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Say Hello to Sirko Sporty, a Custom Hardtail Bobber With Old-School Harley Sportster DNA

The man behind this project isn’t a regular custom motorcycle builder; he’s a goddamn architect.
Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty) 20 photos
Photo: Riders Eyes Photography via MB Cycles
Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)Custom Harley-Davidson Bobber (aka Sirko Sporty)
Operating just outside the quaint German town of Heidelberg, MB Cycles is a one-man endeavor run by Martin Becker. You might already be familiar with this guy’s astounding work, as he’d been building custom motorcycles on a professional level since 2001. With a heavy focus on American V-twins, Becker’s portfolio is a stunning collection of bobbers, choppers, and utter mechanical beauty!

There’s an interesting story hiding behind the project we’ll be looking at today because it didn’t start with a stock or lightly-modded donor – far from it. Back when Martin was experimenting with his first builds 20 years ago, he used Harley-Davidson's eminent Sportster platform to craft a hardtail titan for his brother. Little did MB Cycles' mastermind know that this machine would end up returning to his garage much later.

Having covered its fair share of miles, the bobbed Sportster was in pretty terrible shape at this point, and the fact that it hadn’t been ridden in years certainly didn’t help. On a more positive note, the hardtail skeleton manufactured by VG Motorcycles still looked pristine, only requiring a teeny bit of sand-blasting to regain its former beauty.

Custom Harley\-Davidson Bobber \(aka Sirko Sporty\)
Photo: Riders Eyes Photography via MB Cycles
The V-twin powerplant originally employed didn’t even start, however, so it was discarded altogether to make room for a 1993 Sportster 883’s heart. Sure enough, Becker wasn’t satisfied with leaving the mill’s configuration unaltered, and he, therefore, went to great lengths in order to beef things up. Following the installation of Wiseco pistons and S&S Cycle cylinder heads, the engine saw its displacement grow to a colossal 1,200cc.

A new constant-velocity carburetor inhales through retro-style air filtration hardware, while the exhaust gases are expelled via aftermarket pipes from BSL Products. Furthermore, we find a top-shelf Dynatek ignition unit and modern coils, all contributing to a decent 12-hp increase in maximum output. This may not sound like much at first, but it’s actually more than twenty percent above stock – 65 ponies as opposed to 53, in other words.

Moving on to the bike’s chassis, Martin had its front end placed on a springer suspension module in keeping with the vintage vibe. The unsprung territory is occupied by the wheel hubs of an Evolution-era Harley from the late eighties, along with murdered-out rims measuring 16 inches up front and 15 inches at the rear.

Stopping power comes from drilled brake discs at both ends, and the front rotor is pinched by a two-piston Samwell caliper. As for the creature’s bare-bones outfit, the centerpiece comes in the form of a retrofitted peanut-type gas tank from a 1930s motorcycle. Its paintwork and gorgeous patina were left untouched, inspiring the beat-up overall look of MB Cycles’ unique head-turner.

Custom Harley\-Davidson Bobber \(aka Sirko Sporty\)
Photo: Riders Eyes Photography via MB Cycles
Right behind the repurposed fuel chamber lies a spring-supported saddle topped with black leather upholstery. The oval oil tank found underneath is an aftermarket component, and there are classy fenders rounding out the cosmetic side of things. A quick gander at the cockpit will reveal a Wunderkind top clamp, ABM risers, and a tapered handlebar, which sports Biltwell grips, Kustom Tech levers, and discreet switches.

You won’t be seeing any instrumentation in the cockpit area, but there is an analog Motogadget speedometer mounted on the left-hand side of the fuel tank. Lighting is provided by a custom-made headlight and tiny yet bright Kellermann turn signals that also perform taillight functions down south.

For the finishing touches, Becker added cruiser-esque Biltwell Inc. foot pegs and a bolt-on license plate holder from Hippy Killer Garage. Then, the project was finally complete after two months of painstaking labor, and its author nicknamed it Sirko Sporty. As you can probably imagine, it didn’t take long for this stunner to find a loving owner once it was put up for sale!
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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