Custom Harley-Davidson Sportster Is a Different Kind of Bobber, Looks Rad From Every Angle

Based on a Harley Sportster from the model-year 1988, this bespoke head-turner hails from Adam’s Custom Shop over in Sweden. The firm is run by one Adam Nestor, the rare sort of individual whose skillset allows him to build a great custom motorcycle from start to finish in-house. Understandably, that’s something very few builders can do well, but Adam always knocks it out of the park.

The project we’ll be looking at today was commissioned by a guy named Thomas, and it has all the bespoke charm you could want from a bobbed Sportster. Once the donor had been delivered to his shop, Adam took it apart and proceeded to delete a large chunk of its factory hardware. Gone is the rear framework in its entirety, and the suspension arrangement in that area has been converted into a monoshock affair.

Up top, you will now find a custom subframe just long enough to support the seat, but things got even more intricate down low. The Swedish mastermind busied himself with some extensive reworking of the Harley’s swingarm, so as to make it suitable for the new suspension setup. On the other hand, the shock absorber itself is a premium, remote-reservoir Ohlins item.

Many other cool bits are also present in that area, such as the bobber-style rear fender attached to the swingarm. It features a neat cut-out to make room for the drive chain, but then there are those beefy rear wheel covers to really spice things up. On the left-hand side, you’ll notice yet another tailor-made cover encasing the top half of the brake rotor, complete with a circular mesh-clad vent and a tidy caliper bracket.

Multi-function LEDs have been installed close to the rear axle, as well, and the saddle we’ve mentioned earlier was upholstered in tan leather by One Stop Shop. Right in front of it is a two-piece aluminum tank made for storing both oil and gas, with its lower contours outlining the V-twin powerplant beautifully. Moving northward, we come across a very tidy cockpit area.

It features a vintage-looking Motoscope Tiny speedo from Motogadget, fronted by a low-rise handlebar with brown leather grips and minimalistic switchgear. Oh, and of course, the original telescopic forks were deleted in favor of a classy springer front end. This is nowhere near as practical as the Ohlins paraphernalia found at the back, but it does add a ton of retro charm to the mix.

Adam also came up with an interesting shroud of sorts, extending from the bottom of the forks all the way up to the top. There is a small aftermarket headlamp protruding from this piece in graceful fashion, and you certainly won’t miss that classy drum brake fitted lower down. It’s a ventilated module reminiscent of those found on vintage Yamaha TZ race bikes, with brass mesh adding a bit of extra flair.

Both the front and rear hoop got cloaked in retro-style rubber, the logical choice for a motorcycle like this bobbed Harley Sportster. The creature’s V-twin hasn’t been overlooked, either, getting an invigorating rebuild inside out. Its exterior is now adorned with a myriad of brass embellishments, and one may find fresh breathing equipment at both ends of the combustion cycle.

On the intake side of things, Adam fitted a Mikuni carburetor complete with a fancy mesh-covered air cleaner. Then there is that handmade exhaust system, with its heat-wrapped headers running a two-into-one configuration. Ultimately, the pipework ends in a triangular custom muffler low down on the right-hand side, and the whole shebang is capped off with a mesh cover for visual continuity.

The last piece of the puzzle was, of course, the paint job. Our protagonist kept things relatively simple here, wrapping the items like the frame, springer forks, and bodywork in a glossy coat of dark blue. What really makes the whole package shine is the superb way in which the blue paint is complemented by the leather, brass bits, and polished metal. A white oval number plate is present right above the exhaust silencer.

Just about all the one-off gems built by Adam’s Custom Shop turn out great, but this particular specimen may just take the cake as the best thing he ever created. It’s an exciting blend of modern and old-school tech guaranteed to stand out in a sea of modded Sportsters. We bet the owner was absolutely delighted by the outcome, and glad to have entrusted Adam Nestor with bringing his vision to life.