Like Porsche making an SUV that eventually carried the company and allowed it to continue to race and build killer sports cars, Thunderbike knows where its bread is buttered and knocked out this gentleman’s bagger that has all the cues people expect in a custom bagger, but with Andreas’ interesting twists to the recipe. Even though it’s technically over the top by my conservative standards, the first word that came to my mind when I saw this radical bagger called Grey Eagle is “tasteful.” Maybe it’s the subtly striking two-tone grey with red pinstriping paintjob by the always talented Ingo Kruse that lets the lines of the bike flow smoothly and easily from front to back that lends a bit of gentleman’s express to it like a businessman’s grey pinstriped suit. Or maybe it’s the Thunderbike bodywork that has a look of its own. I don’t know, it just looks sharp.

   If you’re building a serious custom bagger these days, you gotta have wheel. Andreas didn’t go the somewhat expected 30-inch route, but instead chose a 26-inch wheel which is a Thunderbike design called the Daytona Series. It’s still a big, big wheel, but compared to a 30, it seems much smaller (never thought I’d ever, ever say a 26-inch wheel seems smaller under any circumstances). The approach to installing the wheel is what makes it different to me, though. Most builders seem to be cutting and raking out the stock frame to accommodate a big front wheel. What Andreas did was to leave the stock chassis like it left York, but made wheel space with a set of Thunderbike 40-degree Bolt-on Baggerrake triple trees. If for some reason you wanted to go back to stock, it’s a bolt-on process instead of re-cutting and re-welding which can be a dubious thing to do anyway. How this drives compared to cutting is another matter that I can’t unfortunately answer, but if handling was your top priority, you’d never chuck a giant wheel up front in the first place. I have to assume it’s okay as Germany’s TUV has some extremely tough regulations about what can hit the road in Deutschland compared to the USA. Plus, if everything does work out okay, this has got to cut out a lot of cost of stripping your bagger down to a bare frame before cutting, welding, refinishing, and reassembling before you install a wheel.

   You might remember I mentioned the Thunderbike bespoke bodywork and while it does have some of the characteristics expected in a custom bagger covered in bodywork like a longer, lower, and wider rear fender, extended bags, stretched tank, etc., take a close look and you’ll see Thunderbike’s Daytona Series has its own lines from the fairing to the bottom of the bags and everything in-between. Not over the top or ridiculous, but fashionably crazy. I particularly like the fairing design and the way Andreas integrated the rear fender and bags into one unit. And, no, you couldn’t get me to park my butt on that stylishly slim, but useless seat for probably much more than five minutes before I shouted “Uncle!” I only mention that because all the show baggers seem to have torture platforms instead of comfy seats. I guess that’s what a boy’s gotta do if he wants to be hip, trendy, and fashionable.

   Leaving the 103-inch Twin Cam basically stock is not a huge surprise as that engine does exactly what it needs to for 99% of bagger riders. Andreas did change a couple of things, the big oval stock air cleaner is now a tidy little Thunderbike piece and like 99% of Harley riders, he changed the exhaust too. What he used here is something that’s been done before in the American aftermarket, but apparently not successfully. Just like his paint job, the exhaust is two-tone too. Bolting on a set of Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde electrically adjustable exhausts is just what the doctor ordered. You can go from quiet to a laff riot at the flick of a switch like an old set of Snuff–or-Nots.  Some (hyper)cars are offering this straight from the factory and I wish it was a MotorCo option too. If we had to appease the environmentalists on this potential politically-incorrect issue, it might be mentioned that it sure would help keep the landfills of America free of stock Harley exhausts which are always going to be changed no matter what laws are passed. Kill the sound and you kill the 45-degree V-twin industry.   

   Okay, I’ll admit I’m a fan boy of Thunderbike and what their custom shop consistently turns out, but there’s a good, extremely simple reason for it. Their stuff is beautiful. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself at www.thunderbike.de and be sure to look for the little Union Jack for English text.