2018 AMD World Championship

78 weeks to go …

The registration forms for the October 2018 AMD World Championship (‘AMD XIII’) have been available online (www.amdchampionship.com) for two months now, and already we have had 10 bikes entered by 8 builders from 6 countries, with 18 months still to go.
The first 2018 INTERMOT ‘Customized’ planning meeting was held in March at the Koelnmesse headquarters in Cologne, with the meeting consensus giving INTERMOT ‘Customized’ in October 2016 a resounding “thumbs up” and exciting initiatives already under discussion for October 2018.

The first of the 2017 Affiliate events has been held – in Dublin, Ireland, and congratulations go to 2013 AMD World Champion Don Cronin for taking the Irish win there, and to Brit Paul Milbourn for taking the international win – it will be our pleasure to welcome both at ‘AMD XIII’ in 18 months’ time.
Something for all parts and accessory vendors and custom bike builders to be thinking about straight away is the upcoming 2017/2018 AMD International Aftermarket Directory and Builders’ Book – see details with this edition of Custom World, and follow the links to check out your listing – let us know if any of your contact or business details have changed.
As with the 2015 edition, this update will be published in print and on-line, and you can check out the 2015 7th edition with the link.
As this edition of Custom World goes out, there are two further events underway that will be sending winners to compete in 2018.

It is our pleasure to welcome ‘Showbike Fighting’ as the newest AMD World Championship Affiliate event, being staged on April 1st and 2nd at Jakarta, Indonesia. Organized by Indonesian custom magazine ‘OTO PLUS’, ‘Showbike Fighting’ is staged in conjunction with one of Indonesia’s leading custom automotive shows, and AMD World Championship photographer and Brand Ambassador Onno Wieringa (Madness Photography, Netherlands) has headed straight to the show to represent the AMD World Championship just the day after getting home from the 30th annual Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show at St Paul, Minnesota!

Robin Bradley
Co-owner/Editor-in-Chief
robin@dealer-world.com 

Meanwhile, Frank Sander of Thunder Media, Germany fame (who is also one of AMD’s World Championship photographers), is helping to organize the third annual ‘Customshow Emirates’ (March 30 to April 1) at Abu Dhabi, where the Swiss Custom’ (SwissMoto) Affiliated custom show will include the Middle East Biker Build-Off between reigning Las Vegas winner Pete Pearson (Rocket Bobs, UK) and well known Kuwaiti builder Hussain Salmeen.
Watch out for more news of both these events and for the plans for 2018 in upcoming editions of Custom World, AMD Magazine and our AMD newsletter/blog.

017/2018 AMD Aftermarket Directory

Check your listing - the 2017/2018 AMD Aftermarket Directory

 

Following the successful “Return of the King – the King of Buyer’s Guides” two years ago, the updated 2017/2018 AMD International Aftermarket Directory edition will be entering final production soon (week commencing March 27).

Published in print and as a downloadable digital archive and searchable edition, the task of updating the unique listing of details for more than 4,000 vendors serving the international custom aftermarket and ‘Builder Book’ listing data has been ongoing throughout the past 18 months.

This is your chance to check the data we hold for you by visiting the 2015 digital edition using this link, and let sara@dealer-world.com know if your data needs updating…

www.amddir.com

If your company isn't listed in the Directory and you think it should be, please let us know.

Information about the advertising and “Listing Enhancement” packages is available here (get your logo placed above your listing, take advantage of our special rates for half and full pages). Contact us to discuss how the 2017/2018 AMD International Aftermarket Directory can be made to work hard for your business for the next two years.

Custom Show Emirates

Abu Dhabi, March 30 – April 1

This week sees the third annual Custom Show Emirates (30 March to 1 April 2017) being staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 
Featuring the ‘Middle East Biker Build-Off’ between 2016 Las Vegas winner Pete Pearson (Rocket Bob’s, UK) and Hussain Salmeen of Kuwait, Custom Show Emirates is a joint custom car and motorcycle exhibition.
The car show is affiliated with SEMA, who offer a ‘Show-within-Show’ (SEMA Middle East) exhibit opportunity for its members, and with Swiss Custom, the custom bike show staged at the respected annual SwissMoto in Zurich every year – the Swiss Moto team will select a bike for a freight and expenses prize to compete at their show in February 2018.
Organized by respected journalist, photographer and promoter Frank Sander (Thunder Media), the event is the largest show of its kind in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi is the administrative capital and largest of the seven countries that make up the 9.1m population of the UAE.

Further leading Emirati customizers such as Lycan Custom, Custombikes Al Ain and Sheik Customs will be among an international field that includes competitors that have already scored high positions at various bike shows in the Middle East and elsewhere.
The motorcycle program includes stuntshows and international exhibitors from UAE, Europe, Australia, China and the USA. The Middle East is a very performance oriented market (the venue for the show is only 10 minutes from the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit and ‘Ferrari World’, so SEMA is organizing a specialized car show, which will feature all aspects of car customizing and tuning, introducing international renowned tuners and accessory manufacturers.
There will be ‘Drift Shows’, performed with Japanese Drift cars and 4×4 Drifts, and a Custom Car Competition running alongside the custom bike show. The Bike show requires all entries to be runners, and classes include Scooters, OEM bikes, Three-Wheelers, Classic/Vintage bikes, Bobbers, Streetbikes, Metric Cruisers, Modified Harleys, Streetfighters (very popular in the Middle East), Sportsters and customized Indian models and Tourers, in addition to radical customs.

www.customshowemirates.com

‘Showbike Fighting’ Jakarta, Indonesia

‘Showbike Fighting’ Jakarta, Indonesia, becomes AMD World Championship Affiliate

Often referenced as, statistically, the third largest motorcycle/PTW market in the world, Indonesia hasn’t really been on the northern hemisphere’s radar as a hotbed of custom bike building culture, but that may be about to change.

 
There has always been a small but passionate custom scene there, and we here at AMD Magazine are proud to announce that there is about to be an AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building show in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
Organized by Indramawan, Managing Editor of Otoplus Indonesia, a leading automotive and motorcycle magazine (www.otoplus.id), the 2016 “Showbike Fighting” AMD World Championship affiliate event will have been staged and the winners known by the time the print edition of this month’s AMD Magazine hits your desk - it is taking place April 1 – 2 at the 18th ‘Otobursa Tumplek Blek’, a leading Indonesian Automotive expo in Jakarta.
However, if it goes well, and if enthusiasm and determination is any guarantee of success, then it will now take its place on the AMD Official Affiliate Custom Bike Show calendar – hopefully for many years to come.

Indramawan,
Managing Editor of Otoplus

Though new to the AMD program this year, the show, and the efforts of Indramawan and his “fellow travellers” to bring international recognition and profile to Indonesian Custom Culture, go back nearly 15 years.
As a media with the main interest in motorcycle modification and custom, Otoplus is aware of the importance of giving influence to its readers and followers. Therefore, Otoplus needs a flagship event as a showcase, to keep the custom and modification culture evolving.
‘Showbike Fighting’ was first staged in 2004 - a year after Otoplus Magazine had started – coincidentally the same year of the first AMD World Championship.
Inspired by the simplicity of concept and emphasis on hand-craftsmanship that they saw early World Championship winners such as Roger Goldammer succeeding with, the Indonesian custom community started to build their own bikes, and as their careers evolved, as Indra told us: “The more complicated, technically sophisticated constructions such as the hydraulic steering, reverse-mounted engines and 2x single side arms especially seen on builds by the likes of Bertrand Dubet/Fred Miano with ‘Anima’, also had an influence – showing that simplicity could live with innovation, with advanced engineering solutions.

“We started to regularly showcase the bikes that we were seeing in the AMD World Championship in Otoplus and published special editions called ‘Showbike’ that showed the Indonesian market what was happening in Europe and USA, and that helped raise the bar here and shape “the art of the possible.”

“In 2013, our “Ride The World” campaign, in alliance with Kustomfest, saw us invite Roland Sands from RSD to join our programs with an ‘RSD Challenge’.
In the program, we challenge our customizers and builders to build a bike from a sketch that Roland made. In the grand finale, Roland decided to choose the 2-nominee bikes from Susanto ‘Yayang’ Gunawan (909 Hotmatic – Bandung), and Siswo ‘Wiwin’ Winoto (Win’s Paddock – Purwokerto) as winners.

Carole Nash Insurance sponsored Irish Motorbike and Scooter Show

Big turn-out for ‘Dublin Show' 

 
Record crowds filled the halls of the Royal Dublin Society facility at the beginning of March (3 – 5) as the 2017 edition of the biennial Carole Nash Insurance sponsored Irish Motorbike and Scooter Show pointed to continued revival in the small but passionate and creative motorcycle market in Ireland.

That creativity was apparent again in the standard and number of custom bikes entered into the AMD World Championship affiliated Ireland International Custom Show.
With two winners (Best Irish and Best International Guest builders) winning expenses to represent the show at the 2018 AMD World Championship, a strong field would have been hoping to replicate the success of Mick O’Shea and Don Cronin who, after winning the ‘Dublin’ Show went on to scoop the AMD World Championship In 2013 with the much admired ‘Rondine’ – an exquisitely customized 1971 Moto Guzzi.
Last year they again spearheaded an Irish invasion at ‘INTERMOT Customized’ that saw Mick and Don take home the Street Performance class win with ‘Road Fever’, a 1987 Ducati 750, and saw Noel Connolly add to the Irish trophy cabinet with an 11th place in the Freestyle Class for the remarkable ‘Strom’ – the first ever E-Bike to compete at ‘The AMD’.

Don Cronin won the Irish Championship with his customized BMW 1000RS

This year Cronin (Medaza Cycles) struck again, taking the Irish Championship win with his customized BMW 1000RS; followed by Noel Connolly second with a Harley - “Saltster 883” – a Bonneville interpretation of the venerable Sportster with which he also took Best Custom, and Harry Harrison, a new young builder emerging onto the scene in Ireland, was third with a Suzuki GSXR 750 Cafe Racer interpretation, with which he also took the Best Engineering award.

Paul Milbourn scooped the ‘International Best in Show’ prize with his Moto Guzzi “Titanium”

The ‘International Best in Show’ prize went to Brit Paul Milbourn for his Moto Guzzi “Titanium”; his fellow Brit Larry Houghton (another man with an AMD World Championship “rap sheet” as long as your arm) was second with a re-envisioning of “Café Rouge”, his Sturgis 2008 AMD World Championship Freestyle entry; Ian Cushing of Second City Customs made it a clean sweep of international podium spots for UK builders in third place (plus the Best Mod Harley class win) with his FXR.
The event was generously supported by Deltran of Florida, the ‘Battery Tender’ manufacturer, who provided product contingency prizes for the top three Irish and international builders, and by Zodiac International and their Irish agent Bridge Garage, who stepped up with a cash prize fund of €7,300 (nearly $8,000) of cash prizes.
All ‘AMD’ entrants also received a ‘Goody Bag’ from Ace Café London.
Our thanks also go to UK builder and current Las Vegas winner Pete Pearson of Rocket Bobs, Blue Miller of 100 Percent Biker magazine in the UK, Paul Timpson of Zodiac International and AMD’s ‘ShowMaster’ Neil Blaber for judging and prize giving duties.

www.irishmotorbikeshow.com

Moore Customs

Moore please

Yes, we’ll take more craftsmanship, originality and attention to detail like this all day long please Larry … you can come again!
Having scooped a 7th place in the FreeStyle class at Sturgis in 2012 (the last time the AMD World Championship was held in the USA), Larry Moore (Moore Customs) of Wichita, Kansas, won an expenses paid trip from AMD Magazine (bike freight, air fare and hotel) to compete at ‘The AMD’ in Europe when he was ready to do so.

 
The cunningly disguised third-tube, leaf-sprung, hard-tail-esque Softail called ‘Kontrolled Kaos’ that scooped Best of Show at Donnie Smith’s invitational (among others) was just the excuse Larry needed to justify racing from a family wedding to the “Less Kontrolled Kaos” that is a week in AMD’s company in Germany! A well deserved 4th place in the FreeStyle class was his reward for doing so.

Touted as one of the favorites for the top title all week, everything you see here (except the engine and drivetrain) has been individually hand-crafted or at least bespoke designed by Larry – from the 4130 chromoly 2 inch stretch (29 degree rake) frame, right through to the 19” 5-spoke wheels (manufactured in Kansas for him by master machinists Monster Race Products) that are uncluttered by calipers and rotors due to the Trans-brake.

Larry built his own H-D primary drive, and the 1976 74-inch Harley Shovelhead has been heavily modified and re-tuned (Werners House of Horsepower) with rare touches including split rocker boxes with individual oil lines, hidden valve stems, Lectron carbs, one-off manifolds and a dual Morris Magneto set-up! 

 

Back in 2012, Larry won through to the AMD World Championship thanks to a $3,000.00 expenses win at the Ultimate Builder Show in Dallas, TX. Larry’s bike (“Bad Influence”) was a custom rigid framed (Racing Innovations), heavily raked springer (Redneck) with an 80ci Harley-Davidson engine, custom 2-into-2s, dual gas and oil tanks, RHS chain final drive, dual calipers (front and rear, with hidden lines and custom-built caliper brackets), hidden and retractable license plate, custom-made handlebars with hand-formed headlight, a hidden taillight and hand-fabricated sheet metal.

EMD (Esteves Motorcycle Designs)

Back to the future with cast rocker box covers

With the family’s engineering credentials in the European aerospace and other industries, personal riding passion saw Nico Esteves take the family name into the custom bike building and parts design and manufacturing business six years ago.

XR ‘Trackster’ rocker box covers - give Evo Sportsters an XR750 flat track racer look

Iron Evo rocker box covers – designed to add a vintage look to Evo engines

EMD (Esteves Motorcycle Designs) has now seen their fast-growing parts and accessory program picked up by Drag Specialties, and seen here are the cast rocker box covers featured in the 2017 ‘FatBook’.

‘Sherman’ rocker box covers – bolt-on upgrades for 1999 – 2017 Twin Cam engines, these stock replacements “add cool, rigid, old-fashioned industrial style and class”

Shovel style rocker box covers – for retro look Shovelhead styling conversions on Evo engines

Manufactured in die cast aluminum with CNC-milled gasket surfaces, they mount in place of the stock rocker box designs, using the factory hardware and gaskets.
They are available in raw finish or EMD’s own ‘Black Cut’ finish.

DRAG SPECIALTIES
www.dragspecialties.com