If you have ever wanted to make a statement, stand out from the crowd or just generally roll in ‘Like A Boss’, then this custom Bagger is just the machine for you. Sinister black paint, sweeping lines, loud pipes, even louder boom box and a presence that draws a crowd wherever it goes.
It is based on a 2016 Harley Davidson Streetglide 107 and all the custom work was done in house at Harley Davidson Gold Rand. If this bike is anything to go by, they are at the top of their game.
The engine has been breathed on by Trevor Dryden, the in-house tech that saw this project through to fruition.
A Vance & Hines FP4 Fuel pack, (fuel management system), has been added to accommodate for the full Stage 2 Race Cams, V&H Heavy Breather Air Filter and V&H Sure-shot exhausts. And, Boy Oh Boy can you feel it when you roll on the gas.
Bodywork:
The customising is not subtle or understated in any way. It’s a clever balance of elegance and hooliganism. Under normal lighting the paint appears to be plain black, but get it into the sunlight and catch it at the correct angle and there’s an underlying subtle hint of British Racing Green that brings the paintwork to life.
Sweeping lines over the single seat and down the custom flowing rear fenders and bags stop just above the tarmac.
The rear fender and panniers are modified units off a Harley Bagger, as is the fuel tank and side covers.
Youcant miss the flashing green Mariner speakers mounted into each side case – and yes, they do work… exceptionally well!
Follow that low sweeping rear fender down to the ground again and you notice the lines are beautifully unbroken and it takes a minute for it to sink in that the taillight, indicators and number plate holder have been deleted and replaced with the most nondescript integrated LED units mounted almost invisibly on the bottom edge of either pannier.
Yeah, we hear you – that’s going to get the attention of the cops, and we thought exactly the same thing, until we were stopped in a roadblock on Witkoppen rd. The guys didn’t even bat an eyelid and just took a bunch of selfies sitting on the bike.
There are a lot of ways to change or improve the stance and rake of a custom bike, generally fork extensions or raking the frame is involved. Gold Rand Harley Davidson has chosen the route of a properly exciting set of wheels by swapping out the standard mag wheels for a glorious 21” spoked 2022/2023 CVO rim upfront and a matching 18” out back.
Wrapped in dunlop D207’s, those spoked CVO rims are something to behold, gloss black with diamond polished faceted highlights with shiny chrome spokes.
Combined with the low slung tail end and high bars gives the bike a really menacing stance.
Stopping duty is taken are of by 1″ bigger dual front discs and the ABS with the bigger wheels and discs all work properly and do a really good job at keeping this whole lot under control.
The front fender has been profiled to mimic the writhing ‘Vance & Hines’ exhausts which had many a slovenly pedestrian pick up the pace when they noticed the very pointy bit aimed in their direction.
The pipes bark as the motor rocks the rig from side to side.
It’s all complimented by The Hu chanting in their throat singing manner to rambunctious heavy metal guitars and drums from the loudest sound system I have enjoyed on a motorcycle in a long time. (The radio is an OEM unit powered by a Rockford Forsgate stage 2 amp and speakers.)
MAN!!! This bike is fun.
The standard fairing and all its accoutrements have been retained and complemented by some pretty wicked 18″ Ape Hanger bars, a Black Out Head Light and a custom smoked mini windscreen.
Gold Rand HD has really put a lot of forethought into this bike. It retains all of its original bits that make sense to keep it solidly reliable and safe, with excellent handling and made all the right custom choice to make it absolutely unique.
What’s it like to ride?:
I picked the bike up with just 30 genuine kilometers on the clock…. On a 2016 bike?!?! Well Yes, there is a long story behind that of the dealership changing ownership, the bike going into storage and holding it for customers who didn’t or couldn’t pay, so, essentially it is effectively a brand new machine with just a little less than 300 km on it after our ride on it.
The ride took me through the busy streets of Boksburg North, onto the freeway and off at Rivonia where I met the rest of the crew at Bikeshop Rivonia. From there we headed out along Witkoppen and straight into the aforementioned roadblock…
Out of town we rode, towards Lanseria, where we wandered down past The Home of The Chicken Pie into Broederstroom. Lot of roadworks on the go. We popped in at ADA for some lunch and a chat with singer ‘Appel’, before looping along the ‘Satellite road’ and heading back to the freeway and back to Harley Davidson Gold Rand.
I would be hard pushed to find a better Friday.
Custom bikes are generally not known for being comfortable long distance cruisers, however, this particular machine, was superbly comfortable along my 250 km odd ride.
It changes directions as commanded, in some instances quite swiftly and sharply when a gap in the mayhem presented itself without a wobble or any sense of ungainliness or awkwardness. Tilting through the corners and sweeping bends was just joyous – a warm winter’s day with my favourite hard rock music blaring and those twin ‘V&H Sure-Shots’ growling at the world.
Hang on the gas and the torque from that 107 mill will thrust you forward like a plane taking off, roll into cruise mode and the pipes become a bit more sedate as the big bike throbs along eating up the miles.
Everything just works so well on this Beast.
I do like it. A lot.
