SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® (IMS), an industry leader on connecting powersports brands with highly qualified enthusiasts and buyers, today announced the winners of the 2018-2019 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS) Championship, the world’s largest, elite-level custom motorcycle building competition. This year’s competition showcased hundreds of professional and amateur builders across the IMS tour, cultivating the custom scene and offering builders a chance at thousands in cash and prizes across the tour, including a Harley-Davidson motor, a pair of Arlen Ness wheels, an HMC lift, Michelin tires and more. The championship round took place February 15 – 17 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. Winners were selected based upon creativity, craftsmanship and building ability by a panel of expert judges including director Bob Kay, Kevin Dunworth, former UBCBS champion Kyle Shorey, Mark Cresswel and Max Ness.
To learn more about the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, please visit here.
“It is a pleasure to witness the most breathtaking custom motorcycles from across the nation displayed throughout the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show competition,” said Bob Kay, director, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. “The builders’ hard work and passion is evident through the sheer creativity and artistry that each bike encompasses. This year’s reigning champion, Tim Dixon, stood out in the championship round with a 2018 Custom Chopper.”
The 2019 championship winners include:
Freestyle:
- Winner: Tim Dixon of Gas Axe Chop Shop with painter Leatherwood Motorcycle Works won $10,000 and prizes. The motorcycle was custom ground up build, with a handmade frame, wheels and other custom features.
- Runner-Up: Wayne Burgess and Connery’s custom paint featured a 2006 shovelhead, hot rod theme, digger “Nancy.” The motorcycle hosted a polished Shovelhead, diamond cut heads, custom exhaust, Mooneyes control pedals, tail light, front rotor, brass accents and more.
Custom Retro:
- Winner: Anthony Robinson of Anthony Robinson Gasoline & Coffee won $1,500 and prizes with a 1966 Triumph T-100, hosting a 500cc parallel twin, engraved with an open primary belt drive.
- Runner-Up: Austin Andrella and painter FT Customs/Hamilton Design Company featured a 1976 Yamaha XS650, hosting an AMO frame, AMO handlebars, AMO fender struts, matching 21-inch wheels, Barnett clutch plates and springs, barebones leather seat, AMO gas tank and air box.
Custom Harley-Davidson:
- Winner: Eric Bennet of Bennett’s Performance Inc. took home $2,000 and prizes with a 1977 Harley-Davidson Frame. The water-cooled engine was the front engine out of the Jammer Streamliner that set the AMA record at 276.376 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in October 1978.
- Runner-Up: David Dupor and painter Paul Boeckman / Kallemyn featured a 2006 Harley-Davidson Springer Softail Sidecar, hosting a DD Custom Cycle steel tank, steel dash, DD Custom Cycle steel fenders, DD Custom Cycle Ghost bars, K-Tech controls, Liberty sidecar, Kens Factoring lighting, tons of detail, one-off spoke wheels with soft lips and a Stroker motor.
Custom Street:
- Winner: Juan Rodriguez won $1,500 and prizes with a 2004 Suzuki Hayabusa, featuring a 300 fat tire kit, custom paint with airbrushing, LED lights, front and rear air suspension, molded front windscreen, custom front fender, polish frame, custom front rotor, chrome everywhere, plexiglass grade bar with LED lights and custom seats.
- Runner-Up: Keith Castellano with Distant Brothers and painter Gator featured a 2016 Ducati Panigale 959, fully torn down with the frame, subframe, exhaust, and engine painted black and backlit Ducati branding and matte-white plastics.
Sponsored by J&P Cycles, the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show is the country’s premier competition for the world’s leading custom motorcycle builders. The best builders from across the country submit their creations to compete for the title “King of the Builders,” which was awarded over the weekend at IMS Chicago. All of the finalists in the championship round participated and won 1st or 2nd place at a stop on the IMS tour including Long Beach, New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Washington D.C.
Additional sponsors of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show include: Arlene Ness, Avon Grips, Barnett Tool and Engineering, Belt Drives LTD (BDL), Bikernet, Harley-Davidson, HMC Lift, K&N Filters, Klock Werks, Legend Suspensions, Liqui Moly, Michelin, Motion Pro, Motone, Rinehart, ROT Rally, Thunder Max / Thunder Heart, Twin Power, U Koala and Vance and Hines.
Connect with IMS (#RidersUnite):
Media Contacts:
Audrey Uchimoto, (310) 496-9423, IMSPR@ubm.com
Lauren Lloyd, (310) 266-4792, IMSPR@ubm.com
Tam Nguyen, (424) 410-9797, IMSPR@ubm.com
About Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® (www.motorcycleshows.com)
The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® offer enthusiasts an all-access pass to the world of motorcycling. Launched in 1982, the tour showcases hundreds of the latest street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters and ATVs for new and experienced riders, and gives enthusiasts of all ages the opportunity to check out the latest gear and aftermarket accessories, as well as hours of entertainment. The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com.