Building a Street 750 custom with a No. 8 wire mentality
In rural New Zealand, where I am writing this, you often hear that someone has a ‘number eight wire mentality.’ ‘Number 8’…
Read more »Harley-Davidson Customs
Harley-Davidson is an icon of American culture and the most popular marque for custom builders. Shortly after the company was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, customizers started bobbing, chopping and dirt tracking the famous V-twins.
After WW2 Harley motorcycles were at the center of the bobber craze, and kept their lead as Californian bikers turned to choppers in the late 1950s. The 45-degree engines have their own nicknames and folklore: from flatheads, knuckleheads, panheads and shovelheads to today’s Evolution and Milwaukee-Eight motors.
The Sportster is the basis for more Harley-Davidson customs than any other model. Originally fitted with an ‘Ironhead’ motor, it turned 60 years old in 2017. It’s probably the single most customized motorcycle on the planet, and certainly has the largest supply of aftermarket parts.
Built Under Pressure: HardNine’s Harley XLCR tracker
Building a custom bike is often beset with difficulties: there can be unreasonable client demands, unforeseen technical issues, cashflow problems, and in…
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The ‘neo board tracker’ that stole the show in Jakarta
After reporting on the custom scene for over ten years, it takes a lot to stop us dead in our tracks. But…
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An Electra Glide built for Austrian mountain passes
If you’re looking for a classic American tourer, a Harley Electra Glide is just the ticket. They were popular with police departments…
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Shine On: The AMD-Winning custom Harley Softail Deuce
What does it take to rack up two wins and four podiums, in the Modified Harley-Davidson class at the AMD World Championships?…
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KNTT: A sporty Knucklehead from Max Hazan
We’d love a glimpse inside Max Hazan’s head. His machines are elegant and visceral, and we’re left wondering how he actually builds…
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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 28 July, 2019
Let’s all gawp at the latest oddity from Curtiss Motorcycles, and then drool over a fabulous retro kit for the Kawasaki Z900…
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Review: Harley-Davidson’s electric LiveWire
Right now, it’s hard to judge Harley-Davidson’s tactics without framing them against the stiff challenges the company is facing. If it’s not…
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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 23 June, 2019
We’ve got a Harley-heavy selection this week, with a cafe racer from Italy, a scrambler from Japan and a tracker from the…
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Perfect Storm: A custom Buell S1 Lightning from CW Zon
Custom Works Zon have a stellar reputation in their home country of Japan, but are only just becoming known outside. Six months…
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Tarmac Raven: A Street Bob custom from Rough Crafts
Two years ago, Harley-Davidson flew Winston Yeh to Barcelona to test ride the new Milwaukee-Eight big twins. And like most riders at…
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Bodacious: An 80s style Iron 1200 from Prism Supply Co.
Despite being steeped in the custom scene, Harley-Davidson doesn’t often donate bikes to custom builders. So this Sportster Iron 1200 from Prism…
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