Harley-Davidson names APAC Technician of the Year
Coveted Harley-Davidson Technician of the Year award expands global outreach, now directly competing with its EMEA sister competition amid rumours of future North American involvementHarley-Davidson has announced its APAC Technician of the Year after a competitive regional final.
Representative for Australia and New Zealand and reigning champion Paul Beebe has taken the title, besting three finalists from Japan, Korea and China.
Sydney-based technician representing Harley-Heaven, Beebe will now face the winner from the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) sister competition in a points-based grand finale.
The international winner will be announced in December 2025.
Now in its fourth consecutive year, 2025’s Technician of the Year event was Harley-Davidson’s largest yet and marks the first time the EMEA and Asia-Pacific competitions have directly competed.
The Asia-Pacific component of the now almost-global competition spans several key markets, with around 800 technicians vying for the illustrious regional title.
The contest runs across four categories: Asian Emerging Market, Australia and New Zealand, China and Japan.
Speculation from several Harley-Davidson executives present at this year’s competition suggests that next year, the event will expand again to include the North American market and beyond.
“We would be eager to compete with a representative from the US,” an Australian Harley-Davidson spokesperson said when asked about future expansion into North America.
The overall winner of Harley-Davidson’s Technician of the Year award will receive an exclusive, all-expenses-paid trip to Harley’s Homecoming event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, alongside other rewards.
What does Harley’s Technician of the Year competition actually entail?
A near-global contest with some 800 entrants in the APAC region, whittling down to a single winner, proves to be quite a lengthy task.
The competition is open to any qualified mechanic employed by Harley-Davidson and aims to find one finalist from each segment.
Technician of the Year is spread across four heats, with the first being an online simulator test.
This year, contestants needed to virtually install a Revolution Max engine into a Pan America adventure bike.
Entrants are judged on installation process and procedures, as well as correct and optimal tool selection.
The 10 technicians with the best scores from each regional segment move on to round two.
Round two is an online knowledge test comprising 40 questions with a time limit of 15 minutes.
The test demands both mechanical and electrical systems knowledge, as well as quick thinking.
Each of the four Harley-Davidson APAC segments produces one overall winner to progress to round three.
Round three consists of an in-person skills assessment spread across six segments.
This year, round three was held at Harley-Davidson’s headquarters in Sydney and featured four finalists: Paul Beebe for Australia and New Zealand, Satoru Shimazaki for Japan, Xin Zhao for China and Elvis Kim representing Korea as part of the Asian Emerging Market.
The four regional winners worked tirelessly over a full day of testing. Points were awarded based on prowess in the following segments: powertrain, suspension and steering, charging system, wiring repairs, electrical sensor testing, and electrical diagnostics.
The overall winner for round three, Paul Beebe, will move on to round four — a new segment of the competition designed to expand global outreach.
Round four compares the total points scored by both the APAC and EMEA regional winners to find an overall champion.
The winner will take the title of Harley-Davidson’s 2025 International Technician of the Year.
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