The performance class winners announced at the recent AMD World Championship were somewhat interesting, to say the least. The bike we recently featured from BTR Moto placed third after the first place winner from AFT Customs and the second place finisher from Brew Bikes. The first place winner, powered by a Honda VT750 BR V-Twin was built by the ‘AFT Girls’ – a group of female motorcycle enthusiasts and part-time models. Hmm, …
The second place bike from Brew Bikes, a 1971 Honda CB 350, has, according to the press release, set class mile records and only cost some $1,800 in bought parts. Not a bad looking build and, for the money, certainly seems to live up to the spirit of the performance class.
Curt Winter’s build we’ve already covered and, based on what we can see, it should have no trouble turning in some excellent performance numbers of its own.
The press release quoted below says this:
competitors and selected VIP judges voting an unprecedented three-way tie for the win in the class, with the one, two, three determined by judging preference count-back.
I’m not sure what a “judging preference count-back” is, but I’m pretty sure those part time models think it’s a great way to determine the winner of the performance class.
AMD press release follows:
AFT Customs of Jackson, California (www.aftcustoms.com) won the Performance Custom Class at the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building for the second year running – the first time any custom bike builder has retained a Championship crown since Roger Goldammer took a second World Championship FreeStyle win in 2005, and one of two winners to achieve it at this year’s 9th annual AMD World Championship (the other was in the Production Manufacturer Class).
Called “Halia”, the winning Honda VT 750 BR engined ‘Street Tracker’ was built by the ‘AFT Girls’ – a group of female motorcycle enthusiasts and part-time models who have trained at college and at Jim Guiffra’s AFT Customs to hone their workshop and custom motorcycle skills to great effect!
The class was closely fought, with competitors and selected VIP judges voting an unprecedented three-way tie for the win in the class, with the one, two, three determined by judging preference count-back.
Second place was taken by Steve Garn (BREW Bikes of Creston, North Carolina, USA – www.brewracingframes.com) with “9605” (the bike’s race number) a race prepared 1971 Honda CB 350 that has set class mile records which only cost some $1,800 in bought parts!
Third in the class was taken by noted Big Twin performance engineer Curt Winter (BTRmoto – www.btrmoto.com) of Hayward, California, whose “BTR GP” featured a Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88 engine in a custom trellis race-style frame with aluminum swingarm, inverted Showa front-end and proprietary BTR 5 speed drivetrain.
sfan says
Meet the girl: http://www.aftcustoms.com/
mikesundrop says
Wow! Built by hot girls! I wish my wife knew how to put a bearing in a tire, that must be tough!
Right.
anon says
I’d certainly believe that whoever shaped that tank doesn’t have family jewels…
Jack says
I’ve been following this site and the AMD show for years. There’s been a lot of anticipation to see a custom that can perform. Goldammer started to push the performance custom but he’s stayed away since ’08. The cafe bike & the BTR bike are great, but those results?
Tin Man says
The 1st place silver bike shows some sheet metal skills but is a dangerous design, Right up there with some stupid pointed gas caps I’ve seen. The little Honda is cool, but the third bike shows the most to me. Nice work folks.
JoeKing says
Judging by the err..non-oem physiques of the builders I have an idea what AFT stands for?
Raquel says
So much for AFT’s tag line, “do you have the stonesto ride metric”
MacKenzie says
I say – where is the radiator on that AFT tracker? That little V-Twin looks sorta cool, like a nekkid H-D, skinny and finless. But somehow, somewhere …… gotta get rid of that heat!
Mike
Wave says
It looks like the radiator is probably sitting vertically underneath the seat, since there’s a big scoopy cowling there.
The CB350 would have easily won it for me, it’s beautiful!
OMMAG says
OK … so I’m cynical ….. but :
1- Looks to me like Jimbo has discovered a way to meet lots of women.
2 – The judging …. for the AMD event leaves lots of discretion to qualities that have nothing to do with bikes.
But hey!
joe says
You can tell the top one was built by feminists,sorry girls.That tank is designed to de nut any male who hits the front brake hard.OOOOOcccccchhhhh
Duncan Moore says
“I’m not sure what a “judging preference count-back†is.”
As I’m involved directly with AMD I can comment on this. All the builders, plus invited judges (industry folk), are asked to pick a selcetion of bikes and place them in order; 1, 2, 3., etc. The judging forms are then collected and points awarded for each placing. This year the top three placed builders in the Performance Class all had the same total score, the count back (or if you like tie break) was simply who had the most 1st places on the judging sheets.
what says
What are the odds of that happening? I still dont get whoever had the most 1st place votes…wasnt there a supposed tie to begin with?
Tom Lyons says
I like #3 from BTR best, and #2 from Brew next.
I think the #1 bike has some issues I don’t like, such as the tank shape, and the high front fender looks completely out of place. Maybe it’s just me, but I would have reversed the order of 1,2,3.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
I think there are a lot of folks that would agree with you, I’m one of them. Something seems to have gone awry in the judging.
Nicolas says
I don’t know about you guys, but I haven’t build something that cool (yet), I don’t know any builder who looks as good as the above mentioned team, I’m not a industry professional, so I’ll not dare to argue about the palmares of this competition. All these bikes are nicem each in its own way.
Tyler S says
That bike by AFT customs is really catching my eye. A perfect meld of my love for V-Twins mixed up with a lighter, more agile frame? I’m in love =D
rohorn says
Is it the “Performance” class or “Performers” class?
Oberon says
I just want to know where I can get a vintage CB350 like bike #2. How come nobody makes stripped-down one-lung road bikes any more?
Oberon says
Okay, I might grudgingly count the 250 Ninja.
Tom Lyons says
See what you think about this:
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2011/02/28/ace-fireball-cafe-racer-part-2/
It’s a one lunger with some guts, on a vintage Brit single type platform, and we can make it as stripped down as you want.
Oberon says
I like that.
I also like this:
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2010/05/19/ryca-cs-1-suzuki-s40-cafe-conversion/
The Suzuki 650 one-lung motor doesn’t have the old-school look that the Enfield’s got, but the bike makes up into a cleaner-looking build overall to my way of thinking. It is likely more dependable too.
ian says
Honestly there’s nothing performance about the 1st place bike at all I mean its running a drum rear brake and has almost zero suspension on top of that the styling sucks. The cl350 definitely rocks that’s oldschool performance 2nd place well deserved. The btr has it all a low tech oldschool styled power plant (cool) that can produce decent power and a totally modern tricked out sport performance chassis. The btr should have taken this class easily unless it had some serious quality issues.
Bob says
Something must have been lost in translation. I see NONE of the styling cues nomally associated with a “street tracker”. As I expect most of us here know that street trackers were designed to give you that flat track race bike look, this thing is totally out in left field. A tracker has to have an upright riding position with semi-wide high bars, a la motocross and look at the rake in the front end. Someone needs to direct these girls and the JUDGES over to MULE motorcycles website to see what a PROPER tracker looks like.