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Harley-Davidson Creator Doesn't Really Look Like $58,000, Yet Here It Is

As diverse as it is, the custom motorcycle industry is also a very secretive one. There are countless shops in this business out there, and many of them don't have the smallest intention of sharing things like all the changes they've made to a bike, and the total cost of a conversion.
Harley-Davidson Creator 17 photos
Photo: Bundnerbike
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This doesn't mean though that a general picture can't be formed if you look at this industry really, really close. I have, and I dare say I generally know to expect from a project, both in terms of upgrades (which, to be honest, are mostly the same across the board) and cost.

Let's take Harley-Davidson for instance. Regardless of the base model used for a custom build, you usually get updated visuals, coming as new wheels, fenders, possibly a restyled fuel tank, and of course a killer paint job (most of the time). The engine of the base bike generally remains the same as it was when it rolled off the assembly lines, with the exception of the air intake and exhaust, which almost always are swapped for aftermarket bits.

So, cost-wise, you have the base motorcycle, which for the most part doesn't go above the $20,000 mark. Judging by what some of the custom crews out there tell us, on top of that one can add some $15,000 in new parts, and a little extra for the paint job and man hours spent on modifying the two-wheeler.

So, overall, one can easily assume a well-baked, nondescript custom Harley-Davidson shouldn't go past the $40,000 line, bells and whistles included.

There are, of course, exceptions, and they generally have to do with either the base model being more expensive from the get-go, or the changes made running a lot deeper than described above. The modified Harley-Davidson Fat Boy we have here is neither, so the almost $58,000 selling price has us scratching our heads a bit.

First of all, the Fat Boy in its most recent incarnation is priced at $20,199. Then, the alterations made (at least the ones made public or clearly visible) don't seem to run that deep. We get a tank extension, the conversion of the rear to now include a new fender with LED lights, an air suspension system, and, naturally, a Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system to help the engine breathe better.

The usual stuff, that is, and the only bits the bike's builder, Swiss garage Bundnerbike, thought relevant enough to share. Yet the bike's price is far greater than the $40,000 estimate I made above. Now called Creator, the Harley is listed at 51,900 CHF in local currency, which would be 58,000 in American dollars.

Does it look that expensive? To these eyes, which have seen far more impressive rides go for much lower, no. But you do have to keep in mind that Bundnerbike is the name behind one of the most expensive bikes in the world, the $2 million Bucherer.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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