Harley-Davidson Crowns First US Custom King

Alex Stewart, of Yellowstone Harley-Davidson in Belgrade, Montana earned bragging rights and a new motorcycle-customization royalty designation – the first-ever U.S. Custom King. Stewart and his dealership’s build team assembled the winning “Next Generation Board Track Racer” as part of the inaugural Harley-Davidson Custom Kings competition.

The king has been crowned. Alex Stewart, of Yellowstone Harley-Davidson in Belgrade, Montana earned bragging rights and a new motorcycle-customization royalty designation – the first-ever U.S. Custom King. Stewart and his dealership’s build team assembled the winning “Next Generation Board Track Racer” as part of the inaugural Harley-Davidson Custom Kings competition.

Customization is one of the unique ways riders celebrate their individuality. The U.S. Custom Kings competition focused on redefining performance through the customization expertise and ingenuity of Harley-Davidson dealers throughout the country, using the Street 750 motorcycle as the perfect canvas.

US Custom Kings - Dealer 1944 - Belgrade, MT — US Custom Kings – Dealer 1944 – Belgrade, MT

Nearly 100 U.S. dealerships entered the bike build-off battle featuring the Harley-Davidson Street® 750 motorcycle. The entries from finalists in each of the country’s seven markets, were voted on by their peers at the company’s recent annual dealer meeting. The six finalists vying with Stewart for the title and customization supremacy were:

Led by Nick Celenza, Brian’s Harley-Davidson, Langhorne, Pa.
Led by Brett Sassaman, Harley-Davidson of Macon, Macon, Ga.
Led by Jeff Musat, Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Led by Kevin Winters, Lake Shore Harley-Davidson, Libertyville, Ill.
Led by Doug O’Neal, Loess Hills Harley-Davidson, Pacific Junction, Iowa
Led by Bruce Downs, Ray Price Harley-Davidson, Raleigh, N.C.

Yellowstone Harley-Davidson’s winning Street 750 makes its first public appearance in Milwaukee at Custom Bike Show Weekend Sept. 5-6 at the Harley-Davidson Museum. The motorcycle, which drew inspiration from the board track racers from the 1920s and 1930s, will then move inside the Museum main lobby where it will be on display.

For more information: www.darkcustom.com.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.