Over the years we’ve seen custom motorcycle projects getting inspiration for their names from all over the place. They’ve been named after their owners, both random or fitting words were used, and in some cases, simple numbers were enough. But this is the first time I personally come across a custom motorcycle named after a… mountain.
No matter where you are in this world you’ve probably heard the name Kilimanjaro. It’s not any random mountain, but a dormant volcano with three cones. At 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level, it is Africa’s highest place, but also the world’s highest free-standing mountain - meaning it’s not connected to any mountain range.
So, quite an impressive feature of our planet, but one that doesn’t necessarily strike you as one to spawn motorcycle builds. Yet it did, and here we are face to face with the Harley-Davidson Kilimanjaro, a bike that may not inspire as much awe as the African volcano, but comes close.
The bike was not always called Kilimanjaro, of course. It started out as a 2013 Breakout, but its existence was turned upside down as soon as it crossed paths with Polish custom garage Nine Hills.
As one of many Breakouts in the Nine Hills portfolio, the Kilimanjaro had to stand out in some way, and the path chosen for this bike was to go for a minimalist approach while at the same time maintaining the essence of the stock machine.
Photo: Nine Hills
Going against the usual trend, the shop kept the original ten-spoke design wheels of the Breakout, but went for a 280 mm wide tire at the rear. To be able to accommodate it, the swingarm has been widened, and a new fender was devised to hug its upper side and give the impression the seat is sunk deeper into the frame. At the back, a fully adjustable air suspension was fitted, while the front was lowered a bit more for a more aggressive stance.
On the upper side of the frame, the stock fuel tank was replaced by a custom, slimmer one. Below it is the Breakout’s native engine, only wearing Roland Sands Design covers. The unit probably develops the same amount of power it did when it exited the factory doors, but it probably breathes in better thanks to the fitting of a conical air filter. The breathing out part of its operation is handled by an exhaust system of the Vance & Hines variety.
When work on the project was over, Nine Hills covered the main body parts of the bike in beautiful brown, a color not often seen on rides and one that makes the Kilimanjaro look simply chocolate-delicious.
We do not know the current whereabouts of the Harley-Davidson Kilimanjaro, but it probably doesn’t roam the roads of the continent where the namesake mountain resides. The price of the build is, as usual when it comes to Nine Hills projects, the other big unknown of this two-wheeler.
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. Full profile
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