Harley-Davidson Bangkok wins the international „Battle of the Kings“ contest 2018 with a fascinating custom bike
- Grand international finale of the competition at the EICMA motorcycle trade fair in Milan
- Harley-Davidson Bangkok was represented in the competition for the first time
- In a field of more than 300 machines, „The Prince“ based on a Street Bob was awarded the „Custom King“ crown
- The impressive finalists from Harley-Davidson Adelaide, Australia, and Harley-Davidson Bologna, Italy, can also be admired at EICMA
- The 2019 edition of the „Battle of the Kings“ contest will include US retailers for the first time
The Thai dealer Harley-Davidson Bangkok was crowned champion of the 2018 international custom bike build-off contest at the EICMA motorcycle trade fair in Milan with its entry „The Prince“. „The Prince“ is a cool, clean and contemporary interpretation of the classic chopper based on a 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Bob. Thailand was represented in the competition for the first time this year, which makes the performance of the Harley-Davidson Bangkok team all the more impressive.
The Battle of the Kings is a custom bike contest for Harley-Davidson dealers. In 2018, more than 300 dealers from over 30 countries competed for the crown of international Custom King. The rules were simple: the dealers were asked to customize a Harley-Davidson professionally. The total budget for customizing was strictly limited and the parts used had to come largely from the extensive Harley-Davidson accessories catalog. Around 150,000 fans voted for the national champions in an online poll at the beginning of the year. The three international finalists were selected by a jury of experts, including journalists and custom bike builders.
These three were Harley-Davidson Adelaide with the „Back to the Track“ based on a roadster, Harley-Davidson Bologna with the „Farm Machine“ and „The Prince“ from Thailand. The grand finale took place at the EICMA in Milan, where all three machines were presented at the Harley-Davidson stand.
The task of selecting the international winner fell to a team of seven from the Harley-Davidson Styling and Design Division, led by Brad Richards, Vice President of Styling and Design. „It wasn't an easy job for us to choose a winner from these three impressive machines,“ admits Richards. „In the end, the clean lines and perfect technical execution tipped the scales in favor of ‚The Prince’ - by a single vote. This machine really shows what is possible and what our dealers are capable of. Congratulations to the Harley-Davidson Bangkok team, especially as this was their first time in the competition. We are all happy for you!“
Steve Lambert, Director of International Marketing, honored the winner, presented the trophy of the 2018 „Battle of the Kings“ contest and handed it over to employees of the Thai dealership.
„The Battle of the Kings is an impressive demonstration of how much expertise our dealers have in building custom bikes,“ explains Lambert. „And with over 300 entrants from 30 countries, this year's competition was the most amazing yet. We see three fantastic finalists here - very different bikes, yet all built to identical competition rules. Looking at the variety of entries from all over the world, you can see the long tradition of our company and our dealers in building custom motorcycles. Congratulations to all the finalists, especially the team from Harley-Davidson Bangkok - a fantastic achievement!“
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„The Prince“
The team at Harley-Davidson Bangkok opted for the Street Bob to combine classic lines with modern technology. The 70s look was achieved by chopping the front and rear fenders and integrating parts from other Harley-Davidson model ranges. For example, the tank from a Forty-Eight and the handlebars from a Roadster were used. The 21-inch front wheel and the 16-inch wheel at the rear with a custom-made 5-spoke look underline the character of the machine, while the re-routing of lines and cables does the rest.
The gold on black color scheme is intended to recall the black leather jacket, which is closely associated with the chopper, as well as the name „The Prince“. A golden crown on the fuel filler cap and correspondingly crowned valve caps pay tribute to this. Close up, the gold-colored powder coating on the pushrod tubes, the rocker box inserts and the air filter grille also catch the eye. These components were chrome-plated before powder coating to achieve the fascinating shiny effect. The redesigned solo seat is upholstered in leather with gold-colored stitching. To „de-chrome“ the bike, clutch and ignition covers from the Parts and Accessories Brass Collection were used, while floating brake discs, black levers and anodized footrests and grips ensure a modern and powerful look.
The result is a fascinating, unique street bob that deserves the crown.
Battle of the Kings 2019
Now that a custom king has been crowned, it's time to ring in next year's competition. In 2019, the „Battle of the Kings“ contest will be bigger than ever as the USA enters the battle for the international crown for the first time. With even more dealers, an even wider range of bikes to choose from - including touring models - and more original accessories available than ever before, the world's biggest customizing competition is now going completely global. Further information can be found at customkings.harley-davidson.com.
