Mooneyes with Fresh Eyes: The Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show 2025

DAVID CHANG

Some events stay with you long after they’re over. That’s how I felt after attending the Yokohama Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show for the first time last year. So, when the opportunity came up to return in 2025, it didn’t feel like a repeat trip, it felt like continuing a story.

After exploring and riding throughout Japan, the three of us rolled into Yokohama just in time for the industry pre-party. Walking into Pacifico Yokohama, the energy was immediate and we were reunited with familiar faces.

While the show is only one day long, it packs in more inspiration, craftsmanship, and community than most multi-day events.

This year, we were invited by Harley-Davidson of Japan to attend a special talk and help capture highlights from the show. Being part of Mooneyes in that capacity gave us a deeper appreciation for how closely Harley-Davidson is tied to the global custom scene. This isn’t about trends, it’s about heritage, individuality, and building something personal.

The show floor was filled wall-to-wall with world-class motorcycles and cars. From beautifully executed Harley builds to wild choppers and timeless hot rods, every machine told a story. The level of detail and care was impossible to ignore. You could see the hours of work and passion that poured into each build.

What truly sets Mooneyes apart, though, is the people. Builders and enthusiasts travel from all over the world to be here, and the venue stays packed all day with people who genuinely love this culture. Conversations happen easily, whether you’re talking fabrication techniques with a renowned builder or swapping ride stories with someone you just met.

And Mooneyes doesn’t just end when the doors close. The days surrounding the show are just as meaningful. The socializing before and after, late-night conversations, shop visits, and shared meals all add another layer to the experience. Then, the following day at the Hell on Wheels race event, seeing these machines roar to life on the dirt track is a powerful reminder that these builds aren’t just meant to be displayed, they’re meant to be ridden.

Returning to Mooneyes reinforced why it holds such a special place in the custom world. It’s a gathering built on craftsmanship, respect for tradition, and a shared passion for motorcycles. For me, it’s a reminder of why I keep riding, building, telling these stories, and why Mooneyes will always be worth coming back to.

Every build had chopper grit wrapped in a zen blanket. Yeah, it’s a custom show. Details are to be expected; precision a requirement. But the painstaking attention to balance, the respect for the significance of every part, is nowhere better on display than here. Everything was built for a purpose; every nut, every bolt, every ounce of character was designed for a reason. They craft without ego.

In a world of excess, these builders not only show us the beauty of their thoughtfulness, but the power of their restraint.