Again to fundamentals: A Harley Fats Bob in Tough Crafts’ signature model

“Fender and Firestone police, right here I come,” Winston Yeh quips, as we talk about the most recent {custom} bike to roll out of the home of Tough Crafts. Based mostly on a 2020 Harley-Davidson Fats Bob 107, it’s a stripped-down, low-slung bobber, swathed in typical Tough Crafts finishes. And sure, it has no entrance fender and it wears sawtooth treads (though they’re from Duro, not Firestone).

Winston’s absolutely conscious that his stylistic decisions would possibly irk a few of our readers, however he’s unfazed. It is a particular construct for him; a throwback to his earlier work, and the belief of an concept that’s been marinating in his thoughts for the higher a part of a decade.

This tradition Fats Bob traces its roots again to ‘Graphite Speedster’—a Harley Softail that bagged Tough Crafts a fourth place end within the freestyle class on the AMD World Championships, again in 2014. “The bike was toured world wide and received quite a few awards at completely different exhibits,” Winston tells us.

“It was well-loved, and I had many requests to construct one other. However because of the nature of the ‘freestyle’ class, it had an experimental billet prime body with built-in suspension, twin entrance heads, twin FCR carbs and extra. All of these unconventional elements make it a tough bike to take care of on your common buyer.”

“I’ve been fascinated about making a extra ‘consumer pleasant’ model of it for years, since I cherished these traces a lot. So when a buyer got here in with a love of our bobbers, however with an open temporary, I instantly knew it was my likelihood to make it occur.”

One in every of Winston’s favourite issues about Harley’s newer Milwaukee-Eight Softail, is how properly its body fits conventional bobber styling. As soon as this one had shed its bodywork and bolt-on rear fender struts, the construct was already off to a stellar begin. Winston saved the inventory swingarm, however upgraded the rear shock with a brand new unit from Progressive Suspension.

The front-end was a distinct story altogether. “I’ve at all times preferred springer forks,” Winston says, “however the previous ones trip like shit; all spring and no damper.”

To unravel this drawback, he reached out to long-time Tough Crafts supporter, Rebuffini. “They’re such an incredible firm,” he provides. “They’ve a full billet springer fork that appears tremendous retro, however contains two custom-ordered Öhlins shocks. It rides tremendous clean—like several fashionable bike.”

The wheels are from Roland Sands Design, measuring 4.25×18” on the entrance, and 5.00×16” on the rear. Take a more in-depth look, and also you’ll spot Beringer’s completely bonkers Aerotec 4D braking system at each ends. With this setup, every caliper grips two discs—so this Harley is stopped by at least six brake discs.

Beringer is one other long-time Tough Crafts supporter, which is why the brake calipers are adorned with Tough Crafts branding. If there’s a extra badass-looking brake system for a spring-equipped Harley bobber on the market, we don’t find out about it.

With the key stuff out the way in which, every little thing else began falling into place in typical Tough Crafts style. The Fats Bob’s new gas tank is definitely a RC manufacturing half designed for the Sportster. It was modified closely to suit the Softail, and topped off with a billet aluminum fuel cap from Winston’s personal catalog.

The bobbed seat got here from BT Choppers in Poland, together with a blank-off equipment for the world beneath it; the upholstery was added regionally. A low profile rear fender rounds out the minimal bodywork.

A lot of the ending equipment on this svelte bobber is both from the Tough Crafts aftermarket catalog, or from a few of Winston’s favourite firms. The cockpit wears a set of RC risers, designed with a prime clamp that’s designed to accommodate the small digital speedo from the H-D Avenue Bob. However on this bike, it holds an identical Koso unit as an alternative.

The bars are RC’s signature ‘Fighter’ design, fitted with plug-and-play switches from Rebuffini. The grips, foot controls, cam cowl, rocker arm cowl and consumption are all elements from a collaboration between Tough Crafts and Arlen Ness. And the flip indicators and taillights are Tough Crafts x Koso objects.

The engine’s dressed with a Rebuffini hydraulic clutch housing and a Efficiency Machine clutch cowl. It additionally wears brass push rod tubes, and an obnoxiously quick two-into-one exhaust, carried out in the identical model because the Graphite Speedster’s.

As at all times, Winston created this machine by way of a fastidiously curated community of grasp craftsmen. Rover Works Customized Paint dealt with the livery, over solid carbon inlays that had been carried out by SFC Simon Fiber Craft. 2 Irregular Sides made the push rod collars and tank badges, whereas CT-Storage dealt with the ultimate meeting.

Dubbed ‘Miltown Moonshine’ as a tribute to The Motor Co.’s hometown, the ultimate product is as completely proportioned as it’s properly judged… simply as we’ve come to count on from Winston. It’s a quintessential back-to-basics Tough Crafts construct, but additionally exhibits simply how far the store has come within the final decade.

And in the event you’d wish to see it in particular person, simply ebook a flight to Taipei Metropolis, Taiwan for this weekend. There, Winston might be displaying it off as a part of Tough Crafts’ first official Pace & Craft {custom} bike present.

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