Harley-Davidson “Metal Flake” Is a French-Twisted Breakout With a Touch of Custom

I’m not entirely sure if the Breakout model is the most widespread base for custom conversions, but it most definitely is at the top of that list.

The Milwaukee company gave birth to this member of the Softail family back in 2012, and as usual with HD models, it’s had a bumpy ride. Pulled off the American market a couple of years ago, it got revived this January, as one of the means for Harley to celebrate its 120th anniversary.

Despite the on-and-off relationship the bike maker had with the Breakout, the model has constantly been a presence on custom garages’ workbenches. Some handle it occasionally, while others, like the French from Melk, have made it a central piece of their business, with most of the 36 bikes in their portfolio belonging to this breed.

The one you’re looking at here is bike number 19, and it started life as a 2016 Breakout. In the usual Melk fashion, it was turned into a canvas on which Melk to practice its talent at using less than a handful of colors and a longer list of custom parts to create amazing builds.

In the case of the Breakout we have here, there are two shades displayed on the machine: there’s the black on the engine, chassis, and main mechanical components, and metal flake silver on the fenders and fuel tank, both neatly treated to either gloss or satin.

This simplistic approach in paints is always effective on custom motorcycles, but it becomes even more so if paired with the proper custom hardware. And the Metal Flake, as we nicknamed the build for obvious reasons, has some of those too.

Starting up front, we get a headlight hidden inside an aftermarket Harley cap and backed by Thunderbike-sourced LED indicators, but also a fork tube cover from Cult Werk. The handlebar ends in Performance Machine grips and is fitted with low sitting mirrors on both sides.

Further back, Germany’s Thunderbike supplied the engine guard, above which the stock tank, wearing a Harley aftermarket cap, is located. A custom exhaust system, handled by Melk, comes as the only other modification made to the Breakout’s stock engine, not counting the fitting of a Performance Machine air filter.

At the back, perhaps the biggest modification in terms of parts can be found, because that’s where the 260mm-wide tire wraps around the wheel, shielded by a custom fender.

And now, cost. A brand new Breakout of the 2023 variety with the 117 engine in its frame is priced at $20,999. The older, but modified one you see here sells for 28,000 euros, which is 29,800 in U.S. currency, and probably a lot better looking than the new one, at least in the eyes of some.