It's safe to say this drop seat rigid isn't going to win any beauty contests. But then again it wasn't built for that purpose. The Icon Death or Glory was built for one thing in mind - speed. One of the first thing that caught my eye was the plastic toy mirror, so I asked Icon's design director Kurt Walter whether it was there to be ironic, he replied  "I built a 2100cc powered rigid death machine virtually incapable of turning or stopping yet equipped with Ohlins forks on billet Attack triples. Garnishing it with a mirror stolen from my daughter's Barbie bike just seemed appropriate. So yeah, I suppose the mirror is - ironic, sarcastic, humorous, ridiculous, stupid... all of the above". 
Icon always write the best press releases about their bikes so I decided to quote them: "2100cc's of air-cooled twin stuffed into a Detroit Bros gooseneck frame. The handformed aluminum seat low enough to decapitate quizitive roadside squirrels. Suspended by an Ohlins front and a Ohlins rear, the D/G rides like a straight line American dream. In the vein of our Midwest upbringing, where anything more curved than ruler is best left in the closet. The ability to turn bikes, as we've found through countless hours of research, is highly overrated. Ground clearance and functioning brakes are also non essentials, best left as accouterments on 'fancy' Japanese models. No, in America we like our machinery overpowered and underthought. Performance that can be measured a quarter mile at a time. Anything longer and our miniscule attention spans go into sleep mode. Thankfully bikes like the D/G are within the easy grasp of any blue blooded tax payer. All you need is a fully equipped machine shop, ten grand worth of welding equipment, an Ebay account, and a complete lack of common sense. All traits that the Icon garage team has in spades". You can view more shots of this beast and read the impressive spec list on Icon's website.

We love the story behind this killer Icon KZ1000. Back in 1979 this humble bike started life as a police bike in Portland - but now 30 years later it's on the other side of the law, ready to cause some trouble. The build started by removing the stock swingarm and replacing it with the swingarm and rear wheel from a '92 GSX-R750. The KZ1000 frame was modified to accept a SV monoshock - not quite sure about the Redbull can shock cover but we have been told it's already been removed. The engine was given a 1075cc Wiseco big bore kit and the front end is off the same Suzuki SV1000. Considering the bike is a motorcycle mash-up we can't believe how stunning it turned out. It not only looks great but we bet it would be a whole lot of fun to ride this monster. To read a very humorous story about this KZ, visit the Icon Blog. [Spotted on HFL] 

We love how Chris Tragert from Venice Choppers describes his custom bobber; "This bare-knuckle venice bobber is a product of its environment. A light, compact weapon needed to slice through the traffic-choked urban sprawl surrounding the sea-side oasis where it was conceived. Lightweight, quickness, agile handling, and good brakes were top priority. The resulting menacing appearance would give murderous cagers something to text about". This mad candy red bobber has the unmistakeable 78 CB750F motor. Stripped down and rebuilt with stainless hardware. Love those pipes and we bet they make a great bark. For a full list of the specs (written beautifully by the way) check out their website or for more pics visit the gallery.

Goldmember is the name of this amazing machine. Built by Canadian Roger Goldammer from Goldammer Cycle Works. Goldammer knows how to build bikes and he builds most parts on his show bikes. This bike won last years Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building. Not only does it look great, it also performs well. Recently becoming a world record holder, averaging over 160 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Wouldn't you love to ride this beast on a salt lake? In the words of the other Goldmember... Yeah baby!

Japanese custom motorcycle builder Chicara Nagata is in a league of his own. He doesn't call his bikes motorcycles, he calls them pieces of art. Which is why the Ippodo Gallery in NYC has had an exhibition recently showing his amazing chrome bikes. Chicara has won numerous awards for his custom motorcycles, which take him over 7000 hrs to build. This level of craftsmanship has its price with most of his bikes selling for around $1 million. Ouch. Hit this video to see Chicara talk about his masterpieces.

Saw this pic on Joes Sign Shop. It's a beautiful 1968 Triumph T100 R by Motor Galore . Kenneth from Motor Galore was born in Germany in 1965. He moved to the states to get away from Nazi rule and find a new life (we thank you for finding that life or else we wouldn't see these cool bikes). As an accomplished metal artist extraordinare, his passion for motorcycles led him to Portland, Oregon. He celebrates MotoGalore with a yearly event "Hot Dogs, Hot Babes & Hot Bikes". That sounds like the perfect combination. 

When i first saw these bikes from Helrich Custom Cycles I couldn't stop smiling. They really are pieces of rideable art. Their website is still work in progress but it's obvious Dave is spending more time making beautiful bikes and less time learning HTML.... the way it should be.

Check out his gallery for the whole art collection its unbelievable... almost as unbelievable as this guy.