1958 Harley Davidson Sportster - Monkee Business

[BaZa®]

1958 Harley Davidson Sportster - Monkee Business

Recycled Chic From The Danish Anti-Bling Squad
By Tim Carrithers
Photography by Wrenchmonkees

These Copenhagen-based Wrenchmonkees aren't worried about a few scratches. They don't hide from reality. It's part of their aesthetic. In a world suffering from chronic bling-fatigue, this '58 Harley Sportster wearing a hammered '70 Husky gas tank is positively therapeutic. Meet Monkee #7, one of many unlikely customs on display at www.wrenchmonkees.com. Unlikely? Monkee #6 began life as an '82 Kawasaki Z750 and #9 started out as a '76 BMW R80. Then there's Monkee #11, a.k.a. Gorilla Punch. Powered by a SOHC Honda CB750 Four, it's currently on display at the Danish Museum of Art and Design.
Monkee Nicholas Bech took the Harley in trade and parked it in a corner of his shop. "When I finally had time to dig it out," he says, "I realized there was a pretty cool XLCH under all that horrifying brushed-on metallic-burgundy paint." Pretty much everything but the engine, frame, oil tank and brakes went into the dumpster. And after Googling around the web for inspiration-with more than a few hours spent at www.jockeyjournal.com-the serious Monkee business began.
Except for a 48mm S&S Super E Shorty carb and Chopper Dave air filter, the 55-cubic-inch V-twin is essentially stock, right down to the original '58 magneto. The chassis, however, isn't: A replica of Harley's bolt-on dirt-track hardtail came from Craig at Front Street Cycle. That's a newer Sporty fork holding up the other end, shortened and converted to carry the original XLCH front hub. Akront rims carry Michelin trials tires. What rear suspension there is comes from a pair of 4-inch springs under the one-off solo saddle.
"I made it look rough and dirty, as if it had always been that way," Bech says. "It's only been ridden in Copenhagen and the suburbs, and not much. The Monkees don't have time to ride. We have to build bikes for our customers, and they need 'em now!"
Like it? It's for sale for 105,000 Danish Kroner ($19,661) (£12,000). "All our own bikes are for sale," says Bech, "We can make you one like ours, or make one that is not a copy, but your own."

[kevscrivener]

Okay, more my style of custom than OCC is; but that tank just doesn't look right. Check out the rear 3/4 view on their site; back end of the tank sits up like it's a knackered old field bike.

One other thing ; assuming the bike was stock to begin with, I don't believe the guff about the cycle parts ending up in the skip. No-one in their right minds would scrap 58 sporty bits, they're far too rare!

I do like that Honda 750 on their site though, and the Beemer's kinda neat too. However, with the exception of the Honda they all look like the kind of basic rat bikes you see every year at rallies.

Just had a closer look at the Honda; it might look fast, but I doubt the wisdom of putting Coker tyres on it, even though they look great! They weren't a lot of good when they were fitted to Harleys; definitely a case of style over substance.

Nothing special, especially not for that kind of money.

[andypandy]

Originally Posted by kevscrivener

Okay, more my style of custom than OCC is; but that tank just doesn't look right. Check out the rear 3/4 view on their site; back end of the tank sits up like it's a knackered old field bike.

One other thing ; assuming the bike was stock to begin with, I don't believe the guff about the cycle parts ending up in the skip. No-one in their right minds would scrap 58 sporty bits, they're far too rare!

I do like that Honda 750 on their site though, and the Beemer's kinda neat too. However, with the exception of the Honda they all look like the kind of basic rat bikes you see every year at rallies.

Just had a closer look at the Honda; it might look fast, but I doubt the wisdom of putting Coker tyres on it, even though they look great! They weren't a lot of good when they were fitted to Harleys; definitely a case of style over substance.

Nothing special, especially not for that kind of money.

Hi Kev, i have 18 x400 coker diamond tread tyres front and rear on my 1200 sportster.I gotta tell you they not only look the dogs bollocks but they grip like glue...Andy

[kevscrivener]

Originally Posted by andypandy

Hi Kev, i have 18 x400 coker diamond tread tyres front and rear on my 1200 sportster.I gotta tell you they not only look the dogs bollocks but they grip like glue...Andy

They've obviously improved then Andy, they were notoriously poor some years ago.

Happy to be corrected, thanks.