Photo: Thunderbike
There’s a common belief out there that having your Harley-Davidson motorcycle modified is prohibitively expensive. And it generally is, as on multiple occasions we’ve seen custom rides more than doubling the price of the machine they are based on. But there are exceptions, cheaper builds that still look worlds apart from how they started.
Harley is presently selling the 2022 Street Bob 114 in the U.S. for $15,349. That’s a relatively affordable price for anyone on the lookout for a naked bobber that could form the perfect basis of a unique project. And pretty much all of you know how the machine looks like in stock form.
Believe it or not, the bike we have here, called Blackwood, is also a Street Bob 114, but it sure doesn’t look like one. And making it like so wasn’t all that straining, financially speaking.
The crew behind the build hails from Germany, and it’s called Thunderbike. It’s a team used to transformations, both expensive and cheap, and for this project they went the budget way – only 4,800 euros (about the same in dollars) were spent on under 20 parts to take the bike from stock to this (manpower and paint job not included, but these things never are when it comes to the motorcycles we discuss).
Making the two-wheeler look so different are first and foremost the wheels. Made of steel and aluminum, each has 50 spokes going through them and making them look particularly appealing. The one at the front is visibly larger, coming in at 21 inches as opposed to 17 inches for the rear – a very unusual choice, as we usually get 21- and 18-inch pairs, made even more so by the fact there are only 200 mm of width for the rear tire.
In a move not often seen in the custom motorcycle segment, Thunderbike decided not to go with a swingarm conversion, but it did relocate the license plate holder to one side, to allow for a better view of the rear wheel and the aftermarket fender now boasting recessed lights.
The bike is now lower than stock and was properly accessorized to be as different from its original self as possible. There is a flat handlebar up front to allow control of the bike, and a solo seat, also in black, to support the rider.
No worth-mentioning changes have been made to the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine sitting in the motorcycle’s frame, but new breathing apparatus for it, in the form of a short Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system, has been included in the package.
To give the bike a proper finish, the German crew opted for black paint, which also served as inspiration for the project’s name, offset only on the fuel tank by Harley-Davidson lettering.
Believe it or not, the bike we have here, called Blackwood, is also a Street Bob 114, but it sure doesn’t look like one. And making it like so wasn’t all that straining, financially speaking.
The crew behind the build hails from Germany, and it’s called Thunderbike. It’s a team used to transformations, both expensive and cheap, and for this project they went the budget way – only 4,800 euros (about the same in dollars) were spent on under 20 parts to take the bike from stock to this (manpower and paint job not included, but these things never are when it comes to the motorcycles we discuss).
Making the two-wheeler look so different are first and foremost the wheels. Made of steel and aluminum, each has 50 spokes going through them and making them look particularly appealing. The one at the front is visibly larger, coming in at 21 inches as opposed to 17 inches for the rear – a very unusual choice, as we usually get 21- and 18-inch pairs, made even more so by the fact there are only 200 mm of width for the rear tire.
In a move not often seen in the custom motorcycle segment, Thunderbike decided not to go with a swingarm conversion, but it did relocate the license plate holder to one side, to allow for a better view of the rear wheel and the aftermarket fender now boasting recessed lights.
The bike is now lower than stock and was properly accessorized to be as different from its original self as possible. There is a flat handlebar up front to allow control of the bike, and a solo seat, also in black, to support the rider.
No worth-mentioning changes have been made to the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine sitting in the motorcycle’s frame, but new breathing apparatus for it, in the form of a short Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system, has been included in the package.
To give the bike a proper finish, the German crew opted for black paint, which also served as inspiration for the project’s name, offset only on the fuel tank by Harley-Davidson lettering.
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