2025 People's Champ Contestant - Hunter Kelly

What have you done? So far I have: mounted tires, machined axle spacers, mounted gas tank, built the front end with +4 tubes, bought the Baker 6-in-4, got the Sunset primary plate and aligned the primary, mounted the rear fender, made the headlight bracket, started fabrication on the oil tank with filter, mounted the seat, started fabrication on the sissy bar, mocked up the exhaust

What do you have left to do? Lots of welding! Finish all the parts I started. I have STD panheads and Pangea rocker covers to put on, I’m going to redo the exhaust in stainless to fit the STD exhaust flanges, I’m debating on running maindrive high mid controls or making my own foot controls, I’m making my own sprocket to match the brake rotors I make, wiring, plumbing, and of course paint and molding by skulltits.

Any problems so far? Lots of little problems! I was trying to run a used belt drive to save money but I couldn’t get it to work with the primary plate so I had to order a new belt drive and I have a long transmission shaft and a Panhead length motor shaft so I had to get a belt drive that I could run an offset pulley. Figuring all that out took a couple weeks. At first the motor wouldn’t fit in the frame correctly and stressed for a minute, but then a friend came over a saw that the trap door drain plug on the Delkron cases hit the single downtube and once I removed that drain plug everything fit perfectly. I have enough room to run a button head drain plug without interference.

Favorite part of the bike so far? There is too much to pick! I love the motorshop style frame from benjeff, and I love the engraved sportster drum brake from 4th floor choppers, but if I had to pick one thing it would be the tank by Skulltits. I won it in a raffle and it was the inspiration for the entire rest of the bike.

Favorite part of the competition? My favorite part of the competition is how much everyone has been willing to help me out, whether it’s a phone call answering questions or coming over and lending a hand. It’s given me a reason to reach out to people I haven’t really talked to before and they have been super kind and helpful.

Want to give any shout outs? First I gotta thank my wife and son for putting up with my frequent absence for garage time. I gotta thank my absolute road beasts Dan, Joe, Mikey, Chris, and Nick. Thanks to Kerry for all the laser help. Big thanks to Craig for always checking in on me and motivating me. Thanks to Alan for the machine work and for not hating my bike. Thanks to Zach for the welding and ideas. Thanks to all the other competitors and thanks to Biltwell for giving me a shot!