1946 Harley Davidson EL

Hi, my name is Kurt Mertens, an avid vintage motorcycle collector from Colby, Wisconsin. I recently retired from my business of 40 years.

When I was 16 years old, I purchased my first motorcycle, a 1946 Knucklehead basket. I have been building and racing 1920’s Boardtrack race bikes for the last 20 years. There’s something a little magical about taking an old, neglected, forgotten motorcycle, bringing her back to life, and restoring her to her former glory. It’s not always an easy task, but it’s something I really enjoy. There’s no doubt that restoring a classic motorcycle can be a major project that brings with it a great deal of satisfaction. I have been flat track racing throughout the Midwest and I am looking forward to trying something different like The Chase.