I don't much like Carpy's bikes, and never have. To me they don't look professional, but rather just EBay "parts bin specials" that have been accessorized with left over 1970's era used chopper parts, like 16 inch "Hog" back wheels, "drag pipes", etc etc. There's no engineering involved, just some shiny paint and polished alloy. We used to refer to stuff like this as "All show, and no go", back in the day.
Whether he's "living the dream" or not, (and last time I got an email from him he was still working for a living like the rest of us schmucks) he's a businessman too, and what he's selling is a cheap alternative to a custom made motorcycle. Not a particularly good one, just different.
I'd be more than happy to take Mike's "Million Dollar CB" over anything that Carpy has built so far, the difference being that Mike built his bike to suit Mike and not to turn a buck, but not surprisingly, for those of us who place engineering prowess over shiny paint, Mike's bike is a much more desirable item! Cheers, Terry.