This candy red Sportster you’re looking at right here is a perfect example of what can be done with Harley’s XL-series bikes if you put your mind, talent, and hard work into it. Or, you could have a guy like Tim Firstenberger, owner of Little Comfort Customs in Sarasota, Florida, whip one up just for you or even sell you this one. Hey, not everybody’s got the wherewithal to build a bike, but it’s sure nice to know someone else can do it for you. All you have to do is come up with the dough and you’ll be riding in style.

Tim explained how this hot rod called Riffraff came to be. “Being how I ride and work on almost all Sportster stuff, I get kinda tried of hearing about the baby/girl bike stuff.

I set out to build a clean simple little bike that somebody can still afford to buy. I found this donor as a basketcase and I’ve wanted to build a big-inch Sportster for a while. This bike started its life as a 1993 XL 1200. It’s still a ’93, but it’s not a 1200 any more,” he said. “The motor got a split-case rebuild with an S&S 89-inch kit [Flywheels, rods, pistons, cylinders, and adjustable pushrods] that puts it around 1458cc. I installed Andrews N6 cams, an S&S Super E carb, a Crane ignition, and the Bassani Sweepers. The changes I did made this thing a rocket.”

When it came time for the chassis and bodywork, Tim just can’t drive 55, err, stay stock and said, “I wanted to go Old School/New with this so I went with a Kraft Tech Inc. frame and their wrap-around oil tank. I hung a chrome DNA springer on it and went with Invader wheels. They’re not knock offs, they came from Scotty at Invader Wheels inilliard, Ohio.  Hilliard, Ohio. I really like the look of that spool up front and I went with a DNA sprotor in the back to keep things clean back there. I like clean.”

   With the mocked-up roller complete, it was time for Tim to pull it apart and get to work on the finish. With ample shiny bits like the chrome Invader wheels, chrome DNA springer, and the chrome and polished engine staring him in the face, Tim decided to go with a very traditional hot rod look of candy red paint with black panels surrounded by gold pinstriping. “The Kraft Tech rigid frame got powdercoated candy red by Todd and JR at Fusion Powder Coating in Dania, Florida. That candy red frame has three coats of powder [base, color, and clear] on it and Fusion puts it on nice,” said Tim. “The Cole Foster tank and rest of the tin got painted by Richard “P-Man” Paxton at P-Man’s Classic Cycle Paint in Bradenton, Florida. Paint and powder coat ain’t easy to match, but P-Man did a great job as usual matching them perfectly. I would like to thank Lee and Josh at Rossiter’s Harley-Davidson in Sarasota and Ronnie at Brown’s Plating. All of these guys gave me great service.”

   All of that is fine and good, but I couldn’t help but wonder how Tim’s big-inch Sportster was like once it found the throttle stop on that Super E. Tim smiled a ‘been there’ smile and said, “The 89” motor makes a lot of bottom end and I think that’s what makes it so fun to ride. It feels like you could pull a John Deere six-bottom plow with it. I just find myself riding it faster and faster until the fear of death outweighs the thrill of speed.” The way Tim’s voice just sorta drifted off thinking about what he just said sure sounded like this big-inch Sportster project was a total success to me.

  If you’d like to find out more about Tim and Little Comfort Customs, you could click on his photographer’s link and get another side to the Tim Firstenberger story or you could click on the other LCC builds we’ve previously featured on Barnett’s Magazine Online, a striking white and black one and a slightly more subtle black with silver scallops Sporty. 

 All of that aside, this bike is done and for sale. If any one wants info about it or maybe another build you had in mind, you can contact Tim at slacker1030@verizon.net.