Alloy-Clad Harley-Davidson Street 500 “Nagabanda” Is the Stuff of Nightmares

The Indonesian metalwork gurus over at Bali’s AMS Garage are no strangers to the graceful art of motorcycle customization. This workshop is among the topmost enterprises in a nation where bespoke two-wheelers are becoming increasingly popular, so it’s fairly safe to say the AMS pros know what they’re doing. To be quite frank, we’ve nothing but love for these talented moto artists, which is why we feature their surreal undertakings whenever we get the chance.

This, ladies and gents, is one such occasion. Given that it’s been a while since we last visited their portfolio, we’ll examine how these gifted craftsmen have transformed an ordinary Harley-Davidson Street 500 into what they call “Nagabanda,” an alloy-clad masterpiece that looks as if it belongs in the pits of hell. Believe me when I say: each and every detail of this outlandish beast is mind-boggling.

Milwaukee’s predator houses a liquid-cooled Revolution-X V-twin mill within its mild steel tubular skeleton, with eight valves and a compression ratio of 10.5:1. The 494cc powerplant will bring about a peak torque output figure of 29.5 pound-feet (40 Nm) when the tachometer hits 3,750 spins per minute. A six-speed gearbox is tasked with routing this force to the rear seven-spoke cast aluminum wheel via a belt final drive.

At the front, the framework is supported by 37-mm (1.45-in) telescopic forks, while the rear end rests on a pair of externally mounted tubular shock absorbers. Stopping power is summoned by a 300-mm (11.8-in) brake disc and a two-piston floating caliper up front, along with an identical setup on the opposite end. Now that we’ve reminded ourselves about the donor’s main specs and features, let’s cut to the chase and analyze what AMS Garage’s Nagabanda is made of.

After stripping the Street 500 naked of its stock bodywork, the crew went about modifying the rear end to level things out. As such, a one-off subframe has been fabricated from scratch by Indonesia’s experts. At the front end, you will find a set of girder-style forks with stainless-steel linkages and springs, as well as unique triple clamps and clip-on handlebars.

The standard swingarm was deleted to make room for a repurposed unit transplanted from a Ducati Panigale. It is mated to a custom linkage system and a state-of-the-art Ohlins piggyback monoshock, which handles rear suspension duties without breaking a sweat. Furthermore, the Panigale also donated its gorgeous pair of wheels, and their rims have been enveloped in high-performance Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 tires.

Well, this already sounds pretty exciting, but Nagabanda’s most striking feature is, without a doubt, that flawless aluminum attire adorning it from head to toe. Honestly, we find it difficult to recall the last time we’ve seen a custom outfit that looks this good. We find an ominous half-fairing taking pride of place up front, as well as a devilish belly pan and one sublime monocoque structure, which merges the fuel tank and tail to form a single unit.

Additionally, the factory lighting items have been discarded in favor of aftermarket LED alternatives, such as a Daymaker Cyclops headlight, bar-end turn signals, and a minute taillight. AMS Garage's finishing touch comes in the form of a tentacular stainless-steel exhaust system that looks downright brutal.