Photo: Thunderbike
For the past few months or so German custom motorcycle garage Thunderbike has been very busy releasing a lot of new projects into the wild. As usual, we're dealing with very exciting builds, but we've noticed something particularly curious about these newer conversions: they are a lot more expensive than we're used to.
For instance, earlier this month we discussed something called the Ocean Force. It was a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy-based build whose wheels alone were worth $26,700. That's the starting price for a full-blown, brand-new 2023 Chevy Camaro (if you can still find one).
But that's how Thunderbike seems to be doing things recently, especially when it comes to a line of rides it calls Force - it also includes rides the likes of the Platinum Force and Crimson Force.
The latest addition to this family is something called the Steel Force. It too was originally a Fat Boy, and it too received so many alterations that the overall cost of the build is on par with all the muscle cars America's Big Three are presently selling.
The custom motorcycle that is worth more than a Dodge Charger received the usual complement of modifications Thunderbike performs on unsuspecting Harleys. The most obvious is not the paint job, but the wheels.
Part of the German crew's Big Speed line, they come as a massive 23-inch piece at the front, and a slightly smaller diameter one, 21-inch, at the rear. Metzeler tires wrap around both of them, and above that custom fenders can be seen.
A single-sided swingarm was added over the rear wheel, allowing a clean and unobstructed view to the right side of the hardware. It's a choice that, as per Thunderbike, makes it look like the ride "just came from the pit stop."
The stance of the stock Fat Boy has changed (and can be changed at the push of a button) thanks to the fitting of an air ride suspension system and the lowering of the front end.
Engine-wise Thunderbike is not one to tamper with the Harley-supplied engines, and that's probably what happened here, despite a claim that like all other bikes of the Force series this one too is a little more powerful.
The Fat Boy's powerplant was of course fitted with a custom exhaust system, in this case something supplied by Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde.
In all the German shop fitted on the Harley-Davidson Steel Force a total of 32 main custom parts, and combined they amount to over $16,000. Add to that the starting price of the Fat Boy, the man hours, the exhaust system, and the paint job (none of them included in the mentioned amount), and you get a custom Harley motorcycle that trashes, price-wise, pretty much all muscle cars available in the U.S.
But that's how Thunderbike seems to be doing things recently, especially when it comes to a line of rides it calls Force - it also includes rides the likes of the Platinum Force and Crimson Force.
The latest addition to this family is something called the Steel Force. It too was originally a Fat Boy, and it too received so many alterations that the overall cost of the build is on par with all the muscle cars America's Big Three are presently selling.
The custom motorcycle that is worth more than a Dodge Charger received the usual complement of modifications Thunderbike performs on unsuspecting Harleys. The most obvious is not the paint job, but the wheels.
Part of the German crew's Big Speed line, they come as a massive 23-inch piece at the front, and a slightly smaller diameter one, 21-inch, at the rear. Metzeler tires wrap around both of them, and above that custom fenders can be seen.
A single-sided swingarm was added over the rear wheel, allowing a clean and unobstructed view to the right side of the hardware. It's a choice that, as per Thunderbike, makes it look like the ride "just came from the pit stop."
The stance of the stock Fat Boy has changed (and can be changed at the push of a button) thanks to the fitting of an air ride suspension system and the lowering of the front end.
Engine-wise Thunderbike is not one to tamper with the Harley-supplied engines, and that's probably what happened here, despite a claim that like all other bikes of the Force series this one too is a little more powerful.
The Fat Boy's powerplant was of course fitted with a custom exhaust system, in this case something supplied by Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde.
In all the German shop fitted on the Harley-Davidson Steel Force a total of 32 main custom parts, and combined they amount to over $16,000. Add to that the starting price of the Fat Boy, the man hours, the exhaust system, and the paint job (none of them included in the mentioned amount), and you get a custom Harley motorcycle that trashes, price-wise, pretty much all muscle cars available in the U.S.
Google News