Last weekend, if you could have been anywhere on earth, then Austin, Texas was the place to be. Ok, maybe it’s just because we are motorcycle mad, but being able to attend both the MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas and the legendary Handbuilt Motorcycle show sounds like heaven on earth to me. It was a milestone event, with Handbuilt celebrating its tenth edition as title sponsor BMW Motorrad and organisers Revival Cycles aimed to make it their biggest and best show to date. It’s fair to say they didn’t disappoint and although there was plenty to do and see, the 150 custom built motorcycles on display are always the deserving main attraction.
On the track, the MotoGP main race delivered one for the ages and it finished out a weekend in the Lone Star State, where fans of all things two-wheels were treated to one incredible day after another. Away from the track, the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show has now earned its place as a bucket list event for any custom bike aficionado. “The Handbuilt Motorcycle Show was originally conceived as an excuse to get together with creative builders of all kinds from all over the world who inspired team Revival. What it developed into over the years is an artistic display driven by a passion for design well beyond motorcycles that far exceeds our wildest expectations,” Alan Stulberg of Revival Cycles tells us.
Covering a massive 100,000 square feet of curated show space, the 150 hand crafted motorcycles were joined by dozens of incredible custom cars and hot rods, a small theatre showing ’70s biker films, plenty of amazing food and drink and a whole lot more. There was even an interactive art display, which goes directly to the ethos of the entire show. This is all about celebrating true craftsmanship and creativity, and honouring the hard won skills of working with your hands at a truly elite level. In an era when so many live a virtual life, interaction with both man and machine is something to be treasured and encouraged.
And how could you not be inspired, this year’s entrants were as amazing as ever and perhaps represented the most diverse grouping of motorcycles assembled for the event to date. “The Handbuilt show represents the cutting edge of custom motorcycle building, where attendees get a peek at the next cool thing. It’s actually a challenge to pinpoint that new trend. There’s so much to be inspired by that it can be a bit overwhelming,” says legend of the scene Roland Sands. And he’s not wrong, there is no single next thing, but a variety as great as the people who produce each and every one of these motorcycles.
Take for example the stunning custom creation of Al Hackel, not only did he build the frame and beautiful girder front fork from scratch, but he made just about every part on the motorcycle himself from raw metal. And that includes the cases for his single-cylinder motor, which uses the barrel and head from a WWII-era Wright R975-46 radial helicopter engine. It’s old school machining at its finest and yet not too far away sat an incredible custom, which doesn’t burn a drop of juice and is powered by a lithium battery, and both well and truly earned their spot at the show.
Indian Motorcycle is another sponsor of the event, alongside the likes of Red Bull and Peak Design, another testament to the success of the show. And it was good news for the oldest American motorcycle manufacturer, as plenty of the brilliantly built bikes were based on the company’s latest offerings, particularly the Chief line-up. Proving that when manufacturers pay attention to what the customer demands and build a bike conducive to customisation, people can and will reward those efforts. Then again, we are a crazy bunch and so alongside the big V-twins was an assortment of wild mini-bikes with engines that look far too powerful for the size of their tiny frames; perfect.
But diversity really is king, sure the BMW airheads remain as popular as ever, but there was almost no manufacturer nor style that went unrepresented, and the mighty two-strokes of old are improving impossible for anyone to finally kill off. That is evident for the same single reason that every other motorcycle on display is there, they earned their spot, because the craftsmanship and creativity infused into these machines is second to none. It’s clearly why after ten amazing events, the Handbuilt Motorcycle show only goes from strength to strength.
[ Photography by Revival Cycles ]