Of all the Asian countries, Japan has the highest profile in the custom scene, and has even exported the whole genre of SR400 modifications. But other countries are getting more press now, with Australian shop Deus moving into Bali and the whole Indonesian scene gaining momentum. Now it looks like the turn of Taiwan.
This hunkered-down Harley Sportster custom is called Guerrilla: it comes from an upstart new Taipei shop called Rough Crafts.
According to builder Winston Yeh, “The initial idea for this bike was to get it to look custom, without being too ‘far out’—because Taiwan has a crazy regulation that all bikes bigger than 250cc have to pass an annual exam after they are older than five years.”
“The bike is compared to the stock picture and if it looks too different, it will be hard to pass. With that in mind, I tried to create a bike that has similar profile to stock. So you probably think it’s ‘normal’ from far away, but you can see the customization when up close.”
The bike takes the Harley-Davidson Sportster ‘Nightster‘ theme a step further, with a chopped front end, new bars, bodywork and lighting—and a terrific exhaust system that adds to the compact, muscular vibe.
Excellent work from a builder worth keeping an eye on.
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2009 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883
Builder: Winston Yeh
City/state: Taipei, Taiwan
Company: Rough Crafts
Fabrication: Rough Crafts
Welding: Winston/Shin Metal Works
Parts Design: Winston Yeh
Air cleaner: Rough Crafts
Exhaust: Rough Crafts
Mufflers: Rough Crafts
Frame: Stock with a little chop-off
Front End: Stock chopped/Rough Crafts Triple Trees
Tank: Rough Crafts
Fenders: Rough Crafts
Paint: Rough Crafts/BianChin Paint Studio
Graphics: Rough Crafts
Tires: Coker 5.10×16″
Foot controls: Stock Mid
Handlebar controls: Rough Crafts
Throttle: Neo Factory
Headlight: Rough Crafts grill-type headlight
Taillight: Rough Crafts grill-type LED taillight
Seat: Rough Crafts
Mirror: none
Gas caps: Rough Crafts
Handlebars: Rough Crafts
Risers: Rough Crafts
Grips: Rough Crafts
Rough Crafts is one of the featured builders in our new book, The Ride.