Starting at $16,599, the Harley-Davidson Street Bob is a solid proposition for anyone willing to be introduced to the world of the Milwaukee bike maker. And the ride has plenty to offer, even in its stock form. For the more experienced riders though, a Street Bob does not reach its full potential unless it gets modified at the hands of some talented custom crew.
On that list of builders is a name autoevolution readers will recognize instantly: Thunderbike. The Germans have been at it for some three decades now, and the projects they roll out with incredible speed are real works of art.
So is the Wandering Joe we have here, formerly a stock Street Bob. The two-wheeler was recently bobber-ized and otherwise modified to look as it does now, a dark spec of motorized awesomeness that was presented to the world earlier this month.
The changes made to the Harley fall well within Thunderbike’s area of expertise. First up, you might notice the bike now sits closer to the ground, and that’s owed to the use of custom front and rear suspension that dropped the overall stance by 30 mm.
The wheels are aftermarket too, now offering, unlike the ride’s original ones, wire spokes and a brand-new look. The one at the front is 19 inches in diameter and wears a 130 mm wide tire. It’s unclear how large the one at the rear is, but we do know the 40 spokes that radiate from its center core make it look stunning.
Photo: Thunderbike
Above each wheel, there are custom fenders. At the front, we get a bobber-style tiny one, while the rear piece is a swinging fender with perforated struts.
In between the two ends of the bike, we find a classic fuel tank that tries not to distinguish itself in any way. The seat further back comes, just like the grips on the high handlebar, in leather, the type of which is supposed to age into a unique patina that tells the story of this bespoke one-off.
Contributing to the bike’s stunning visual effect is the blackness of it all. Thunderbike left little elements of the ride untouched by the dark hue, and we see it sprayed everywhere, from the covers on the fork to the engine itself. Speaking of which, the powerplant of the Wandering Joe is still the stock one, enhanced with the fitting of a Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system.
As for how much all the modifications made to the Street Bob cost, it's a bit of a mystery. We usually get from Thunderbike a full list of parts used on a build, and we do know those alone amount to over 5,400 euros, which is close to $6,000 at today’s exchange rates. Not at all expensive for the chance to own a unique king of Street Bob.
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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