Harley-Davidson reveals Creators Custom Clash social media influencer custom build competition
Harley-Davidson has launched a new European custom competition that will see six creators team up with authorised dealers to transform stock motorcycles into one-off bespoke builds.
Harley-Davidson is launching a new European custom bike competition called the Creators Custom Clash, pitting six social media creators against each other in a build-off that blends modern-day influencer culture with old-school custom bike craftsmanship.
Each creator will partner with an authorised Harley-Davidson dealer to turn a standard Harley into a one-off custom machine, with the winning builder getting to keep their finished bike. The competition will run throughout the summer before culminating at European Bike Week in Austria this September.
The idea is simple enough. Six creators from around Europe are each handed a stock Harley-Davidson model and free rein to transform it into their dream build. While the creators bring the styling direction and the social media clout, the heavy lifting on the engineering and fabrication side will obviously come from Harley’s dealer network.
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Representing France is ESKYAS, while Italy’s entry comes from Jack (@jack_nbc). Spain is represented by Javier Gallardo, the UK’s creator is Miles Langford, and the Netherlands brings Arjan van den Boom into the mix. Germany’s challenge entry is slightly different, with a three-person team made up of Pia Tillmann, Zicco Banach and Angelo Carlucci. The bikes available are any H-D cruiser, and the budget for each build is pegged at €15,000.
Harley says the competition is designed to shine a light on the brand’s long-standing custom scene while also tapping into the growing influence of online motorcycle creators and bike-building culture across YouTube and Instagram. It feeds into Harley-Davidson’s latest business strategy, which was recently unveiled by the newly appointed CEO Artie Starrs.
Harley-Davidson’s new “Back to Bricks” strategy is essentially the company focusing on the things it already does best: its dealer network, loyal customer base, big cruisers, accessories and branded clothing. Custom bikes are also intrinsic to Harley’s DNA, which seems to be where Creators Custom Clash stems from.
All six finished bikes will be officially revealed online on June 23, which is also when public voting opens. From there, the creators will spend the summer riding and promoting their bikes while trying to drum up votes from fans and followers.
The final judging takes place at European Bike Week in Faaker See between September 8 and 13, where the bikes will appear together in public for the first time. The overall winner will then be decided using a mix of public votes and scores from an expert judging panel.
More details on the competition and participating creators can be found on the Harley-Davidson Custom Gallery.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
