Rheinhessen RUMBLE Bike Show

Post by Motographer Horst Roesler.

Custom Chrome Europe News

“Showtime” again with Custom Chrome Europe

April 28th – 30th 2023, “Nahetal Arena” at ClassicX Landhaus & Hotel near Gensingen/Germany: German top customizer Maniac MechaniX and Nahetal-Arena rocked the Rhine-Main basin and attracted 8.000+ visitors! Custom Chrome Europe added € 4.000,– + prize value on Rheinhessen Rumble Ride-In Bikeshow and the winners proved to be quite generous to the local charity cause!

You may believe that you can change the climate in 50 years, but you can’t change the weather – nor can you explain that “cloudy” not necessarily means “wet”. Consequently the 3rd edition of “Rheinhessen Rumble” was off to a slow start on Friday, April 28th when the forecasts were showing dark clouds, yet the water was passing by in the Nahe and Rhine rivers as always and not raining down from above. The Nahetal Arena was “rumbling” on Saturday and busy with bikers rolling in from all over the Rhine-Main Basin and sometimes beyond, as the first two “Rheinhessen Rumbles” established the routine that was further developed for this year´s great show. The quality of the outstanding custombikes exhibited at the 3-day custombike and music event in Gensingen, situated just in the middle between Bad Kreuznach and Bingen, where the Nahe river meets the Rhine in one of the most scenic landscapes of Germany, again was outstanding. A lot of “privateers” entered their cool bikes – and made it into the trophies.

The experienced “Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series” team was co-organizing the Bikeshow, which – thanks to the location – did integrate characteristics of both “Ride-In” and “Indoor” bike shows already introduced at previous Custom Chrome Europe events: While “Ride In” competitors presented their bikes Saturday, April 29th in the scenic courtyard of the ClassicX Landhaus & Hotel event site, custombikes of event-exhibitors remained at their particular booths all weekend: 22 custombikes signed in, only a third of them by present or exhibiting dealers, the others privateers or arriving for Saturdays “Showtime” with an outstanding quality of exhibits! As a matter of fact, many trophies went to “garage-built” custombikes who also presented excellent craftsmanship! The Jury had quite a hard time to judge the bikes – and especially the “Modified Harley/Indian” class saw many entries of all types: For the first time ever, all classes allowed a “Harley vs. Indian” Battle including the “Modified Harley/Indian” and “Sportster/Scout Engine” as “Championship” and “Jammer Old School” allow all brands anyway.

The now open “Sportster/Scout Engine” saw a surprising number of XR 1200 Customs, both privately customized and highly “themed”: Christoph “Gifty Z” Grimm had sold his “Armageddon” Bagger and modified the “Dirt Track style” Sporty/Buell offspring that did not last long in the Harley-program. Likewise, John Lubnow themed his 2012 XR with a “Gulf” design paintjob and many one-off parts and off-road tires. Top spot in the class however went to Mike Sonnet, son of Thomas Sonnet, creator of so many popular Custom Chrome Europe Kit-Bikes in the early 2000 years. His 2020 Sportster 48, for the European market the last of its kind, is heavily modified, about 80% CCE parts but also all nuts and bolts covered with modified cartridge cases.

“Blechfee” Jochen Lehmann, who entered two bikes into the bike show, did score in the Modified Harley/Indian Class, with his sheet metal hammered Indian Chief “Project 22” he had further modified from 2022. Third place went to Mizio Tarantini who modified his 2019 “Street Bob” himself with a friend in his own garage. Top prize went to Maniac MechaniX for a very sophisticated Evo Custom based on a 1997 FLSTF which is hardy recognizable after the extensive modifications!

The “Jammer Old School” class is always popular, even this year´s show saw a lot of possible entries in other classes. Robin Steinbrech’s 2007 Sportster was a “Son & Father” project and was also a private built project!
#2 went to Sebastian Biess for his Independent Chopper built “Rusty” and the name gives the theme already. The owner did bring in his bike late – a very likely class winner with a cool Flathead left early before the judgement took place – and was awarded with a top spot. “Stitch”, again a Maniac MechaniX client bike did win the class, again for sophisticated sheet metal work, cool ideas and a 1976 FX Shovelhead base that was modified with many handcrafted parts.

The “Championship” class of 2023 did lack numbers, as the forecast for Saturday’s weather was not encouraging high-class custombikes to be shown “outdoor”. That did not bother Custom Chrome Europe’s “guest stars” Bike Farm Melle who entered the show with an Indian FTR and the extreme 2022 CUSTOMBIKE Biker Build-Off winner “Purple Haze” who won with all possible votes over Bernd Katzenmeier’s Customhands-built “American Woman” which also scored with a super-clean Penz rolling chassis and unique Customhands parts. In Championship, Indian scored a first win over Harley – and the expectations are that the fight will become more intense in the future in all bikeshows!

CCE Marketing’s Manager Axel Scherer, with the help of Simone Willem, Sales & Management Assistant, and Frank Sander handed over the trophies and parts-vouchers to the winners at the Saturday afternoon ceremony, bringing together all placed bikes and winners in front of the Nahetal Arena stage for a cool presentation. The real surprising and exiting part happened at the end of the trophy ceremony: As in all previous CCE-powered “Ride-In Bikeshows”, the entry fee for the bike show, in this case some € 400,– would be handed to charity, this time to local “Förderverein der Kommunalen Kindertageseinrichtung “Sternschnuppe” Gensingen” in local Gensingen, a society that is supporting child care. Somehow Gerd Remmert of Bike Farm got wind of that and – never shy of donations – dropped his 1st place parts voucher for € 500,– CCE-Parts to the “jackpot”! This triggered a chain reaction as Christian Dennstedt added his two top-prizes and both Blechfee and Customhands added their 2nd places, both worth € 300,– in CCE parts! Consequently, representatives of the Kindergarten were excited to receive a whooping € 2.500,– for the good cause. If they will ask for it in CCE parts? We’ll see! You can’t start customizing early enough!

“We were happy to see the show developing into a great addition in the Custom calendar”, stated Matthias Hirsch, CCE Sales & Marketing Manager, “to meet the customizers, the builders and even suppliers again was a great pleasure!” CCE’s HQ and Warehouse, just about 5 km away from the event site, the CCE team was present at the cool event too – and Custom Chrome Europe premiered the Bell helmet line and “special guests” Bike Farm Melle being present with three bikes at the event! Show organizers Christian Denstedt of Maniac MechaniX and ClassicX Landhaus & Hotel were also pleased with the results of the event: Sunday, as the sun came out, saw an unprecedented rush of visitors that rolled in until late afternoon: A steady flow of motorcycles arrived in Gensingen and quite a lot stayed for the “Dance into May” that was an one-time opportunity not to be missed! “The Show will go on”! So, its “back to Party” and “Showtime” again in May 2024 – the date being set for May 9th till12th already. Let’s Rumble again!

Text: HRF, Fotos: Motographer

RESULTS RHEINHESSEN RUMBLE BIKE SHOW 2023
Powered by Custom Chrome Europe

Championship Class
Place Bike Name Owner/Builder Name
1 Purple Haze, Indian Scout Chop Bike Farm Melle
2 American Woman Bern Katzenmeier; Customhands GmbH

Modified Harley/Indian Class
Place Bike Name Owner/Builder Name
1 Oetinger Racer, 1997 Fat Boy Achim Ritter & Edler v. Oetinger / Maniac MechaniX
2 Projekt 22, 2022 indian Chief Jochen Lehmann / Blechfee
3 Street Bob Mizio Tarantini / Garage built

Jammer Old School/Chopper Class
Place Bike Name Owner/Builder Name
1 Stitch, 1976 FX Marvin Wedrich / Maniac MechaniX
2 Rusty, 1998 FXST Sebastian Biess / Independent Choppers
3 Green Pagan Robin Steinbrech, Son & Father project

Sportster/Scout Engine Class
Place Bike Name Owner/Builder Name
1 Speedster, 2020 Forty Eight Mike Sonnet / Sonnet Customs
2 Gulf 66, 2012 XR 1200 X John Lubnow / Garage built
3 Armageddon XR, 2010 XR 1200 X Christoph Grimm / Gifty Z

What else?

€ 2.500,—

…is the total of bike show registration fees and donations by entering participants that will be forwarded to the “Förderverein der Kommunalen Kindertageseinrichtung “Sternschnuppe” Gensingen” in Gensingen/Germany.
As the established practice in Faak for years – registration fee for each bike entered into the show was € 20,– on arrival and entering the bike. This money – as done after all Faak events at Arneitz Custom Show – will be forwarded. Thank to all participants for entering the show and additional donations!

The Custom Chrome Europe Bike Show Team

CAPTIONS:

Images are named for the Classes and winning positions of the bikes, both in Studio setup and during the Trophy ceremony.

For more news follow the website and accompanying media channels of

www.Rheinhessenrumble.de
www.Custom-Chrome-Europe.com