Mama Tried Show 2022!

The Mama Tried Show is one of the USA’s most prestigious and entertaining motorcycle shows, hosted each year in Harley-Davidson’s hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Mama Tried Motorcycle Show is an indoor invitational that connects motorcycles and builders to fans and riders alike. Keeping the fire stoked all winter long. The Show features over 100 motorcycles from builders of all calibers—flat-tracker, hill climber, chopper, and bar hopper.”

Founded by Warren Heir Jr., Scott Johnson, and Jeremy Prach, the show combines these incredible custom motorcycles of builders from all over the country with the wild and wonderful Flat Out Friday flat track races on the night before the show — an indoor race competed on a concrete track coated in Dr. Pepper syrup!

This year, our man on the ground was Chicago-based photographer Matt Gustafson, who set out to shoot as many bikes from the show as possible, as well as the action from Flat Out Friday. Below, you’ll find our highlights from the show — and stay tuned for our Flat Out Friday feature, coming later this week!

Mama Tried 2022: Custom Bike Highlights

Without further ado, here are our highlights from the show, in alphabetical order by builder! Builders: If you want to share any of these on IG, please credit photographer Matt Gustafson (@very.dumb) and us at @bikeboundblog.

AE Choppers – ’76 Shovel (@aechoppers)

AE Choppers - '76 Shovel

 
August Zeratsky - '74 Honda MT250
August Zeratsky – ’74 Honda MT250 (@azeratsky / @rosiesspeedshop)

August Zeratsky - '74 Honda MT250

Baaske Choppers - '70 FL
Baaske Choppers – ’70 FL (@jeromebuffalo)

Baaske Choppers - '70 FL

Ballistic Cycles - '21 Ballistic Legacy
Ballistic Cycles – ’21 Ballistic Legacy ( @ballisticcycles)

Ballistic Cycles - '21 Ballistic LegacyBallistic Cycles - '21 Ballistic Legacy

Bare Knuckle Choppers - '50 FL
Bare Knuckle Choppers – ’50 FL
Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750
Brad Peterson – ’77 Yamaha TZ750 (@soggiesnephew)

Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750

Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750
Brendan Venturelli – ’63 FL Pan (@brendanbzhd)

Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750 Brad Peterson - '77 Yamaha TZ750

Brian Harlow - '68 FLH
Brian Harlow – ’68 FLH (@bharlow_)
Carlos Rodriguez - '38 UH
Carlos Rodriguez – ’38 UH (@knucklebusted)

Carlos Rodriguez - '38 UH

Church of Choppers - '20 Indian FTR1200
Church of Choppers – ’20 Indian FTR1200 (@chvrch)

Church of Choppers - '20 Indian FTR1200

Convict Customs - '78 XLCH
Convict Customz – ’78 XLCH (@convictcustomz)

Convict Customs - '78 XLCH Convict Customs - '78 XLCH Convict Customs - '78 XLCH

Dais Nagao - '82 FXR
Dais Nagao – ’82 FXR
Dan Luchon - '73 Triumph T140V
Dan Luchon – ’73 Triumph T140V
Dan Riley - '19 Indian FTR1200
Dan Riley – ’19 Indian FTR1200
Daren Johnson - '72 Honda Trail 70s
Daren Johnson – ’72 Honda Trail 70s
Dave Gottwald - '47 Knuckle
Dave Gottwald – ’47 Knuckle
Don Manthey Sr & Jr - '74 FX Superglide
Don Manthey Sr & Jr – ’74 FX Superglide (@donmantheysr)
Donovon Levan - '88 Honda CR250
Donovon Levan – ’88 Honda CR250 (@donovonlevan)
DozerV - 1916 HD Aerotracker
DozerV – 1916 HD Aerotracker (@dozer_v)
Evolution Cycles - '76 Shovel
Evolution Cycles – ’76 Shovel (@evolutioncycles618)
Frank Naaykens - '86 FXR
Frank Naaykens – ’86 FXR
Good Speed & Machine - '80 Shovelhead
Good Speed & Machine – ’80 Shovelhead (@goodspeedandmachine)

Good Speed & Machine - '80 Shovelhead

Greening Auto Company - '07 Sportster
Greening Auto Company – ’07 Sportster (@greeningautocompany)

Greening Auto Company - '07 Sportster

Icon Motorsports - '03 Triumph Speedmaster
Icon Motorsports – ’03 Triumph Speedmaster (@icon1000)
Indian Larry - '03 Daddy-O Wishbone Springer
Indian Larry – ’03 Daddy-O Wishbone Springer (@indianlarrymotorcycles)

Indian Larry - '03 Daddy-O Wishbone Springer

Indian Larry - '16 Columbian Nutcracker
Indian Larry – ’16 Columbian Nutcracker (@indianlarrymotorcycles)
Jake Drummond - '73 Yamaha RD350
Jake Drummond – ’73 Yamaha RD350 (@jakedrummond22)
Jake Drummond - 2021 Custom
Jake Drummond – 2021 Custom (@jakedrummond22)

Jake Drummond - 2021 Custom

Joshua Manchester - '96 Ducati 900SS
Joshua Manchester – ’96 Ducati 900SS
Justin Torres - '78 Shovel
Justin Torres – ’78 Shovel (@ls_taco)

Justin Torres - '78 ShovelJustin Torres - '78 Shovel

Karina Strack - '71 Yamaha HT1-B
Karina Strack – ’71 Yamaha HT1-B (@karinastrack)

Karina Strack - '71 Yamaha HT1-B

Keith Stendler - '56 Panhead
Keith Stendler – ’56 Panhead (@keithrichard_s)
Ken Carvajal - '47 FL Knuckle
Ken Carvajal – ’47 FL Knuckle (@kencarvajal)

Ken Carvajal - '47 FL Knuckle

Kris Klein - '03 Dyna
Kris Klein – ’03 Dyna (@kris_klein)
Kyosuke Kuroda - '62 FL Pan
Kyosuke Kuroda – ’62 FL Pan (@steels21)

Kyosuke Kuroda - '62 FL Pan Kyosuke Kuroda - '62 FL Pan

Led Sled Customs - '99 Sportster
Led Sled Customs – ’99 Sportster (@ledsledcustoms)
Marcus D Rathstack - '85 Yamaha RZ350
Marcus D Rathstack – ’85 Yamaha RZ350
Matt Landman - '48 UL
Matt Landman – ’48 UL (@oldepro)Matt Landman - '48 UL
Matt Pontano - '86 FL
Matt Pontano – ’86 FL (@matt_pontano_)

Matt Pontano - '86 FL

Mike's Choppers and Race Co - '76 Shovel
Mike’s Choppers and Race Co – ’76 Shovel
Motorelic - '78 Yamaha XS650
Motorelic – ’78 Yamaha XS650 (@motorelic)

Motorelic - '78 Yamaha XS650

Never Ending Cycles - '74 KZ400
Never Ending Cycles – ’74 KZ400 (@never_ending_cycles123)
Nick Resty - '61 VLFL
Nick Resty – ’61 VLFL (@nickhaints)

Nick Resty - '61 VLFL

Noot Irvin - '82 Yamaha MX250
Noot Irvin – ’82 Yamaha MX250 (@nootirvin)

Noot Irvin - '82 Yamaha MX250

Old Bike Barn - '68-79 CB750
Old Bike Barn – ’68-79 CB750 (@oldbikebarn)
Ozee Built - '97 Softtail
Ozee Built – ’97 Softtail (@ozee.built.cycles)
Paragon Customs - '54 Panhead
Paragon Customs – ’54 Panhead

Paragon Customs - '54 PanheadParagon Customs - '54 Panhead

Rich Gibson Hobbyist - '51 Vincent Black Shadow
Rich Gibson Hobbyist – ’51 Vincent Black Shadow

Rich Gibson Hobbyist - '51 Vincent Black Shadow

Robert Reese - '16 Yamaha FZ07
Robert Reese – ’16 Yamaha FZ07 (@reeseracing43)
Ronnie George - '74 Yamaha TX750A
Ronnie George – ’74 Yamaha TX750A

Ronnie George - '74 Yamaha TX750A

Ryan Cramer - '18 Aprilia RSV4 WSB
Ryan Cramer – ’18 Aprilia RSV4 WSB
Ryan Kehrer - '52 Panhead
Ryan Kehrer – ’52 Panhead (@ryan_kehrer)
Sasha's Cycles of Sturgis - '52 FL Pan
Sasha’s Cycles of Sturgis – ’52 FL Pan (@sashascyclesofsturgis)

Sasha's Cycles of Sturgis - '52 FL Pan

Schubert Motors - '52 FL Pan
Schubert Motors – ’52 FL Pan
Scott Wolfe Restorations - '04 Honda RC51
Scott Wolfe Restorations – ’04 Honda RC51
Shawn Long Imperial House - '47 FL Knuckle
Shawn Long Imperial House – ’47 FL Knuckle (@imperialhouse71)

Shawn Long Imperial House - '47 FL Knuckle

Slaughter Shack Choppers - '37 Knuckle
Slaughter Shack Choppers – ’37 Knuckle
Sophie Branen - '78 Suzuki DS125
Sophia Branen – ’78 Suzuki DS125 (@snowfeee)
Speed-Kings Cycle - '18 Road Glide
Speed-Kings Cycle – ’18 Road Glide (@speedkings_cycle)

Speed-Kings Cycle - '18 Road Glide

Steve Stenz - '48 Panhead
Steve Stenz – ’48 Panhead
Sweetleaf Garage - '79 FLH
Sweetleaf Garage – ’79 FLH (@sweetleafgarage)

Sweetleaf Garage - '79 FLH

Terry Heydt - '05 Suzuki Savage
Terry Heydt – ’05 Suzuki Savage

The Throttlestop - '37 Gnome & Rome AX2 800cc
The Throttlestop – ’37 Gnome & Rome AX2 800cc (@thethrottlestop)
Tommyboyspeed - '68 Shovel Derake
Tommyboyspeed – ’68 Shovel Derake (@tommyboyspeed)

Tommyboyspeed - '68 Shovel Derake

Utopeia Moto Co - '73 Wassell Mudlark
Utopeia Moto Co – ’73 Wassell Mudlark (@utopeia_moto_company)

Utopeia Moto Co - '73 Wassell Mudlark Utopeia Moto Co - '73 Wassell Mudlark

Vex Cycles - '99 Dyna
Vex Cycles – ’99 Dyna (@vexcycles)

Vex Cycles - '99 Dyna

Zane Cook - '74 Kawasaki KZ400
Zane Cook – ’74 Kawasaki KZ400 (@zanecook)

Zane Cook - '74 Kawasaki KZ400

Follow Mama Tried Moto Show

Web: mamatriedshow.com
Instagram: @mamatriedshow

Follow the Photographer

Web: https://mattgustafson.com/
Instagram: @very.dumb

 

 

5 Comments

  1. Lawrence of Suburbia

    Some interesting bikes surrounded by a sea of tacky choppers .. somehow the choppers detract from the cool stuff. A strange and awkward mix imo.

    • Highly agree. People will say it’s all subjective and it’s art, but the problem with these tacky choppers is that they’re not that unique. However, the same could be said for some of the other bikes, too, like the RC51 or even the Aprilia RSV4, which looks great and has that awesome swingarm and nice colors but not much else.

      I like the Greening Sportster and the Ballistic Legacy. The Ozee Softail was interesting, but the rears of the fenders ruin and cartoonize the look of the rest of the bike.

      Regardless, thanks for this, I enjoyed looking at everything, even if I largely skipped over the choppers, yeah.

      • Honestly, we used to not pay much attention to this show, as it was so chopper-centric — it takes place in Milwaukee, after all — but they’ve really opened things up to a larger variety of builds in recent years — and Flat Out Friday brings a bunch of awesome flat trackers, too. Look for a piece coming soon on that Greening Sportster!

  2. Elam Blacktree

    Wow, excellent photographs.

  3. What a great builder show. Some real gems in that room.

    Thanks for the great photo coverage!

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