What we’ve got here is a most interesting variant of bobber, a board track-inspired Sportster-powered design built for stylin’ roadworthiness for what had to be an attractive price (I’m guessing) for the bike’s owner, Holy City apprentice Tommy Grady, to call his own. It’s not pure board track with the wise choice of higher bars and mid-controls, but it’s got the look and that’s all that counts. Like the late Fernando Lamas (as portrayed by Billy Crystal on SNL) always said, “It’s better to look good than to feel good.” In this case you get a bit of both.

   The Harley XL engine may not be in the same nostalgically-pretty league as a Knucklehead or a Panhead or even a Shovelhead, but it is modern, reliable, cheap, and most importantly, still makes the right sound. Bring a Knucklehead or any of the others to a local H-D dealership mechanic and maybe, just maybe, you might find someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Bring a Sportster engine to a mechanic and you’ll probably just have to ask when to pick it up and how much cash to bring. Here the Evo engine is decked out like Johnny Cash and looks like it’s floating within the confines of the frame. The compact unitized XL engine really comes into its own here with open spaces all around it for an engine that’s gotta be ridiculously easy to work on. It’s almost like having it out on a bench.

   Holy City basically left the mill stock other than a upgrade to an LA Choppers Affliction high-flow air cleaner that looks like it was made from old cast iron parts, but isn’t. Robbie and crew made the forward-exit twin pipe exhaust that reminds me of somebody rubbing their hands together. That is, if their arms were made out of header-wrapped pipe and their hands were the opening of the loud holes. It’s different and cool on a budget build instead of opening a catalog and ordering something everybody else already has.

   The Sporty’s single downtube frame is a bit different than usual, especially in the engine cradle area. The lack of a seat tube between the engine and transmission allows space for a more comfy, shock-sprung saddle. The rest of it almost looks like it was built by a spider with an unnatural ability to weld. There’s so much open air around the engine it seems that something’s gotta be missing here, but that’s exactly what Robbie was going for. It’s spindly and almost looks like it shouldn’t work, but it does. If ever a bike looked like the initial sketch on a bar napkin, this is it.

  The black 26-inch wheels front and rear are a nostalgic trip unto themselves looking like a set of Kimtab Snowflake wheels from the distant past. It’s a cool design that fits in nicely with the frame design and almost looks like an extension of the same style with bits and pieces floating in space. In a not expected turn for a bad boy bobber, this bike has front and rear brakes and that’s fine by me. You may have to always look good, but every now and then you really gotta stop. A single puck front brake sits up front on the springer while out back, a sprocket brake helps bring the proceedings to a halt. With the skinny footprint of these two tires, that’s probably all the braking they’re gonna be capable of handling.

  Bodywork is at an absolute minimum with a nicely sculpted fuel tank sitting ever so pretty. A complete lack of fenders may not be the best thing when it rains, but just remember your mother yelling at you to come out of the rain and channel that thought if you need some good advice on whether to go riding or not. Besides, the board track look is all about open unfettered wheels. As much as I like the look of no fenders, I’d prefer one out back for purely human reasons.

   When I first saw this bike from the right side, I assumed the missing oil tank had to be somehow part of the little fuel tank, but I wasn’t sure how. A quick flip to the left and there it is hung vertically just below the side mount bullet lamp license plate bracket. Not only is the tank unusual and good looking, but it’s gotta be easy to change oil without a huge mess and it adds a bit of cooling being way out in the air flow. Nice job on that one Robbie.

   I really, really like the electrifying blue monochromatic paintjob (powder coat?) reminiscent of Ford’s Grabber Blue as it outlines the whole project from one end to the other with areas of black in the wheels, engine, headlight, and fork springs for contrast. Simple, definitive, and monochromatically flashy. Whoever came up with the paint scheme gets an A-plus from me as it’s a bold statement that could have gone wrong, but didn’t. It looks perfect as it is.

   Although this bike could probably hold its own at a bike show, that’s not what it’s all about. It’s an affordable rider that looks cool as hell and would never be lost in a parking lot full of Harleys. Just in case you’re wondering what something like this would cost to own, you might have noticed in Jack Cofano’s photos that it’s for sale at an asking price of $12,500. I guess Holy City’s Tommy Grady has gone on to something else after a few years of ownership. Seems like a decent deal all around to me for something this individually cool yet simple to maintain and ride. This is one hip bit of riding kit that I’d be proud to call my own if I only had access to the missing 12 grand I’d need to purchase it. Somehow I doubt Tommy will take $500 down and let me make payments so you still have a good chance if you like this ride like I do. 

   For more information on Robbie Closson’s Holy City Designs, check them out on Facebook and all the social media as Holy City believes web sites are the work of the devil.