Photo: Melk
I must admit, years of keeping an eye on the custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle scene get a bit tiring when you notice you mostly see various interpretations of the same base bikes. Of course, Harley has a bit of blame in this as well, as it doesn't release new motorcycles as often as we'd like.
In recent years there have been just two major releases of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles: the Pan America and the Sportster S. In themselves the bikes are of course exciting, but they're still too young and not that widespread to actually leave their mark on the custom industry.
There are of course a few shops that have already ventured into the world of these two new bikes with hopes of creating the first customized examples to remember, and it's thanks to them that from time to time we get a break from the builds based on old-generation Softails and Sportsters.
French garage Melk is one of these shops, and in recent months it has released not one, but two Pan America-based builds. We've already looked at one of them, the yellow-accented No. 39, and now it's time to have a closer look at Melk bike No. 40.
Being both based on the same platforms, the two machines come of course with a lot of similarities. We get the same overall design, down to the type of colors used: matt and shiny versions of Vivid Black, the same fittings, including the position of the bags, and the same extras, crash bars included.
There are of course a few elements that set the two Pan America's apart, and the most obvious is the use of accent color on the wheel rims, fuel tank, and crash bars. The bike that's the focus of our attention today sports Candy Red instead of Candy Gold.
The bags at the rear are different as well. Whereas No. 39 came with aluminum hard cases, this bike uses soft bags on the sides. The top case remains identical.
There are of course more changes made to the Pan America than a color scheme. The bike has been fitted with a silencer and a re-mapping of the engine was performed. It was propped on an ARH adaptive suspension system, and the stock-laced wheels are now protected by custom-made fenders front and rear.
The bike still packs in the frame the stock1250cc engine, whose new performance levels at the end of the remapping process were not disclosed.
This exact design was put together by Melk as a sort of series production, and it can be replicated on other Pan Americas as well. As you see it here, No. 40 has a sticker that reads 26,990 euros, which at today's exchange rates means almost 30,000 in American dollars.
There are of course a few shops that have already ventured into the world of these two new bikes with hopes of creating the first customized examples to remember, and it's thanks to them that from time to time we get a break from the builds based on old-generation Softails and Sportsters.
French garage Melk is one of these shops, and in recent months it has released not one, but two Pan America-based builds. We've already looked at one of them, the yellow-accented No. 39, and now it's time to have a closer look at Melk bike No. 40.
Being both based on the same platforms, the two machines come of course with a lot of similarities. We get the same overall design, down to the type of colors used: matt and shiny versions of Vivid Black, the same fittings, including the position of the bags, and the same extras, crash bars included.
There are of course a few elements that set the two Pan America's apart, and the most obvious is the use of accent color on the wheel rims, fuel tank, and crash bars. The bike that's the focus of our attention today sports Candy Red instead of Candy Gold.
The bags at the rear are different as well. Whereas No. 39 came with aluminum hard cases, this bike uses soft bags on the sides. The top case remains identical.
There are of course more changes made to the Pan America than a color scheme. The bike has been fitted with a silencer and a re-mapping of the engine was performed. It was propped on an ARH adaptive suspension system, and the stock-laced wheels are now protected by custom-made fenders front and rear.
The bike still packs in the frame the stock1250cc engine, whose new performance levels at the end of the remapping process were not disclosed.
This exact design was put together by Melk as a sort of series production, and it can be replicated on other Pan Americas as well. As you see it here, No. 40 has a sticker that reads 26,990 euros, which at today's exchange rates means almost 30,000 in American dollars.
Google News