I agree with you. I asked the question trying to bring out the differences between stock production bikes, customized or modified bikes and special construction bikes.

Sometimes the word "custom" is used but canmean different things. I think of a custom bike as special construction or heavily modified production. I don't think of a custom as a production bike with a bunch of add on doodads. It's interesting to hear all the different opinions. Since Donnie Smith lives in the area, I've seen many of his bikes. I wouldn't be concerned with the quality of one of his bikes.

 

Eddie Trotta and Russell Mitchel might take exception to that.

 

I DO NOT agree with this post. Custom's are evolutions of Harley v-twins. They even refer to the chassis stretch versus a standard H-D frame. Ness, Big Dog, Jesse James are all guys trying to take H-D's to the next level. Like Saleen, Foose or Shelby to Mustangs. The only reason you might see them differently is that with the car customizers, they use standard parts - block, body and chassis. With the bike, it's evolved to such a place where you can use virtually all custom parts, such as an S&S motor, rather than Edelbrock heads bolted to a Ford block.

How do you throw Arlen Ness and Jesse James in with Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda? These guys even ride H-D's in most cases for their daily rides. They also build around the H-D's basic priciples - the single crank pin, 45 degree V-2...

Customs aren't the same, but they're not different. And they certainly aren't the same as mass-produced rice-rockets..

 

Remember, you may look like "Elvis", you may even sound a little like "Elvis" but everybody knows you ain't Elvis. Harley is the only bike for me, period...

 

Yeah, but ....








Elvis was a fat druggie and now he's dead.

 

Somehow I think you missed the point. Does not every bike listed and every bike builder copy the Harley, V-Twin. They want to be Harley's but can't, as with so many Elvis impersonators. Are you saying that because Elvis was a fat druggie that all modern Harley's are oil dripping POS,the people and companies that try to copy are wrong. They all can only be wannabe's. Harley's forever!

 

“Dallastx”

“I have seen several custom bikes being built. I question the construction. I don't think anything is built as good as a harley What do you think? “

Well seems like you got all kinds of answers on that question, one-offs, big builders, small ones, here is my definition.

Any bike made other than harely by anyone is a custom, proof of my opinion, go for a ride, a real ride a few states across the country, now your bike has a problem ? yes you can try finding a independent cycle shop there are a lot of them, but it isn’t going to be like calling 800- CLUB-HOG

As for myself, my harely is waiting as I type this for new complete S&S 93 ci engine along with a Baker 6 speed, do I have a custom ? no, but I am now on my own out of town.

cj






[IMG]local://upfiles/16813/C804D7AC5ECE47BB97BC8C469C44BAD9.jpg[/IMG]

 

Harleys's forever and all that! I agree. But I don'tbuy the statement thatany of these custom bike builders or manufactures wanting their bikesto be a Harley, that would make them a "Clone". But I bet they would love to be Harley (the company)...

Japanese bikes normally want to be a Harley... Custom bikes, no, because Custom is the opposite of Clone right?

lp

 

i,m am a harley 100 per center and i have to disagree with you.i own a 2006 bdm chopper and everything on it is high
quality parts.no foreign crap.

 

Just saying they are all trying to be a Harley Davidson and they will never be.......Buy a custom frame and throw in an S&S motor and all you have is a kit bike with a resale value less than half of what you invested.....My opinion is a real motorcycle is a motorcycle you can get on and ride 500 miles without things falling off of it. I think they are cool to look at, they are a work of art that should be looked at, but that's about it unless you only drive 10 miles round trip to the local bike night.......To each his own.