Four teams compete to build the perfect motorcycle before a panel of judges, colleagues and fascinated onlookers

July 2014 - Pinstripes, pin-up models and lots of motorcycles. Everyone is in leather biker vests and parading their custom motorcycle around a two-block radius on a hot, sunny Saturday in June. As motorcycles begin to line the streets, four teams prepare to compete for best motorcycle build.

The event was the Iron Moto Challenge, an extension of MotoBlot 2014, a motorcycle festival held annually in Chicago. Formerly known as Mods vs. Rockers, the event is a chance for motorcycle enthusiasts to show off their custom-built motorcycles and scooters.

Lined along the Chicago streets was also custom fabricator British Customs LLC’s elongated tent, set up with four motorcycles dealerships ready to show the crowd its metalforming talent. 

With only five hours to create a custom bike, each team laid out its tools, closed off areas with caution tape (spoiler: It involves fire) and concealed secret weapons for a nail-biting final reveal. 

The process

Based in Gardena, California, British Customs assigned each team a stock Triumph motorcycle along with a randomly assigned parts package to create its ideal bike. “We are proud to say that we support all of our local manufacturers here in the USA,” says a British Custom spokesperson. “Our products are primarily manufactured from billet aluminum and stainless steel, the specs vary depending on the product.”

“All of our products generally start out with our design engineers getting an idea on how to improve the look, feel, and overall performance of a bike and transforming it into a completed part. Each product we develop is designed and tested on a bike to ensure that it meets that particular bike's specifications,” she adds.

On-site, each team used hand tools to mount the custom parts. But back at the shop, most of these builders welded, pressed and plasma cut British Customs’ parts to ensure they stood out from the competition. 

Meet the beauty queens

Taking a look at some of the bikes, it was clear that each one came with a unique personality.

First to finish was Team Triumph of Janesville, Wisconsin, with a Bonneville T100, named Gypsy, a retro-style bike equipped with white walls, leather slammer seat, polished OEM levers and chopped-down fenders to add to the “less is more” theme.

Meanwhile, the Northern Ohio Triumph based in Akron, Ohio, rode in second with a Cafe Racer, Elysium, a fiery iridescent beauty with a hand-laid, 24 karat gold leaf to accompany the overboard engine, which was 100 cc bigger than normal. This complemented the 18 in. wheels that required an overall fender uplift.

Motoworks Chicago presented Calle Maton, a Triumph Speedmaster resembling a classic 70s chopper with an intricate candy metal flake, modified with a cocktail shaker exhaust and a custom, mid-pipe frame to support flamethrower mods. The spark plugs then projected into the bike, igniting the gas in the exhaust, creating fierce flames and a ferocious roar. 

Lastly, Windy City Triumph, hailing from St. Charles, Illinois, finished with Simple Green, a Bonneville Cafe Racer aimed to prove that custom fabrication doesn’t have to empty your wallet. The sleek green wrap and pinstriping amplified the crisp finished appeal of the sleep silencers, 1 in. four-bolt handlebar clamps and modern classic chain guard, among other adjustments added to create a polished and clean look.

Expert fabricators Brian Klock from Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, Kevin Dunworth from Loaded Gun Customs, Julian Heppekausen from Deus Ex Machina, and Christy Lee from All Girls Garage, judged each team. Each bike was judged on “hoonability” (performance and finish time), curb candy (looks), best paint job and people’s choice. 

The teams waited two weeks to find out who would be the Iron Moto champ while an open vote was conducted to determine the people’s choice. 

After weeks of built-up anticipation, British Customs’ finally named the Iron Moto Challenge champion: The fire breathing gilded 70s chic chopper Calle Maton (above) rolled in first place, which wooed the crowd for attention to detail with a blazing exhaust and lustrous body. 

“We had a lot of fun with the project, while we are co-workers, we are also good friends and enjoy hanging out and wrenching together, so this was just an extension of what we would do on a normal weekend,” says Daren Pothoven, service technician at Motoworks Chicago. 

British Customs appreciated the inventiveness each team demonstrated at the competition. “Our passion is to provide each Triumph owner a quality product that has been tested and proven reliable, it's just a rule we live by,” says the British Customs spokesperson. 

Each team shared one thing in common, a passion for wrenching and building the coolest motorcycle. FFJ

All photos courtesy of Alex Hawn Photography unless otherwise noted.

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