F
KIWIS CONTEND FOR CUSTOM GONG
ans of the custom bike scene are quiet
achievers in New Zealand, with the
immaculate results of months of hard slog
rarely gaining the praise they deserve. Call it Tall
Poppy syndrome, or whatever you like, but Kiwi
customs could use a bit more support from us
regular guys.
Enter Harley-Davidson’s Battle of the Kings
competition, which pits Harley dealers worldwide
against each other for top honours.
The idea behind Harley’s Battle of the Kings
competition is to create one-off custom bikes
using only the expansive Harley-Davidson parts
catalogue for after sales parts and the know-how
of the dealership’s tech staff for the rest.
98 KIWI RIDER
For the first stage of the competition, 26 Harley-
Davidson dealers from across Australia and New
Zealand will go head-to-head showcasing their
one-off, two-wheeled creations. In a new element
to the competition this year, dealerships can
select their base bike from any Harley-Davidson
model family (excluding CVO and Trike) to enter
into one of three build categories – Dirt, Chop or
Race.
Once crowned, the ANZ winner will take to the
world stage in a showdown against national
champions from across the globe. Four finalists
will be selected from the participating nations
to be showcased at the EICMA, alongside the
US finalist in Milan, Italy where the 2019 Global
Custom King will be revealed.