I'm not entirely sure how many of you now reading this are familiar with a Finnish rock band going by the name Sunrise Avenue, but in case you don't know much about it, you'd probably want to get in the loop fast. Because I don't know about their music, but their taste in motorcycles sure rocks.
We brought Sunrise Avenue up because the bike you're looking at now was put together for founder and guitarist Samu Haber, hence the post-conversion name of the two-wheeler. The people responsible for the project, the Germans from Thunderbike, used a Harley-Davidson Breakout as a starting point, and delivered something unique, as they usually do.
Going for an all-black approach, just like the Black Rush we discussed yesterday, the garage gifted the Breakout with only a touch of contrast, coming as the spokes of the custom wheels, the Harley shield on the fuel tank, the brown on the seat, and just a spoon of red on the rear rim.
No matter which way you turn it, this unassuming combination of colors works wonders for the Samu (the bike, not the singer), as it immediately draws your eyes to it.
The wheels contribute a lot to that magnet effect. We're talking about a set of custom pieces sourced from Thunderbike's own Lowrider series. For this application, a 23-inch size was chosen for the front and an appropriately smaller, 21-inch one for the rear.
For the wheel at the back the shop provided a single-sided swingarm, while the entire frame of the Breakout rests on an air suspension system. Up on the frame, a custom aluminum fuel tank replaced the original piece of hardware so that the desired lines of the bike aren't broken.
Together with another ride, based on a Sport Glide and called Osmo (after the band's Osmo Ikonen), the Samu is one of two Thunderbike machines put together for Sunrise Avenue's tour. It was a tour that sadly ended before the bikes were completed but hey, maybe the stars align and the guys take to the road once more - and we'll all get a small chance to see them both cruise down the road somewhere near us.
As for the final detail of the build, the price, Thunderbike is as mysterious as ever. We do know that the over 30 pieces of hardware used for the build amount to a total of $20,000 (exhaust system of Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde make not included).
Add to that the $20,999 Harley is now asking for a bike of this type, and you get to a total of well over $40,000 for something similar. Pricey, no doubt, but then again this is a ride for a rock band member, so…
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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