“Old Iron – Young Blood” Exhibit Displayed the Work of the Next Generation of Motorcycling’s Masters

The Past and Future Collided as Custom Builders and Artists Under Age 36 Displayed their Creations in this FREE Exhibit Curated by Michael Lichter

Who: You and your friends!
What: Old Iron – Young Blood
Motorcycles & The Next Gen
When: 2-10 p.m.. Saturday, Aug. 5 – Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 (Closed for private event Sunday, Aug. 6)
Where: Buffalo Chip Event Center Near the East Gate
Why: See the wave of the future and the influence from the past, examining the work of the next generation of custom builders and artists.
How: t’s FREE to the public! Get there however you can.

What is the next generation of custom builders interested in? What are they capable of? And what does the industry have to look forward to? The world found out at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s® 2017 Motorcycles As Art™ Exhibition “Old Iron – Young Blood, Motorcycles & The Next Gen.”

Guests got to know the works of an incredible group of custom builders and artists all under the age of 36, each hand selected by exhibit curator Michael Lichter. Attendees saw how the iron stylings of the past show their influence as these young custom builders displayed brand new works, all built specifically for this exhibit, that reflect the attitude and attributes of the present.

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

By creating an exhibition themed around the next generation of custom builders and bikes, curator Michael Lichter ensured guests saw an incredibly diverse offering, from cafes to street trackers to old school choppers and modern customs. No matter the style, onlookers were able to get an up-close view from every angle, with each bike individually lit and displayed atop elevated pedestals spread throughout the hall.

In addition to the age limit imposed on participants, every bike in the display was completed within just a few months of the show opening, meaning in many cases show attendees were one of the first in the world to lay eyes on them.

MEET THE CUSTOM BUILDERS

A few grew up in their own family’s motorcycle businesses; some came into building when they were older, eventually starting their own commercial shops. Others still had day jobs and worked on their bikes in home garages in what waking hours they had left. But despite the different avenues that lead them into their craft, these burgeoning young builders all had one thing in common—each proved that this generation works hard and is ready move the industry forward.

AJ Harris – North Texas Tattoo Company & Royal Enfield, Fort Worth, TX / Royal Enfield B5 Bobber
Andy Carter – Pangea Speed, Salt Lake City, UT / 1943 ULH 80″ HD Flathead
Brad Gregory – Glenwood, IA / Deraked H-D Evo Chopper
Chris Graves – Harley-Davidson, Milwaukee, WI / 1959 H-D Stroker Panhead Chopper
Christopher Milanowski – New Berlin, WI / 1942 H-D WLA Hotrod
Christian Newman – Buffalo, NY / Stainless 1940 H-D Knucklehead Chopper
Cristian Sosa, Sosa Metalwork, Las Vegas, NV / BMW R NineT LSR Inspired
Dalton Walker – Split Image Kustoms, Hanford, CA / H-D Shovelhead Drag Bike
Dan Riley – Gunn Design, Burnsville, MN / Soulfuel BMW NineT
Duran Morley – Roland Sands Design, Los Alamitos, CA / 1952 H-D K-model Scrambler
Dustin Maybin – Eastern Rod & Chopper, Hendersonville, NC / 127″ Evo All-Metal Bagger
Giuseppe Carucci – South Garage Motor Company, Milano, Italy 
J. Shia – Madhouse Motors, Boston, MA / 1971 BSA A65 Cafe Racer
Jake Cutler – Barnstorm Cycles, Spencer, MA / 93″ S&S Knucklehead
Jay Donovan, BareSteel Design, Victoria BC Canada / 1976 Yamaha XS-650 Cafe Racer
Jesse Srpan – Raw Iron Choppers, Chardon, OH / 2017 S&S 124” Evo Chopper
Jody Perewitz – Perewitz Cycle Fabrication, Bridgewater, MA / 1963 H-D Scat/Hummer Mini-Bagger
Johnny Branch – Branch Engineering, Wildomar, CA / 1949 H-D Panhead chopper
Justin McNeely – Hooked on Speed, Jackson, MO / H-D Shovelhead Chopper
Karlee Cobb – Klock Werks, Mitchell, SD / 2016 Indian Scout Chopper
Len Kodlin – Fred Kodlin Murdercycles, Borken, Germany / 2016 H-D 750 Street Custom
Matt Harris – 40 Cal Customs. Alcoa, TN / 1929 Harley-Davidson JD “Speedster”
Matt Olsen – Carl’s Cycle, Aberdeen, SD / HD Knucklehead
Matt McManus – Carolina Classic Cycle, Indian Land, SC / 1942 H-D Knucklehead
Matt Walksler – Period Modified, Waynesville, NC / 1929 H-D JDH Cut Down Racer
Max Hazen – Hazan Motorworks, Venice, CA / 2005 Supercharged KTM Boardtracker
Nick Pensabene – Mad Pen Cycles, Edgewater, FL / 1974 H-D Shovelhead Chopper
Nikki Martin, Roy’s Toys Customs, Centennial, CO / 1999 H-D EVO Chopper
Paul Miller – PanicRev Customs, Calgary, Canada / 1972 Yamaha XS650 Street Tracker
Peter and Michael Muller, Federal Moto. Chicago, IL / 1983 Honda CX650C Supermoto/Supermotard
Ryan Stephen – Freestyle Supermoto, Racine, WI / 2014 KTM 690 Duke Custom
Savannah Rose – Viola, WI / Rigid H-D Evo (S&S Top End) Sportster Chopper
Steve Dietzman – Studio Cycles, Milwaukee, WI / H-D Shovelhead Chopper
Taco Rodriguez – Taco Kustoms, Daytona Beach, FL / 1962 H-D Retro Panhead Chopper
Terence Musto – Fabbro Industries, LLC., Voorheesville, NY / 1966 H-D Chopper with Integrated Suspension
Zach and Jake Hindes – Prism Supply Co., Charlotte, NC / 1948 H-D Panhead Chopper.
Zach Johnson – Kendall Johnson Customs, Winston-Salem, NC / 1989 H-D FXR Custom
Zach Ness – Arlen Ness Enterprises, Dublin, CA / 225 hp Supercharged Victory

MEET THE ARTISTS

In addition to the custom motorcycles on display, complementary 2-dimensional art hung throughout the hall alongside each motorcycle.

Alex Hamilton, Prescott Valley, AZ/ Biltwell Hemet Painting
Amy Hood – Hoodzpah Design, Newport, CA / Linocuts
Andy Cunningham – Portland, OR / Graphic Illustration and Biltwell Helmet Painting
Brenden Parsons – East Brookfield, MA / Biltwell Helmet Painting
Brittney, Thomas, Oxford, FL
Carter Asmann – Carlsbad, CA / Pencil illustration
Christina Platis – Ace of Hearts Tattoo, Long Beach, CA / Biltwell Helmet Painting
Claudia Liebenberg, South Africa
Cory Jarmin – San Francisco, CA / Ink on Paper
Narihiko “Heeko” Kumagae – Long Beach, CA / Photography
Jody Perewitz – Perewitz Cycle Fabrication. Bridgewater, MA / Biltwell Helmet Painting
Jon Bartels, Milwaukee, WI
Josh Kurpius – Milwaukee, WI / Photography
Kayla Koeune – Inferno Art Studio, Longmont, CO / Oil Paintings, Pen and Ink and Biltwell Helmet Painting
Matt Ross, Orange, CA
Mikey “Revolt” Arnold – Lowbrow Customs. Medina, OH / Photography
Samson Hatae – Thousand Oaks, CA / Photography
Taylor Schultz – Shultz Design, Windsor, CA / Biltwell Helmet Painting

In addition, the exhibit included a Biltwell helmet display with 10 artists each painting one helmet.

Which of these custom builders or artists are you most excited to see at the Old Iron – Young Blood Exhibition? Tell us in the comments below!