The Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Sturgis is the crowning event of a year-long cycle of Official 'Affiliate' Custom Bike Championships that are staged in sixteen countries. The Affiliate program brings together leading custom bike events from around the world to promote custom bike design and engineering excellence.
Winners of Affiliate events receive expense assistance to compete in the Official World Championship held in Sturgis, South Dakota.
With four classes of motorcycles being judged, the Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building has something to offer every visitor to Champions Hall. Each class brings its own unique twist on the motorcycle industry and is the basis on which each bike is judged.
Freestyle
Modified Harley
Production Bike
Metric
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The Freestyle Class is just that, free of constraints and directive. It is, in effect, an anything goes, no holds barred collection of custom motorcycles. Any type, style, engine configuration, color, graphic or design can be entered in the Freestyle Class. The WORLD CHAMPION is chosen from this class of entries and it is here that the builders really must bring their “A” game in order to not just win but to even place high in the order of bikes entered. It’s the cream of the crop, the best of the best, all entered into Freestyle.
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The winner of the World Championship of Custom Building® Freestyle Class receives the coveted World Champions Ring. The 2008 and 2009 rings were custom designed for the Championship by Stamper Jewelry, Inc, The Stamper facility is located in Rapid City, South Dakota at 7201 S Highway 16.
When you are heading south on Highway 16 from Rapid City to see Mt Rushmore or other sights, you'll want stop in the Stamper Jewelry. In 2009, they celebrated their 50th business anniversary, and celebrated their 25th year of manufacturing Harley-Davidson jewelry.
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The Modified Harley-Davidson Class harkens back to the days when customizers did their own work, without the benefit of aftermarket frames and engines. To be considered for the category, the motorcycle must have and be based on an original equipment Harley-Davidson engine and frame. Any amount of modification is allowed but the motorcycle had to begin life as a Harley.
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The Production Class sees the many production manufacturers from around the world enter their creations for not only judging against their peers but also for you to be able to shop and see the latest each company has to offer the general public. It also offers the manufacturers the opportunity to showcase the next generation of production bikes you may see on the dealer floors. The Production Class has seen entries from recognized brands like Big Bear Choppers, Big Dog Motorcycles, Darwin Motorcycles, and Swift Motorcycle Co. and from new companies like RoosteR Custom Cycles.
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Last but certainly not least, the Metric Class brings some of the innovators in using metric based parts and components to Sturgis and Champions Hall. With metric cruisers growing in popularity, this class represents the extremes that can be achieved using metric componetry. Past winners and entrants have included Jesse Rooke, Roger Goldammer, Scott Britt and Kris Krome.
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| The World Championship is judged by the competitors themselves. Here is Steve Broyles Sr. of Stevenson's Cycle during the judgment process. |
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Judging at the AMD Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building is based not on a certain set of criteria but is formed on the basis of peer group review. Each builder entered into the World Championship judges the bikes of the other competitors and the votes are tallied at the end of the event. The best person to judge another bike is a builder. The competitor with the most total points wins and becomes the “Official World Champion Custom Bike Builder” for the year.
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The World Championship garners more than 1,000 pages of global coverage in 80 magazines from 35 countries each year. And, the Championship is the only custom competition with an entire special consumer issue dedicated to it.
Hot Bike Magazine publishes a special issue dedicated to the World Championship. The latest issue will be on newsstands from January 26, 2010 through April 27, 2010. It is also available by calling 1-818-716-8000 or by ordering online at Source Interlink Media back issues, the Issue Code is #HB09WC.
Big Fish Entertainment created a program celebrating the annual Sturgis Rally and the 2008 Official World Championship. The program entitled "Sturgis Motorcycle Mania' aired on the Discovery Channel on December 9, 2008, and featured the World Championship as a main element of the show.
And, click here to view the 2009 Sturgis show on "Car Crazy TV" that aired on the Speed Channel and featured bikes in the 2009 Championship.
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