The SE Bike Giveaway Master!

Over the past year, you’ve likely seen Bill Shype (@bashh1423) all over social media. This 53-year-old from New Jersey jumped into bike life with both feet, and he also discovered the joy of giving SE bikes to deserving kids. In fact, he gave away an incredible 18 brand new SE bikes in 2023!

We love seeing Bill’s passion for bike life and his community, so we sent him some questions to find out where he came from and what’s coming next.

The Bike Life Spark
Bill got his first SE bike (Monster Ripper) almost two years ago, and that’s when things took off. “I met Jimmy at Burlington County Bikes, and he took me under his wing,” Bill said. “He guided me to Lilman’s family and a few other influential people, and I fell in love with bike life.”

When Bill says he fell in love, he is not kidding. Let’s talk about his collection. “I currently have about 115 SE bikes. Some are doubles and triples of the same bike. I couldn't possibly tell you my favorite because I seriously love them all. That's like asking a parent which child is their favorite. I'm currently gunning for Atlanta and Miami Big Rippers. Those are the only two that I'm missing. I even have three bikes with serial number #001.”

Bill doesn’t just collect SE bikes—he rides them! “I ride about five miles a day minimum, weather permitting. My wheelie game is weak, but it improves every month. I'm good for 50 feet now, but I'm not giving up!”

Hard Work Pays Off
The fact that Bill can do so many SE bike giveaways is a testament to hard work. “I’m a professional auto painter and I worked my way up from Lot Tech to COO of the company. We’re a small, family run body shop doing almost two million a year in sales. I'm never late for work, and I haven't missed a day in over 20 years.”

Bill has some awesome toys, but he does not take things for granted and he works hard for what he has. He said, “I grew up extremely poor in a house with no heat. I worked five years to pay cash for my Bentley.”

Giveaways
So how did Bill first decide to do the SE bike giveaways? “I was at the Shore about a year-and-a-half ago and I saw a kid with an SE jacket,” Bill explained. “I asked him where his SE bike was, and he said it was stolen. I had never seen this kid before in my life, but we had a bond. After talking for 15 minutes, I asked if he knew of a bike shop in the area. I said, ‘Let's go there, and I will buy you any SE bike you pick.’ He chose the Golden Beastmode, and the store gave me a good deal because they knew the kid and what was going on.”

Once Bill got the idea to give bikes away, he kept going and going—but only to the right recipients. “I’ve been known to give a bike away at the bike shop to kids who walk in to get a repair done on an unsafe bike,” he said. “I don't give bikes to anyone who asks for one. If you were meant to get a bike from me, it will happen.”

And once you’ve received a bike from Bill, you are part of the family. “All of the bikes I give away come with a gold ‘Bashh1423’ sticker on them,” he said. “If you see that sticker, you know it was a gift. That sticker gets them free food and drinks at any rideout I'm at. It also gets them free repairs, tires, brakes, and/or upgrades for life. Giving them a bike is just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the kids I’ve given bikes to even get food delivered to their houses. Their entire family gets taken out to dinner… The perks are endless.” 

What does Bill get out of all this? Joy, pure and simple. “I just love the smiles and appreciation I see on people's faces. I have daily conversations with a lot of the kids that have received bikes from me.”

Bike Life Family
Bike life has become a huge part of Bill’s life, and the people he’s met have become extended family. “Bike life has brought me close to some real solid people,” he said. “I wish I met some of them years ago. My fiancée Ashley is 100% supportive of me. [BASHH stands for Bill and Ashh.] This has changed my life in so many ways. It really got bigger than I expected. I don't have a lot of close family, but my friends think I'm awesome and crazy at the same time.”

The Future
What’s coming next for Bill? More of the same! He plans to keep building his SE collection with a bold end game in mind: “I'm looking for a secure place to display my bikes for others to see. That's when you will see my collection grow… My end goal is to give every bike I have away one day.”

With so many collectible bikes, Bill could sell some instead of giving them all away. But he says that is not an option. “I’ve never sold any of my bikes. I feel like if I sell a bike, it's putting a price on happiness. That's one thing I can't do. So, I only give them away.”

We’re stoked to have Bill as part of the bike life scene. Keep an eye out for him on the next rideout. He’ll be the 6’4” guy working on wheelies, helping the locals, and having the time of his life. “It's hard to imagine what I would be doing now if I never bought that first Monster Ripper.”

Check out this massive SE bike giveaway courtesy of Bill and Babydblocks.