Photo: Thunderbike
Back in 2008, somewhere in Germany this little contraption was born. It is called Mirage, and it blends the proven punch of a Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle engine with a low-looking frame its builders like to call Dragster.
The build is the work of German garage Thunderbike, a name you’ve encountered extensively over the past few months here on autoevolution. We chose to feature them because they are, without a doubt, one of the continent’s largest Harley re-makers (in 25 years or so, hundreds of two-wheelers rolled out the doors of their shop) and could take on American giants of the segment any time.
The shop is so proficient at customizing Harleys that over the years moved from building upon series production bikes to making their own frames. This here build is one of their earliest, in-house brewed designs.
The Dragster frame we mentioned is still available in the shop’s portfolio as one of the about 15 in existence. At close to 9,000 euros (about $10,000), it is also among the cheapest. Even so, it comes with struts, fuel and oil tanks, a CNC-machined swingarm, rear fender, rear wheel axle, bracket for engine, bracket for battery, and seat plate.
The frame houses a Screamin’ Eagle 103ci linked to a Harley-sourced 5-speed transmission. Pretty much everything else is custom: Thunderbike supplied its own functional parts (exhaust, brakes, rims – 18 inches at both ends) but also visual and comfort ones (handlebar, footpegs, fenders, and so on).
Wrapped in a black paint wearing the signature of the shop’s usual partner in this field, Kruse Design, the Mirage looks a lot simpler than some other Thunderbike builds, but it is in this simplicity that hides its allure.
As usual, this one was made for a paying customers, but we are not being told for who or how much the thing cost to put together.
The shop is so proficient at customizing Harleys that over the years moved from building upon series production bikes to making their own frames. This here build is one of their earliest, in-house brewed designs.
The Dragster frame we mentioned is still available in the shop’s portfolio as one of the about 15 in existence. At close to 9,000 euros (about $10,000), it is also among the cheapest. Even so, it comes with struts, fuel and oil tanks, a CNC-machined swingarm, rear fender, rear wheel axle, bracket for engine, bracket for battery, and seat plate.
The frame houses a Screamin’ Eagle 103ci linked to a Harley-sourced 5-speed transmission. Pretty much everything else is custom: Thunderbike supplied its own functional parts (exhaust, brakes, rims – 18 inches at both ends) but also visual and comfort ones (handlebar, footpegs, fenders, and so on).
Wrapped in a black paint wearing the signature of the shop’s usual partner in this field, Kruse Design, the Mirage looks a lot simpler than some other Thunderbike builds, but it is in this simplicity that hides its allure.
As usual, this one was made for a paying customers, but we are not being told for who or how much the thing cost to put together.
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