Old is New Again: Vintage WL Sportster Mashup

Side Show Spark

Inspired creativity can strike without warning. For Michael Alton, that spark happened while gazing down into the Wall of Death at the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Austin, Texas. Amid the mayhem of the motorized sideshow, Alton calmly concluded that he wanted a bike that looked like the Indian Scouts the daredevils rode.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn

Centrifugal Carnival

The Wall of Death is a motorcycle carnival show in a big wooden drum. These popular 'silodromes' first appeared around 1915, but have made a recent resurgence. Stunt riders get up to speed and then ride up a 110-degree banked transition before climbing the vertical wall with only centrifugal force holding them in place. The 1920s Indian Scout was the preferred ride of the daredevil wall riders.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn

Price Range

Acquiring an early twentieth-century Indian Scout posed problematic, so Alton decided to craft his vision from disparate parts. “I couldn’t find an Indian in my price range, but I did find a Sportster and decided that I wanted to somehow fit it into a WL 45 frame.” The build began with a 2002 XL and rough WL frame dating back to at least the early 1950s. 

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn

Triple Checked

Joining parts that are separated by generations requires a degree of stubbornness. Alton elaborated, “Everyone told me it couldn’t be done, but I thought it could.” With the XL stripped-down, Alton began his motorcycle mashup. He explained, “I cut out the lower subframe and merged it with the top section of the WL frame.” With the alignment triple checked, everything was welded into place. 

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn

Mashup Machine

There is some logic in combining an XL with a WL. Produced from 1952 to 1956, the legendary, but often-overlooked Model K was the precursor to the XL. The Model K's parallel pushrod engine was based on the earlier WL 45 cubic-inch Flathead motor. Keeping to an authentic look, Alton's mashup machine received an EMD Ribsters Cam Cover and an Electric Kick unit.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn

Showroom Look

Alton wanted his build to, “look as if it was factory-made, and came off the showroom floor in 1946.” The modern motor aside, he turned his attention to the gas tank. He explained, “I took a split bobbed Shovelhead tank... and turned it into something that resembled a WL tank.” A shortened Springer frontend is the perfect complement for the unique WL-esque tank.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn 

Classic Custom

While the motor is an upgrade, the brakes got a downgrade. Sticking with the theme, Alton fitted mechanical drum brakes that replicate the 1920s technology of the Indian Scout. Classic Coker tires on vintage hubs and a narrowed WR bobbed fender finish up the period-correct look. A customized Led Sled foot clutch allows for a tank-mounted shifter with custom knob.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn 

Crazy Build

The WL Sportster is one inspired build. Reworked WLA foot controls and a handmade leather seat add to the vintage machine feel. There are no half measures with Alton's build — he is reportedly stacking up the miles on his new ride. It might seem crazy to build a retro-looking WL Sportster mashup, but then again, so is riding a motorcycle on a wall.

Photo courtesy of PipeBurn 

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