Daily Slideshow: Signature Shaw Speed: Harley 48 Custom
Once in a blue moon, we come across a racy Sportster. Have a look here at Shaw Speed's Harley 48, an example of a custom job well done.
Miss Universe
It was Shaw Speed & Custom's undeniably cool style of their Nascafe racers that drew in Troy Barbagallo. When Barbagallo and Shaw Speed principal Steve Willis came together to brainstorm, the idea of this modernized Sportster 48 build was conceived.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
A Different Kind of Sportster
48s with this type of racy flair are few and far in between. The custom build named 'Miss Universe' is special in every sense. It maintains the classy look of the Sportster while bringing on a cool contemporary aesthetic.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
Piece of Art
With an appetite for the artistic, Troy Barbagallo knew he wanted his custom Sportster to be one of a kind -- something truly unique. Steve Willis recalls Troy's desire to create a "rideable piece of art." Looking at Miss Universe, it is safe to say that their creation certainly ticks all the boxes.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
Perfect Combo
The look of this custom Sportster 48 is inspired by the retro design of old bobbers and racers. However, the incorporation of modern elements all around the bike, and the way they are integrated around the skeleton bring the look together perfectly.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
Legit Performance
In order for the performance to match the looks, our friends at Shaw Speed got to work on every last part of this pageant star. They treated the engine with some performance heads, shorter exhaust system, and a new throttle body, all with a nod to Bitten race bikes. A custom parallel-link girder fork was specially developed by a MotoGP technician. The bike also gets 21-inch wheels as well as a high-performance suspension system that includes a rising rate Öhlins mono shock. Stopping the power falls on the shoulders of the 13-inch rotors along with twin six-pot Performance Machine Calipers.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
Coolness Everywhere
From the custom Cafe racer-inspired gas tank and the twin perimeter frame, all the way to the exquisite finish of the Alcantara on the seats, examples of brilliance are plentiful all over 'Miss Universe'. A modified Ducati Panigale upper half of the fairing is used as well, and the bars are built by Shaw Speed as what Steve likes to describe as "low-mounted kick up bars" rather than clip-on.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
One to Watch
The guys at Shaw Speed are no strangers to producing award-winning custom Harleys. Miss Universe has been turning quite a few heads as well, having already been displayed at multiple events around Europe including the Wheels and Waves event on the south-west coast of France, as well as the EICMA show in Milan, Italy. The build style of Shaw Speed & Custom has garnered a lot of enthusiasm over the years, and this Sportster 48 is just another addition to their impressive portfolio.
>>Join the conversation about this Shaw Speed's Harley 48 right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum.
For help with your Harley maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.
