American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 232 November 2018 | Page 30

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Pavel Malanik
CZECH
REPUBLIC
Pavel Malanik
‘Beast of Brooklands’
Mala Malk, Finland
Kopteri Magazine
I felt very honored to be asked again to pick my
favourite of the bikes at the 13th AMD World
Championship of Custom Bike Building. It is really a
hard choice between about 100 very fine custom
built motorcycles.
This time there were two personal favourites of mine.
As I was wondering whether I have to flip a coin,
Robin Bradley of AMD helped me out telling that it’ll
be all right to pick two bikes. I can tell you, I was
relieved.
The first one of my selection of two is a Knucklehead
named SourKraut. It is owned by Jesse Dickinson and
built by Jordan Dickinson of Union Speed and Style
at Monticello, MN, USA.
The heart of this beautiful bike is a Harley-Davidson
1947 EL Knucklehead motor. The rigid frame is a
Union Speed and Style work and the front end is a
narrowed Harley-Davidson VL fork. The laced wheels
are a classical combo of 19” front and 16” rear, both
with old school tires.
I am attracted by the simple clean style of this bike.
When you first look at it, you could easily think it’d
be an old factory racer or a prototype from
somewhere in the 1930s. Of course, pretty much
everything in this motorcycle is hand made. But it
says something about the good taste and harmony
the builder has been able to deliver in this work, that
one can play with the idea that this bıke could have
Jordan Dickinson
‘SourKraut’
30
been an early one-off work
from the Motor Company
itself.
Some of the elements to
make this bike look so good
and have that balanced
stance, are fine metal work
- for example the fender is
exactly right to make it feel
like it’s from the old days -
and the intelligent mix of
painted and plated parts.
I’m a big friend of bobber
style and when it comes to
old motorcycles, I also give a great value to
both original and restored stock bikes. At the same
time it is refreshing to see a Knucklehead that is built
in a rather different way - still distinctly old school. I
feel a lot of jazz in this beautiful custom motorcycle
the Union Speed and Style have put together. I’m
sure this bike looks even better when moving. Just
dig it!
The other bike I had especially warm feelings for
came to Cologne all the way from Indonesia. Called
‘Pantastico’ and was built by Kickass Choppers of
Jakarta, Indonesia. I was told that the builder is
known as “Veroland” and this beautiful bike is
owned by “Desu”.
Union Speed
and Style
USA
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - NOVEMBER 2018
Veroland
‘Pantastico’
The base of this motorcycle is a 1200 cc
Harley-Davidson Panhead motor in a full
chrome plated 1948 Harley Wishbone frame.
It seems like this is a Springer year for my bike
picks, as even this bike carries one. The wheels
that give so much character to this bike are 18
x 3” aluminium 12 spoke Radirs in the exact
style of those old school drag race car
magnesium wheels. The tires are traditional
style Firestones.
Some of the other components ‘Pantastico’ features
are a small peanut gas tank with a knock off style
gas cap and a short rear fender, both with chrome
trims and good forms. One of the details to be
mentioned done by the “different way” is the left
side pipes.
This is a tight bike with successful lines. I guess the
Japanese “zero style” might have been some source
of inspiration for this build. I like the balance and
beauty of the ensemble very much. This includes
carefully considered solutions and uncompromising
work on the details. I like it very much.
Kickass Choppers
INDONESIA
www.AMDchampionship.com