2025 People's Champ Contestant - Rob Beattie

What have you done? I started with a roller that I got from Pennsylvania, the frame was a 1978 shovelhead frame that had 19/18 9 spokes and a 39mm front end. I bought the roller because of the rare 18" rear sporty wheel. Using only the 39mm guts, frame and wheels. I cut the frame up for the neck and engine/trans mounts. The neck went up 3.25 inches, and hardtailed the frame using the axle plates from a softail swing arm. I won the S&S V111 in an instagram raffle and knew that was going to be my power plant for this build. Made room for the big 111ci engine when building the frame. Windowed the neck, did a bunch of blending and metal finishing on the frame. The baker 6 speed lined up perfect to the engine with the BDL belt drive. Narrowed a set of flatside 3.5 gallon tanks a lot to match the overall feel of the bike. Built a custom horseshoe oil bag. stainless drag pipes, custom peg mounts, laid a fiberglass seat pan. Stainless sissy bar made from 1"x1/4", milled 1/4" radius on front and back of the outside with milled 3/8"x2" slots. Shaved fender mounts on the 39mm lowers. added a 1/2"x1/8" detail to the fender.

What do you have left to do? Building a set of 10" risers from a panhead top clamp that will get stainless 2 piece bars, mount the taillight to the fender, finish b side foot peg mount and foot controls. Build the inside of the fuel tanks, and top tank detail. Make a battery box for the oil bag. Top engine mount, build the seat foam/upholstery, lots of welding, lots of powder coating. Most of the parts beside the tins and frame will get powder coated black. Body work, paint, wire and FIRE!

Any problems so far? Finding a stainless tubing company that has round mandrel bends. Wishing there were more hours in a day. ARP hardware being so damn expensive

Favorite part of the bike so far? The powerplant first off, this is going to be a beast. Frame geometry is a big one, I think the stance has a really good feel overall. I love stainless pipes, when they turn gold, they look sooo good. The way the front of the tank lines up with the tank reveal on the frame, I think this is a big one a lot of people miss when using split 3.5 gal tanks. I have a lot of time into the sissy bar and I think you can tell when you see it. I love all the blacked out brakes, its something you don't see on a chopper. Im really looking forward to seeing the black fork tubes in the blacked out front end come together.

Favorite part of the competition? The camaraderie from the other builders is priceless, everyone has gotten a long so well and boosted each others spirits. The messages with all the love for what you're building from complete strangers from around the world. So much positivity from day one, it really pushed you to do your best.

Want to give any shout outs? I gotta thank my best bro Pete Makar for helping me with this build from day one. without him this wouldn't be where it is today. I love you Pete! Big thank you to Frank Videl from Dirty Customz for pulling my number to win the V111ci, with out that I wouldn't have entered this competition this year. Biltwell for keeping this competition going to give the unknowns a chance at Born Free greatness! My amazing friends for rooting me on this whole time, I love you all!