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RoadBike Events: 2005 Biketober Motorcycle Classic- From RoadBike February/March 2006
2005 Biketober Motorcycle Classic
Jointly sponsored by RoadBike and American Iron Magazine, this all-brands judged bike show was held on Friday night of Biketoberfest, with just a few scattered drops reminding us that a hurricane was on the horizon. Restaurants, bars, and vendor stands in the Lagoon were open all evening, though the wave pool was sadly, but wisely, turned off. While drinks were poured and custom creations were ogled, a DJ filled the air with a medley of classic and modern rock. You just had to kick back and enjoy the scenery, which included a lot of impressive machines. On the metric side of things were some very cool vintage bikes, cruisers, and sportbikes, and two oversized rat bikes that I can only describe as rolling scrap magnets. Several pro builders were represented, including Morton’s Custom Cycles, Sinister City Cycles, and Highlander Custom Cycles (the shop behind the Editor’s Choice-winning VTX). There were also a lot of bike owners, like Best-In-Class winner Brian Dady, who did all their customizing work themselves.
Walking from bike to bike, talking to proud owners, it hit me once again how differently we all view the perfect machine. Hence the greatest thing about the metric industry: There’s a motorcycle for every personality. Hey, somebody loves that blue octopus and those elaborate rat bikes. Just ask Bigfoot. RB
Think you’ve got a show-stopper in your garage? Then roll it out for our next all-brands show, the Daytona Motorcycle Classic, to be held at the Daytona Lagoon on Friday, March 10. Check out roadbikemag.com or write to info@roadbikemag.com for more details. The Winners List Editor’s Choice Winner Randall Kipker, Alabama Chopper Winner Rodney Morton, North Carolina Runner-Up Pooh (Morton’s Custom Cycles), North Carolina Radical Custom Cruiser Winner Dan Wampler, North Carolina Runner-Up Doug Morton, North Carolina Medium Custom Cruiser, over 1100cc Winner Brian Dady, Florida Runner-Up Rick Leonard, Florida Medium Custom Cruiser, 1100cc and under Winner Don Putnam, Georgia Mild Custom Cruiser Winner Kevin Boarts, Ohio Runner-Up Sky Asrael, Florida Sportbike Winner William Simone, Florida Runner-Up Jason Livingston, Florida Vintage Custom Winner Thomas Gilmore, Illinois Runner-Up William Farr, Alabama Vintage Stock Winner Ross Davis, Maryland Runner-Up Dan Salvador, Florida Rat Bike Winner EZ, Florida Runner-Up Bigfoot Huddleston, Ohio |
Given the blue octopus and the giant waterfall-in-a-bucket, it seems fitting that three trophy winners were named Pooh, Sky, and Bigfoot. I’m not making this up. Fun and fancy are de rigueur at the Daytona Lagoon, and the Biketober Motorcycle Classic brought appropriately colorful bikes and people to the venue.
Face to face with a line of slick American V-twins, the metric bikes provided a welcome contrast of diverse machines. We had bikes with one, two, and four cylinders, offering minimal to monster displacements. One beautifully restored CB750 sat between a blacked-out Vulcan bobber and an elegant VLX chopper. Judging the show was tricky, as it was clear that a lot of work and great care had gone into many of the bikes. Fortunately, custom connoisseur Alan Mayes, managing editor of The Horse and a RoadBike moonlighter, agreed to help me pick the winners (and I’m pretty sure he said he’d accept all blame).
