Father and Daughter Team Build Bikes to Give to Veterans
World-class father and daughter bike building teams have motorcycle craftsmanship in their blood.
Passing Down Tradition
I learned everything I know about motorcycles from a man named Ray Carter. When I was twenty-two-years-old, a young kid putting around on a beat-up Sportster, Carter took me under his wing and taught me how to work on my bike. I spent so much time in his garage and riding with him that I started to call him Uncle Ray. Some of us are really lucky to find mentors like Uncle Ray. For others, our fathers pass down their knowledge of V-Twin, internal combustion engines.
Returning Champs
Working on motorcycles is usually considered to be a father and son tradition but that isn’t always the case. Many dads are spending quality time in the garage with their daughters, passing on their legacy with a wrench and a blowtorch. The Daughters of Custom Military Bike Build and Giveaway is an annual event at the Republic of Texas Biker Rally (ROT Rally) held in Austin, TX every June. This year, the event brought back the 2018 ROT Rally winners of the competition, father and daughter bike builders Roy and Nikki Martin. The Martins are well known for their custom motorcycle business, Roy’s Toys Customs. This year, Roy and Nikki put together a 2009 Sportster, modified in a modern Canyon Runner style.
2018 Winner
In 2018 they won the ROT Rally Daughters of Custom Build with their entry, a red-hot bobber built on a Kraft Tech rigid frame. The bike featured a 1310.97 (Let’s just round it up to 1311) CC, 80 cubic inch motor with paint by Taylor Shultz of Taylor Shultz Designz and a meticulously crafted, hand-tooled seat made by Matthew Hurtado, the artisan, and owner of Working Man’s Customs in Austin, TX.
Quality Time in the Garage
The Martins aren’t alone in their standing as a world-class father and daughter bike building team. The 2018 ROT Rally competition also featured phenomenal builder, Sofi Tsingos of GT-Moto and her father George. George inspired Sofi, who as a young girl spent a lot of time with her dad at his aircraft maintenance shop. The dad and daughter duo worked on motorcycles and old cars, the experiences having a formative impact on Sofi as she grew up.
Starting Early
The 2018 Daughters of Custom event also brought Austin Andrella of Austin Martin Originals and his thirteen-year-old daughter Adelyne (Addy) to Texas. The Ohio based builder’s daughter was the youngest participant in the competition. Austin Martin Originals has hit the scene hard with Martin making a name for himself and earning a reputation as a quality custom bike builder. Austin Martin Originals are taking home trophies in competitions across the United States as Austin passes down his experience and artistry to his young daughter.
Whether it’s a dad and daughter, father and son or a young kid and a mentor, the passing of motorcycle knowledge is a cherished gift. For some of us, it’s just about learning to keep our bikes on the road. For others, the knowledge goes a lot deeper. Some youngsters learn bike building, painting or leather tooling from their old men. If you’re the kid learning how to change your oil or tighten a chain, remember to appreciate the gift that you’re being given. Time if the garage isn’t just time working on the bike, it’s also time that your dad or mentor is building you up too.
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