Cheap Thrills Harley-Davidson Shovelhead & Crystal

THIS build started a very long time ago, actually, about eight years ago to be exact, with a metal-flake seat and a set of matching grips I bought when I had my shop. The intention was to find a donor Shovel and chop it up and use these parts on it. Well, fast forward five years and I found that donor. But the truth is that life got in the way. I closed my shop down and worked for someone else for about five years. While I was there the chance to buy the donor Shovelhead presented itself. A good mate of mine was keen on buying the bike and getting involved with the build so we got stuck into it stripped it.

Then a hiccup in the plan arrived in the form of a shop fire and me losing all my tools and job in the process. The build, unfortunately, went on hold while I made a living from home until a permanent gig arrived. As I was busy with more of life’s little challenges for a while meant the build only started again last February.

The donor was pretty ugly with its green and cream paint and raked Wide Glide conversion, and gold wheels with several gold accents (coil cover, horn cover, Honda front and rear calipers). I had a Wassel copy single filler fuel tank which replaced the 3.5 gal splits. I mounted it Frisco style and a Sporty front-end was bolted up pronto to get the look I was going for.

I visited Japan with my son to attend the Yokohama Mooneyes Custom Hotrod and Bike Show. We had a ball and I got some cool ideas looking at the Japanese builders’ weird and wonderful styling. 

Some big brakes were on the cards because I had the stuff lying around. An aftermarket Buell rotor was massaged in-between the Sporty fork tubes. It was matched to a Hayabusa caliper. The idea was cool but bringing it together was less than fun. The caliper had to be clearanced, the fork lower was also clearanced, and the cast wheel as well. To tell the truth, it was a friggin’ nightmare but, hey, it looks cool and stops as well. A little too well for the Sporty forks. 

I fabbed a seat mount then attacked the mid 2000’s rear fender mounted and shaped to suit.

The handlebars were eBay specials along with the cable type levers. A horn and a simple combo switch-block for indicators, horn and hi-lo beam switches.

The front guard was a fender from a Rocker C (19 inch) and the bracket from a Softail both heavily cut and shut.

The rear brake is a R6 Yamaha caliper which is matched to a Harley master cylinder.

The shocks were replaced with some struts to drop the rear.

Trying to stay close to legal I also mounted some LED indicators front and rear. Cat-eye tail-lights make me laugh so I had to have one.

The floor boards are off a Harley-Davidson Heritage which I also had to cut and shut to narrow up for ground clearance.

I decided on a fuel bottle for any rides further than the coffee shop and fabb’ed a mount to suit.

The pipes are a piss-take to grab some attention. I enjoy making outrageous pipes and have made quite a few sets over the years getting me in trouble with the law a bit.

Lots of small and not so small mods and fabricating jobs on this chop but we were pleased with the results.

Wiring loom was a weekend effort by yours-truly then assembly of all painted and powder-coated parts next.

Paint was next — metal-flake to closely match the seat and grips. This was carried out by a mate Gary working at home in a single-car shed. His first time with metal-flake; great result, Gaz, cheers.

I haven’t registered it yet but have ridden it around the neighbourhood. It’s fun and noisy and a cheap thrill. Hence the name “Cheap Thrills” brushed on by hand by a good mate, Von Pato, a master tattooist/pin-striper/artist/bike builder. Cheers, Kjell.

A big thanks to the very good mate who made it possible after buying the bike and giving me a hand plus free rein on design and donating some Softail parts. Cheers, Rod. Yes, Rod, the same guy taking the awesome pics. A huge thanks to him and Sue and Jack for their hospitality during the shoot. 

Thanks also to Crystal, our model. 

Story Roscoe; photos Rod Cole

Crystal

MY name is Crystal. I’m 26-years-old, and while I study a Bachelor of Psychology, I’m working as a teacher. I’ve loved bikes since I was a young girl when my daddy used to take me on trips every weekend. We even got our first tattoo when I was 18 on one of our last rides together. As you can see my love for ink has only grown.

I really enjoyed getting to shoot with such a beautiful custom bike for Ozbike magazine. Not a piece you see every day.