IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 12, 2024 — The first five of the nation’s top custom builders have been selected to display their works at AIMExpo’s 2 Wheel Custom Showcase, where their latest showpieces will be seen by industry leaders, dealers, the aftermarket community, and media. VAHNA magazine will also be part of the showcase, choosing a builder and bike to be featured in the VAHNA Insider channel when the powersports industry’s premier trade show hits Las Vegas, February 5-7, 2025.
“We can’t wait to see the two-wheeled works of art that the builders will be unveiling,” said Derek Mayberry, Publisher of VAHNA, which produces a specialty print publication and hosts an annual motorcycle film festival. “I know it was very difficult to pick which builders would be coming, and it’s going to be even harder to choose a favorite from these bikes.”
The first five builders are:
David Chang of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chang is founder of CROIG, or caferacersofinstagram, a page with over 1 million followers that features custom builds and events within the motorcycle community. His latest projects include Build for Good, a campaign inviting motorcycle builders to craft a one-of-a-kind motorcycle that will be raffled off to fund clean water projects. He is also organizing the Wango Tango Show, a custom Honda Gold Wing showcase set to debut at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. When not traveling the world on two wheels, Chang is working on projects at the Moto Collective in northeast Minneapolis.
David Chang
@caferacersofinstagram
Oliver Jones of Long Beach, California. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Jones now works at his shop in Long Beach, California, where he has been building motorcycles since 2008. A nine-time Born-Free invited builder, Jones has earned accolades such as Best in Show, Best Invited Builder, Best Modern, Best Japanese, and three first-place awards at the FXR Show. He has collaborated with Harley-Davidson on custom builds and other projects and has been a featured builder at the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show by Mooneyes. His work has been showcased in publications including Easyriders, Hot Bike, Custom Bike (Germany), and Riser (Japan). For more on his builds, visit his YouTube channel, THECUTRATE.
Oliver Jones
@thecutrate
Roy Martin of Denver, Colorado. Martin, a Denver native, is a self-taught welder and fabricator with more than 35 years of experience in the custom car scene and 30 years building custom motorcycles. In 1994, he founded Roy’s Toys Customs, where his daughter, Nikki, now serves as CEO and custom builder, and his son, Anthony, works as an apprentice. Their builds have been featured at the Harley-Davidson Museum Pro Invitational Custom Bike Show, AIMExpo, and the Progressive IMS show circuit. Roy and Nikki participated in the first-ever ROT Rally “Daughters of Custom Build-Off” and Motorcycle Missions' Build 13, a State Farm 100th anniversary project. Roy’s Toys Customs also created a military-themed motorcycle for Warrior Voices, a nonprofit supporting veterans. After 21 years as a machinist and 22 years in law enforcement, Roy now dedicates his time to his passion at Roy’s Toys Customs.
Roy Martin
@roystoyscustoms
Mike Rabideau of Las Vegas, Nevada. Building custom motorcycles since 2003, Rabideau has been inspired by a lifelong passion that began with trail bikes, dirt bikes, and street bikes. Growing up in Racine, Wisconsin, near Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee headquarters, fostered his appreciation for custom builds and their possibilities. Now based in Las Vegas, Rabideau owns Majik Mike’s Designs and is one of two builders at Count’s Kustoms, featured on the TV series “Counting Cars.” His achievements include winning the first Hot Bike Tour in 2014 with a fully custom trike and earning accolades such as Cycle Source magazine’s In Motion show winner and Best Knucklehead at Born-Free 11. He recently won the Spirit of the Chip Award at AIMExpo 2024 with a red-and-gold 1979 Shovelhead. In October 2024, he was an invited builder for the High Seas Rally, where he gave away a custom build to a lucky winner.
Mike Rabideau
@majikmikesdesigns
Cristian Sosa of Las Vegas, Nevada. For more than 20 years, Sosa, owner of Sosa Metal Works, has been creating innovative metalwork designs in Las Vegas. A former lead metal fabricator at Count’s Kustoms and featured on the Discovery Channel series “Counting Cars,” Cristian opened Sosa Metal Works with his brother, Roberto, in 2012. A master craftsman in fabrication and metal shaping, he specializes in one-of-a-kind motorcycles, suspension systems, sheet metal work, and custom metal pieces, attracting clients from across the U.S. and beyond.
Cristian Sosa
@sosametalworks
Ten builders in total will be selected for the 2 Wheel Custom Showcase, with the final builders being announced in January. The showcase is a space where every segment and lifestyle of the powersports industry can be explored and shows how vehicles and parts are being used on the street level. Custom bikes and their owners are often the first to inspire people to consider motorcycling, sparking an interest in a “cool” setting that melds fashion, personality, trends, creativity, and technology.
“The showcase connects all the dots — showing how an end user might use products from our exhibitors to create a one-of-a-kind motorcycle that reflects their individualism,” said Andre Albert, Director of Marketing at the MIC. “Custom bikes touch every aspect of our industry, from manufacturers to aftermarket, dealer support, builders, and specialty services. Many successful dealerships embrace the idea of the motorcycle as a medium that can really be personalized, even offering paint and accessory programs only available through their dealership.”
In 2024, AIMExpo showcased nine builders who had more than 320,000 Instagram followers combined. Their reach helped expose AIMExpo exhibitors to wider audiences and put AIMExpo in the digital conversation surrounding customization.
“The custom world is thriving, with each generation of builders inspiring millions of potential riders through social media and on the streets,” said bike builder Kevin Dunworth, curator of the 2 Wheel Custom Showcase. “Bringing the builders and motorcycles to our trade show allows for conversation and education on multiple platforms, highlighting how the industry can support this massive part of motorcycle culture and serve the customers who are looking to individualize their bikes. The 2 Wheel Custom Showcase also allows for a space on the floor that offers a unique experience focused on the artistic segment of the industry."
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