Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s all a bit complicated when you think about it so don’t. Okay, here’s the Reader’s Digest version. DP and Local had a design competition where one person’s design was chosen and built by DP for sale on Local Motors online store. The winner, a Mr. Andre “Lude” Costa of Portugal, received a couple of grand for his efforts and tons of online notoriety. What...

     Shawn wasn’t the first person to technically own this bike, but since it was a family member who originally bought and customized it, it’s always been part of his family technically. “My uncle, Alan Fuller, bought it, customized over a six-month period, and I ended up buying it from him,” said Shawn. Sounds simple and all, but like everything, it’s never that simple. The...

  Phantom motorcycles are a rare breed and the most viable ones I’ve seen have been built around Sportsters with an XR750 flat track racer look, the Storz Performance XR1200 and Mert Lawwill’s Street Tracker fill that bill pretty well. Bill Baumgardner of Renton, Washington, had a totally different take on a Harley-based phantom bike using a 2004 Night Train as his jumping-off...

  Nope, Todd’s had quite a busy motorcycle background and history that might just actually turn you a bit green with envy and also explain why he builds what he builds. And, that’s all known without lie detectors, truth serums, torture, private eyes, or jealous friends involved. Todd admits to a prolonged stint as R&D guy at Answer Products, held the position of chief mechanic...

  Not so much anymore, as times are changing and the Sportster is getting the respect it deserves. It’s true that a lot of Sporty owners fall into those two categories, but it’s also a fact that Harley’s Sportster has rather illustrious racing roots from flat trackers to dragsters to road racers in its history. You can’t really say that about any other H-D stock V-twin currently in...

  The brilliant silver FLHRCI turned out to be a good choice as Kevin’s a big guy and it fit him well. “I wanted a nice riding bike, I enjoy an all day ride,” said Kevin. But like most H-D owners, stock was only good for so long and his wife was probably painfully aware that all those parts catalogs lying around the house were a portent of things to come. “I rode it while I worked...

  Chris left the Twin Cam 88 basically alone as it’s got enough power for any show bike. I mean, how much do you need to just parade around? Good tough looks and a nice set of pipes will do it every time for most people. Throw on an Evil Engineering open belt primary and you’ve got enough visual appeal to satisfy any showgoer. Chris did stay with a set of laced wheels that add just...

  Sundance Enterprises Inc. in Tokyo, Japan, is the lovechild of Zak Shibazaki, who makes custom bikes that focus on overall performance, rather than only on looks. The term “Custom Builder” is not an image he really identifies with. If anything, “Custom Engineer” more closely identifies his approach to bike building. When his friend and editor of Japan’s Hard Core Chopper...

  Whatever Buell that engine came from is just about intact other than the engine as TPJ built a new frame, swingarm, tank, fenders, seat, and more to house the engine. A new set of lightweight spoked wheels with Excel rims and Avon tires allows this sucker to be thrown around with reckless abandon, yet all that happens is a bit more seat patina. Braking is courtesy of France by...

  Possibly the biggest compliment they could get is that this bike was built for a previously satisfied customer as Jarrod explained how this build came about. “This was a commissioned build for a customer who already owns two other DPC machines. While we were discussing design ideas, he mentioned that his favorite driver of all time is the late three-time Formula One World...