Bikes on the Boardwalk

All of Daytona is a bike show for this week. But if you want to see the best of what custom builders are creating, you need to hit one of the organized shows, like the annual Bikes on the Boardwalk event along the beach.

You'll find everything from old, original machines to ratbikes, but the focus is definitely on cutting-edge customs that push the envelope of motorcycle art. The directions vary, from chrome and Day Glo colors to muted shades on sculpted metal. And the one thing that's true is that every bike has a story behind it.

Take the orange-and-silver mini-custom built by 17-year-old Brandon Baughman (above). Powered by an 18-horsepower Honda motor, it features a hubless rear wheel with friction drive.

Baughman says it's the fourth bike out of a company he's founding called Skull Hill Steel. So far, all have been minibikes. But, he says, "I've got a '74 Sportster at home, and I think I've ready to move on to real bikes."

© 2006, American Motorcyclist Association