'Every bike has a story' at Biketoberfest custom bike show on Daytona Boardwalk

<p>The colorful machines lining the Boardwalk on Friday gleamed in the afternoon sun. Even among the thousands of motorcycles in town for Biketoberfest, these stood out, some for vibrant paint jobs, others for eclectic accessories, all of them distinctive in their own way.</p><p>“Every bike has a story,” said Beth Roberts, a missionary from North Carolina, whose own ride — “the Jesus bike” — proved her point.</p><p>It was the second day of Biketoberfest and rows upon rows of motorcycles were parked in front of bars, restaurants and shops in Daytona Beach. </p><p>While they could be heard revving at red lights on Main Street and screaming down State Road A1A, the bikes lining the boardwalk Friday afternoon sat idle and quiet. But they spoke in other ways.</p><p>Take Roberts’ bike for example. The front of her motorcycle contained an image of Jesus’ hand on a cross. A streak of red paint, to signify blood, ran down the gas tank and onto the back fender. She bought the bike in 1992, spent about 10 years and $35,000 getting it customized, and now calls it Sarah, which is named after Abraham’s wife in the Bible. “The Biblical Sarah went through a great transformation with God, and this bike has gone through a great transformation,” she said.</p><p>When passersby examine Sarah’s custom design, it gives Roberts a chance to share her faith.</p><p>“I can explain the paint job and the gospel and the significance of that,” she said. “In my life, Jesus is the most important thing. So it makes sense that it pours out of my bike as well.”</p><p>Participation in the Biketoberfest custom bike show was down this year compared with previous years, said promoter Bill Chaffin, a Daytona Beach resident who recently traded in his Harley-Davidson for an RV. Last year, about 90 bikes were on display. </p><p>“I’m really surprised,” he said. “I can’t figure it out. The weather is perfect; we had good advertising. We had a lot of pre-registration. I don’t understand.”</p><p>But despite fewer bikes, “It’s a builder’s showcase,” Chaffin added. “We have some of the best builders in the country here today.”</p><p>Jay Tello and Tony Scibilia, owners of STS Custom Cycles in Boston, brought some of their bikes down for the show to show off the work they do. One motorcycle, owned by Vinny Schettino, was painted black and yellow and had a series of 50-cent-piece-sized holes through the gas tank. The fuel remained intact. </p><p>“This bike right here took us over four months to finish,” Tello said. “People see the holes and think: ‘Where is the gas?’ If people tell us there is something we can’t do, we have to try it.”</p><p>The motorcycles on display during the bike show were judged based on several criteria, including Best of Show, People’s Choice, Best Chopper, Best Trike, Best Vintage bike and more. Even before the judging was complete, Tello felt like a winner for all the attention his bikes were getting.</p><p>“When you see somebody stop and enjoy something that you did,” he said, “something you put your heart and soul into and a lot of hours into, it’s just a great feeling.”</p><br><br><br><br><br>

"Every bike has a story" at Biketoberfest custom bike show on Daytona Boardwalk