Custom ‘Marley’ Sportster Will Have You Doing a Double Take

Your eyes do not deceive you — that is a Honda gas tank sitting above a Harley-Davidson Sportster engine.

We’ve shared some pretty wild custom bikes with you here on H-D Forums, but this has to be one of the strangest by far. This custom hails from one of the most famous motorcycle customizers in the world, the one and only Mr. Martini.

He may not be well known in America, but Mr. Martini is world famous for transforming motorcycles into works of art. This may seem pretty obvious from looking at the bike, but he doesn’t modify Harleys exclusively.

Working out of an old gas station in Verona, Italy, Mr. Martini turns out stripped-down, race-ready customs. His bikes blend classic flat track, cafe, and bobber styles.

This bike, dubbed the “Marley,” is for sale in the United States. There aren’t many Mr. Martini bikes here, so this is a rare treat. We found it for sale on Hemmings.

What’s the Story With That Tank?

The Marley started out as a 1997 Harley-Davidson XL883 Sportster. Of course, the most noticeable feature is the green Honda gas tank, which even retains its Honda badge.

Apparently, Mr. Martini liked the shape, and thought that the tank would be an interesting conversation starter. It certainly is — that’s why we’re writing about it, and you’re reading about it. No publicity is bad publicity, right?

There’s a lot more going on than just the wacky tank. This Sportster has been converted to a chain drive setup to narrow the rear. A large black fender that covers half the wheel takes its place. The empty red circles are just begging for racing numbers.

The brown seat and pad add to the vintage racer look. However, Mr. Martini likes to blend classic styles with modern performance. This bike features some serious suspension and brakes to go along with the retro racer looks.

You’ll find Ohlins dampers all around, as well as a four-piston brake caliper up front. Out back, there’s a two-piston setup. Even though this isn’t a dual front disc fork, we bet this will out-stop any Sportster we’ve ever seen.

Photos: Hemmings

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Cameron Vanderhorst

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.

He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.

In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.

You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.

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