Earlier this year, AMD decided to take its 4th Annual Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building “downtown” onto an all-new 4.5-acre Champions Park facility on Lazelle Street. Naturally, the Official World Championship will be the centerpiece of Champions Park, ensuring a big draw for vendors and-hopefully-vendees.

The AMD World Championship show has been a hit in Sturgis since 2004. Once again you’ll find four different classes at this landmark event: the freestyle and the following three subclasses:Production Manufacturer: Licensed manufacturers only. Entrants can be stock or customized volume production.

Modified Harley-Davidson: Builders must use a Harley frame and engine.

Metric: Liquid-cooled and/or non-AN/UN spec construction.

As for the freestyle class, the name says it all. Anything goes in this custom bike free-for-all. It’s the headliner from which the champ is selected. It’s a great chance for builders to open up with all the crazy, raw creativity they can bring to bear on a bike. Cookie-cutter bikes need not apply.

Judging is by peer review. Each competitor chooses his or her 12 favorite bikes. They are then asked to rank these in order, 1 through 12. Points are allocated based on these selections:

15 points for a favorite.
12 for a second.
10 for a third.

Nine for fourth and so on, to one point for 12th choice.

You’ll find the AMD Champions Park on Lazelle Street in Sturgis, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, across from the post office.

AMD Show Schedule

Friday, August 3, and Saturday, August 4, 2007

11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Setup and registration

Sunday, August 5, 2007

11 a.m.: Public opening ceremony
7:30 p.m.: Park closes to the public
8 p.m.: VIP industry party

Monday, August 6, 2007

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Public hours and judging
7 p.m. to late in the night: Private VIP party

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

10 a.m. to 10 p.m.: Open to the public
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Awards ceremony
7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Meet the champions

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

10 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Open to the public

Thursday, August 9, 2007
11 a.m.: Champions’ ride-out

S&S; X-Wedge Display

For the next three years, Champions Park will be home to the S&S; Cycle exhibit in Sturgis, and this year they’ll have the five stunning X-Wedge-powered customs they unveiled earlier this year. The bikes will be the centerpiece of their display and promise to be a major crowd magnet.

If you’re not familiar with the new X-Wedge bikes, S&S; invited five top builders to put their considerable talents to work on what should be the first of many great custom bikes utilizing the new 56-degree three-cam powerplant. The bikes were built by Bill Rucker, Roger Bourget, Tim Edmondson, Big Dog Motorcycles, and Cory Ness. Each one is as unique as the builders themselves.