Custom Sportster Forty-Eight Was Built To Raise Money for Charity
This custom Harley is undoubtedly cool, but it also serves a much bigger purpose.
Built For a Cause
Most motorcycle aficionados are familiar with the Instagram page Croig (Cafe Racers of Instagram), which focuses on cool cafe racer builds. But after seven years, one million-plus followers, and a pandemic, the page's creator - David Chang - decided that it was time to give back. Thus, he's partnered with Waves for Water to create a very special Sportster Forty-Eight that will help out the worthwhile charity and the people it supports.
Photos: Croig
Access Granted
There are parts of the world where people simply don't have access to clean, drinkable water, which is where Waves for Water comes into play. The organization goes into these regions and builds rainwater harvesting and storing systems, wells, and water filtration systems, which is obviously something that the world sorely needs.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
Four Builders, One Week
Thus, Chang set out to commission the build of a bike that could help raise much-needed funds for this important effort. He wound up gathering four builders to collaborate on the project, each with their own unique talents - J. Shia of Madhouse Motors, Jay Donovan, Joe Mielke of Snap Fabrications, and Christian Sosa. The group met up at Sosa Metalworks in Las Vegas and proceeded to spend one week hammering out this wicked machine.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
Ambitious Plan
Starting with a brand new 2021 Harley Sportster Forty-Eight, the team used sketches drawn up by Jeremy Lacy at DownShift Studio to create a new monocoque steel body for the bike. It was one heck of an ambitious plan for a seven-day build, but needless to say, they executed that plan flawlessly.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
One of a Kind
The team started by building a wireframe that was bent into shape, after which panels were cut and formed, then welded together. The group of talented builders then ground up everything to a super smooth finish and added a host of additional components to make this Forty-Eight a true one-of-a-kind build.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
Other Goodies
That includes HD rear seats and clip-on handlebars to make it a true cafe racer (naturally), as well as a suede and leather covering from Road Runner Customs, upgraded lighting, and a custom exhaust and tune for the 1,200cc air-cooled Evolution V-Twin mill.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
No Brainer
The result is one of the coolest and more unique bikes we've seen in some time and one that you can also win by heading over here and donating to a worthwhile cause. To us, at least, that's a no-brainer, especially since 785 million people are currently trying to survive without access to something we take for granted - clean water.
Photos: Croig
>>Join the conversation about this custom Sportster right here in HDForums.
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