Harley-Davidson Sportster Blue Me Away
Tony took his time building the custom Sporty he wanted. Good things come to those who wait.
I BOUGHT the Harley-Davidson Sportster new from Ballina and I didn’t do much to it until I met Frank in Coffs Harbour. Frank kept coming up with ideas, and as I got the money, I got them done. Frank’s a great bloke; he’s the only bloke I’d ever let work on my bike. He guarantees his work, and the way the bike came out, I’m very pleased with it. He’s just done everything — the arse-end, all the chrome work, etc.
He was telling me the other day that people said you couldn’t do a wide rear-end on a Sportster. He actually got some bloke in America to send a kit out. After three months it hadn’t turned up so he reordered it off him. The bloke reckons he sent it but it still never turned up.
Frank ended up getting a kit from Uncle Neil’s Customs in Gosford. Even so, he still had to make up the struts and guard to suit.
The motor’s all standard. That’s something I wouldn’t touch. It goes well; gives me enough speed for what I want.
Frank took off all the alloy and got it chrome-plated for me. He changed the springs, put a Badlander seat on it, changed the blinkers and handlebars. The front-end’s been chromed too.
It’s the original paint job. That’s how it came out in the factory.
The tank’s been changed though. The original peanut tank only held one gallon of petrol. This one holds about 18 litres.
The plumbing’s still got to be done, and I’ve got to put a wide front-end on it with a rake. Then the Sportster will be complete.
I had Hondas before this bike. Always liked Harleys, so when I turned 40, I went stupid and bought one. I’d like to get a Fat Boy later on down the track but I’d keep this one anyway; I wouldn’t sell it.
words by Tony; pics by Brian White
