Take this classic example of a DP Customs’ build that was once a stock 2000 XL1200 in a former life. The end result is not beyond radical or anything, but a really nice, good looking cafe bike that you can still ride the pee out of and not break the bank getting there. The DP boys listen to their customer’s needs, wants, desires, whatever, and often build them the bike they didn’t even know they wanted. “The customer for this build was really cool to work with in that his only requirements were that the bike rode well and that we stuck with black and/or white with the paint scheme,” said Jarrod. “The rest was left up to us so we decided to go with a sharp and edgy look with both the paint work and the lines of the bike.”

“Sharp and edgy” involved whacking off everything aft of the top shock mount like the rear fender, struts, and all the lighting crap hung on it. The stock seat also became a shelf item along with the Sporty’s fuel tank, exhaust, air cleaner, handlebars, and foot controls. Basically, the 2Js just got rid of everything they could and got to work on going from cruiser to café. “We lowered and stiffened the front end to set the stance as it flows rearward to the 14.25″ Progressive 970 shocks and the 18″ rear wheel,” said Jarrod. Lowering the front a bit while raising the back a bit with the taller than stock shocks loads up the front end to make it easier to turn into corners at speed and also gives it an aggressive stance. The new Progressive Suspension 970 piggyback gas shocks feature everything a stock Sporty’s “Hello 1960!” design doesn’t. With a progressive rate spring, dual-circuit deflective disc damping, and adjustable compression damping, the 970’s change in ride and handling would shock a stock Sporty rider. When it comes to ride and handling a nice set of tires never hurts. “For rubber we went with fresh set of Dunlop GT501 tires and we improved the brakes with a set of high-performance EBC brake pads,” said Jarrod. “It was a noticeable difference and money well spent.”

The 1203cc engine was actually in fine fettle, but the boys can never leave well enough alone either aesthetically or athletically. Like any good yoga instructor would do, they got to work on making the engine breath better. “We opened up the breathing with a Big Sucker intake and improved the spark with a Crane Fireball single-fire ignition coil,” said Jarrod. “Justin’s favorite part of the build is crafting the exhaust and this time he created a chambered 2-into-1 collector underneath the bike. It has a higher pitch than stock and it’s not overly loud. Oh, and it dyno’d really well too.” Me? I like what Justin did with the can that Buell never could, but personally I like the design touch where the vertical piping mimics the pushrod tubes.

With all the basic but necessary crap out of the way, the 2Js got to work where they really shine. For the money spent, it’s hard to beat what they consistently turn out for aesthetic appeal and personality. Like other DP builds, it was imagination, repurposing, fabrication, and a good artistic eye over sheer moolah that gets the job done.Take the tank for instance, “That’s an old Honda CB tank that we found in a yard. We had to straighten it up and weld on a new bung for the higher- flow Harley petcock,” said Jarrod. “We also had to make a trick custom mount to get that tank to fit the frame nicely. It was a lot of work, a lot of work,” said Jarrod. “The seat pan and cowl (tail section) are hand made of steel. The cowl was formed to follow the lines as an extension of the tank. We had to build two of them until we were happy with the result.” Looking better than it ever did in its natural setting is the fairing that’s directly off a V-Rod Night Rod. I never would have guessed that if I wasn’t told as it looks like it really belongs here. Mounted underneath it is a set of clip-ons replacing the stock bars while rearsets replace the forward controls and comfortably compliment the aggressive riding position. “To keep the rider’s boots out of the corners’ way, we installed a set of adjustable rear sets from Chainsikle (www.chainsikle.com) in anodized black. They have a super-precise action and the pegs grip just right. Really nice pieces,” said Jarrod.

The final piece of any custom puzzle is the paint and finish and DP never disappoints with one striking paintjob after another. Remember the part about the customer’s requirement of “black and/or white with the paint scheme”? Well they certainly gave the customer what he wanted there, but probably not how he imagined. When you look at the bike from the side it’s all black from the body work down and the white upper area almost shockingly stands out. But, it’s a look that DP’s pulled off perfectly in the “sharp and edgy” way they intended. ”The fairing, tank, and cowl are topped off with asymmetrical, tight black stripes inspired by ‘60s-era Shelbys. The pseudo chrome of the primary/cam covers, rockers boxes, front forks, and battery box was replaced with semi-gloss black powder coat. All of the black contrasting with the white is very crisp looking,” said Jarrod. Me? I really like the thin black stripe around the bottom edge of the tank with the DP Customs branding subtly spicing it up and looking oh so nice. It’s those little things that make me appreciate what the lads are up to with paint on every one of their builds. No dragons, skulls, or tribes need apply.

If you’d like to see more of what they’re up to, just stay tuned to this site as just about nobody is a more prolific builder than them except maybe for a couple of guys I know in New Jersey who build Triumphs. Sounds like a neat blue-collar build off in the making to me where nobody’s a loser. In the meantime, check out their website (www.dpcustomcycles.com) and see their wide variety of affordable-by-normal-humans’ builds. Who knows? Maybe the time has come to get one for you? Besides, you don’t want to be the one responsible for wiping the smiles off their faces do you? I didn’t think so.