Lossa Engineering Creates Motorcycles and Parts for Perfectionists

Categories: Motorcycles | Dual Sports | Ownership & Maintenance

Author: Jason Fogelson

When you have a vision for your motorcycle, even the smallest details count. Whether you're building a custom bike, restoring a classic ride or modifying a modern motorcycle, the parts that you use will determine the ultimate look and quality of your build. Jay LaRossa, founder and operator of Lossa Engineering of Signal Hill, California, gets it -- and he wants to make your bike better, one part at a time.

"One of the reasons I started my business is that I could see just how many aftermarket parts are available," said LaRossa. "I can also see how many of those mass-produced parts are poor quality."

LaRossa is a native Southern Californian with deep roots in the motorcycle retail business. His start as a builder was in the custom truck and hot rod scene, building numerous magazine cover vehicles, SEMA vehicles, show trucks and customs over the course of 10 years. A stint working for media star Jesse James, founder of West Coast Customs and host of Discovery Channel's Monster Garage, reignited LaRossa's passion for motorcycles, and he decided to shift his focus to two wheels at his current venture, which he founded in 2007.

Lossa Engineering customizes motorcycles and builds custom parts for those builds, along with a line of unique mufflers, exhaust parts, linkages, rearsets and other components for both classic and modern motorcycles. "My goal with the parts and bikes I create is to build something that performs but is also durable and stylish," says LaRossa. "If you want a bike that looks exactly like everyone else's, my stuff probably isn't for you. The bikes and parts I create are high-quality, original creations with a strong vintage vibe."

The Lossa Brand 4-into-1 exhaust for the Honda CB400/CB550, a popular restoration project, is a good example of an off-the-shelf-custom part that comes out of the shop. Running from $325 to $650 (depending on material and coating), it's an elegant, functional solution to an irksome design issue on the original bike, finally providing clearance that allows owners to change their oil without removing their exhaust system. It's the solution that Honda should have come up with in the first place, at a reasonable price and exquisitely rendered.

Lossa Engineering's website lists a few completed bikes for sale, but the company's primary business is building bikes and parts on commission from customers.