Eddie Trotta

Eddie Trotta: From High School Sketches to Motorcycle Icon

For Eddie Trotta, life has always revolved around two things: motorcycles and speed. Growing up in Connecticut as part of a biker family, his fascination with bikes started early. His older brother, whom Eddie describes as a “hardcore biker,” played a big role in shaping his love for motorcycles. Every winter, Eddie and his father would spend time rebuilding the family’s prized 1947 Knucklehead Harley-Davidson, getting it ready to roar again come springtime.

Even in high school, Eddie's passion was hard to miss. Instead of focusing on traditional subjects, he could be found doodling motorcycles during class. His teachers were far from impressed. One of them even sarcastically remarked, “Boy, you’re really going to get somewhere drawing pictures of bikes all day.” It’s a comment Eddie often recalls with a grin. Decades later, Eddie has proven that teacher wrong in the most spectacular way.

A Path with Twists and Turns

Eddie’s dreams weren’t always tied to motorcycles, though. He initially wanted to be a rock star and enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. However, fate had different plans. During his first spring break, he took a trip to sunny Florida—and never looked back. The warmth of Florida’s biker culture and its thriving energy appealed to him. He never returned to Berklee.

Soon after, Eddie’s life took another unexpected turn. His uncle offered him a job as a horse trainer at Hialeah Race Track. For 20 years, Eddie thrived in the horse racing world, owning several turf horses and even becoming the leading owner at the prestigious Santa Anita Race Track in California in 1982. But it wasn’t just horsepower on the track that got Eddie’s adrenaline pumping. He spent six years racing offshore powerboats, with his biggest victory coming in 1981 when he claimed the Bacardi Trophy, a race spanning from Miami to Bimini and back.

Building a Legacy

Despite these diverse pursuits, motorcycles were always close to Eddie’s heart. In 1991, he decided to follow his true passion, opening his first biker-related business—a bar called Thunder Road Saloon in Fort Lauderdale. But what started as a side hobby of building bikes for display quickly turned into something much bigger. Eddie sold the bar after two years and threw himself into custom bike building full-time.

In 1993, Eddie founded Thunder Cycle Design, a company that would soon become one of the most respected names in custom motorcycles. From sleek designs to unique engineering, Eddie’s creations became symbols of craftsmanship and innovation. His reputation spread quickly, and accolades followed. Between 2001 and 2003, he was one of only four Camel Roadhouse Builders. In 2004, he was named V-Twin Magazine’s Bike Builder of the Year and joined the Hard Rock Roadhouse. His appearances on the Discovery Channel’s The Great Biker Build-Off solidified his place as a true motorcycle icon.

Eddie’s work didn’t just earn him fame. His designs have graced the covers of more than 40 magazines, and he’s received numerous awards, including the coveted Biker Picasso Award at the Discovery Ultimate Chop Awards Show.

Giving Back and Family Ties

Eddie’s success hasn’t made him forget his roots. Deeply involved in his community, Eddie has always given back. He’s a prominent supporter of the annual Biker’s Ball in Daytona, and he has donated three custom motorcycles to be auctioned off for the benefit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County, raising more than $200,000 for the organization.

To Eddie, family is everything, and his business reflects that. His brother Artie still works with him at Thunder Cycle, and Eddie considers many of his team members family, even if they aren’t related by blood. He’s also a proud father to his daughter Jill and grandfather to Carli, continuing the legacy of strong family ties that began with his own childhood in Connecticut.

Coming Full Circle

Through all the different paths Eddie has taken, one thing has remained constant—his love for motorcycles. What started as high school sketches and teenage dreams became a lifelong passion that brought him international recognition. Eddie Trotta’s journey, filled with horsepower in many forms, proves that sometimes, following your passion—no matter how unconventional—can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be. After all, Eddie’s high school teacher couldn’t have been more wrong. Drawing motorcycles all day has indeed taken him somewhere: straight to the top of the custom motorcycle world.