World Champs 2011 - Live!

With just a few hours to go before opening to the public, it is set-up day at the 8th annual AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building, with builders from all over the world uncrating their bikes and the show taking shape in Champions Hall at 3rd/Lazelle in downtown Sturgis, South Dakota.

Run-test videos are being shot as the bikes are prepped for display, to confirm their status for the World Champs' unique "Certified Runner" accreditation, and competitors are hard at work with final detailing and polishing to ensure that the bikes all look their best when the show is ready.

In addition to the eighty plus stunning customs, many making their US or worldwide debut this weekend, an all new-look AMD World Championship program website has been unveiled. Regular news posts will appear from the event throughout, and a link to the "ChampsCam" is now up, so you can watch the drama as it unfolds.

Again co-located at the Sturgis Rally with Harley-Davidson, the show opens at 9.00am (MDT) on Sunday 7th August, and runs for four days, with the results of Tuesday's competitor judging being unveiled at the awards ceremony at 3.00pm on Wednesday 10th.

The culmination of a year-round cycle of affiliate events worldwide, the 80 or so bikes that are expected to compete in the four World Championship classes are the cream of a program that has seen some 5,000 bikes in total compete at events that have had over 2 million visitors in the past 12 months, in markets with some 65 million road registered motorcycles, and close to 1 billion consumers in total.