Chrome and motorcycles seem to have been destined to be together. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly who used the shiny material for a stock two-wheeler first, but the fact remains that in today’s world, manufacturers do not shy away from deploying it abundantly on their builds. And (more) so do custom garages.
Some say the one responsible for making chromes parts such a success is someone named George Sargent, whose research into chrome plating prompted the birth of this trend. That happened in the 1920s, and the trend is still around.
Our trek through the world of custom motorcycles over the years brought us face to face with incredible chromed machines on more than one occasion. Some of them wear the material proudly, while others end up being far too bling to satisfy most tastes. The converted Fat Boy we have here falls in the former category.
Having come out Harley’s factory doors back in 2020, the two-wheeler ended up in the hands of German garage Thunderbike, and the guys there, unsatisfied with the amount of chrome offered by the Milwaukee company, decided more is needed. As standard, the bike already comes with chrome-plated engine parts, fork, dashboard, and the fuel tank badge, but Thunderbike went the extra mile and gave the thing a lot more shine.
We now find chrome strategically placed on the custom hand grips, air cleaner, shifter peg, and brake pedal. It is also featured on the oil cover and, most importantly, on the long Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system. Even the 21-inch wheels, although with black coated rims, make use of the stuff, more precisely on each of the 15 spokes.
The custom motorcycle, called in this form Twenty-One Commander, is however much more than a nice collection of shiny bits - where chrome is absent, the black is equally as shiny. The Fat Boy went through the usual Thunderbike conversion process, and now looks, rides, and feels entirely different from stock.
The Germans lowered the front and added a new handlebar that makes the Fat Boy look much flatter. The rear received a swingarm conversion to make it capable of accommodating the larger wheel, and a slamtail suspension was fitted.
One quick look at the entire list of custom bits used might have one wondering how expensive this whole thing is. The reality is that, despite over 30 custom bits going into the Twenty-One Commander (full details on that here), most of them are affordable enough to keep the overall price in a comfortable zone.
As is, all the changes made to the bike, not including the exhaust system, the man-hours, and of course the base motorcycle, are worth around 10,700 euros, which at today’s exchange rates would mean roughly $12,100.
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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