Photo: Melk
When any of the custom Harley-Davidson garages we keep tracking sets out to create a special bike, most of the time they go for a wider approach, sourcing custom parts not only from their own inventory but from others as well, including their competition. And this method often results in incredible builds that are unique in more ways than one.
The modded Fat Boy we have here is a perfect example of that. It was originally a 2021 model year two-wheeler, but was converted by the French over at Melk on behalf of one of its customers.
As it so often happens with Melk builds, this one too takes a dark approach to things, with a combination of Vivid Black, Black Jack Metallic (we used this as inspiration for the bike's name), and gray detailing generously poured all over the place. Yet, despite the darkness of the bike, the many and diverse aftermarket bits that made it onto the build can't hide.
And it all starts where the bike meets the ground. The original Fat Boy wheels were replaced with hardware taken from an older Breakout, with the rear one modified to handle a 260 mm wide tire.
Above them float two fenders made in-house by Melk. The French are also responsible for the low pass mirrors, the pulley, and the seat installed above the frame.
Harley itself contributed, unwillingly, the base bike itself and the wheels, but its name is also tied to the Screamin' Eagle high-flow air filter and grips. The engine in the frame is still the original Harley one, only subjected to an S&S Stage II mapping. It's unclear how that changed the powerplant's performance.
The engine breathes out through a set of KessTech silencers. Kellerman is the name behind the rear turn indicators, while another European custom bike powerhouse, Thunderbike, supplied the handlebars and wheel axle cover.
The whole package, as you see it, is worth a grand total of 39,990 euros, which at today's exchange rate translates into close to $43,000. That may seem like a lot, given how one can buy a Ford Mustang GT Fastback for that money, but you do have to take into account the following: the base bike used for the project is priced at around $23,000, and the Melk upgrade fills in the rest.
So, provided you have a Fat Boy in your possession and dream of having it converted this way, it will cost you only about $18,000. That is if the bike you own is already in France - otherwise, you'll have to take into account the cost of having to ship the bike overseas and back again when it's ready.
But hey, what can you do when there are clearly more high-profile custom Harley garages doing quality, repetitive work abroad than there are in the U.S.?
As it so often happens with Melk builds, this one too takes a dark approach to things, with a combination of Vivid Black, Black Jack Metallic (we used this as inspiration for the bike's name), and gray detailing generously poured all over the place. Yet, despite the darkness of the bike, the many and diverse aftermarket bits that made it onto the build can't hide.
And it all starts where the bike meets the ground. The original Fat Boy wheels were replaced with hardware taken from an older Breakout, with the rear one modified to handle a 260 mm wide tire.
Above them float two fenders made in-house by Melk. The French are also responsible for the low pass mirrors, the pulley, and the seat installed above the frame.
Harley itself contributed, unwillingly, the base bike itself and the wheels, but its name is also tied to the Screamin' Eagle high-flow air filter and grips. The engine in the frame is still the original Harley one, only subjected to an S&S Stage II mapping. It's unclear how that changed the powerplant's performance.
The engine breathes out through a set of KessTech silencers. Kellerman is the name behind the rear turn indicators, while another European custom bike powerhouse, Thunderbike, supplied the handlebars and wheel axle cover.
The whole package, as you see it, is worth a grand total of 39,990 euros, which at today's exchange rate translates into close to $43,000. That may seem like a lot, given how one can buy a Ford Mustang GT Fastback for that money, but you do have to take into account the following: the base bike used for the project is priced at around $23,000, and the Melk upgrade fills in the rest.
So, provided you have a Fat Boy in your possession and dream of having it converted this way, it will cost you only about $18,000. That is if the bike you own is already in France - otherwise, you'll have to take into account the cost of having to ship the bike overseas and back again when it's ready.
But hey, what can you do when there are clearly more high-profile custom Harley garages doing quality, repetitive work abroad than there are in the U.S.?
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