6 Great Customs Powered by the Milwaukee Eight
When new models hit the showroom floors, they provide owners a clean slate upon which to create a bike of their liking. Some choose to ride them as is, others change a few bits to suit their needs, and a number of folks go all out in an effort to make a piece of motorcycling art. While there have not been a boat load of Milwaukee Eight custom builds completed thus far, here are a few nice ones to whet your appetite.
The Milwaukee Eight
When new models hit the showroom floors, they provide owners a clean slate upon which to create a bike of their liking. When Harley-Davidson revealed the new 4-valve per cylinder, Milwaukee Eight motor for 2017, it shocked a lot of the faithful. The look was pure tradition, but the power was all new and 21st century. While there have not been a boat load of Milwaukee Eight custom builds completed thus far, here are a few nice ones to whet your appetite.
Blue Bayou Road Glide
This 2017 Road Glide with a 107 cubic inch Milwaukee Eight engine was built by Underground Garage Custom Cycles in Miami, Florida. Just about every inch of this bike has been retouched, and it features a 30" SMT Machining front wheel fitted via bolt on rake kit, plus full front and rear air-suspension. The look was then improved with wraparound fender, molded and stretched one-piece fuel tank, TOL scallop bags with molded side covers, and a plethora of Arlen Ness 10 Gauge parts. This bike is actually for sale on eBay right now, if you have some money you are looking to spend.
BX Road Glide Special
This 2017 Road Glide Special has been done up by The Bike Exchange with a classy pearl white and dark silver matte finish paint job. Sometimes less is more, and the guys over at BX seem to have perfected the balance of custom bike with everyday usability. This build uses a 21" Performance Machine front wheel, a Paul Yaffe front fender, Top Shop Bags, a custom stitched alcantara/leather seat, black chrome everywhere, and is sprinkled with a few Harley performance parts. Check out the feature in Baggers Magazine.
The Hulk
New Harley Tourers are not only customized here in the states, but also abroad. This particular example comes from the team at West-Flanders Harley-Davidson in Belgium and has been nicknamed "The Hulk" for obvious reasons. At the heart of the build is a Screamin' Eagle Stage IV engine kit (camshaft, heads, pistons, throttle body, lifters, and clutch) which bumps horsepower up to over 120 with 110 lb-ft of torque. The bike was largely used to promote the Screamin' Eagle catalog of performance parts mixed with a few custom fabricated touches for a comfy, yet powerful ride. Check it out on the West-Flanders site.
Ness It Up
It may come as no surprise that the legendary Arlen Ness was one of the first to unveil a custom Milwaukee Eight tourer. As one would expect, this Street Glide functions to showcase a number of new Ness bolt on parts available to individuals who want to spiff up their Milwaukee Eight tourers. Ness catalog parts such as his Mega-Cone mufflers, Big Sucker air cleaner, 10 Gauge fork legs & triple clamps, billet brake calipers, angled saddlebags. stretched fuel tank, and wraparound 23" fender are but a few featured in this build. Check out more on the Hot Bike website.
Slammed & Sexy
Stretched and slammed is the way the boys over at The Bike Exchange typically build their baggers and this one is no different. What sets this Road Glide Special apart is the satin silver paint with candy red and carbon fiber accents. The front wheel is a Rotation Customs "Juno" 26" unit with matching rotor and 6-piston brake caliper. The engine has been completely blacked out with powder coat and has a Vance and Hines ECU kit with a Screamin' Eagle air intake and Black Freedom exhaust. The Top Shop bags mixed with a Dirty Air rear air-ride kit gives it a sexy stance when parked, but plenty of ground clearance when riding. Head over to the BX site to see all the sweet details on this bagger.
"Gotcha" by CCE
Custom Chrome Europe was eager to get in on the Milwaukee Eight action by commissioning Thunderbike to build a 2017 Street Glide Special using many of the parts they distribute. Coined "Gotcha," this Street Glide utilizes a 26" front wheel with rear air-ride suspension and a Daytona Bagger Rake kit. They also used a number of parts and accessories from companies like Kuryakyn, Dirty Bird Concepts and Cyclesmiths, but you may be surprised by how many of the major Harley components can still be retained while creating visually appealing motorcycle. We wholeheartedly agree! Check out more pictures of this bike on Cyril Huze's site.
For help with service of your bike, check out the how to section of HDforums.com
