Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128396
BE!§"t in Show Metzeler's 2005 Sturgis V-Twin Custom Bike Contest. This year there was only one place to be on the Tuesday of Sturgis Bike Week: the journey Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, where Metzeler held its third-annual Sturgis V-Twin Custom Bike Contest. Over 60 bikes competed in the five V-twin classes open to everything from pro-built unlimited customs to choppers. The show was juried by all-star judges and featured drawings for prizes, the introduction of Metzeler's new MESSO 300 series tire and a reception for the Michael Lichter-curated motorcycle art exhibit. The day's events attracted well over a thousand enthusiasts. Metzeler's Sturgis V-Twin Custom Bike Contest has rapidly grown since its inception three years ago, and it is proving to attract the best of the best bikes from new builders to known pros, and anyone in between. The array of Stage One, Two and Three, V-twin, customized, home-built bikes made picking a winner painfully difficult. But the awesome display of pro-built bikes in the Unlimited Custom and Unlimited Chopper classes made the choices nearly impossible. Each year the bar is raised, and each year more builders step up to have a hand in pushing, bending, welding and chroming the bar to ever-higher heights with wild machines that reinterpret old-school or reinvent the future. The judges facing the thankless task this year were Chris Maida, editor at American Iron; Dave Nichols, editor at Easy Riders; Bob Cashwell of Drag Specialties; pro-builder Eddie Trotta of Thunder Cycles; and sculptor/bike builder jeff Decker. Each class winner and judges' Choice was awarded a trophy, with the top three in each class winning a set of Metzeler tires. Winner of Best in Show was awarded four sets of Metzeter tires and will be featured in Metzeler's 2006 MESSO advertising campaign. The award winners at Metzeler's Sturgis V-Twin Custom Bike Contest are: BEST OF SHOW, xott and Bonn;. Bamett; JUDGE'S RECOGNITION, Jason Kangas; PEOPLE'S CHOICE: I. Ariel A1fonzo; 2. Hank Young; 3. Jerry Graves; STAGE I: I. Art Meisenbach. 2.Jim McGrath. 3. Mike McGee; STAGE 2: I. Steve Smalling, 2. Angie Pickering, 3. Matt Hobbs; STAGE 3: I. Greg Wick. 2. Mark Mooney. 3. Teresa Danota; UNLIMITED CUSTOM: I. Frank Acquaro, 2. Darrian Tefft. J. Martin Ramirez; UNLIMITED CHOPPER: I. Scott Irvine, 2. Russell Marlowe, 3. Vince Dati. Bonnie Borne" poses with the Best of Show winner belonging to her and husband, Sea". On Any Sunday BSA mounted Dick Mann (2) and Harley-Davidson-mounted Bart Markel (4) go at it in the late '60's at the Peoria TT Markel won the Grand National Championship in 1962, '65 and '66, while Mann won the title in '63 and '71. To cast your vote, log on to www.cyclenews.com. WEb INSiYE Cyclenews.com reader poll question of the week What do you think of the AMA's new Motocross/Supereross/Arenaeross names: Motocross and Lites? A. They're good; they make more sense than 125 and 250cc. Online poll results from last week If Valentino Rossi leaves MotoGP and goes to Ferrari, are you more likely to watch Formula One car racing? A. Yes B.No 2428 1996 (54.88%) (45.12%) Total Replies: 4424 B. They're just as confusing and don't convey the class structure very well. C. Why couldn't the AMA just name the classes MX I and MX2 like the FIM? CYCLE NEWS • SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 101