Jeff Decker specializes in rendering artwork of antique motorcycles that carry a bit of American history with them.

His bronzes of historic early American racing bikes have graced galleries everywhere from Southern California to the Guggenheim in New York along with museums in England and Australia. Decker also is one of only three artists -- the only sculptor -- sanctioned by Harley-Davidson.

Despite his success, Decker prefers to sell his wares at bike shows and events "I'd rather set up [my wares] between carburetors and T-shirts than between other artists," Decker says. "They drive me nuts when they start spewing artistic jargon about the positive use of negative space. The art critiques I get are from motorheads, not from art scholars. They are not concerned about how my bronze flows, but whether the piece is technically correct."

Even so, Decker's work is fetching enough to fetch pricey sums -- from $4,000 for a motorbike in miniature to $90,000 for a life-size bronze.

Decker boasts his own vintage bike collection -- 20 at last count. Rare Indian and Harley-Davidson racers adorn his studio along with antique posters, leather jackets and other moto memorabilia.