Tell us about your ride: John Olson's award-winning, 1978 custom FXE

LACONIA — John Olson has always loved to build things. He’s worked as a machinist, and a few decades ago, built customized motorcycles professionally.

“I used to work for Cycle Fab, Dave Perowitz down in Massachusetts back in the '80s,” Olson said. “I just do it for a hobby now. I have my own style, and it didn’t work out, working with someone who has a different style than I have.”

That personal style is exactly what earned Olson plenty of eyes on Lakeside Avenue at Laconia Motorcycle Week this year. Small crowds gathered to photograph his highly customized vintage ride and discuss the build with its towering, golden toothed creator.

“It started off as a 1978 FXE, and I just cut it up, that’s what I do,” Olson said of his award-winning build. The FXE features a silver and gold color scheme, with dozens of custom milled accents and metalwork. It also features a massive three-inch wide open primary belt, complete with red and white spiraled accents. “The motor and the tranny on the big twin are separate pieces," Olson explained. "You can't tell on a regular bike bike because they have an inner and outer primary cover that connects the two, but they’re actually two different entities.”

As part of his customization efforts, Olson removed the cover so the inner-workings are visible, adding to the raw mechanical feel of the overall build.

“By doing this you can actually see the two components rather than have it tied together looking like it's one unit.”

Despite the elaborate nature of the bike, it was put together very quickly. “I built it in 2010. I was trying to get it done for World of Wheels,” Olson recalled. “I had like eight days left, and I put it together in four nights, entered the show and took first place with it."