Right then. We call this one "Caddy" – named after those magnificent American land yachts from General Motors. We started with a 1999 Harley-Davidson Softail and rebuilt it entirely from scratch. Now, here's the fascinating bit – the engine and transmission were essentially new. Someone installed fresh units, parked the thing in a garage, and forgot about it for over twenty years. A time capsule. We simply woke it up.
For the colour, we chose Cadillac blue – gloriously evocative of the American 1970s. We powder coated the frame in grey, then handled all the painting, leather work, and custom fabrication ourselves in our Warsaw workshop. Combined with deliberately patina'd metal, it looks like something straight out of a California garage circa 1973. Which was rather the point.
We fabricated the 8-inch bent T-bar handlebars by hand, fitted TC Bros clutch and brake levers, Lowbrow Customs grips, and a Minigauges tiny speedometer. The exhaust? We made that too – short pipes with a dB-killer, because while we enjoy a proper rumble, there's no need to wake the entire neighbourhood. TC Bros air filter and breather bolts handle the breathing.
We fitted a Vulcan Works chain conversion to work with the 6-speed transmission, and upgraded the ignition to a Dynatek 2000i with Dyna TwinTec coil. For the front end: a 21-inch American-made wheel, 3-inch over Drag Specialties forks, 4.5-inch headlight, and no front fender – just a lower connection plate. Bold choice, that.
We lowered the rear by an inch, fitted a Sportster fender, and wrapped it in Shinko classic tyres. Lowbrow Customs brake discs front and rear, Goodridge brake lines. The king-and-queen leather seat we hand-sewn ourselves, mounted atop a Lowbrow Customs ribbed tank. We also fabricated the sissy bar, fitted a Motone rear light, and a Prism Supply petcock.
Our favourite detail? The brake pedal – we used an actual old-school belt clamp with a Western shootout memorial motif. Completely unnecessary. Utterly charming. Exactly the sort of thing we live for.
We built this bike for comfort and classy rides. It's the motorcycling equivalent of a well-worn leather jacket and a really good cup of coffee. Unpretentious, beautifully executed, and ready to eat miles.