TLDR: Shannon Aikau has run the bike shop at Count’s Kustoms for roughly two decades, long before Counting Cars ever put cameras in the room. He built Danny Koker’s very first custom motorcycle back in 1998, and he’s been the shop’s lead bike builder ever since.
Shannon Aikau was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, where motorcycles were practically a family language. His father Jimmy was an avid rider and mechanic who taught Shannon everything from an early age, and Shannon was already tinkering with bikes by age six.
He built his first full Harley at just twelve years old. By the time he moved to Las Vegas in 1998, chasing what he calls “the ninth island,” he already had real skills most adults in the business didn’t have.
He Built Danny’s First Bike Before the Shop Even Existed
Shannon met Danny Koker while working at Evil Twin Cycles in Las Vegas, well before Count’s Kustoms was ever a real business. That same year, he built Danny’s very first custom motorcycle, a bike nicknamed “Tattoo,” followed soon after by Danny’s everyday rider, nicknamed “Coffin.”
When Danny eventually opened Count’s Kustoms as a real shop, bringing Shannon on to run the bike side of things wasn’t really a decision, it was just where things were always headed. Shannon’s own father Jimmy joined him there too, since Jimmy had been a longtime family friend of the Kokers well before any of this started.
His Family Is Related to a Real Hawaiian Icon
Shannon comes from a family of watermen, and his second cousin is Eddie Aikau, the celebrated Hawaiian surfer and Waimea Bay’s first official lifeguard. Eddie saved more than 500 people over a ten-year career and was named Lifeguard of the Year in 1971, becoming one of the most respected names in surfing history.
Shannon still reps that Hawaiian heritage whenever he gets the chance, both on the show and off it. The Aikau family also apparently has a running joke about their shared love of Volkswagens, which Shannon’s own team bio describes as being “in abundance and cheap” throughout the family over the years.
His Favorite Build Was a Tribute to His Father
Ask Shannon about his all-time favorite project, and he’ll point to a 1977 Purple Haze FXE. Its engine was the last one his father Jimmy ever built, and Shannon got to work on the bike alongside both his dad and Danny himself, making it one of the last projects he and his father completed together.
That bike isn’t sitting in storage somewhere either. It’s on permanent display above the bar at Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar and Grill, the venue Danny’s wife Korie Koker runs, where fans can see it in person.
Away from the shop, Shannon has a soft spot for his daughters and spends his free time practicing archery. He also keeps an active fan following of his own, with tens of thousands of followers on his official Facebook page separate from the show itself.
Shannon Aikau, Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shannon Aikau do at Count’s Kustoms?
Shannon Aikau is the master bike builder and bike shop manager at Count’s Kustoms, a role he’s held for roughly two decades, since before Counting Cars ever began filming.
Is Shannon Aikau related to Eddie Aikau?
Yes, Eddie Aikau, the celebrated Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard, is Shannon’s second cousin.
Where is Shannon Aikau from?
Shannon was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, before moving to Las Vegas in 1998.
What is Shannon Aikau’s favorite build on Counting Cars?
Shannon’s favorite build is a 1977 Purple Haze FXE, which he worked on alongside his father Jimmy and Danny Koker, and which now hangs on display above the bar at Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar and Grill.
