Photo: Lord Drake
Despite American bike maker Harley-Davidson being a constant presence in some racing competitions, the moniker is not exactly known as a trendsetter in this field of human activity. That isn't stopping some folks out there from dreaming of such a reality, and trying their best to make it true.
Among the multitude of customized Harleys, only a handful come across as nods to track performance, high speed, and a certain way of life. Part of that group is a modified Harley known as Racing Is Life, and put together by a Spanish garage that goes by the name Lord Drake.
Originally a Sportster 883, the motorcycle was built in such a way as to be a tribute to the Le Mans movie of 1971. Starring legendary Steve McQueen, it tells a story of how two legendary drivers compete against each other on the famous French circuit. It's a fictional story, unlike Ford v Ferrari, but worth the watch nonetheless even today, decades after it was made.
Back to the bike that brought us here, you'll notice how the paint job on its body is not unlike that of the Porsche 917 McQueen used to race in the flick. It even has the car's number 20 inscribed on its side.
The name chosen for the build might seem a bit confusing, but it's a reference to a phrase the actor used in Le Mans, which is "Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
The bike was built in the style of a cafe racer. Propped on custom wheels sized 19 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, it is held upright by a suspension system modified by Lord Drake and raised at the rear by three inches.
A number of body parts have changed compared to the stock Sportster. Up on the frame sits a Lord Drake fuel tank, and further back a seat of the same make. The fenders that go over the two wheels are made in-house as well, and LED lighting has been fitted all around.
The engine of the ride is the original one, handled through a chain transmission. It's been however fitted with an S&S air filter and an exhaust sourced from Vance & Hines.
The bike was first shown back in 2018, and unlike most other Lord Drake builds, it was supposed to be a limited edition series, with five of them to be eventually made. We have no info on whether that plan came to life.
Lord Drake also does not say how much the conversion of the Sportster to Racing Is Life costs, but you can bet that even in this extreme form it is a lot cheaper than the Le Mans-racing Porsche.
Originally a Sportster 883, the motorcycle was built in such a way as to be a tribute to the Le Mans movie of 1971. Starring legendary Steve McQueen, it tells a story of how two legendary drivers compete against each other on the famous French circuit. It's a fictional story, unlike Ford v Ferrari, but worth the watch nonetheless even today, decades after it was made.
Back to the bike that brought us here, you'll notice how the paint job on its body is not unlike that of the Porsche 917 McQueen used to race in the flick. It even has the car's number 20 inscribed on its side.
The name chosen for the build might seem a bit confusing, but it's a reference to a phrase the actor used in Le Mans, which is "Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
The bike was built in the style of a cafe racer. Propped on custom wheels sized 19 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, it is held upright by a suspension system modified by Lord Drake and raised at the rear by three inches.
A number of body parts have changed compared to the stock Sportster. Up on the frame sits a Lord Drake fuel tank, and further back a seat of the same make. The fenders that go over the two wheels are made in-house as well, and LED lighting has been fitted all around.
The engine of the ride is the original one, handled through a chain transmission. It's been however fitted with an S&S air filter and an exhaust sourced from Vance & Hines.
The bike was first shown back in 2018, and unlike most other Lord Drake builds, it was supposed to be a limited edition series, with five of them to be eventually made. We have no info on whether that plan came to life.
Lord Drake also does not say how much the conversion of the Sportster to Racing Is Life costs, but you can bet that even in this extreme form it is a lot cheaper than the Le Mans-racing Porsche.
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