HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOM CAFE RACER PROJECT

Some of the more recent DP creations, like this one, dubbed "Black & White", show that the Arizona-based siblings are embracing classic café racer styling, too. Black & White also breaks the DP mould by using a later model (2000) Harley Evo engine, instead of the Ironhead v-twins of past builds.

"The customer for this build was really cool to work with," said DP's Jarrod Del Prado. "His only requirements were that the bike rode well and we stuck with black and white with the paint scheme."

Black & White is more than just a paint job, though. Modifications have been made from nose to tail to achieve a modern take on the old-style cafe racer look. The front end has been lowered and stiffened to improve the Sportster's stance, while at the back, the factory rear shocks have been replaced with a pair of 14-inch Progressive Suspension 970 units. A larger 18-inch rear wheel is another DP addition, with both rims wrapped in Dunlop GT501 rubber.

To get the right café racer riding stance, a set of rearsets were custom made by Chainsikle (a US company that specialises in parts to suit Sportsters). Anodized black, Del Prado says the rearset pegs grip well and the pedals have a super-precise action. In addition to this, the brakes have been improved with a set of high performance EBC pads.

Ditching the stock Sportster seat unit, DP scratch built the seatpan and rear cowl from steel, with most of the chrome engine parts powdercoated black. The semi-gloss black powdercoat was also applied to the battery box, rims and fork legs.

A highlight of this particular build is the chambered exhaust, a DP Custom Cycles creation that tucks the muffler parts under the engine for a cleaner look. The compact 2-into-1 design produces a higher pitch than stock, but isn't overly loud, according to Jarrod.

The 1200cc (73ci) Sportster v-twin features an exposed air filter and subtle DP Custom Cycles badging on the offside, while the nearside shows the powdercoated battery box and sidemount licence plate holder. A Crane Cams FireBall single fire ignition and coil give the 73 cube engine a little more grunt.

Paint is simple, yet surprisingly effective. Aside from the black bottom border to the tank and seat cowl, the only thing to break up the white of the headlight fairing, tank and cowl is a 'thick-thin' asymmetrical black stripe, which Jarrod says was inspired by 1960s Shelby Mustangs. Satin clear coat was laid over the top.

With its clip-ons, bobbed front guard and stripped-back look, Black & White proves not only that a Harley can be a good basis for a café racer, but also that the right selection of quality components can produce a striking and very individual result.

To check out more DP Custom Cycles builds, go to www.dpcustomcycles.com