How a Sketch in a Mentor's Garage and a Napkin in Las Vegas Led to the Klock Werks Logo Recognized Worldwide
Klock Werks started with a spark of inspiration and a lot of hard work in the garage of a good friend and mentor, John Patton, in Mitchell, South Dakota in 1997. About a year into building custom bikes there, Brian Klock began to see that he, along with a small group of talented and passionate builders, had something extraordinary taking shape. They were all bringing unique skills and creative ideas to the table, crafting bikes that stood out in the custom world.
That’s when Brian knew it was time to create a name and a logo—not just as a label, but as a symbol of the distinct vision and craftsmanship they had become known for something that would become as fast-moving and recognizable as the work they were putting out.
Brian Klock sat down and started thinking. He began with his distinctive last name, "Klock," and combined it with "werks" as a nod to his German heritage. His first logo played on the idea of a clock, using the “O” as a clock face set to 5 p.m.—representing the idea of happy hour. In reality, the workdays extended far beyond that—often until midnight or later—but a clock set for those late hours might not have captured the same spirit. The team needed a logo that could stand the test of time, like the custom bikes they were building.
It wasn’t until Brian’s trip to Las Vegas in 2000 for the SEMA show that the idea for a new logo truly began to take shape. While downtown at what is now known as the Fremont Experience in old Vegas, Brian's creative wheels started turning. He was inspired by the classic signs from old motels and bowling alleys that had been brought back to life as part of the Fremont renovation, many of them salvaged from the old sign graveyard. When the guys headed to dinner, Brian grabbed a napkin at the table and began sketching.
He experimented with different shapes—rectangles, a circle—but when he drew the name in diamonds, it felt right. He wrote “KLOCK” in diamonds inside a spade shape and added “werks” in his own handwriting. The spade was outlined bold and distinctive, much like the custom work Klock Werks was becoming known for. He slipped the napkin into his pocket, excited about the potential of his new idea.
Back in Mitchell, South Dakota, Brian shared the sketch with Ryan Mentele, one of his "World of Work" students at the local high school, and asked him to take it to his art teacher. With their input, the spade received a finishing touch—a white highlight swoosh along the side and base, adding a dynamic element to the design. It was the final detail that made the Klock Werks spade logo truly stand out.
Over the years, Klock Werks steadily built our reputation, getting invited to more shows with our custom bikes and gaining recognition in the motorcycle world. As we continued to make our mark, we began to expand into aftermarket parts—starting small, with details like tail lights shaped like a spade or engraving our spade logo into other popular parts. Each step forward brought more visibility and solidified our identity.
By 2007, we were ready to make an even bigger statement with the launch of the Flare Windshield—a groundbreaking product that would redefine performance and style in the motorcycle community with 18,000 units sold the first year when Brian only expected to do 500. To us, placing our spade logo at the bottom center of every Flare Windshield was the perfect way to symbolize how far we had come and to celebrate our journey. It quickly became an iconic mark, a proud signature on a product that took the market by storm.
Today, the spade and diamond logo has become something of an icon. It can be seen everywhere—from rallies and bike shows to digital ads and parking lots across the world. As Brian often says, “The logo, the colors, and especially that spade sticker placement on our windshields have helped elevate our brand’s recognition in ways I couldn’t have imagined. For that, I’m forever grateful.”
As Klock Werks continues to grow, the spade and diamonds remain a unique and powerful symbol of what the company stands for. It’s more than just a logo—it’s a mark of pride, a story of growth, and a statement that Klock Werks is here to stand out, with the same passion put into our founders' work.
