Daily Slideshow: Mule Motorcycles Track-Only Harley

Mule Motorcycles California

You don't need to look twice at this custom Harley to know it was built by someone with countless hours of experience under their belt. Richard Pollock, from Mule Motorcycles California, was the perfect man for this task. According to Pollock, he stopped counting his custom builds after he hit 200, and it shows. This Harley is a parts bin special, made from old bits and bobs Pollock could scavenge together but you wouldn't know that by looking at it.

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Parts Bin Special

For some motorcycle lovers, nothing beats a parts bin special custom build. The idea of salvaging what you can from old bikes which were torn apart for parts, and breathing life into a new machine is wonderful, not to mention more economical. Pollock found the frame of a 1995 Sportster with a salvaged engine on eBay and the build started from there. All the rest of the parts added to the bike were used, like the C&J swingarm which Pollock had lying around from a previous build.

>>Join the conversation about this 1995 Sportster from Mule Motorcycles right here in HDForums.com.

A Bike For Who?

Having raced flat track on and off since 1996 Pollock decided to design a Hooligan Racer for himself. He saw it as a great opportunity to leave off "all the street legal stuff" and do exactly what he wanted. But sometimes life has other things in store. An old friend of Pollocks, whom he used to race against, asked Pollock if he would build a bike for him, so he could take part in the Super Hooligan Championship Series. According to Pollock, "I knew he was fast as I had competed against him many times in the past. And he had money! So instead of being a race bike for me, it became a race bike for him". The racer happened to be Mearl Barnett, an ex-pro racer, from California. So, Pollock decided to name the bike 'Mearl's Hooligan'.

>>Join the conversation about this 1995 Sportster from Mule Motorcycles right here in HDForums.com.

Making Changes

To get from an old Sportster frame and salvaged engine to this masterpiece took a lot of work, and there were a number of things Pollock had to bear in mind. To be eligible for the Super Hooligan Championship Pollock couldn't alter the bike's head angle and he had to use the stock upper shock mounts. Pollock removed the cradle under the engine after first checking with the Roland Sands shop to ensure the bike would still be eligible for the Super Hooligan Championship. Behind an XR-style fuel tank, there's a First Klass Glass XR seat and Saddleman seat pad. The suspensions setup has been gone through thoroughly by Racetech, with custom shocks at the rear and Triumph Bonneville shocks up front. While these parts are all nice, the exhaust steals the show - just look at those welds!

>>Join the conversation about this 1995 Sportster from Mule Motorcycles right here in HDForums.com.

Engine Problems

According to Pollock, "All internal engine modifications current and pending are classified." So, we don't know exactly what the bike's performance will be like, but we're sure it won't be a slouch, especially when you consider Pollock's history. Unfortunately, the build wasn't finished for the start of the Super Hooligan Championship but, as it turns out, the bike wouldn't have been eligible to compete even if it was ready. It turns out, removing the engine cradle actually made the bike ineligible for the championship. But, according to Pollock, "As we speak, a new frame is being built." So, keep your eyes peeled for this beauty on the track!

>>Join the conversation about this 1995 Sportster from Mule Motorcycles right here in HDForums.com.

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