King of Kings – the ultimate custom battle
After many epic Battle of the Kings contests across the globe, the famed Harley-Davidson annual dealer custom build-off competition is set to conclude with one final showdown. This year sees 14 previous winners come together to battle for the ultimate crown and bragging rights.
Representing UK & Ireland for the King of Kings competition are Peterborough-based Sycamore Harley-Davidson® and Sykes Harley-Davidson® from East Sussex.
Sycamore Harley-Davidson® took the 2018 national BotK crown with “Alley Rat”, an urban brawler-styled Sportster® Forty-Eight®. In the previous year, Sykes Harley-Davidson® came through as the overall winner of the UK & Ireland 2017 BotK competition with “Beach Bobber” – a customised Sportster Forty-Eight topped with beach buggy styling cues.
The competition has always showcased the very best in customisation capability and the creativity of the Custom Kings, who can be found at every Harley-Davidson® dealership globally. In 2019 the Custom King crown was taken by Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson® with their stunning Softail® Sport Glide®-based build “FXGTS Coast Glide”.
The King of Kings grand final will use the iconic Sportster® platform as the donor for customisation. Since 1957, the Harley-Davidson® Sportster® has served as the perfect blank canvas for more custom bikes than any other. With its classic lines, characterful Evolution™ V-Twin motor and a huge selection of Genuine Harley-Davidson Parts & Accessories, building your perfect bobber, café racer, tracker or chopper is within easy reach. To further inspire competition amongst the dealers, previous competition rules surrounding budget and parts have been lifted.
King of Kings will be contested by a single round of global online voting. Votes can be cast from March 4th at www.h-d.com/customkings. The ultimate winner and 2020 King of Kings will be announced at the end of April.
Jon Bekefy, GM of Global Brand Marketing at Harley-Davidson Motor Company is already looking forward to the contest: “The Battle of the Kings has been an incredible showcase for the customisation DNA that is at the core of our brand. It inspires our dealers to show just what is possible but also inspires customers globally that they can have a truly unique motorcycle – whatever the scale of their budget. After years of fantastic competition, we can’t wait to see what the previous winners from all over the globe will build this year!”
