If you recall, in our March '06 issue we featured a story about the annual Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. And if you were paying attention, you'd remember we mentioned something about a custom rigid built by Gotcha Customs, which was then auctioned off at the end of the ride. You should also recall that the auction didn't last very long, with Kyle Petty falling in love with the bobber-esque bike and bidding $30,000 right out the gate. It was just like watching a NASCAR race-Kyle took the lead in the pack early on, and, with the trophy in sight, he never looked back. Once word spread around the office about the way the auction went down, we just had to get a look at the bike that caught Kyle's attention. Lucky for us and for you, we were able to get our hands on the bike for a quick photo shoot before Kyle decides to ditch the NASCAR circuit and take on the AHDRA.
Before we get into the details of the bike, here's a refresher on the Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Ride Across America. Eleven years ago, Kyle and a group of riding buddies saddled up in North Carolina and rode out to the West Coast for an upcoming NASCAR race. That one ride sparked an annual event, with more than 200 riders gearing up each year to make a trek across the country on their favorite two-wheeled machines, collecting monetary donations and distributing them among children's charities. For the '05 ride, the main beneficiary of the donations was Victory Junction Gang Camp (www.victoryjunction.org), in Randleman, NC. Inspired by Kyle and Pattie Petty's late son Adam, the camp caters to children between the ages of seven and 15 with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, and gives them the opportunity to experience camp life and make lasting memories.
As we mentioned in the article, the bike was built by Gotcha Customs out of Kernsville, NC. However, if it weren't for the creative thinking of Frank Winn of Kustomwerks (a full-service distributor of custom components for American-made motorcycles), also located in Kernsville, the bike would have never come to be. One good thing about Frank is that he has a big heart, and he knows quite a few people who feel and think the same way he does. Another good thing about Frank is that he knows how to bring a whole community...well, heck, just about the entire state together to get things done. "I wanted to do something good for the kids at the Victory Junction Gang Camp. It's right here in our backyard, and the camp means a lot to bikers throughout North Carolina. Is there a better way to honor and help those kids than to build a custom chopper? I didn't think so-and others agreed with me," Frank said.
Frank worked with other members of the community and motorcycle industry on the project. All of the components were provided from businesses and individuals in North Carolina. Frank comments, "This bike was a community project from start to finish. We could not have done it without the support and contributions from people who care about the children and the camp."