The 78th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally set the stage for Kuryakyn and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip to unleash the third and final installment of the “Rock, Rumble & Rebellion” bike build series.
Each year the Rock, Rumble & Rebellion design concept underscored one of those three words. The “Rock” theme was Kuryakyn’s smooth-flowing take on a melodious matching Road Glide and Epiphone Sheraton II guitar honoring the Buffalo Chip’s 35th anniversary in 2016. The “Rumble” was a race-inspired Street Glide that was raw, refined and right at home for the introduction of the Buffalo Chip’s action-packed Moto Stampede in 2017. This year’s canvas, a 2018 Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, represents the tens of thousands of bikers that ditch the daily grind for nine days of music and full-throttle “Rebellion” at The Chip.
“The Rock, Rumble & Rebellion bike builds have given us a unique outlet to express our creativity and passion for riding,” said Kuryakyn President Holger Mohr. “These projects become so much more than just promoting our products on bikes. We’ve had fun and great success creating builds that showcase our design capabilities and celebrate everything about motorcycle culture we love as riders: great music, freedom and adventure. This year’s design concept was all about representing the loud, bold, brash and rebellious icons that bikers connect with through music. And no venue merges music and motorcycle culture like the Buffalo Chip.”
Selecting an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse was the first step toward embodying the “Rebellion” theme. Kuryakyn designers were up for the challenge of creating a rebel build by giving the classically styled platform an entirely new look. Accessories from the all-new Kuryakyn Phantom and Aztec collections, the Orbit L.E.D. line, as well as debut products from the Vantage Signature Series by John Shope and Hardline Signature Series by Fred Kodlin all give the Chieftain Dark Horse a facelift focused on modern style and attitude.
The Vantage Signature Series is slated to launch in early September, while the Hardline Signature Series handlebars and engine guards are in product development with an expected release date in 2019.
Uniting Kuryakyn’s creative vision with the unmistakable energy of the Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling in an ethereal way, renowned Austrian artist Marcus Pfeil’s custom flavor is found on every available inch of the bike, resulting in the most photographed and talked-about installment of the Rock, Rumble & Rebellion build series.
“The Buffalo Chip’s history of integrating live music into the Sturgis Rally provided a lot of inspiration,” said Marcus Pfeil, owner of Pfeil Design. “With a theme of ‘Rebellion,’ we wanted to create something that everyone could relate to. Music is universal; it’s an escape. It all came together exactly how we envisioned, and I’m honored to be part of this project and experience a new level of American motorcycle culture.”
The paint combines a smooth metallic satin black base accented by a metallic grey “grunge background” effect, as described by Pfeil. Also incorporated is what Pfeil calls a “real steel” effect that delivers a brushed steel appearance on various panels of the bike, which are framed by hand-pressed 23-carat gold leaf. The coup de grâce comes via the spot-on black and white airbrushed silhouettes of dozens of revolutionary musicians and bands seen throughout, all of which portrayed true rebellion through their musical mastery and raw, provocative approach.
“I had the opportunity to ride the 2018 Rock, Rumble & Rebellion bike in the Legends Ride and it was a showstopper,” said Sturgis Buffalo Chip President Rod Woodruff. “People were gathering to take photos of the music icons painted on the bike, looking for their favorite and pointing out the custom parts that set the bike apart. The effects Marcus used to depict the legends of rock and roll are simply outstanding. Kuryakyn put together a timeless motorcycle masterpiece that really defines what the Buffalo Chip is all about.”
Link: Kuryakyn
