American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 230 September 2018 | Page 16

Industry Veteran Bob Kay to Host United States’ Largest Custom Motorcycle Competition The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) has announced the return of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS) to the 2018-2019 IMS Tour. UBCBS is an elite-level custom motorcycle builder competition featuring more than 400 motorcycles and with more than $100,000 cash and prizes awarded across the tour, the largest prize package in the United States. The competition will be held at all seven stops on the IMS Tour with the championship round taking place February 17 in Chicago, Illinois. The 9th annual UBCBS will be hosted by Bob Kay, a well-known and highly respected member of the American Custom and V-Twin motorcycle community. Kay, himself a partner in a Texas custom bike shop and no stranger to building custom bikes, has a long history in the custom motorcycle business as a parts and accessories distributor, motorcycle manufacturer, business consultant and technical advisor. He organized his first charity custom bike show in the mid 80s during the Laconia Rally. He continued with charity bike shows in Sturgis, South Dakota and has been a mainstay of the team that organizes the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building for more than a decade. In 2010 he helped IMS launch the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show to showcase the best custom bikes in the country. Kay is looking forward to re- joining the Progressive International Motorcycle Show for the 2018-2019 tour as the director of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. “The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows understands and caters to the custom builder community,” said Bob Kay, Director, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. “I am excited to once again lead the charge in providing this community with a platform to display their skills and artistic ability, while rewarding the best in the industry for their talents.” Since its inception during the 2010- 2011 IMS Tour, the UBCBS has awarded over $660,000 in cash and prizes. This year’s competition will take place at every stop on the IMS Tour and feature four categories - Freestyle, Custom Retro, Custom Street and Custom Harley. Judged by a panel of industry experts, winners in every city along the IMS 16 Tour will be invited to compete in the championship round in Chicago for a chance to be crowned ‘King of the Builders.’ Last year, a group of eight veterans from the non-profit organization Motorcycle Missions were crowned champions and awarded $20,000 in cash and prizes. “The J&P Cycles Ultimate Buil