SPECIFICATIONS | |
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Bike Name: | Harper Project |
Owner: | Thomas |
Year / Make: | 2006 Krugger rigid |
Fabrication: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Assembly: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Build time: | Four months |
Engine: | 1968 Harley Shovelhead |
Cases: | H-D |
Pistons: | S&S |
Cylinders: | Stock H-D |
Heads: | Flowed stock H-D |
Cam: | Sifton |
Ignition: | Morris Magneto |
Carb: | S&S |
Pipes: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Air Cleaner: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Transmission: | H-D 4-speed |
Primary: | 1.5″ belt |
Frame: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Rake: | 30-degrees |
Forks: | WL replica |
Front Wheel: | 4.25 x 18 DNA |
Rear Wheel: | 8.5 x 18 DNA |
Front Tire: | 120 Metzeler |
Rear Tire: | 240 Metzeler |
Front Brakes: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Rear Brakes: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Fuel Tank: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Oil Tank: | Internal frame tank |
Handlebars: | WL |
Headlight: | Flandria |
Hand Controls: | WL/PM |
Foot Controls: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Painter: | Krugger Motorcycles |
Color: | Ral 7026 |
Seat: | Brooks leather saddle |
From behind the closed doors of the builder who brought you the Speed Bowl and the CAD 22 customs emerges the Harper Project. The design of this bike was based on a ‘50s Harper Dry Lake racer, a few special requests from the customer, and the innovation of the builder.
When Fred “Krugger” Bertrand, owner of Krugger Motorcycles, was asked to build this bike for a German customer he quickly agreed, but with a few stipulations. He would build the bike only if he had the approval to deviate from the owner’s overall scheme if he felt it was necessary, to create a modern day, retro-style Mojave Desert racer that could be used for everyday riding and also for hauling around the world to bike shows.
Now there are many great custom motorcycle builders in Germany, but sometimes when you are looking for something unique, a bike that has its own personality, you have to look beyond the borders of your native country. The Harper Project custom was one of those occasions where crossing the border was a necessity. “After doing some extensive research and conferring with some of my motorcycle buddies on who could construct the bike of my dreams, it didn’t take long before Krugger Speed Shop of neighboring Belgium rose to the top of the list,” said Thomas, proud owner of the Harper Project.
The Harper Project is a practical machine and has a simple appearance at first glance, but after a closer look you will quickly find that it’s loaded with crafty details that put this custom in a class of its own. It has a rather short wheelbase and good ground clearance, so it’s got exceptionally good handling on curvy roads and is ideal for back-street riding and bar-hopping. From axle to axle, it measures 61” which is a little over an inch longer than the wheelbase of a ’06 Harley XL 883 Sportster. But like any motorcycle with a short wheelbase, the overall ride can be a bit bumpy on rough roads, but that also depends on the type of suspension used on the machine and the overall construction of the bike.
The engine on this project is an early Shovelhead with S&S pistons and carburetor, and a few other modifications that ends up kicking out a very responsive 75 horses. With the relatively light weight of this bike combined with the ample horsepower, lack of speed does not limit the Harper Project to just back-street riding, it can hit the track or the European Autobahns with blazing speed.
One of Fred’s conditions that the owner had to agree upon was to use one of Krugger’s new frames. The innovative frames are appealing and also serve as the engine’s oil tank, eliminating that traditional, highly visible oil tank that can sometimes take away from a clean, sleek appearance. Oil tanks can be attractive and enhancing to some custom bikes, but sometimes a little innovation can make a huge difference. Plus, incorporating the oil tank into the frame is another method of streamlining the bike, and it creates a lot of curiosity amongst viewers. It makes them take a closer look to find it. The Krugger “oil tank in the frame” holds four quarts of lubrication, while the gas tank, also built by Krugger, holds a little over three gallons of petrol.
Krugger’s new frames are crafted to fit wide or narrow rear tires, and to mount engines ranging from Knuckleheads to Evolutions with four, five, or six-speed transmissions. “After many hours of testing the oil temperatures in my new frames, I discovered that the oil runs much cooler than those that use the normal style oil tanks, so this means the motor will run cooler and last longer,” stated Fred.
The Harper Project is full of letters and numbers and each of them carries its own special meaning. The “A” stands for A special construction, the “V” stands for Vintage engine, the “G” stands for Gasoline model, and the number “101” is the motocross racing number of one of Fred’s neighbors, who gave him his first driving lessons when he was five years old. Everything on this bike is there for a reason.
Before the building process began on the Harper Project, Fred knew that his custom frame, old-style Shovel motor, and the old fashioned look of the graphics neatly placed on the machine would not be enough to bring out that retro-racing appearance to satisfy the owner. Fred knew that OEM parts or new parts with an old look had to be used, so he used a WL replica fork, an old-style WL handlebar with WL hand controls, short racing exhaust pipes, and an old Brooks leather bicycle seat that resembles saddles from the early days of motorcycles.
The Harper Project is a well-constructed and interesting custom machine. Fred Bertrand, one of Europe’s master custom motorcycle builders, promises that his next bike will be his greatest creation. Based on his previous work, his new custom has to be one extreme machine. I’ll try to catch it shortly after the paint dries and photograph it before it’s available for general public viewing. For more information about Krugger Speed Shop bikes, log on to www.krugger.net.
Builder: Fred Bertrand
Krugger Speed Shop Motorcycles
When it comes to custom motorcycle craftsmanship, Fred “Krugger” Bertrand is among the best builders in the world. His home and bike building operation, Krugger Speed Shop Motorcycles, is located in southern Belgium. The 36-year-old built his first handcrafted custom in June of 2002. Since that time, he has built approximately ten extreme custom machines. Fred runs a one-man operation, so if something goes wrong in the production process, he can blame only himself. So far he hasn’t had any reasons to look in the mirror to reflect any blame; mirrors around his operation are only used when he needs a shave. Krugger Speed Shop customers range from farmers to movie stars and they are all very satisfied with the workmanship and performance of their machines. Fred is a builder who fully understands that people want something different, but at the same time they want something practical and reliable. In his early years, he raced rally cars and there he developed an appreciation for reliability. One of the things he hated most was when his race car encountered mechanical troubles. When Fred started building custom motorcycles, he vowed to ensure that all of the bikes that leave his shop are mechanically sound. Fred is happily married with a young daughter and a son and his wife and kids spend much of their time in his shop giving final approval on his new creations.