Two Harley-Davidson dealerships in Kuwait and Morocco are competing to become the top custom bike builder across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), in a contest of ultimate customization using one of the latest Harley models, the all-new Sportster® Iron 883™. The move marks the Middle East and Africa’s (MENA) first foray into the international competition.

The ‘Battle of the Kings’ contest provides Harley-Davidson Kuwait and Morocco dealerships the opportunity to show off the true extent of their original and creative customization skills on a 2016 Iron 883. Created with the intention of demonstrating Harley-Davidson dealerships’ ability to transform the state of the art bikes into masterpieces, Kuwait and Morocco’s debut brings a new international dimension to the competition. For the battle, each participating Harley-Davidson dealership in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has been appointed an in-house ‘Custom King’ (an expert customizer, mechanic and artist) and a 2016 Iron 883.

The contest for the Kuwait and Morocco entrants is made up of a number of stages, starting with a MENA-based competition where the region’s Custom King will be determined via a combination of public votes and input from a panel of motorcycle experts. Voting to crown the region’s Custom King began on 15th March 2016 and is due to run for one month.

The next stage will include a head-to-head contest between the MENA and European champions and the presentation of the prestigious award at the ‘Wheels & Waves’ custom lifestyle event in Biarritz, France in June 2016. A jury of experts will choose the EMEA Custom King.

“The process of customizing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is a journey that helps to shape a bike’s identity for Harley owners. Our responsibility, as a brand, is to help our clients find the most suitable and affordable ways to do just that,” said Elsa Abi Nader, Marketing Manager Middle East and North Africa, Harley-Davidson Motor Company

“Kuwait and Morocco’s participation in this year’s ‘Battle of the Kings’ is testament to the increasing availability of highly-skilled customization experts in the MENA region in addition to the growing enthusiasm for adding personal touches to an iconic and hugely popular brand. I am very excited to see the countries’ debut entries.”

Part of the iconic Harley-Davidson Sportster range, the 2016 Iron 883 is one of the most popular models for customization in the new wave custom scene. Like its predecessors, the new bike represents the ideal blank canvas to demonstrate the customization skills of the Harley-Davidson dealer network.
A dark pioneer of raw, stripped-down custom aggression, the 2016 Iron 883 is powered by an 883cc Evolution V-Twin engine tuned to blast away from traffic lights. Intentionally rough around the edges, the model refuses to compromise and maintains the Harley-Davidson brand attributes of individuality, rebellion and freedom, while allowing room for additional jaw-dropping parts and accessories. With accessible pricing to attract new entrants to the brand, the battle revs up the interest for the all-American motorcycle.