Custom Knucklehead Is Not Your Average Vintage Build

‘Speed Fetus’ looks to start an entirely new Knucklehead trend with one-of-a-kind custom features.

The ironic thing about the world of custom Harley-Davidson motorcycles is that many of them wind up looking the same. In a cookie-cutter world, being an individual often means that the things you like are probably the same things other folks like. So, if you want to truly stand out from the crowd, you have to do something different (duh!).

That, of course, is easier said than done. It sometimes seems like we’ve seen everything in the world of custom bikes. But every once in a while, a build comes along that blows us away with its uniqueness. The 1947 Knucklehead you see before you, dubbed “Speed Fetus,” is one such amazing build. We caught the vintage ride on eBay recently.

Built by Eastern Fabrications out of Branford, Connecticut, it only takes one look to realize that you’ve never seen anything like it. The folks at Eastern reportedly spent 2,000 hours fashioning the old Knucklehead into a true, rolling piece of art. Perhaps the most interesting part of the build is that it doesn’t look new at all. The overall aesthetic is that of a vintage bike, in spite of its freshness.

A host of vintage motorcycle parts came together to form one of the cooler rides around. The original 74 inch Knucklehead remains, but its backed up by an Indian 4-speed with a chain drive primary. The Moto-Guzzi front end totally changes the look of the Harley, and it’s fitted with a Triumph drum brake inside a 21″ Akront wheel.

Out back, you’ll find an 18″ wheel fitted next to a mono-shock Öhlins and Performance Machine two piston caliper. In between, there’s loads of hand carved and cut parts cast in bronze and antiqued. Completing the vintage look are metal bits that received copper plating and a subsequent acid dip to make them look old.

The result is not only a show quality rig, but one that represents a truly unique project in a sea of cookie cutter bikes. Unfortunately, we’re pretty sure that Speed Fetus will inspire a host of similarly styled rides in the future. But at least the new owner will know they own the original that inspired that trend.

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.