A gorgeous radical Bagger built by Mike Avila Motorsports finishing 8th in the Free Style class of the AMD World Championship Of Bike Building? Exceptional result. And what a beautiful hand-formed steel body work (made by Greg Westbury, Solis, Mike Avila, Arlen Ness), to admire even more when you discover that the full body has just 2 joints from front to back and that all fasteners are hidden.
Even the fairing is one-off hand-rolled steel and bags activate electricaly. And if you intend to criticize and pretend it’s not made for the road, wait. In 2008 Builder Mike Avila rode this bike in bare metal from California to Sturgis to make sure it was road worthy before painting it. The way to do it! Engine is S&S 124″ fitted with 2 one-off air cleaners and coupled to a Baker 6-speed transmission, and held in a one-off Ness/Avila frame. Most of the main other components come also from the Ness Catalog: Front end, Wheels, Brakes, etc. “Crazy Horse” (the only disappointing thing on this bike is the name not fitting at all the bike) is going to inspire many bagger builders and owners. And since it’s the 1st ranked Bagger in the Championship, I name it 2009 Bagger World Champion. Mike Avila Motorsports . Pictures AMD/Horst Rosler.
He rode it from Californie to Sturgis huh? Solo, with no back up truck followin’ him. If he did then kudos to it and him. ‘Cause that’s what it’s all about Baby!!
Yes, He rode it. The truck was many miles away. The bike is a rider and so is Mike Avila!
VERY NICE
This ‘crazy horse’ bike is sweet and IS A RIDER…
Great work men!
What a beautiful bike! Who says stretched bikes are dead!
Mike’s Bike should have taken FIRST PLACE, period…no doubt about it. As I have said before…financial wherewithal can build anything to place or win or hang as art on the wall.
However, it takes real talent like that of Mike and Arlen to put a Cutting Edge Designed Bagger like this Custom Bagger that rides, too. My Hat is Off to both of you.
Boss Hawg
Thanks very much for all your feedback !!
Thanks very much for the praise of my bike, it really means a lot to hear the comments about it.We worked very hard to get it like it is. It really is a rider as well, it has just under 2,000 miles before paint. It has not been ridden after paint but will be after the shows are done.The bikes name is after the greatest warrior of all time Crazy Horse and if you were to go on my web site you will see that all of my stuff is named after great warriors.The bike is made to be an old led sled, 47 caddy,49 merc tail dragger.There was so much work put into this and true thanks go out one of my best friends in the world Arlen Ness who helped me along with his great insperation and guidance and if was not for our friendship this bike would not have been built. I cant thank him enough for all his hard work and time.It is easy to build something that is cool when the guy that is the greatest of all time helps you.To Carl Bouard for taking my chicken scratch drawings and turning them into something we could go off to build. To Greg Westbury and Solis for there hard work making my drawing come to life. It was a fun project and I am looking forward to the next one that we are drawing out as we talk.
Beautiful bike, but its been done before, and a little more radical, maybe 4 years ago.
Check out gilbysstreetdept.com, for the precursor to this machine.
Good Job!
Greg, I don’t see anything there that looks like anythign special. Please link directly to the bike you say he copied.
Knew I had see it before, 1st issue if American Bagger–“Gilby’s Bagster”.
Bikes are not the same but do have some very similar features.
Couldn’t find the article but turns out the guy also in an AMD Show back in 2006, this is the only link I could find.
http://amdchampionship.com/content.php?page=registry§ion=viewbike&event=2006world
&bikenumber=014
Love the bike, can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
http://amdchampionship.com/content.php?page=registry§ion=viewbike&event=2006world&bikenumber=014
Good job Mikie!!! I’m so proud of you!! I am Mike’s sister and couldn’t be more proud and I can personally attest to the fact that he rode that bike all the way out from California to Sturgis because I was against it! But……………..he didn’t listen and look where he is today.
Mikie, Arlen, Greg, what an awesome job. Should’ve won but…………………………………….
And Greg Lew, Mike Avila is no copy cat. He is a visionary. A beautiful bike was built. First in his head, then on paper, then in metal.
It’s an amazing bike. Imagine what the next one will be like! 🙂
To Jim and Greg,
please do not insult me with your thoughts of me being a copy cat. That bike is very nice but not in way does it have anything that looks like mine.My bike is 100 % all metal and 100 % one off body that started with an idea and the thought of my favorite led sleds, 47 caddy and a 49 merc. The only thing that are the same is they are both baggers and that is it. I mean no disrespect to the builber of that bike as it is beautiful but it is nothing like mine.
It was my favourite bike of the show, and i don’t like the bagger…..;-)
Beautiful work; perfect line/shape , great metalshapping work, beautiful paint and a… rideable bike!
I was very surprised about the result and expected this bagger on the top 5…
Congrats again Mike!
Mike……no need to defend your bike as it speaks for itself. The other bike Greg Lew is speaking about is a beautiful bike but in no way does it and can it ever compare to what you have built.
You did an awesome job and the biking world looks forward to the next one. True competitors ALWAYS welcome competition. It makes everyone raise their game. And you’ve done something unexpected here and made them look twice.
True champions respect what others have done because they know how much work goes into winning. You may not have the 1st place trophy but stand tall and be proud. You are a champion.
I was a competitor at the AMD world champs and this bike was stunning and thats coming from an old school guy. Beautiful lines and excellent craftsmanship. It was absolutley stunning in every way. Congrats Mike. Your bike rocks
I don’t like baggers even a little bit ….. but I think this one is killer! Great Job Mike!
Over & Out,
Jeff
all this nonsense about copying !! everybody has a vision!! sledzzilla is still @ 1 its a work of art and arlen personally said so!! its only been shown twice and all magazine request were turned down!! but the vision got out!! and now you see others like it!! i love it it keeps our industry going!! kkep the visions going.