Ventura Nationals 2022

Ventura Nationals 2022. We're back after COVID. This is the 19th annual and while this is known as a car show really, they do have awesome custom bikes, as we see here. This Shovelhead built by Mike over at Olive Street Specials and what I love about this build is he actually inverted the fishtails on the exhaust and the sissy bar that's not connected at the top. I've been to a lot of custom bike shows.

I've built bikes myself. I've never thought of that nor have I ever seen anyone else think of that, also. That's the kind of innovation that's coming out of the West coast and the Ventura area as well. Custom engraving, it's such a detailed part that you really have to get up close to appreciate it. And when builders go as far as tying in the theme of the build with custom engraving, it really does set a build apart as we see here.

Also, we have a custom molded frame and this little mini springer I've never seen a springer done like this before and it's just stunning. The skinny trees off the top, the engraved headlight that ties in that theme of buzzard to the heads. Again, details upon details upon details seen here at Ventura Nationals. Now this build right here, Sportster Chopper, you know, hard tail rear, but the detail on the brass chain, the schroeder, so the sprocket and brake put together, the brass on the tank the brass breather bolts, the brass fork tops the brass clips on the exhaust. Really just tying things together with those accent brass pegs.

The build on this was very intelligent and very well thought out, and that's why this bike is here at the Ventura Nationals, built by Michael Valarde. While we do love Harley's, a good skinny Chop is a good skinny Chop. Here we see this awesome custom Triumph chopper super narrowed, custom frame, super drawn out front end. A great looking build is a great looking build. Regardless, it's a Harley or a classic Triumph.

Of course, we love custom choppers and custom bikes but actually bringing a bike back to life to the original specs and restoring a bike like this Panhead right here is one of the most difficult things to do as a builder and is obviously one of the most respected things in the industry. This is a gorgeous Panhead resto we have right here, you know, running the original Pogo style seat even getting that little old schooled Harley tank badge right there. And then going here even older to a Flathead, a little Flathead Chop. You know, it's crazy looking at the old Harley's and just like, size wise compared to newer bikes just how tiny they are. And when you don't overbuild a frame and you respect the size of the motor and you get a skinny chop like this especially now we have a spark plug that's on top of the head as opposed to on the side and letting that breathe, putting a narrow tank on a lot of thought, killer invader wheels on this running leather custom floorboards.

Just details upon details upon details. When I saw this Panhead on display, I had a little chuckle. The title says 1950 ish Panhead and they called it pandemic. I think that so many of us gear heads were just locked in our garages. Thinking, building, collecting.

What parts do we have on the shelf? What parts do we have on the bike? What parts do we need to order online? And the pandemic, it was horrible but it gave us the chance to be stuck in our garages and make some killer bikes like this Panhead right here with art deco tank graphic paying homage to old school Harley Davidson and but talk about old school Harley Davidson. What is better than a Knucklehead?

The classic motor that defined the motor company in this beautiful, beautiful chop right here. Custom, custom tank, gold flake, custom bars tying in the gold on the grips. Again, invader wheels are the name of the game this year. Just insane details, crazy. The pipes that go through the frame and then of course, ending with another restoration.

But this time a Knucklehead. Again, the pogo seat, the old school bags the oil tank badge. Just stunning restoration. Stunning custom build. Ventura Nationals 2022.

It was so great to be back. It was so great to be back under sun under the palm trees, surrounded by custom art, custom culture, and pure horsepower. This is one of the defacto best custom shows to check out if you're on the West Coast. And until next time, ride safe, wrench safe. See you on the road.