and entertainment for the whole family, creating a truly unique experience for the devoted fan and the beginning spectator. So it is no surprise that Moto 1 is printing motorcycle artwork onto shirts rather than the same old approach used by other t-shirt companies.

If you would like to own a piece of motorcycle artwork, stop by the Official Event Merchandise booth at the entrance to the vendor area or shop online at www.moto1usa.com. Also be on the lookout for the new line of high-fashion casual wear called 5280 Threadz debuting at the Big Kahuna nationals, also available at the Official Merchandise tent.