Indian Motorcycle and Klock Werks pulled the wraps off a one-of-a-kind custom Indian Challenger built for country artist Redferrin on August 6, at the 19th Annual Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party in Mitchell, South Dakota. The reveal happened inside Klock Werks’ own headquarters, in front of a packed crowd of riders converging on the region ahead of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The build marks 12 years of collaboration between Indian Motorcycle and the Mitchell-based custom shop, a run that has produced a celebrated series of motorcycles created alongside Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. This latest Challenger carries on that tradition, with custom paint by South Dakota artist Mickey Harris of Menno bringing a distinctly American design story to the finished machine.
A Build Rooted In South Dakota Craftsmanship
Indian Motorcycle and Klock Werks
Klock Werks has been operating out of Mitchell, South Dakota since 1997, and the shop’s identity is inseparable from the state it calls home. That local pride runs straight through the Redferrin Challenger: the paint was handled by Mickey Harris, a South Dakota artist whose work ties the build geographically and culturally to the region where it was conceived and constructed.
The shop’s reputation in the custom world rests on more than aesthetics. Klock Werks earned its standing as an air-management innovator through the original, patented Flare windshield — a product that reshaped how riders think about wind protection and rider comfort on long-haul machines. The team has also spent years setting records on the Bonneville Salt Flats, giving the brand a performance pedigree that backs up its design credibility. Fenders, handlebars, and a broader catalog of powersports parts round out a product line that has made Klock Werks a globally recognized name over nearly three decades.
Twelve Years Of Indian Motorcycle Partnership
Indian Motorcycle and Klock Werks
The relationship between Indian Motorcycle and Klock Werks stretches back more than a decade, producing a string of custom builds that have linked the two American brands in the rally and custom communities. The Jack Daniel’s collaborations sit at the center of that history — a series that brought together motorcycle culture, American heritage whiskey, and the kind of hand-built craftsmanship that resonates at events like Sturgis.
The Redferrin Challenger continues that lineage. Brian Klock, the shop’s founder and president, captured the spirit of the day in his own words: “So much great energy — from Donnie Smith to Mickey Cohen and Bobby Woods, young up-coming builders and legends congregated to make a community-day of fun and motorcycles. Thanks to Indian Motorcycles and Jack Daniels for 15 years of design excellence celebrated today with Redferrin.” The quote reflects what these builds have always been about — not just the finished machine, but the community that gathers around it.
The Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party As Cultural Backdrop
The unveiling was the centerpiece of a full day of activity in Mitchell. After the reveal at Klock Werks headquarters, riders joined a community ride from the shop to downtown Mitchell, officially opening the city’s annual Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party. Now in its 19th year, the event began at the Klock Werks shop in 2007 and has grown into one of the region’s largest send-offs to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Downtown festivities spread across Main Street in front of the World’s Only Corn Palace, with the Quick Draw exhibit, the 301 Rodz Car Show, the Shifter Crew Motorcycle Show, stunt performances by Rob of One Wheel Revolution, LFG 1904 Biker Games, Strider Bike demos, and a mechanical bull among the day’s attractions. The evening closed with a live outdoor performance by Redferrin himself at the Corn Palace Plaza — a fitting end to a day that wove together motorcycles, music, and the kind of community energy that defines rally season in South Dakota.
For Klock Werks, the Redferrin Challenger is another chapter in a partnership that has consistently found ways to connect custom motorcycle culture with broader American creative traditions. With Sturgis week underway, the build will get plenty of eyes on it — and the story behind it is worth knowing.
