Custom Series’ Show is Longest Running Bike Show in the World Featuring Ted Smith and Big Daddy Rat
Get ready to drool on the asphalt as you roll through a sea of magnificent motorcycles at the world-famous Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show. More than 100 of the Sturgis Rally’s finest machines will battle it out in 14 classes, each one demanding an up-close look.
This is a showcase of rolling ART. The Rat’s Hole features creations from the world’s top builders, where craftsmanship, fabrication, function, innovation, and a progressive vision of motorcycle culture all come under the judges’ spotlight. From traditional customs to radical one-of-a-kind masterpieces, every bike tells a story, and every builder leaves a piece of their soul in steel, chrome, and paint.
Come see the legends. Meet the builders. Experience the tradition.
The Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show, where motorcycles become ART and builders become LEGENDS.
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Who:
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You! |
| What: | The Granddaddy of All Custom Motorcycle Shows |
| When: | Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Onsite Registration – 10 a.m. Judging – 3 – 5 p.m. Awards – 5 p.m. |
| Where: | The Buffalo Chip Crossroads in the Horseshoe |
| Why: | See some of the Sturgis Rally’s most unique custom motorcycles and win the coveted trophy in biking |
| How: | Pre-Registration will get free Rat’s Hole stuff! |
Come be part of the largest and longest-running of all bike shows during the Sturgis Rally on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You’ll find the 2026 Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show in the Horseshoe at the east end of the Big Engine Bar at the Buffalo Chip CrossRoads.
Awards
Judging concludes at 5 p.m. to award over 70 custom-made, hand-sculpted Rat Awards.
The Best of Show winner will receive the prestigious “Big Daddy Rat” trophy and will go on to compete against the winners of the other shows in the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Custom Series for the title of Custom Series King the following night. All Best in Show winners will be invited onto the Buffalo Chip’s legendary Wolfman Jack Main Stage where celebrity judges will crown the winner of this prestigious award.
Get to the Rat’s Hole Bike Show to see the bikes, or enter your bike today, and you could be the lucky winner!
Get to the Rat’s Hole Bike Show to see the bikes, or enter your bike today, and you could be the lucky winner!
Meet Ted Smith
The World Famous Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Shows were started by founder Karl “Big Daddy Rat” Smith. From his first show in Daytona in 1973, Big Daddy Rat built an empire that helped bike builders get noticed and provided a showcase for the custom motorcycle industry to show off their products. Big Daddy Rat held shows all over the USA and even expanded the Rat’s Hole to France, Germany and Canada. After 27 years of putting on the most prestigious custom bike shows in the world, Big Daddy Rat passed during Daytona Bike Week in 2002. According to Karl’s son, Teddy, that’s the way he would have wanted to go, there among his biker friends.
When Karl “Big Daddy Rat” Smith passed the torch, his son Teddy Smith picked up where his father left off—and then took The Rat’s Hole legacy to an entirely new level.
Not only did Teddy continue producing the legendary custom bike shows, he brought them to the masses through television. The Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Shows have been featured on programs including The World Biker Build-Off, American Chopper, and networks such as Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, National Geographic Channel, Speed, and many others.
Under Teddy’s leadership, The Rat’s Hole expanded across the country and around the world. He also began hand-sculpting the now world-famous Big Daddy Rat Trophies, creating approximately 60 unique awards for every show. Each trophy is a labor of love and a symbol of excellence within the custom motorcycle community.
“These awards are so coveted that builders literally cry when they receive one,” Teddy says. “I think that’s what keeps me going. It’s in my blood, just like it was for my dad.”
Continuing the family tradition of growth and innovation, Teddy recently added the Swiss Moto Show in Switzerland to The Rat’s Hole’s international roster. More than seven decades after Karl first launched the Rat’s Hole name in Daytona Beach and more than 50 years after the first custom bike show, the tradition continues stronger than ever.
As The Rat’s Hole celebrates another year of custom motorcycle history, Teddy sees no finish line ahead.
Today, the torch is being passed to the next generation as Teddy Smith’s son, Jason Smith, carries The Rat’s Hole tradition forward while forging a style all his own.
A professional welder and lifelong part of the Rat’s Hole family, Jason has brought a new level of craftsmanship and creativity to the legendary awards. Building on the legacy established by his grandfather Karl “Big Daddy Rat” Smith and his father Teddy, Jason has designed and handcrafted a collection of one-of-a-kind, all-steel Rat trophies that are unlike anything seen before.
Created specifically for all 14 competition classes, each trophy is individually crafted and reflects the spirit, artistry, and innovation that define custom motorcycle culture. These are not factory-made awards—they are handmade works of art, built with the same passion and dedication that builders pour into their motorcycles.
For the winners, receiving one of Jason’s custom steel Rat trophies is more than earning an award. It is becoming part of a family tradition that spans generations and represents one of the highest honors in custom bike building.
As The Rat’s Hole continues to evolve, the Smith family legacy remains strong—three generations dedicated to celebrating motorcycles as ART and honoring the builders who keep the culture alive.
“We think Sturgis at the Buffalo Chip is our best show of the year, and we hope to see you there.”
For more information, visit Ratshole.com.
“The sound and sight of all the bikes makes me feel like I’m among good people.”
— Kim Loiselle
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