softail

Harley-Davidson Ego Shooter Is Not Your Usual Rocker

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com For the past 20 years or so, the European custom motorcycle segment has been flooded with Harley-Davidson based or inspired builds coming from Germany. The group responsible for this onslaught is called Thunderbike and as part of our Two-Wheeler Month coverage in June we’ve talked about them at length over the past few weeks. Generally, we focused more on their most recent builds, but there are others, much older, that deserve their time under the spotlight. For the end of this week we chose a build the Germans call Ego Shooter. It was first presented in 2011, at a time when the shop was half the age it is today. Unfortunately, we have no info on what happened to it since, but records, including photographs and a bizarre YouTube video (attached below) are still here to tell the bike’s story. Built on a Softail Rocker base, the bike is described as “not exactly the first choice for custom friends.” The line was produced by the Milwaukee-based bike builder from 2008 to 2011, and it couldn’t have been more different than the variant portrayed in the gallery above. As usual with all the Thunderbike builds we’ve covered, this one too is a mobile display of German imagination when it comes to custom parts. From the rear end that can move up and down thanks to an air suspension to the small fender at the front, all speak volumes about what stock Harleys can become in the right hands. The exhaust system, air filter, pegs and handle fittings, fork, and the handlebar are just a few of the custom parts fitted on the motorcycle, all topped off by a custom paint job (containing more colors than we’re used to seeing when it comes to Thunderbike machines) that […]

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Harley-Davidson Earl Grey Is Cross Bones as Diluted as Milk Tea

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Harley-Davidson’s Softail frame has become over the years the backbone of a great number of motorcycles. The Milwaukee-based bike builder currently has 12 bike models using it, ranging from the Standard to the Heritage Classic. Down the ages – the first time the frame was used as a registered trademark was way back in 1984 – other names were stealing the headlines. There were names like the Night Train, Cross Bones, and of course the Springer. As do the Softails of today, older ones are favorites of the custom industry, even if perhaps not as much as say the more recent Breakout. And one fine example of custom work on an older Softail is the one we have in the gallery above. Wearing the name Earl Grey, the build is based on a 2010 Cross Bones and is an older project of German custom shop Thunderbike. Like most of their other builds, old or new, this one too is a mammoth display of custom parts – some 20 of them were used all around the two-wheeler. The exhaust, handlebar, footpegs and fuel tank are aftermarket parts, as are the tailights and headlamps. The front end sits on a Springer fork, shortened to meet the purpose of the build, while the power of the Screamin’ Eagle 113ci fitted with a race kit is sent to the ground by means of disc wheels. It is these wheels that are the standout element on this build. Painted all white, they fit the matte paint used elsewhere on the body just right to give you the impression the Earl Grey name is the perfect description for the machine: it looks just as diluted as a cup of milk tea, pale when compared to the other colorful builds out there.

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Harley-Davidson Night Train Turns into Black and Red Fun Ride 58

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Over the course of its history, Harley-Davidson had a bunch of noteworthy motorcycle families rolling out the assembly lines in Milwaukee. The Softail bunch is one of them, and it presently comprises about a dozen models. But the Night Train is no longer one of them. Also known as the FXSTB, the Softail with this name first saw daylight in 1998, and was officially considered to be one of the finest examples of Harley’s low and raked machines. Customers didn’t love it so much though, and the model was discontinued about a decade later, in 2009. Despite having all it takes to be a good candidate, this particular Softail model doesn’t appear to be a favorite of the custom industry either, so we don’t have too many examples of it in tuned form. But as part of our Two-Wheeler Month coverage, we managed to dig up this here Night Train. We found it in Germany, because this is where its maker, a custom shop by the name Thunderbike, resides. And by all intents and purposes, despite the rather not so extensive changes, it looks completely different that a stock Night Train. Thunderbike is in the market of customizing more recent Harleys now, but they have been at it for the past 20 years, so seeing an older model in their lineup is not a surprise. Featuring several custom parts, like the massive rear fender and new fuel tank, the bike has been renamed Fun Ride 58, and is all about color play: two of them, black and red (and minor touches of white here and there), have been carefully mixed to create one of the cleanest and appealing looks of any motorcycle in the Thunderbike arsenal. The wheels, which are generally much more complex when

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Harley-Davidson El Dorado Is Heritage Softail Gone Low and Green

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com When it first used the Softail frame for one of its bikes decades ago, Harley-Davidson had no way of knowing what it would begin to stand for, and what an influence this type of bike would have on the motorcycle world. In its own backyard, Harley’s Softails, described in Milwaukee as a crossbreed between heritage and custom builds with a pinch of technology, have become the backbone of the business, with no less than 12 models lined up and ready to roam the roads. Among them is the Heritage, a model that has been around since the 1980s, and now only sells as the Classic 114. However, this official bike is accompanied by a great number of custom builds based on it and previous Heritage models, builds that are at times much more appealing than the original. The motorcycle in the gallery above is a Heritage as well, but one that has long lost its original looks. Handled by a German custom garage that goes by the name Thunderbike, it turned into a low rider that goes that has been baptised El Dorado. The build (shown at the end of 2019) is part of the Chicano series sold by the Germans in Europe, and it features a series of brand new and specially developed hardware that makes the bike look apart from the rest. Fitted with new and modified triple trees and rear swing arm, the bike rides close to the ground, an image that is enhanced by the large fenders that wrap extensively around the wheels. The El Dorado is just one of the many Harley-Davidson custom motorcycles the Germans have cooked up since it started business in this field back in the early 2000s. We’ve already talked about some of them, and we’ve

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Canepa 1997 Harley-Davidson Heritage Springer Is a New Take at Classic Harleys

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com/ As the most prominent bike builder in the industry, Harley-Davidson never shied away from keeping in touch with its roots. Perhaps this is why, if someone from the 1940s or 1950s would travel to our time, they would still be able to pick a Harley out of a crowd. Sure, the design of Harley bikes has changed over the years, but not so much as to make them be unrecognizable. But Harley is at times taking things even further, and releases motorcycles specifically designed to be reminiscent of its past. So is the case with the Heritage Softail Springer first released in 1997 as a nod to the bikes of the late 1940s. Produced in limited numbers, the Heritage Springer quickly became one of the most sought after motorcycles on the market. The factory-made bikes were incredible to look at and as high-tech as any others of that time, but a few extra touches might be needed now, more than two decades since the model was introduced. In our quest to find newsworthy bikes to write about as part of our Harley-Davidson month, we came across this 1997 Harley-Davidson Heritage Springer, modified by Canepa Design and currently listed as for sale. As per the specialist, this is not your regular Heritage, as it has been disassembled and completely redesigned and rebuilt, and every single component was modified or customized to fit right in the “old school theme.” The bike features things like a reshaped front fender leading edge and added rear edge of fender, a lower skirt, new wheels, and re-upholstered seat, among a host of other modifications. Powering the bike is an 82ci engine that has been modified too through a lot of grinding and reshaping of the components, linked to a 5-speed manual

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Harley-Davidson Pulls The Wraps Off The 2020 Softail Standard

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by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://autos.yahoo.com/ Well, that didn’t take long. Just a week ago, Dustin was telling you about the impending Harley-Davidson 2020 Softail Standard revival. Today, the Motor Company made its official announcement, and it turns out Dustin’s speculation was right on the money when he suggested that it could be a base model waiting to be customized. Let’s take a look. The 2020 Softail Standard is intended to bring a stripped-down, minimalist cruiser experience to the Harley-Davidson Big-Twin lineup. If you’re all about that Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-Twin engine, and a smooth, uncomplicated, black-and-chrome aesthetic, then the new Softail Standard might just be for you. Right out of the box, you’re looking at a straightforward, visually well-balanced bobber. The solo saddle curves up nicely to draw your attention back to that blacked-out, chopped rear fender, while your eye has no choice but to rest on the Milwaukee-Eight that beats at the heart of the whole thing. The two-into-two offset shotgun exhaust harks back to the slightly unbalanced look of the original, but gives it a more symmetrical, finished look. I’d personally go for a slightly bigger headlight, but keep the same shape and finish—and hey, that’s what customization is for, right? You get a 19-inch front wheel and a 16-inch rear, both laced. The rear mono-shock has a preload adjuster you can access by simply lifting up the saddle. Front and rear disc brakes are standard, and ABS is an available option. The fuel tank has a 3.5-gallon capacity. This newest member of the Big Twin family can be yours for an MSRP of $13,599. It wouldn’t be Harley without accessories, so you have a choice of four packages to start with. Three of them feature passenger seating and footpegs, and the fourth is all Screamin’ Eagle, all the

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Exclusive in the Cantina

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Hall of Fame Collector Cards Honoring Those Who Support Motorcycling By Rogue I was using the 2019 Official Sturgis Publication put out by the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum to make sure I had information correct in the article I was doing on the Hall Of Fame Induction Breakfast. If you went to Sturgis, I hope you picked up a copy, if not you may want to contact the museum and see if they have any left. www.sturgismuseum.com CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT – ONLY IN THE CANTINA New Chassis, Engine & Design: Harley-Davidson introduces Next Custom Revolution with Eight New Iconic Softail Motorcycles What are the benefits of the new Softail Frame over the old Dyna Configuration? By Bandit and Harley-Davidson To celebrate Harley-Davidson’s 115th Anniversary year, the Motor Company is launching a custom revolution: Eight all-new Softail® models that merge the hard-riding performance of the Dyna® line with the unparalleled custom look of the Softail line. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT – ONLY IN THE CANTINA SUBSCRIBE to the Cantina Today – Click Here to pay securely online https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx All the best motorcycline features, only at Bandit’s Cantina

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S&S Slip Ons for M8 HD(R) Softail(R) Models NOW 50 STATE LEGAL!

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Same great product, now with CARB certification. Version for most new Softail models (Grand National is my favorite and they sound killer). ~ DZ NEW –  S&S Grand National and Slash Cut Slip Ons for M8 HD® Softail® Models S&S Cycle has been on the gas for six decades, with the last handful of years heavily focused on high performance exhaust systems. Their popular Grand National muffler line recently grew to include the latest generation of HD® Softail® models and they are now adding a lower dollar slash cut version as well. Why is an S&S slip on better? We asked the same question and they showed us their elaborate array of dynos, data acquisition tools and emissions lab. Add to that they are now CARB certified and warranty friendly. We like that almost as much as we do the legitimate v-twin exhaust note and healthy bump in Hp and torque (91Hp and 113lb/ft!). Available in show chrome or ceramic coated black for 2018-19 HD® Street Bob®, Low Rider®, Softail Slim®, Deluxe, Breakout®, Fat Boy® and Heritage® Classic. For more info, check out https://www.sscycle.com/grand-national-and-slash-cut-slipons-m8-softail/

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New JIMS M8 Balancer Bearing Remover

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The Milwaukee-Eight® engine design incorporates balancers to reduce engine vibration. For $148.05 this tool (Part No. 5832) can easily remove the balancer bearings in both Touring and Softail® models without damage to the crankcase. For more information please contact us at (805) 482-6913, email us at sales@jimsusa.com, or visit www.jimsusa.com. Your time in reviewing these current, past, or future press releases is greatly appreciated. Visit www.jimsusa.com for Performance Parts for every Harley-Davidson motorcycles. From humble beginnings in 1967, JIMS® has grown into one of the industry leaders producing performance parts, accessories, tools, transmissions, and high-performance engines all aimed at enhancing the Harley rider’s experience.

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Lockheed Martin Donates Custom Harley to National Military Family Association For Auction

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Last year, Lockheed Martin commissioned Harley-Davidson to produce a motorcycle to commemorate the commissioning of the USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) because, like Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles, the Littoral Combat Ship represents a beautiful combination of steel and speed. Lockheed Martin worked with Harley-Davidson’s Ray Drea to design the bike, a 2016 softail slim S. This coming month, the motorcycle is donated to the National Military Family Association, an amazing charity that supports those who serve, their spouses and their children. The NMFA will be auctioning off the motorcycle Dec. 10. In fact, the online pre-bidding is open now. Content

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