STURGIS, SD (August 6, 2018) –Indian Motorcycle unveiled its final three custom builds from The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build Off at the legendary Buffalo Chip during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The national custom motorcycle competition, which was designed to spotlight non-professional builders who wrench for the passion and not the pay, awarded three finalists with a 2018 Indian Scout Bobber and a $10,000 build budget. Each builder had three months to turn their stock motorcycle in to one-off works of custom motorcycle art.
A judging panel of professional builders and experts, including Roland Sands, Satya Kraus, Jason Paul Michaels and Hot Bike Editor-in-Chief Jordan Mastagni selected 12 semi-finalists from more than 100 submissions. Each semi-finalist was showcased online for a fan vote to determine the three finalists. After viewing sketches and renderings, the fan-favorites that arose included a NASA engineer from Las Cruces, NM, an OSHA safety inspector from Avon, OH, and a mechanical engineer from Buffalo, NY.
“These builders blew us away with their commitment to the program, their build and overall finished product,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director for Indian Motorcycle. “Each one of them made significant sacrifices and adjustments to their daily lives. They put in countless hours, long nights and a ton of work to meet the deadline. We cannot thank them enough for their time, energy and investment into the program.”
The three finished Scout Bobber custom motorcycles are currently showcased on IndianMotorcycle.com. Fans have until August 16th to vote for their favorite and help select the grand prize winner, who will be announced via social media on August 21st.
The following provides further detail on each builder, their inspiration and statement, as well as a comprehensive list of specs and modifications for their build.
CUSTOMIZER: PJ Grakauskas – Age 39 | Avon, OH
PJ is a family man from Ohio working as a safety inspector for OSHA, but it’s inside the shed in his backyard where his real passions are fed. With several polished and refined café racers under his belt, the Scout Bobber was a totally unique platform for him.
INSPIRATION:
Growing up on two wheels and hanging around racetracks and garages most of his childhood, PJ wanted to pay homage to his past and the riders he looked up to. Highlighted by its handmade full fairing, his build is inspired by vintage racing with a modern performance sensibility.
MODIFICATIONS:
•Custom knee indented Scout tank- Raw Iron Choppers (Jesse Srpan)
•Custom handmade fiberglass molded full fairing with belly pan
•Custom quick release brackets for full fairing
•2007 GSXR front end
•Cognito Moto offset triple trees (50mm)
•Cognito Moto front fender
•Front 18” Sun Rim with stainless spokes wheel with Cognito Moto hub for GSXR setup
•Rear 18” Sun Rim with stainless spokes laced to Indian Motorcycle accessory available hub
•Chain conversion (530 Gold)
•Joker Machine front drive sprocket cover
•Woodcraft clip-ons with Avon grips
•Relocated and modified stock foot controls to rear
•Custom low-profile café style seat with upholstery (New Church Moto)
•12” rear Ohlins suspension
•Custom 2-1 exhaust with SuperTrapp aluminum race muffler
•Beringer complete brake system front and rear, including Aerotech calipers and master cylinders in gold
•Pirelli Sport Demon tires
•Zipper’s intake
•DynoJet Power Commander
•Analog Motorcycles rear light and mini LED signals
•Powder coated bits (6th City Customs in Cleveland)
•Custom paint and body work (Kacey Elkins of Krossover Kustoms in Lancaster, KY) 
BUILDER STATEMENT:
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be building a custom motorcycle for such a great company with a storied history. It’s an honor and a privilege to represent us little guys working in their small garages and sheds. I am truly humbled by the whole experience. So many thanks need to go out to so many friends and family, but most importantly my supportive wife, Lauren! Looking forward to putting a ton of miles on this fun machine.”
CUSTOMIZER: Alfredo Juarez – Age 34 | Las Cruces, NM
Alfredo, aka Fred, is a NASA engineer based in Las Cruces, N.M. He started wrenching at the age of 12, but his fabrication journey began in college, building bikes and hot rods for his friends, and making all of the tools and tables he needed to do the job right. He spends his work days building things like flammability testing chambers, which makes the complex designs and ideas he drew up for this build seem simple.
INSPIRATION:
Fred has been inspired by a number of different mechanical works of art, both in and out of the motorcycle industry. Among the things that drew his inspiration were the Indian Scout FTR1200 Custom, RSD Indian Scout Customs and David Beckham’s garage company, Knuckle.
MODIFICATIONS:
•Built 4130 Chromoly 1” OD x 0.095 wall (two piece utilizing stressed member engine design)
•Troy Fabrication chain tensioner
•Built 1020 DOM 7/8” OD x 0.120 wall girder front end (built all components)
•All Balls upper and lower steering bearings
•Built 1.75” 304 SS exhaust system (open headers) Summit Racing J-bends
•Modified tank to cover frame tunnel
•Scout Sixty “Indian” script badges
•4.5” Hogworkz Blackout Halo passing light
•Built copper headlight fairing with mounted speedo
•Built left and right copper body panels
•Built 0.125” seat pan
•Victory CRF450R aluminum hubs (21” front spokes rethreaded and cut to fit 19 rim)
•Excel 19×2.15” 36H front rim
•Excel 19×2.15” 32H rear rim
•Tusk front and rear rotors
•5” over rear brake line Earl’s brakes
•Tires – Dunlop K70 3.50-19 front and rear
•JTR 816-52 final drive 530 sprocket
•D.I.D. 530 gold o-ring chain
•6061 aluminum spacer/hub adapter
•Zippers primary 530 sprocket
•Zippers intake manifold with open element K&N filter
•Radiator express CRF450R radiators
•2x Spal 4” radiator fans
•Reversed and inverted handlebars modified to accept stock controls
•V-Twin – Shorty 1-1/2″ handlebar risers
BUILDER STATEMENT:
“This experience has been amazing inside and out. It’s been a huge blessing for myself and my family. I’m proud of the final product, not only for all the work I’ve put into it, but for all the work my family has put in and the sacrifices they have made to allow me to focus on this over the last three months. My dad’s time and support on this project has allowed my daughter to spend quality time with her grandpa. My wife painted the tank, which she’s never done before, but we had all the confidence considering her creative talents. My family and I are so very thankful for this opportunity and we’d like to thank all those involved on making this dream a reality.”
CUSTOMIZER: Christian Newman – Age 36 | Buffalo, NY
Christian, a mechanical engineer of mining equipment from upstate New York, is an incredibly creative amateur builder who shook up the chopper scene with his recent build of a 1940 V-twin fabricated almost entirely out of stainless steel. He uses many old-world techniques which are more painstaking than most modern methods but require a more intensive attention to detail and higher level of craftsmanship.
INSPIRATION:
Christian’s build is inspired by old school choppers from the 1960s and 1980s. For this project, Christian utilized some of the signature elements of his design style, including “throwback” features, like his handmade Crazy Frank rear fender and polished aluminum finishes throughout.
MODIFICATIONS:
•Fender (one-off, custom)
•Triple trees (one-off, custom)
•Fork lowers (one-off, custom)
•Front and rear hubs (one-off, custom)
•Swingarm (one-off, custom)
•Sissy bar (one-off, custom)
•Handlebars (one-off, custom)
•Cable conversion (one-off, custom)
•Rear axle and spacers (one-off, custom)
•Stainless exhaust (one-off, custom)
•Skidplate/radiator shroud (one-off, custom)
•Frame inserts (one-off, custom)
•Grips (one-off, custom)
•Footpegs and shifter pegs (one-off, custom)
•Brake distribution T (one-off, custom)
•Headlight support bracket (one-off, custom)
•Sprocket guard (one-off, custom)
•Form stem with fluid pass through (one-off, custom)
•Mid controls (one-off, custom)
•Front break lever (one-off, custom)
•Narrowed tank (one-off, custom)
•Kustom tech clutch lever
•RSD front master cylinder
•Exile internal throttle
•Weld Racing rear wheel 15 x 3.5
•Buchanan spokes
•V-twin drum brake
•Zippers performance intake
•Power Commander V
•Hoosier rear slick 26 x 4.5
•Mefo front slick 23 x 2.5
•GMA calipers
•V-twin rear master cylinder
•EBC rotors
•Stainless brake lines
•Lowbrow custom axles and fork blanks
•Regatta Garage risers
•23 x 1.6 Excell Rim
•Tomfork nacelle & headlight with adjure turn signal mount
•Hard Drive -2” 29mm fork uppers
•Lowbrow customs fork tube caps
•Progressive suspension 11” 413 shocks with covers and caps
•Chrome 503 o-ring chain
•ARP hardware
BUILDER STATEMENT:
“This experience is sort of surreal because it put me outside of my comfort zone and allowed me to work with less of a budgetary constraint, as I always build bikes with my own cash. It’s flattering that I was chosen and I am very thankful. I was a little apprehensive about my build when it first began. I’m not used to using a largely unmodified frame or motor, so I was worried that the bike wouldn’t feel like I’d done anything significant, but I’ve wound up replacing almost every piece on it besides those two major components, so it really feels like mine.”
To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
