2015 Best of Editors Picks – Builders
Pat Patterson
Led Sled Customs
The pool of potential talent to be selected the Hot Bike Builder Of The Year runs deep and wide. There are so many ultra-talented, true-to-the-game, build-it-not-buy-it craftsmen in this country that this category is never easy to single out just one. In 2015, it feels like Pat Patterson finally developed a mainstream following of loyal fans after nearly 13 years of building bikes. What separates Pat from the rest of the crowd is his style that is distinctive, unique, and has a ™don’t give a shit what the cool kids are doing∫ attitude. Evo-powered sportsters? Who would have thought when he started building these types of bikes that it would land him as Hot Bike Builder Of The Year? But here he is today, where he is widely recognized as one of the best builders in this biz. When you have reached a point in your career that people can look at a bike and say, ™Led Sled built that bike,∫ without even checking the name plate, you know you’ve cemented your name in the walk of fame.
Satya Kraus
Kraus Motor Co
If there’s one builder in the industry who favors function over form, it’s got to be Satya Kraus. Satya has a firm belief that all bikes should be able to perform utilizing the latest technology available and not just look pretty sitting still at a bike show or parking lot. He has built a reputation as one of the leaders in V-twin technology, working hand in hand with some of the top companies to develop industry-leading suspension. It’s builders like Satya who keep pushing the boundaries of performance-based customs and continue to check the often complacent industry to the fact that the world is not flat and straight, and going around corners hard and fast is paramount to anything else. This year will not be the last we hear from Satya because his creations will continue to push the envelope for many more years to come.
John Shope
Dirty Bird Concepts
If you are a fan of baggers of any shape or size, then there’s no way you have not heard of John Shope from Dirty Bird Concepts. John’s bigger-than-life persona is only surpassed by his bigger-than-life custom creations. He truly is the people’s champ when it comes to the big-and-loud bagger craze, and his machines are nothing short of stunning. John has also taken on the new-age Indians with a vengeance, creating some of the most amazing customs and parts for this new platform. If he’s not building, then he’s riding, and you can regularly find him on one wheel atop one of his big motorbikes. Not only did John win a single round of last year’s Hot Bike Tour, but he also swept the entire five-stop tour. If that doesn’t qualify for Hot Bike Bagger Builder Of The Year, not much else does. Congratulations, John.
Jason Webber
ATR CHOPPERS
Jason Webber is a quiet guy with a real nine-to-five job who builds choppers in his garage just like our chopper forefathers in the ’60s and ’70s did. He is also a devoted family man, who builds bikes more for fun than anything else. Why did we pick him over some other chopper dudes who do it for a living? Well, the proof is in the traditionally styled period-correct pudding, my friends. His builds are always top-notch creations that hark back to the heyday of choppers mixed with solid craftsmanship and massive attention to detail. He does all of this without being too flashy or over the top, which we all know is a very hard line to walk. Oh, and his latest creation was amazing enough to get the People’s Choice award from the 25,000 attendees at this year’s Born-Free show. ‘Nuff said.
Picking the hottest builders for the year is no easy task with the amount of available talent. With that said, here’s our picks for the top bike builders of 2015..
For more customs visit hotbikeweb.com/bikes.
