American Metal Customs reimagines a 2024 Breakout 117 for Born-Free 15
Fabricator Josh Allison designs new tins and throws a carburetor on this modern hi-po chopper.
Most Harley-Davidson fans would be reluctant to blow apart a brand new 2024 Breakout 117 with a sticker price of more than $22k. Yet, that’s exactly the challenge that fabricator Josh Allison received. And by the Motor Company itself, no less. See, Josh was given free reign to let his imagination run wild as an “invited builder.” The end result was displayed at the Born-Free motorcycle show in the Santa Ana mountains of Silverado, California. Lucky for us, Harley-Davidson documented some of the process for its YouTube channel.
Built not bought
Some customizers may have been tempted to throw half a parts catalog at the bike and call it good. However, “This doesn’t feel like I took a bike and slapped a bunch of [stuff] onto it. I wanted it to feel like it was all meant to be that way from Harley,” says the builder of his finished product. Indeed, as the owner of American Metal Customs, Josh wound up fabricating all new tins for the Breakout, with the fuel tank as the focal point of the whole project.
Because Josh wanted something totally unique that wouldn’t be seen anywhere else, an off-the-shelf fuel tank wasn’t even an option. The end result is a masterpiece that this author thinks has a serious art deco vibe to it. Looking at the speed lines, it’s easy to picture a 1930s locomotive or an ocean liner. Besides the tank, this metallic cruiser also sports a handmade exhaust and rear fender. To stand out in a sea of black choppers, all of the tins are plated in lustrous chrome rather than painted.
The Breakout 117 was mechanically simplified
A serious obstacle to customizing such a modern bike is the complex wiring harness. To simplifying some of the miles of stock wiring, this Breakout 117 was actually converted from fuel injection back to having a carburetor. In the suspension department, a springer front end was added for a classic look. Perhaps as polarizing as the carb retrofit, the Breakout’s softail frame — which mimics a hardtail — was turned into an actual hardtail by substituting a fixed strut for the factory hidden shock. At the onset, Josh’s goal was to build a “a gorgeous pretty bike that’s also fast as sh!t.” We’d say that the talented metalworker succeeded on both counts.
Photos: Harley-Davidson/YouTube