Everyone has a piece of Americana that they adore and obsess over. Even in the most remote corners of the world, some enthusiasts drive around in their bright orange foreign sedans with numbers 01 painted on the side of their doors as an homage to 1969 Dodge Charger that was featured in The Duke’s of Hazzard TV series.
To many, these things might seem like nothing more than cultural paraphernalia but to a true fan, they are part of his/her personality and a means of expression. Motorcycle enthusiasts take this to a completely e different level altogether.
The biker community is quite diverse and while some love the modern iterations with hi-tech gadgetry, there are also those on the opposite side of the spectrum who love being able to work on a good old Knucklehead V-twin in the comfort of their garage. So we have compiled a list of 15 customized bikes that we cannot stop admiring.
15 MC Moto-Worx Buell X1 Lightning
This modification from MC Motor-Worx just works. We love it all - the contrasting gold alloys, the upsidedown forks with the blacked-out treatment and the huge disc brake at the front. The overall design of the motorcycle has been refined and now features clean lines as opposed to the clustered vibe the stock iteration had to offer.
14 Moto Pilot Harley Bobber
This build involved modification of a 1997 Harley Davidson Fat Boy into a Bobber and was so popular that it managed to get over 6 million views across social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. If you want to take a crack at a fat boy project of your own, Moto Pilot offers a list of all the parts used along with their respective price points in build Vlog.
13 Ronin Motorworks
It becomes borderline impossible to shake off the Batpod appeal of a Ronin motorcycle. Featuring one of the most futuristic designs ever, a Ronin Motorworks product starts as a Buell 1125. Then the company straps on a lightweight cast aluminum alloy linkage fork and a mono-shock suspension to produce the ultra-exclusive model that is part of the 47 unit limited production lineup.
12 Victory Ness Café Racer
Victory first collaborated with Zach Ness back in 2004 and the result of that partnership was this sultry red café racer style masterpiece. The attention to detail on this motorcycle is mind-blowing. Not only was the styling of the bike completely revamped but Ness also had the compression of the powerplant raised.
11 Keino Sasaki Indian Scout Bobber
For the first time, the legendary motorcycle designer Keino Sasaki worked on an Indian Scout Bobber and what came out of this attempt can best be described as one of the most attractive exposed aluminum customization ever. The 100 BHP bike flaunts styling inspired by the streamliner and Aero trains of the ’20s and ’30s.
10 Apex Predator
The aptly named Apex Predator made its way to the top of the food chain at the 2020 King of Kings competition. The man responsible for this custom motorcycle is Oscar Peralta who chose a Harley Davidson XR1200 as his framework.
The Predator gets a larger brake disc at the front along with Showa Big Piston Forks. Other modifications include a custom-made Alcantara leather seat and a Sterling Green paint scheme with contrasting yellow highlights.
9 The Recidivist
This custom vintage motorcycle is a piece of tattoo art and one of the most expensive motorcycles in the world. This custom job comes from Game Over Cycles, a polish bike setup. The bike is covered in cowhide which was tattooed by artists Krzysztof Krolak and Tomasz Lech over 250 hours.
8 Rajmata
This motorcycle comes from the princely state of Rajasthan, India. A contraption that was hand-built by craftsmen at Rajputana Customs. Rajmata translates to “queen mother” and its regal appeal is only enhanced by styling accents like Koftgari Detailing (Rajasthani style of sculpting metal by hand pressing technique) and a leather seat that was hand made by traditional horse saddle makers.
7 Family Heirloom
Jason Momoa is known to have a bias towards Harley Davidson, especially vintage Knucklehead Harleys. The Aquaman actor even traveled cross country on one of these bikes in his early years and has now decided to restore an example along with his kids which he hopes will then be passed down the generations as a ’family heirloom’.
6 Peace & Quiet
Another masterpiece from Keino Sasaki, ‘Peace & Quiet’ is a chopper that features a good old-fashioned Milwaukee motor. The gas and oil tanks are handcrafted units that flaunt a custom paint job by High & Tight. The bike rides on a 21 inch spoke wheel at the front and a 16 inch unit at the rear.
5 DD Designs’ Night Rod Brutus
This murdered out beast comes from Devin Diego Designs and not only does it looks mean but on closer look, we find that it’s got what it takes to live up to its intimidating styling. The bike rides on an Air ride suspension, at the front we find USDs and the illumination duties are taken on by the dual projector units at the front.
4 Franken Blast
Ever wondered what a Buell from a dystopian future would look like? Meet Franken Blast. This monster is a DesmoBIBU experiment and uses parts from the likes of Buell 1125 and XB. As industrial as it may look the bike is entirely hand-built and features a bespoke chassis and front end design along with numerous other design and performance enhancements.
3 Deus Customs V-Twin Café Racer
Beauty in simplicity was the approach Deus customs took with this Harley Davidson café racer. The roadster was designed by the Australian builder in-house and features 19-inch alloys at the front and an 18-inch wheel at the rear. There is also a 2 in 1 ceramic black exhaust and the understated paintwork.
2 Lucky Boy Customs Harley Davidson
One of the most eye-catching motorcycles on our list, the Lucky Boy Customs’ retro bobber started life as a 1994 Sportster. The vibrant color scheme of this motorcycle can easily draw attention from the most exotic modern-day sportbikes. The custom job comes from a Stockholm-based bike builder and the attention to detail is awe-aspiring.
1 XBuell
Unlike our previous entry, topping our charts is this ultra-modern, high-tech Buell customization. The motorcycle was designed by Paolo Tex Tesio and is one of the most futuristic modifications of a Buell XB12 ever. The bike was built using Autodesk Alias and CAD software and was 3D printed into reality.