Born Free 8 Award-Winners Choose Coker

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THE BEST CUSTOM BIKE BUILDERS IN THE COUNTRY CHOOSE COKER

18 of the top 28 custom motorcycle builders in the world rode in on Coker Tires for Born Free 8, a two-day celebration of choppers, bobbers, beautifully fabricated customs and the motorcycle lifestyle.

Chattanooga, TN. (June, 2016) – Nearly 10,000 people from all walks of life – bikers, artists, fabricators, families and everyday riders – descended on the small mountain town of Silverado, California in the hills of Orange County for Born Free 8, a two-day celebration of motorcycle culture, music, stunt riding shows and an invitational showcasing one-off builds from the top professional shops and garage builders in the world, and 18 of the top 28 chose to equip their builds with Coker Tires.

Unlike most motorcycle shows that are dedicated to a single brand or style, Born Free celebrates custom bikes of all types, makes and build styles in a festival-style atmosphere. The builder showcase – which expanded from 25 to 28 top fabricators this year – highlights hand-built machines from celebrity builders, small town shops and garage mechanics alike. To be at Born Free as an Invited Builder is an unparralled honor in the motorcylce community, and the details matter – everything from the stance and rake to custom tins, the style of paint and depth of chrome, right down to the tires.

“To have more than half of the top bikes at an event like Born Free equipped with our tires is an honor and a testament to our focus on both period-correct details and real-world performance,” said Wade Kawasaki, President and COO of Coker Tire. “For years hot rodders, custom car builders and even concours-winning restorers have known that Coker tires offer the best balance of aesthetics and performance, so we’re thrilled to see the custom bike community choosing our motorcycle tires with authentic tread designs and sidewall markings from legendary brands like Firestone.”

With thousands of custom bikes on display in the general show, the field in the Born Free Showcase was diverse with everything from hill climbers to choppers and dirt trackers. Two Coker-equipped top finishers include Arie Van Schyndel of Vee MFG, who took second place in the Invited Builder category with a stunning knucklehead powered candy purple chopper, and winner of the Coker Tire Firestone Award, Matt Walksler of Period Modified’s 1928 Harley-Davidson JDH-XR, both rolling on a ribbed Firestone 21” tire in front and Firestone ANS tires in the rear.

With two full days of camping, stunt shows, concerts, a massive swap meet and bike giveaways, the show reached maximum capacity and sold out of slots on the grass for display bikes – making Born Free one of the biggest custom motorcycle shows in the country. Learn more about the Born Free Show at www.BornFreeShow.com.