Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results

January 26-28, 2018 – Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results
By Jeff Najar, Biker Pros Partner, Producers of Custom Motorcycle Shows

The last few years Cleveland Ohio has greeted the hardy motorcycle enthusiast with snow, slush and sub-zero weather.

This year global warming produced a balmy 50 degrees so motorcyclists attending the Progressive International Motorcycle Show stepped a little lighter and smiled a little brighter.

The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show produced a record number of custom sleds with 46 bikes and builders showcasing their creativity and innovation.

FreeStyle – 2018 Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results

Jesse Srpan of Raw Iron Choppers was the big winner at the Cleveland edition of the 2018 Ultimate Builder with two big checks in Freestyle and MOD Harley plus stage appearances for Best Chopper and Tortilla Award for Paint.

Trepidation was built for Michael Lichter’s “Old Iron / Young Blood Show” at last year’s Sturgis show. It pushes 180HP to the rear wheel with a highly-modified 124” S&S mil coupled with a Baker tranny and scratch-built frame. Ron Harris of Chop Docs provided the riveting paint scheme. Mikey of Pinstriping by Mikey laid out the lines.

• Winner: #1175 – Jesse Srpan, Raw Iron Choppers – Named Trepidation, 2017 Chopper
• Runner-up: #700 – Karlee Cobb, Klock Werks – 2016 Indian Scout Rigid

Winning a portion of the 70,000 in Cash and Awards – 1st and 2nd place get their entry fee paid for entering and competing in the season ending Championship round.

Mod Retro – 2018 Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results

The 1973 CB350G Café Racer from Andrew Frederick was super clean and took top awards in Modified Retro class.  A number of times people would walk by and then catch the bike in the corner of their eye and then stop and stand riveted, looking at the custom sled.  The bike started out life in boxes and bins. The outstanding paint and bright work was provided by Brain and Andrew Fredrick.

• Winner: #1975 – Andrew Frederick – bike named Princess, 1973 CB350G  Café Racer
• Runner-up: #2050 – Luke Atkinson with Double D – 1981 Harley FLH Shovelhead

Winning a portion of the 70,000 in Cash and Awards – 1st and 2nd place get their entry fee paid for entering and competing in the season ending Championship round.

Custom Street – 2018 Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results

The youngest builder in the entire series is Ady Andrella, a very serious 8-year-old. She won the Cycle Source Magazine’s Editor’s Choice award. And she will be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine before her awarding winning father, Austin Andrella. He brought out a cherry 1978 Yamaha XS650 and took the high-honors in a class teeming with talent.

• Winner: #1550 – Austin Andrella, Austin Martin Originals – 1978 Yamaha XS650
• Runner-up: #675 – PJ Grakauskas – bike named Can-Am, 1975 Can-Am

Winning a portion of the 70,000 in Cash and Awards – 1st and 2nd place get their entry fee paid for entering and competing in the season ending Championship round.

MOD Harley – 2018 Cleveland Ultimate Builder Results 

Harley Davidson and K&N Filters sponsors the class and the builders didn’t disappoint with Sportsters, FXRs, Baggers and Dynas competing for the big check and entry into the $70,000 National Championship.

When the dust settled Jesse Srpan from Raw Iron Choppers took the check for Bad Mutha, a 1990 FXR. The bike featured a custom tail section, beefed up motor and Baker tranny. Performance Machine provided the hand controls and wheels. The bike provides a counter point to the West Coast FXR builds and is very cool.

• Winner: #300 – Alex Roy, Raw Iron Choppers – named Bad Mutha 1990 FXR
• Runner-up: #1825 – Sean Cortimilia – named The Bad Penny –  2001 Harley Davidson Sportster

Winning a portion of the 70,000 in Cash and Awards – 1st and 2nd place get their entry fee paid for entering and competing in the season ending Championship round.

Category Awards:

Jeff Holt flow out to Cleveland from Southern California to check the latest mid-west builds and to present awards. Being from SOCAL, Jeff is big on tortillas. He fell in love with Raquelitas Mexican Food tortillas from in Denver CO.  At each show he provides 3 tortilla awards with each recipient receiving 3 packages of tortillas. What he doesn’t squirrel away and not awarded is then tossed to the crowd.

• Tortilla Awards – Best Paint Practitioner: #1175 – Jesse Srpan, Raw Iron Choppers – Named Trepidation, 2017 Chopper. – Paint by Ron Harris of Chop Docs Choppers
• Tortilla Awards – Most Innovative Innovator: #700 – Karlee Cobb, Klock Werks – 2016 Indian Scout Rigid
• Tortilla Awards – Best Crazy, Cracked, Kooky Design: #1675 – Dave Nolan, custom Chopper

Editor’s Choice Awards

• HOT BIKE Editor’s Choice Award: #300 – Alex Roy, Raw Iron Choppers – 1990 FXR
• Cycle Source Choice Award: #1775 Ady Andrella, Honda Minibike

Category Awards

• SHO DOG: Kid Presto of American Street Choppers
• K&N AWARD: #275 – Ace Vapor Blasting, Ed Vanaman
• People’s Choice: #125 – Rich Dickson – Cynical Cycles – 2013 H-D Road King CVO
• Best Chopper/Bobber: # 1175 – Jesse Srpan, Raw Iron Choppers – Named Trepidation, 2017 Chopper
• Best Bagger: #1475 – James Messina – Iron Horse Cycles – 2017 H-D FLH
• Best DYNA: #1725 – Robbie Vestring – Dr. Chops Motorcycle Creations – 2006 DYNA FXD

After the bikes completed their load-in at the show on Friday, Skidmark Garage hosted an industry party at their facilities in downtown Cleveland.

Skidmark Garage is a community garage where bike builders and enthusiasts pay a monthly fee, like a health club, so members can use tools, lifts and learn to weld, metal work and repair motorcycles. A number of bikes were built at Skidmark and competed at the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show.

Editor’s Choice Awards – Cycle Source Magazine + HOT BIKE

 

More Custom Sleds from the Show

 

 

The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show is the world’s largest motorcycle builder competition, featuring more than 350 motorcycles and $100,000 in cash and prizes across the IMS Tour.  Professional and amateur builders compete at their local IMS for cash, prizes, recognition and a chance to move-on to the Championship Round in Chicago – where $70,000 in cash and prizes is up for grabs!

Bike Show Rules

• Freestyle – Open class for any build with a motorcycle based drive train; Any 2 or 3 wheel motorcycle as defined by the DMV. Motorcycle must run.
• Mod Retro – Open class for any build with a motorcycle based drive train 1984 or older; OEM driveline with stock, modified or aftermarket frame. No reproduction engines allowed. Any 2 or 3 wheel motorcycle as defined by the DMW. Motorcycle must run.
• Custom Street – Must have a major OEM engine and frame. Neck may be cut to rake or stretch frame. Hard tail sections, stretched swing arms and wide tire kits are acceptable. Includes OEM cases. Any 2 or 3 wheel motorcycle as defined by the DMV. Excluding Harley-Davidson. Motorcycle must run.
• Mod Harley – Must have Harley-Davidson engine cases and frame. Neck may be cut to rake or stretch frame. Hard tail sections and wide tire kits are acceptable. Touring models, Softails, Dynas, FXRs, Sportsters and V-Rods qualify for this class. Must be a 2 or 3 wheel motorcycle configuration as defined by the DMV. Motorcycle must run.