A Custom's Custom
A Custom's Custom
SPECIAL CRUISER SECTION
The Motor Company’s special Softail
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS LONG BEEN the reigning heavyweight champ in the custom cruiser ring. But lately, several dark horses have come forward to challenge Milwaukee. And a few have actually delivered stinging blows.
Okay, enough with the boxing metaphor. Bottom line is that the socalled Harley hybrids (a.k.a. clones) are gaining popularity with the motorcycling public, and Harley corporate types decided to do something about it. First, H-D introduced the limited-production FXR2 and FXR3 models (Roundup, May). Now comes the FXSTC Softail Custom pictured here. Not exactly your run-of-the-mill Softy, it has been privy to some highhanded tweaking.
Most obvious is the non-standard paint scheme. A product of Harley’s Radical Custom Paint Sets program, our bike wears “Zigzag on Brandywine.” The $2499 hand-painted design is one of two available, and is for ’99 Softail Customs only. We hear, however, that an expanded program is in the offing.
Furthering the bike’s chic lines are about a gazillion cosmetic bits and pieces-all from Harley’s accessories catalog. Chromed covers, calipers and clamps abound, as do more obvious chromable pieces such as wheels, mirrors and that sleek-looking set of slash-cut slip-ons. Total sum for the seemingly endless parts list is a reasonable $4772.
Only problem? This particular FXS cannot be purchased as is (if it could be, it would cost about $22,000). But if you’ve got a Softail in need of a facelift, you can get pretty close with a little help from Harley. Our advice to clone-makers? Watch your backs, The Motor Company is getting ready to rumble. Wendy F. Black
CRUISE NEWS:
• Everybody knows that HarleyDavidson motorcycles are Made in the USA, but they’re not alone. In addition to the multitudinous makers of Harley-styled clones, there currently are no fewer than six brands of cruisers being manufactured in America.
• Excelsior-Henderson Belle Plaine, Minnesota Reviving the long-dormant marque has proven difficult, but Super Xs finally are rolling off the assembly line.
• Harley-Davidson Kansas City, Missouri Milwaukee, Wisconsin York, Pennsylvania World’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer has eclipsed the 100,000-units-per-year mark, and still can’t meet demand.
• Honda Marysville, Ohio World’s largest motorcycle manufacturer assembles Americanstyle cruisers on American soil.
• Indian Motorcycle Company Gilroy, California Developing a proprietary engine to relaunch the Indian marque. Seems a little sketchy after the
recent resignation of CEO Murray Smith, but
hey, the company’s solvent enough to sponsor a NASCAR stockcar!
• Kawasaki Lincoln, Nebraska Japanese manufacturer currently celebrating its 25th anniversary of assembling motorcycles in the U.S.
• Victory Osceola, Wisconsin Spirit Lake, Iowa ATV/snowmobile/watercraft manufacturer Polaris began building bikes under the Victory label in 1998.
