The Japanese custom scene has its leading lights; superstar builders with résumés that include coveted show trophies and high-profile OEM collaborations. But there are also highly skilled craftsmen who manage to fly under the radar—like the builder of this captivating Harley Electra Glide bobber, Shintaro Kido.
Kido-san runs his one-man shop, Kid Custom Factory, out of Fukuoka—a port city situated on the northern shore of Kyushu Island. He started his career at a factory that built formula cars in Suzuka, before turning his attention to custom motorcycles. He’s been operating as Kid Custom for 17 years already, but this is the first time his work has crossed our desk.
“Shintaro’s machines are by no means flashy,” says photographer Kazuo Matsumoto, who brought us this story.…