Silver Storm Is an AMD-Winning Harley-Davidson Softail Deuce We Love to Bits

Known to the broader public as One Way Machine (OWM), Julian has been around classic Harleys ever since his early childhood, largely thanks to his father Claudius. He’d first indulged in customization well over two decades ago, and continued down that route after finishing his studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt.

With an engineering degree under his belt, he undertook additional internships and training courses to really hone his fabrication skills. Eventually, Julian felt prepared to enter the bike-modding trade as a professional, thus founding One Way Machine in the German town of Staufenberg. And the rest, as they so often say, is history. Herr Oheimb is nowadays regarded as one of the finest custom motorcycle builders that Germany has to offer.

For a perfect example of what he’s able to accomplish, you should look no further than this lustrous Harley-Davidson Softail Deuce. Dubbed the Silver Storm, it is the project that made Julian the AMD world champion for the second time back in 2018. The chosen basis was an FXSTD Softail Deuce from the model-year 2001, which came with a mere 2,000 miles (about 3,200 km) on the odometer.

As soon as the donor was delivered to OWM’s shop, it got taken apart and stripped of any frame mounts that would become redundant. Then, the structural work continued with some suspension tweaks at the back, where you will now find an aftermarket lowering kit from Arlen Ness. Up front, the original forks are still in play, but they’re linked to the chassis via a Sportster Forty-Eight's repurposed triple clamps.

Unsprung territory is home to W&W rims measuring 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the opposite end. They’re laced to Harley wheel hubs via stainless-steel TTS spokes, and hugged by retro-style Firestone rubber up north and a Shinko tire at six o’clock. Furthermore, ample stopping power is made possible by a full suite of premium Beringer goodies fore and aft.

The Softail’s rear wheel is now spun by a chain as opposed to a belt, and its V-twin engine is adorned with see-through covers from Roland Sands Design. Intake duties are carried out by a Paugho air cleaner, while the exhaust gases move through handmade stainless-steel plumbing. The pipework was manufactured in-house, running a two-into-one layout toward an aftermarket sport bike silencer.

As far as the Silver Storm’s bodywork is concerned, the centerpiece is a gorgeous fuel tank sourced from an old Hercules. Its underside was heavily revised to suit the Deuce’s anatomy, while the sides gained a snazzy pair of OWM tank badges. Up top, we see a modded filler mouth closed with an ornamental filler cap, which came courtesy of a Polish craftsman well-versed in metalwork. Behind the retrofitted gas tank is a curvy bobber saddle.

It originates from Spirit Leather and is embellished with circular cut-outs on the flanks, but that’s not the only place decorated by this drilled pattern. For visual continuity, Julian carried it over to the seat support, various frame gussets, and the Harley’s reworked oil tank, among other items. There’s no front fender to speak of, while the rear unit is an off-the-shelf item held in place by custom struts.

Up in the cockpit area, we come across a tiny Motogadget speedometer serving as the bike’s only instrumentation. There’s also a chromed LSL handlebar featuring Beringer controls and billet aluminum grips, but our favorite addition in that area is the LED headlamp. It sits on bespoke brackets and wears a groovy, blue-tinted lens, which is the only pinch of color you’ll spot on this machine.

CNC-machined Rough Crafts foot pegs round out the Silver Storm’s ergonomic package, and a few more custom bits comprise the finishing touches. Among them, you’ll find a fresh fuel petcock, a plain side stand, and an OWM-branded ignition housing located on the left side of the engine. Last but not least, there are the breathtaking matte- and satin-silver finishes applied throughout this build.

Chrome plating is also present on various bits and pieces, adding a bit more shine to the specimen’s monochromatic livery. All things considered, it’s no wonder that the Silver Storm stole the show at AMD a few years back, and it’ll be worth looking at for a long time to come! The amount of work put into this endeavor was pretty insane according to One Way Machine, but it was most certainly worth it.