Ironhead Build is all Black & White

Serious Wheels

With names like Pancake Customs and Black Iron Cake, one might expect some heavy-duty baking, not righteous rides. For this Dutch bike shop it is all about two-wheels, and they clearly make their intentions black and white. Serious business, although owner Boy Jannsen is not averse to a little kidding around with his reworked 1981 XLS Roadster.

Photos courtesy of Jeremie di Stefano.

Affordable Quality

What started as a hobby became a business in 2015. Jannsen originally launched Pancake Customs in Amsterdam, but after outgrowing his shop space, he relocated the business to Rheden, a small town near Arnhem in the Netherlands. With a larger, more affordable work space, Jannsen has built a reputation for rideable customs, with an emphasis on quality.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Countless Hours

duties at Pancake Customs are handled by Janssen, while his cousin runs the apparel sales and navigates social media requirements. Janssen is also an accomplished BMXer, and that background of agility has a notable influence on his builds. He acknowledged that the appearance of simplicity in his designs does come at the cost of countless hours at the workbench.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Basic Maintenance

Janssen reflected in a 2017 Bike EXIF interview, “The custom motorcycle world is a tough business, but so far so good. We have lots of plans for the future.” The Sportster was a non-runner when it was dragged into the shop. With a bit of basic maintenance the Roadster fired-up, but it was evident that the motor needed a rebuild.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Split Scheme

Along with the engine, everything on the old Ironhead needed to be replaced or refreshed. With opportunity knocking, Janssen decided to chase a 1970s show bike theme for his XLS build. To achieve that look, he split the motor's rocker boxes and settled on the back-to-basics color scheme. With functionality in mind, he swapped in a late model CV carburetor and electronic ignition.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Lean Looking

The upswept exhausts were pieced together from leftovers in the shop. A couple of brackets were fabricated to fit the new pipes to the swingarm frame. A white powder coat was chosen with the intention of having the exhaust discolor over time. To keep things lean looking, an aftermarket, dual cap 'alien' gas tank replaced the hefty stock unit.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Minimal Engineering

Shaved forks and a set of Lowbrow Customs shrouds complement the Sportster's overall yin-yang appearance. In a bit of reverse engineering, Janssen modified the frame to accept an earlier swingarm and drum brake. Chrome Big Twin shocks were mounted slightly forward of stock. A 19'' wheel was fitted to the rear, tucked under the most minimal of rear fenders.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

Frame Claim

Tracker bars and sparkly grips give the bike a business mixed with pleasure vibe. Janssen explained that the Roadster was one of the least popular Ironheads to modify—mostly because of the shock placement and frame geometry. He confidently stated, “I re-did the rear end the way I think Harley-Davidson should’ve done it.” The crisp lines of this high-contrast build go far to support that claim.

>>Join the conversation about this XLS Ironhead right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.

For help with your Harley maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.