J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS)

Tim Dixon Scoops ‘King of Builders’ Title at J&P UBCBS Championship Round, Chicago

The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) series, featuring the 2018-2019 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS), reached a crescendo at Chicago on February 17 with the final in the seven-event series featuring the championship round.
The championship round Freestyle class saw the win and ‘King of the Builders’ crown and $10,000 cash prize being taken by Tim Dixon of Gas Axe Chop Shop, Ten Mile, Tennessee, with the bike that saw him take the win at New York earlier in the series - a Shovelhead powered ground-up new build hardtail chopper with Springer front end that oozes class, detail and authenticity in equal measure.

The championship round Freestyle class saw the win and ‘King of the Builders’ crown and $10,000 cash prize being taken by Tim Dixon of Gas Axe Chop Shop

Second place was taken by Wayne Burgess with his radically raked, hot rod themed 2006 Shovelhead.
Now in its ninth year, the J&P UBCBS is an “elite-level custom motorcycle builder competition featuring hundreds of builders across the IMS tour, cultivating the custom scene and offering builders a chance of thousands in cash and prizes across the tour”. Those prizes included a Harley-Davidson motor, a pair of Arlen Ness wheels, an HMC lift, Michelin tires and more.
“It is a pleasure to witness the most breathtaking custom motorcycles from across the nation displayed throughout the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show competition,” said Bob Kay, Director, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. “The builders’ hard work and passion is evident through the sheer creativity and artistry that each bike encompasses. This year’s reigning champion, Tim Dixon, stood out in the championship round with a 2018 Custom Chopper.”
Winners were selected based upon “creativity, craftsmanship and building ability” by a panel of judges that included Show Director Bob Kay, Kevin Dunworth (Loaded Gun Customs, Selbyville, DE), former UBCBS champion Kyle Shorey (Shadetree Fabrications, Southlake, TX), Mark Cresswell (organizer of the annual Cherokee Blue Ridge Run) and Max Ness.
At the time of his New York win, Tim Dixon, who collaborated with painter Leatherwood Motorcycle Works, told AMD Magazine that he had made every piece he possibly could on this build, which also won the AMD Championship affiliate custom bike show at the Cherokee Blue Ridge Run in September 2018, scooping Tim the chance to return to the AMD World Championship in Germany in October 2020 for a second straight time.
For the wheels, Tim started with blank rims from Ledsled and then made hubs, spokes and flanges, all welded with steel then silicone bronze, with brass sleeves made for each spoke and pressed in.
Tim told AMD: “I made a narrow springer with tapered rear legs, custom risers, bars and integrated an internal throttle into the handlebars and fabricated some leather grips from seat material scraps. I made the bronze inlayed headlight and have used a Wagner yellow bulb, and came up with a ‘61 Corvette parking light lens for the tail light.
“The frame was also my design, wishbone style, with drilled solid downtubes, oval shaped neck with an oval copper badge with my logo; I handmade the split gas tanks, designed my own stainless tank fill, billet caps, oval oil tank and copper hard line plumbing. My custom design oil filter with bronze inlay uses a stock Shovelhead oil filter, and I’ve used banjo fittings for all the plumbing. I managed to source a vintage Performance Machine rear caliper and have custom designed the foot controls, hidden late model master cylinder and a billet battery mount (under the transmission).
“My engine of choice was the 96” S&S Shovelhead style engine with Morris magneto, S&S carb, custom stainless air cleaner, 4-speed Harley transmission, 3” BDL belt drive, hydraulic clutch, Roland Sands master cylinder and a 2 into 1 stainless exhaust. The seat was made and covered by my wife Angie in natural leather with brushed stainless insert.
“The paint is Tamco custom mixed colors with gold leaf by Leatherwood Motorcycle Works in Memphis, TN; the chrome final polish was done by Atlantic Coast Plating in Athens, TN, with powder-coat clear on the polished parts by Southern Powderkoating in Benton, TN.”

Freestyle runner-up was taken by Wayne Burgess and Connery’s Custom Paint with a 2006 Shovelhead, hot rod themed digger called “Nancy.” The motorcycle hosted a polished Shovelhead, diamond-cut heads, custom exhaust, Mooneyes control pedals, taillight, front rotor, brass accents and more.

Custom Retro winner Anthony Robinson of Anthony Robinson Gasoline & Coffee won $1,500 and prizes with a 1966 Triumph T-100 hosting a 500 cc parallel twin, engraved with an open primary belt drive.

Custom Harley-Davidson winner Eric Bennet of Bennett’s Performance Inc. took home $2,000 and prizes with a 1977 Harley-Davidson frame. The water-cooled engine was the front engine out of the Jammer Streamliner that set the AMA record at 276.376 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in October 1978.

Custom Street winner Juan Rodriguez won $1,500 and prizes with a 2004 Suzuki Hayabusa, featuring a 300 fat tire kit, custom paint with airbrushing, LED lights, front and rear air suspension, molded front windscreen, custom front fender, polished frame, custom front rotor, chrome everywhere, plexiglass grade bar with LED lights and custom seats.