Jed Dickens with his custom 1948 Harley-Davidson Panhead, which earned him the champion title in the 2026 Custom Kings competition.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Kyabram’s Jed Dickens has been crowned the champion of the 2026 Custom Kings competition, taking out the top spot for his custom 1948 Harley-Davidson Panhead.
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Hosted by Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand, the win follows a three-round voting process that narrowed contenders down to a top 10, a top three, and finally the overall winner in the vintage category.
The win scores Mr Dickens a four-day trip to Japan to attend the Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show, the largest hot rod show in the world.
The victory is the result of a six-year passion project.
Inspired by his dad’s love of Harleys, Mr Dickens started the build with just a single piece of frame and spent hundreds of hours using his trade skills as a welder to restore broken parts gathered from the United States and across Australia.
He originally entered the competition on a whim by submitting a photo of his completed build.
“I couldn’t have done this without the support of my wife and kids,” Mr Dickens said.
“Building bikes takes a lot of time and dedication, and they’ve been there every step of the way, cheering me on and making sacrifices along the journey.
“This achievement is just as much theirs as it is mine, and I’m incredibly grateful for their love and support.”
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