Biltwell Inc. • Est. 2006

20 Years of
Good Times

Join us on this semi-accurate snapshot of our two-decade journey to bring our brand of two-wheeled fun to the motorcycle world.

Words: Harold McGruther   |   Illustrations: Luis Aguirre

Before the Beginning

Prologue

1991

USMC vet and 23-year-old art director Bill Bryant enlists recently fired bicycle designer Harold “McGoo” McGruther to write a mountain bike catalog for his new employer, Iron Horse Bicycles.

1994

Harold and Bill merge talents to start Revolution Advertising, and buy used dirt bikes after moving to SoCal’s Inland Empire.

1996

To keep pace with client growth, Revolution hires a human Swiss Army knife named Luis Aguirre. The bilingual autodidact does it all—photography, illustration, graphic design, writing, web development—and remains an indispensable engine in Biltwell’s marketing machine to this day.

2002

Bill rides his CB550 to Baja with the CB750 Mutilation Society. Seeds for a Mexican motorcycle adventure are sown…

2003

Bill joins his local National Guard unit and is promptly deployed to Iraq for a year of infantry shenanigans.

McGruther vows to keep Revolution afloat while Bill serves our country.

2004

Despite having never ridden a motorcycle on public roads, McGoo finances a chopper project with nine grand he wins in a $75 football parlay.

2005

Made-for-TV chopper drama oozes like a tranny leak on basic cable. Harold smells a rat and sees an opportunity…

While McGoo writes a business plan for a chopper parts company in Elsinore, Bill designs a logo for a brand called “Biltwell” on a Macbook in the Sunni Triangle.

Harold takes his mother to Sturgis, where Ms. McGruther drinks every silverback ponytail in the Jack Daniel’s tent under the table.

To celebrate his safe return to America, Bill and Harold go to Bike Week in Laughlin, Nevada. After a weekend of fringe chaps and burnout pits, doubt creeps in. The “biker scene” is lame.

McGoo finishes the Mastergator, his first home-built chopper. Bill volunteers to drive chase on a shakedown ride across Baja. Builder and big-twin kit bike return home unscathed. Over tacos and beer, El Diablo Run is born.

Act 1

The Early Years

2006

It’s official—Biltwell Inc. becomes a registered C Corp with the IRS.

Armed with open minds, “Halwade” and “Billdozer” do research and PR for their new company in a chopper chat room called JockeyJournal.com.

After learning about the ride on social media, 45 men and two women follow the Biltwell crew to Baja for the inaugural El Diablo Run.

After season three, Discovery Channel doesn’t renew “Monster Garage.” Is two-wheeled reality TV running out of gas?

2007

Biltwell bars, risers, and solo seats hit the market. V-twin dealers are confused—where’s the spider webs and scary skulls?

During a business trip for their agency gig, Bill and McGoo meet a helmet factory at a bicycle trade show. Would a metalflake novelty open face appeal to customers in Biltwell’s target demo?

Because every NOS bubble shield on eBay smells like vomit, we find an optics OEM to make stink-free repops.

A sales junket to meet Dutch and German importers bears fruit. Europeans grasp Biltwell’s blue-collar vibe and less-is-more aesthetic faster than many Americans.

Myspace, message boards, and blogs give everyone—not just magazine publishers—the power to tell new stories. Builders, bikeriders, and entrepreneurs start using social media to change their world.

Discovery Channel doesn’t renew “Biker Build-Off,” another nail in chopper TV’s coffin.

2008

While Biltwell parts sell briskly at progressive online retailers, Harley dealers’ collective befuddlement remains high—not enough DILIGAF patches on our vests to convince skeptics we’re serious.

250 riders, two dozen sorority girls, and one lactating stripper attend El Diablo Run III. Legendary motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter chronicles the debauchery in “Easyriders” magazine.

Biltwell and friends run a booth at The Horse Smokeout in North Carolina, where they meet Tyler Malinky, owner of Lowbrow Customs. Founders at both small businesses hit it off, and a new Biltwell customer (and Revolution client) is born.

Biltwell novelty helmets drop in a rainbow of Megaflake colors. Because they are one-size-fits-most, swap meet vendors and helmet painters are stoked—fewer inventory headaches.

USMC Staff Sergeant Josh Gilbow receives a custom-painted novelty helmet for volunteerism at swap meets, Biltwell rides, and campouts.

Sensing the need for something bigger than a swap meet but smaller than a mega rally, Biltwell cooks up The Chop Meet at Mountain High Ski Resort in Wrightwood, CA. The cultural hoedown is a money pit, but fellow motorcycle entrepreneurs Mike Davis and Grant Peterson see potential…

Act 2

Born Again

2009

Sensing the slow death of magazines in the age of online media, Bill and McGoo partner with web developers Mike Ellis and Jon Christopher to launch ChopCult.com, a message board, classifieds, and original news feed for custom motorcycles. Curated advertising and free grassroots event support add fuel to a growing fire.

Mike Davis and Grant Peterson host Born-Free I at Classic Cycles, a Triumph shop in Orange, CA. Biltwell pays for the taco cart at what will someday become the biggest custom motorcycle show in America.

ChopCult partner Mike Ellis joins Biltwell to handle purchasing, sales, and operations management.

Mexican cartel activities sensationalized in mainstream media make motorcyclers apprehensive about riding to Baja. Biltwell puts El Diablo Run on a two-year hiatus to support other events on domestic soil.

Biltwell cooks up another chopper fest, this one in their own backyard. Slab City Riot near SoCal’s infamous Salton Sea blends ’60s biker flick vibes with the chaos of a Manson family reunion. Anarchy and brotherhood co-exist peacefully, if only for one night.

Biltwell outgrows its tiny warehouse at Revolution HQ. Mike Deutsch, a local contractor with a chopper problem, oversees tenant buildouts on an 8,700-square-foot warehouse. It won’t be the last time “Otto” does heavy lifting for the brand.

Through word of mouth and banner ads on ChopCult, grassroots events like Gypsy Run, Twine Ball Run, and The Catalina Wine Mixer explode coast to coast. Riding motorcycles is fun again.

Biltwell growth relegates Bill and McGoo’s full-time agency gig to a side hustle, with Lowbrow Customs the last account standing.

2010

To move obsolete products and overstock inventory, we throw a parking lot sale at Biltwell’s new HQ in Murrieta.

Bill’s dad swaps his 1970 shovelhead for a flat black Dyna to ride in local parades with fellow veterans.

Recent hire Erik Westergaard borrows Bill Senior’s Street Glide for R&D. New Biltwell bolt-ons follow, including T-bars, risers, foot pegs and seats for Dynas.

Safety-conscious customers demand a DOT-compliant alternative to our novelty lid. El Fuerte drops, chopper dudes in 16 states with helmet laws rejoice.

Discovery Channel airs the pilot for “Senior vs. Junior,” a feeble spin-off of “American Choppers.” Couch potatoes tune in, motorcycle enthusiasts check out.

Fueled by hash pipes and hashtags, Slab City Riot 2 blows up with no casualties. 1,500 motorcyclers have the time of their lives. Imperial County LEO are not impressed.

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launch Instagram in October. One million users join the app by Christmas, Biltwell included.

2011

After a two-year hiatus, 400 riders storm Baja for the fourth edition of the El Diablo Run, now a biennial affair. The “Coctagon”—McGoo’s Wiffle Bat beatdown on a dick-shaped battlefield—debuts.

The mass media Gen X grew up with—’zines, event flyers, and slick magazines—enjoy a renaissance in the motivated hands of DIY publishers. Biltwell supports the cause with stories, photos, and advertising in “DicE,” “Sideburn,” “Choppers,” and others.

A fresh-faced 21-year-old Kenzie Rosenquist joins the team. The brainy go-getter does everything, and remains the longest tenured staffer in Biltwell’s history.

On the eve of Slab City Riot 3, USPS delivers a certified letter from Imperial County authorities. No permit, no party. Undeterred, we use word of mouth to secretly announce plan B. “The Illusive Unicorn” flies under the radar with minimal police intervention.

Born-Free finds its permanent home in Orange County’s Santiago Canyon; Harley-Davidson joins the party. America’s underground chopper scene ain’t so underground anymore.

2012

Big year for Instagram. After dropping the Android app and reaching 50 million users, Facebook buys the platform for one billion dollars.

Our shipping manager hires an assistant. Gary Reichert soon replaces his boss and assumes warehouse leadership.

Innovative brick-and-mortars and savvy online retailers sell Biltwell gear like hotcakes, but some Harley dealers remain clueless. An alliance with a respected motorsports distributor in America would help, but who, and how?

Shady moves by our helmet OEM in China force us to create a new DOT-compliant model at our Taiwan factory. Bonanza is born.

Hans Lautem, a Harley dealer in Trier, Germany, stocks Bonanza helmets from Motorcycle Storehouse, Biltwell’s top European distributor.

Lemans Corp., America’s largest motorsports distributor, opens an EU hub in Trier with Lautem’s help. When Hans asks Lemans founder Fred Fox if his company sells Biltwell products, the octogenarian mogul replies, “Never heard of them.”

Act 3

Shit Gets Real

2013

Lemans vendor-relations manager Tom Motzko visits Biltwell to discuss stocking Biltwell products. Due to prior commitments with other helmet brands, Lemans only stocks hard parts year one.

Customers ask for a full-face helmet. Biltwell Gringo cribs its bold, vintage aesthetic from 1960’s motorsports and a new star is born.

McGoo’s Mexican dirt track race gets a tune-up for EDR V with a paved starting line, a sand pit in turn one, and separate classes for rigid frames and swingarms. Nobody dies, but several come very close.

After spending a small fortune on a mega booth at Born Free 5, Biltwell founders face a dilemma. Do we double down on our dog-and-pony show next year, or provide health insurance for our small but growing staff?

With two DOT helmets in the line, safety-certified Biltwell helmets top novelty lids for the first time.

Long-time friend and full-time hustler Mike Deutsch takes the wheel for events and social media. #Biltwell on Instagram rockets to 373k pics and counting…

With 100k members, millions of monthly page views, and ad revenue approaching six figures annually, ChopCult.com is a massively successful pain in the ass. Sensing competition from ascendant Instagram, partners sell the platform to a dot com incubator in Tel Aviv.

Lemans’ early success with Biltwell parts is game-changing, but it’s DOT helmets—not DIY parts—that drive revenue. A conversation with Fred Fox strikes a chord, and his company agrees to sell helmets in 2014.

2014

A third DOT model and second full face joins our line. Gringo S features a flip-down shield for eye protection, and old-school race vibes.

Bolt-on seats for Sportsters, Dynas, and modern Triumphs fill out an already robust line of Biltwell solo seats for choppers.

A competitor copies our stainless-steel seat hinge. Courts find them guilty of “trade dress” infractions. Legal fees incurred exceed gross profits from hinge sales. Biltwell wins just enough in reparations to treat the whole team to a night of beers and triple-A baseball at Storm Stadium in Lake Elsinore.

To help Lemans customers and staff understand Biltwell better, McGoo visits 275 dealers in 13 states with 11 reps over one summer. Some shops get it, others do not—they’re still talking about Spider-Man theme bikes and wet t-shirt contests at Sturgis…

A fast-talking promotor convinces Biltwell to be the moto-industry anchor at a special venue in Sturgis. Otto and McGoo spend ten days handing out stickers to invisible bikers in a ghost town.

Every Biltwell employee receives health insurance benefits on the company’s dime—no more circus tents at Born Free.

Moto goggles join bubbles and blast shields in Biltwell’s growing range of headgear accessories.

Bill adds a skateboard photographer—Geoff Kowalchuk—and a video apprentice—his son Flynn—to Biltwell’s creative team. Both eager 20-somethings inject youth, color, and fun into the brand.

2015

Bill resurrects a tech pack he created for SNAFU BMX in 2000 to put Biltwell in the glove game. Roger Scarbossa, an old friend from the snowboard industry, designs three more models to flesh out the line.

“DicE” #59—the Biltwell issue, designed by Bill Bryant—drops like a small coffee table book on a rapturous readership. Biltwell is officially “chopular.”

Leaning hard into his desert racing roots, Bill turns Gringo and Gringo S helmets into trophies for vintage classes at the legendary Mint 400.

Biltwell cooks up another boozy motorcycle campout, this one in the foothills of California’s High Sierra mountain range. Kernville Kampout attracts 400 riders year one, but head count will triple by 2020.

2016

“Outlaws,” a short film starring UK soccer legend David Beckham in an off-the-shelf Gringo he scored from a mutual friend, screens at Ace Hotel in DTLA. Posh Spice is MIA.

Inspired by gear he carried in Iraq, Barnacle Bill designs EXFIL-7, a universal-mount, multi-purpose gear bag for motorcycles.

Aged-out BMXers and washed-up motocrossers take to American tracks and tarmac on hopped-up Harleys, and two new high-performance V-twin disciplines are born: hooligan dirt track racing and Dyna stunt riding.

To generate inspirational content for ads, catalogs, and social media, annual rides to exciting places with Biltwell staffers and friends become the norm. It’s hard to call these trips “work” with a straight face.

2017

Bill designs another luggage essential for motorcycle adventure. EXFIL-80 is built for road warriors who think smart, pack tight, and move fast.

Seventies motorsport nerd McGoo cobbles a retro MX visor prototype out of cardboard that would bring a tear to Roger DeCoster’s eye. Since no other helmet brand is similarly obsessed, Moto visor is a hit.

Heeding the call from Hooligan racers and Dyna stunters, Lane Splitter drops on US soil. It’s the first Biltwell helmet with DOT and ECE certification, but not the last. Curiously, EU distributors are slow to respond; V-twin wheelie poppers have yet to land on the other side of the pond.

Moto 2.0 and Overland goggles drop. Biltwell’s headgear game is getting strong.

Bill, Otto, and friends watch the Baja 1000 from lawn chairs in a dry riverbed 100 miles south of Ensenada. Has anyone ever done this on a Harley?

McGoo writes his first book, a richly illustrated, hardbound coffee table tome about the El Diablo Run. First edition print run sells out in weeks.

2018

To help style two new helmets, we enlist award-winning industrial designer Michael DiTullo to lend a hand.

Biltwell enters the NORRA Mexican 1000 on a fortified Sportster built by Rouser Rob. Mike Deutsch and Erik Westergaard split saddle time with crew chief Bill Bryant and BMX legend Chris Moeller to finish the 1,300-mile stage race—a first aboard American V-twin iron.

Motivated by a dopamine OD after finishing the 1000, Bill lays out battle plans for our next crazy adventure: riding vintage and modern motorcycles to the Arctic Circle and back. #OperationNumbnuts is on… or is it?

After outgrowing her part-time services, our bookkeeper Joyce helps train her full-time replacement. Biltwell’s new controller Karen Ford is a dynamo, with C-suite finance and HR experience.

After months of track testing, Biltwell AlumiCore grips for high-performance Harleys drop. Our one-piece forged and machined construction raises the bar for every player in the throttle-by-wire grip game.

Wayne Ballard takes a customer service position at Biltwell after cutting his teeth at Troy Lee Designs. When he wins his second Employee of The Year award at our Christmas party, it’s pretty clear who’s going to run this place someday.

2019

After a noble effort, “Show Class” prints its last issue. Biltwell takes over the magazine’s People’s Champ build-off, adding cash prizes for finalists and online voting for global audience appeal.

Helmet OEMs finish CAD drawings for 395—Biltwell’s first dirt bike helmet—and Gringo SV, an up-market evolution of Gringo S. Barring a global catastrophe, toolmaking and first molded shells should be ready in six months…

Biltwell’s Born Free pre-party at Cook’s Corner in Orange County becomes the host venue for People’s Champ 2.0. The winner of our blue-collar build-off wins $10k, and a place among the stars at Born Free.

Biltwell teammates Rob Galan, Patrick Lies, and Geoff Kowalchuk follow Motorcycle Sherpas on a two-week, 1,300-mile adventure over the Himalayas in Nepal.

Billdozer rides a 2018 Harley Street Bob from California to New Jersey—1,000 miles a day for three days—to stress test new EXFIL luggage.

Act 4

Shit Gets Weird

2020

After a dozen years of adoption and addiction, shit posting and doom scrolling turn social media into a divisive hellscape. Time for an analog reset…

To make them compliant for use in European countries, we improve Gringo and Gringo S interior technology to meet ECE R22.05 safety standards.

In March, a mysterious virus blankets the world in confusion, panic, and death. Karen from accounting sends everyone home with one month’s pay while government leaders assess risk.

New models Belden and Borrego introduce winterized and waterproof technologies to our glove arsenal.

In a wave of economic uncertainty spurred by Covid, purchase orders from dealers and distributors dry up, even as self-imposed social distancing launches a bull market on bikes and gear.

Taiwan institutes draconian mask, quarantine, and no-travel laws to minimize Covid carnage. It’s effective, but the government forces factory shutdowns. Fearing the worst, we order a two-year supply of popular sizes and colorways to satisfy demand.

Covid puts #OperationNumbnuts on the back burner with the Canadian border closed to idiots like us. To fill time, Bill, Rouser Rob, and fab guru JD Sansaver turn a decommissioned military LMTV into The Pig, easily the most expensive and unreliable chase vehicle in the world.

2021

USMC First Sergeant Josh Gilbow (retired) becomes Biltwell’s first Operations Manager. Daily Covid bleach cleanups run with military precision, but even Josh turns a blind eye to indoor masking.

McGoo returns to HQ after 11 months of managing sub-contractors on his firehouse rebuild, one-third of whom get Covid at least once. Miraculously, Harold the hypochondriac dodges every bullet.

With helmet factories on Covid lockdown, 395 and Gringo SV development grinds to a halt.

To give the people what they want, we launch the Biltwell 100 in the Mojave Desert. 185 racers sign up. 800+ will enter year five, making the 100 the biggest off-road race in California.

After two shots and three boosters Harold gets Covid, so he stays in bed and Otto leads the EDR charge to Baja.

Redundant compliance review by a French agency exposes a petty deficiency on Gringo and Gringo S helmets: insufficient French language on exterior labels and packaging. We buy back the product from European distributors and French dealers, but factory closures due to Covid make reparations impossible.

Soft-sided saddle bags in two sizes join our expanding moto luggage category. Bulletproof and feature rich, EXFIL-18 and -36 are huge hits with modern Harley riders.

Legislators change CE standards for motorcycle gloves six months after we introduce three new models for the European market. Back to work, Westy…

“Parts & Labor” covers the people, places, products, and events that make Biltwell unique. It’s also a great read when you’re pooping.

2022

Biltwell’s annual parking lot sale gets a new name—Parts & Labor Motorcycle Expo—and a new venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. Hard-headed property managers and winter weather no longer pose a threat to good times.

After 13 years of blood, sweat, and gears, Mike Ellis resigns to help his wife with her motorcycle adventure business, and to be a stay-at-home dad for their toddler. The search for Mike’s successor begins, with the long-time friend amicably agreeing to help train his replacement.

In an epic turn of good fortune, college music mogul, MMI graduate, and motorcycle mega miler Davin Wirtanen quits his industry gig in Portland and moves to SoCal. Biltwell has a new VP of sales and purchasing.

On a shakedown run to Ridgecrest for the second annual Biltwell 100, The Pig blows an oil line 150 clicks shy of the finish line. Five hours and eight gallons of Rotella later, Otto and Josh are rolling dirty.

Assistant warehouse manager Christian Dominguez takes first place in Novice Hooligan class at the second annual Biltwell 100 aboard a big-bore Sportster Rouser Rob assembled with spare parts from the NORRA Mexican 1000.

Taiwan finally relaxes travel restrictions for non-nationals. After a booster shot and nasal brain swab 24 hours before takeoff, McGoo lands in Taipei and is whisked to a quarantine hotel. Eight days and two tests later, skeleton crews at semi-operational factories greet their old friend with socially distant open arms.

EXFIL Sissy Bars for select late-model Harley-Davidsons drop to complement a growing line of universal fitment moto luggage for two-wheeled adventurers.

Loaded with beers, bikes, and spare parts, The Pig takes a flatbed semi to the jump-off point in Seattle for #OperationNumbnuts. Before the 12 friends and co-workers can fire up their bikes in Alaska, however, they must survive five days at sea on a ferry without wi-fi.

After delaying the mandatory enforcement of new ECE R22.06 standards for motorcycle helmets due to Covid, the EU proclaims 12/31/2023 the cut-off date for selling R22.05-certified models. Biltwell and every other factory, brand, and test lab in the world scramble to meet the deadline.

Act 5

Return to Normal(ish)

2023

Gringo SV, the first Biltwell helmet engineered to meet ECE R22.06 and US DOT standards, drops to much fanfare. Shockingly, Metallic Grape—not Gloss Black—is the top seller. Davin made that bold call, and it landed strong.

With his son on Team Biltwell and his daughter in college, Bill and his wife Carrie find themselves in an empty nest. Hungry for change, Bill and his family trade tract home life in SoCal for a nine-acre spread in Washington’s Olympic National Forest where he “works” from home between frequent returns to HQ in SoCal.

Our Biltwell 100 desert race catches the attention of Harley-Davidson, who sponsors a special class for H-D Pan America adventure bikes.

Bill and Rob Rouser turn our race-winning Spare Parts Sporty into a lifted, long-travel ADV machine with bags, boxes, and extra fuel canisters. Perfect for the Olympic Peninsula.

El Diablo Run numero diez rolls into San Felipe, with one glaring omission: no more Circulo de la Muerte dirt track race. Live music and a massive bike show on downtown’s malecon erases any lingering disappointment.

On the recommendation of a friend at another helmet brand, we commission helmet engineer Ken Baker to help Biltwell OEMs with DOT, ECE, and R&D. Before becoming a freelance gun for hire, Ken spent 20+ years in the trenches at helmet factories worldwide.

ECE R22.06-certified Gringo, Gringo S, and Lane Splitter helmets drop in a cavalcade of colors and graphic styles. Euro Biltwell dealers and distributors are back in business.

On the eve of Born-Free, Sean Jackson from Springboro, PA, takes top prize at People’s Champ with his mind-blowing ’48 panhead.

During vendor recon at Europe’s biggest motorcycle trade show, McGoo meets a new cut-and-sew OEM. With a high-end supplier now on tap, Westy spearheads development of a shirtjack, flannels, and vest for Biltwell’s growing streetwear line.

With Covid-fueled cabin fever in the rearview mirror, people flock to Biltwell rides, races, and hoedowns in record numbers. Sponsors notice, and provide support. Free booze, free cannabis, and good old-fashioned freedom flow like 50-weight at Kernville, the 100, Cook’s Corner, and beyond.

Almost overnight, Dyna bros and bagger daddies go all-in on so-called “modular” full-face helmets. Having managed similar projects for other brands, Ken Baker and Westy combine superpowers on Project XLR, Biltwell’s first step in this brave new world.

2024

We commission an inflatable display maker to build a ten-foot-tall Gringo helmet, because why not? Said high-dollar Instagram moment debuts at Parts & Labor Motorcycle Expo.

On a vendor tip from Davin, Westy and McGoo go to Vietnam to inspect a new luggage factory. Duly impressed, Erik and Bill begin development on new saddlebags and a tank bag.

Version 2.0 of our popular Work glove hits shelves. Modifying palm construction and switching to full goatskin makes our best-selling leather glove even better.

Our new glove OEM receives tech packs for three new models designed to meet more robust CE standards: Bridgeport CE, Belden CE, and Faktor.

More moving and shaking in our EXFIL line. 2.0 versions of EXFIL-3, EXFIL-65, and EXFIL-80 drop, plus a new mini tank and helmet bag.

Biltwell El Dorado shirtjacks, 4-Speed vests, and Ridgecrest flannels drop in Vol. 3, Issue 5 of “Parts and Labor” magazine.

Customer feedback says it’s time to build a more feature-rich replacement for our iconic but long-in-the-tooth Lane Splitter. McGoo and helmet engineer Ken Baker meet execs at a world-class factory to launch the Lane Splitter 2 project.

CAD renderings of Project XLR arrive at Biltwell R&D. Next step: wearable 3D printed samples.

ADV obsessive Davin road tests early iterations of EXFIL-115, a waterproof trunk-style behemoth for long hauls.

EU distributors at a trade show in Italy demand CE-certified moto jackets. Gear geeks Westy, Josh, and Davin respond with concepts and specs for Kamino and Kamino Air, Biltwell’s first armored outerwear. Lead times for textile development are murder, but first wearable samples are encouraging.

Bill hosts a three-day think tank for Biltwell sales, marketing, events, and product teams at a lakeside AirBNB near his home in Port Angeles, Washington. Best new idea: Biltwell needs a podcast.

2025

After doing collabs with several brands, Biltwell adds RAMBLR sunglasses to our optics arsenal.

With Otto as MC and B-roll king Flynn Bryant on production, Biltwell’s Parts & Labor Motorcycle podcast drops on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

A new fitment mule finds a home in our R&D stable. After bolt-on upgrades and a repaint by Hot Dog, Westy falls in love with our Shop Softail during his daily 2-hour commute.

Davin and staff photographer Geoff parachute into New Zealand for a two-week motorcycle adventure with staffers at Biltwell’s new Kiwi importer.

After 19 years, the El Diablo Run is no longer the custom motorcycle adventure founders originally conceived—too many baggers and bootleg t-shirts, not enough chopper chaos. Otto and company have big plans for EDR XX in 2026, after which Bill and McGoo will throw their baby out with the bong water forever.

Ridgecrest, a new lightweight, full-synthetic off-road glove hits dealer shelves.

Act 6

What Now?

2026

To acknowledge Biltwell’s contributions to custom motorcycle culture on the eve of its twentieth anniversary, Bill asks McGoo to recount the brand’s major milestones and significant achievements in a digestible timeline.

This year looks like it’ll be more of the same: plenty of motorcycle shenanigans coupled with a blitz of new product development. Thanks for joining us on this wild ride. Here’s to 20 more…

Here’s to 20 more.