Photo: Kodlin
For custom motorcycle lovers the name Fred Kodlin needs little introduction. The German-born builder has so many exciting creations to his name, put together ever since the 1980s, that the International Master Bike Builders Association (IMBBA) had no choice but to make him the first non-American to be inducted into its Hall of Fame. That happened in 2007, and in 2021 the Fred Kodlin name also become a part of the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
We know from experience that most of the time, no matter the fame and reach of a custom motorcycle garage, these kinds of businesses generally remain in the countries they were born in, and rarely create offshoots overseas. There are exceptions, of course, like the Spanish from Lord Drake who also operate a custom business in the U.S.
Kodlin is part of that exception list as well. Primarily based in Germany, the man and his crew took their business abroad about three years ago, and opened shop in Morgan Hill, California.
To make sure the products they planned on selling were a proper fit for the American market, Kodlin and his guys created three bikes to get them going. One of them is the Harley-Davidson Golden State, the one we're here to look at now.
Originally a Breakout from the 2019 model year, the bike eventually became the personal bike of Holger Mohr, Kodlin's partner, and was even ridden to Sturgis.
The modifications made to it are not that extensive, but they are effective. The bike's main body panels were dressed in Kodlin-made sheet metal in a bid to exaggerate its proportions and make the Softail more impressive.
Dropped closer to the ground by means of a Legend air suspension system, the bike boasts 18-inch wheels wrapped in Avon tires to make the connection to the ground. It is these wheels, or more precisely the paint they're wrapped in, that is responsible for the name chosen for the project, and clearly the element that makes it stand out the most.
Above each wheel we see Kodlin-made fenders, with the one at the rear wrapping itself very close to the tire, and the one at the front barely qualifying for being something more than just a decorative piece.
Painted in striking graphics and color combinations of black, white and gray, the Harley-Davidson Golden State, with its aggressive spoiler and high-rise handlebars, was instrumental in making Kodlin a household name in California in particular and the U.S. in general, both in the motorcycle parts and custom bikes markets.
We know not of the Harley-Davidson Golden State being for sale or otherwise available at the moment, nor do we have any indication as to how much it cost to be put together, but given what it means for one of the most important names in the industry, we just had to bring it back into the spotlight for a bit.
Kodlin is part of that exception list as well. Primarily based in Germany, the man and his crew took their business abroad about three years ago, and opened shop in Morgan Hill, California.
To make sure the products they planned on selling were a proper fit for the American market, Kodlin and his guys created three bikes to get them going. One of them is the Harley-Davidson Golden State, the one we're here to look at now.
Originally a Breakout from the 2019 model year, the bike eventually became the personal bike of Holger Mohr, Kodlin's partner, and was even ridden to Sturgis.
The modifications made to it are not that extensive, but they are effective. The bike's main body panels were dressed in Kodlin-made sheet metal in a bid to exaggerate its proportions and make the Softail more impressive.
Dropped closer to the ground by means of a Legend air suspension system, the bike boasts 18-inch wheels wrapped in Avon tires to make the connection to the ground. It is these wheels, or more precisely the paint they're wrapped in, that is responsible for the name chosen for the project, and clearly the element that makes it stand out the most.
Above each wheel we see Kodlin-made fenders, with the one at the rear wrapping itself very close to the tire, and the one at the front barely qualifying for being something more than just a decorative piece.
Painted in striking graphics and color combinations of black, white and gray, the Harley-Davidson Golden State, with its aggressive spoiler and high-rise handlebars, was instrumental in making Kodlin a household name in California in particular and the U.S. in general, both in the motorcycle parts and custom bikes markets.
We know not of the Harley-Davidson Golden State being for sale or otherwise available at the moment, nor do we have any indication as to how much it cost to be put together, but given what it means for one of the most important names in the industry, we just had to bring it back into the spotlight for a bit.
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