"Naked Truth" Exhibition Attracts Top Builders To 2015 Sturgis Buffalo Chip

At the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s 2015 Motorcycles as Art Exhibition, famed photographer Michael Lichter’s “The Naked Truth – 35 Customs / 35 Years / Motorcycles Exposed exhibition will lay bare the raw talent of 35 world-renowned bike builders, most of whom are building their creations specifically for this exhibition. Each of these rolling metal sculptures will be displayed exposed and naked, unencumbered by paint and graphics, atop elevated pedestals to better give guests an open view from every angle. “Naked Truth” is free to the public and will be open from Saturday, Aug. 1 through Saturday, Aug. 8 in the Buffalo Chip’s Russ Brown Events Center.

“Unlike any other exhibition before, nothing will come between the viewer and the bikes’ most basic elements of shape, form and design,” said Michael Lichter. “Each builder’s passion and talent will be revealed through the fine details of craftsmanship evident in every aspect of their work. The builders are exposing themselves, as well as their work, in this show. Without the cloak of paint or graphics, the bikes’ most basic form right down to it’s smallest details are naked and open to examination. There is no hiding behind a slick paint job, enhancing a line or curve with a brilliant graphic; the beauty comes strictly from the hand of the man who fashioned it.”

“Michael is the world’s premier motorcycle photographer,” said Buffalo Chip President Rod Woodruff. “He has been shooting bikes and the biker culture for more than 35 years, and his expertise and knowledge of motorcycle culture makes him the perfect person to curate the Motorcycles as Art exhibits at the Chip. We are honored to host his “Naked Truth” exhibition this year.”

Hanging alongside these “naked” bikes, will be more than 100 photographic prints chosen from curator, Michael Lichter’s archives. Exposed as his subjects appeared, without retouching and enhancement, Lichter’s photographs have captured the changing face of the motorcycle world from the 1970s to today.

The custom motorcycle artists scheduled to present their naked creations at the Buffalo Chip’s 2015 Motorcycles as Art exhibit are:

Aki Sakamoto – Hog Killers, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
Alan Stulberg – Revival Cycles, Austin, TX
Ben Jordan – Jordan Designs, Waxhaw, NC
Bill Dodge – Bling’s Cycles, Daytona Beach, FL
Bill Rodencal – Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Billy Lane – Choppers Inc., Daytona Beach, FL
Brandon Holstein, Brawny Built, Signal Hill, CA
Brian Klock – Klockwerks, Mitchell, SD
Bryan Fuller – Fuller Hotrods, Atlanta, GA
Cristian Sosa – Sosa Metalworks, Las Vegas, NV
Dale Yamada – Mad Jap Kustoms, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Dalton Walker – Split Image Kustoms, Hanford, CA
Dan “Bacon” Carr – DC Chopper, Austin, TX
Dave Perewitz – Perewitz Cycle Fabrication, Bridgewater, MA
Jeff Cochran – Speedking Racing, West Harrison, IN
Jeff Wright – Church Of Choppers, Des Moines, IA
Jim Nasi – Jim Nasi Customs, Phoenix, AZ
John Stein – Stage Fright Drag Racer, Pacific Palisades, CA
Jordan Dickinson – Union Speed and Style, Monticello, MN
Kaichiroh Kurosu – Cherry’s Company, Tokyo, Japan
Ken “Kenji” Nagai – Ken’s Factory, Nagoya, Japan
Lock Baker – Eastern Fabrications, Los Angeles, CA
Matt Olsen – Carl’s Cycle, Aberdeen, SD
Nate Jacobs – Harlot Cycles, Murfreesboro, TN
Ola Stenegard – Gotland, Sweden
Pat Patterson – Led Sled Customs, Dayton, OH
Paul Cox – Paul Cox Industries, Brooklyn, NY
Paul Wideman – Bare Knuckle Choppers, Wright City, MO
Paul Yaffe – Paul Yaffe Originals, Phoenix, AZ
Rick Bray – RKB Kustom Speed, Fresno, CA
Roland Sands – RSD Design
Shinya Kimura – Chabott Engineering, Azusa, CA
Warren Lane – Atomic; Miami Beach, FL
Yaniv “Neevo” Evan – Powerplant Choppers’; Los Angeles, CA

The above names are all world-class talents, but of particular note is Ola Stenegard. Stenegard is BMW Motorrad’s Head of Vehicle Design. In his review of the BMW R NineT, Editor-in-Chief Kevin Duke notes, “For an injection of coolness, BMW leaned on Ola Stenegard, a Swedish national who has risen to BMW Motorrad’s Head of Vehicle Design. Stenegard has a background in custom bikes (mostly Harleys and Triumphs) which gives him a design ethos different from what is typical for BMW, and it really resonates when looking at the nineT. Stenegard assisted in the design of the Lo Rider concept shown in 2008, which was a clear predecessor to the nineT.”