Photo: Thunderbike
As one of two American bike makers to have survived the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson was then held afloat by the contracts it signed with the U.S. Army for the delivery of motorcycles. Its two-wheelers, dubbed WLA, swarmed in large numbers (some 90,000 were deployed) on the world’s battlefields, and are still very sought after today in the collector’s world.
The bike we have here was born long after production of the WLA ended, and it was not meant for the Army. Yet, customization work performed on it in general, and particularly the hue sprayed all over the body parts, remind us of the glory days of the serving Harley-Davidsons.
What you’re looking at is a Road King customized by German custom shop Thunderbike. Not many modifications were made, compared to what these guys usually do to the bikes they get their hands on, but they are effective nonetheless, at least as far as delivering the “big and imposing like a locomotive driving through a train station at midnight” message across.
The saddle-bagged, upgraded Milwaukee motorcycle comes with several new parts on it compared to its stock form, including minor things like the handlebar and footpegs, but also some mechanical upgrades, like a tuning kit (the specifics of what it contains are not available) for the Screamin' Eagle engine fitted inside the frame, and a new exhaust to allow it to breath easier.
We are not given the details on how the addition of these new pieces of hardware change the performance levels of the motorcycle.
As for the cost of the build, Thunderbike is usually not in the habit of revealing that. We estimate the modifications on this custom build, not including the base bike itself, paint job, and the man-hours that went into making it, to be worth somewhere in the 3,000 euros range ($3,600).
What you’re looking at is a Road King customized by German custom shop Thunderbike. Not many modifications were made, compared to what these guys usually do to the bikes they get their hands on, but they are effective nonetheless, at least as far as delivering the “big and imposing like a locomotive driving through a train station at midnight” message across.
The saddle-bagged, upgraded Milwaukee motorcycle comes with several new parts on it compared to its stock form, including minor things like the handlebar and footpegs, but also some mechanical upgrades, like a tuning kit (the specifics of what it contains are not available) for the Screamin' Eagle engine fitted inside the frame, and a new exhaust to allow it to breath easier.
We are not given the details on how the addition of these new pieces of hardware change the performance levels of the motorcycle.
As for the cost of the build, Thunderbike is usually not in the habit of revealing that. We estimate the modifications on this custom build, not including the base bike itself, paint job, and the man-hours that went into making it, to be worth somewhere in the 3,000 euros range ($3,600).
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