If you’re interested in custom motorcycles then you may have heard of the One Moto Show. For those that don’t know, this annual event, brings together motorcycle enthusiasts from around North America, is a celebration of all things custom, vintage, and unique in the world of motorcycles. As a shop we were ecstatic to be invited down to display our custom R18 at the One Show.
Upon arrival, we were immediately struck by the energy and excitement in the air. The event covered the entire 33 acres of the Zidell Yards with the main show taking place in the historic Zidell Barge Building, is a massive rustic, open-air building tucked along Portland’s Southwest Waterfront.
The building housed the construction of barges until 2017 and is now home to some of Portland’s best events, like the one show.
Everywhere you turned there were custom builds, Vintage Harley Davidsons, rat-rod Triumphs, and even some custom-built electric motorcycles. Of course, we immediately scoped out the BMW’s and Ducatis. We came across a one owner R75/5 that is still ridden and racked up over 200,000 Miles (322,000 km). Each bike a work of art with intricate details and a unique approach. We could have spend a week individually going through every bike to fully absorb all the details
We also got a chance to watch Makoto Endo in action creating an original piece based on a 95 BMW R100RT scrambler built by Motor & Time. Makoto’s style is iconic and as impressive to watch as the final pieces are. He flings Indian ink on canvas using bamboo chopsticks which results in a unique and visceral style.
There were also countless custom Ducatis on site but one that stood out to us was SoSo cycles’ Ducati 916 with a plethora of unique and functional parts. The bike is a collection of some of the most advanced parts from the era including many pieces actually used in WSBK. A great bike to nerd out on.
Another Highlight for the show was having the chance speak with Roland Stocker and show off the High Road built R18. Roland is the man who made the RnineT and R18 happen. He was BMW's project lead on both projects and without him, BMW's entire heritage division wouldn't exist. He is deeply immersed in the custom bike scene. Going over our bike with him was fascinating and revealed some of the Decisions BMW made to ensure the bike was easy to build or customize. In the end we are honored to get his seal of approval.
Overall, the 2023 One Moto Show was an incredible experience. It was inspiring to see so many like-minded enthusiasts coming together to celebrate their passion for motorcycles, and we came away from the event with a renewed sense of energy and creativity. They look forward to seeing what the next One Moto Show has in store!