In the months running up to Born Free, Biltwell scours every corner of the scene to unearth 12 prospective custom builders. That number gets whittled down by half through public voting, before the finalists gather at the legendary Cook’s Corner bar in So Cal on the eve of Born Free. The winner takes home a cash prize of $10,000 and a coveted spot with the invited bikes at the show.
Last year’s trophy went to Sean Jackson for his incredible 1948 Harley Panhead. As to what exactly it is that he built; that’s hard to say. Part chopper, part steampunk fantasy, it’s a highly imaginative build that shows the skills of Sean, and the crew that helped him build it.

The engine is pretty much the only Harley Panhead part left. Just about everything else, save for the wheels, tires, and brakes, was fabricated from scratch. That includes the eye-popping modular frame, which, despite appearances, mostly conforms to the original Panhead geometry. Sean designed it using the 3D CAD software SolidWorks, then manufactured it from 1/4?-thick laser-cut stainless steel plates. The rigid ‘swingarm’ was built the same way, with the axle plates raised to lower the overall ride height.

Moving to the wheels, Sean ordered a set of Invaders from Led Sled Customs, wrapping them in W&W Cycles Bates Baja rubber. There’s no front brake, but he’s made up for it by installing two Brembo calipers on the single rear disc, bolted to a custom-made caliper...