Blacktrack Motors’ BT-03 Is An Anorexic Harley Fat Bob 114

You might not have heard of Blacktrack Motors, a custom builder based out of Luxembourg, but that might be about to change. The group's latest build takes Harley-Davidson's beastly Fat Bob and recasts it as—wait for it—a slim and trim café racer. And you know what? This skinnier Bob is a real stunner.

The Blacktrack BT-03 looks like the epitome of a modern-day café racer, and the inspiration behind it, says Blacktrack founder and designer Sacha Lakic, is “the Harley-Davidson XLCR.” “Produced between 1977 and 1979, it was the only café racer in the history of Harley-Davidson. I was spellbound every time I saw one on the streets of Paris.”

But clearly the BT-03 isn’t just a straight replica of the XLCR. You might spot hints of the XLCR's DNA in the BT-03’s angular stretched fuel tank and tailsection and seven-spoke wheels, but the Blacktrack bike is far more sport-focused, with a contemporary aesthetic and stance that give it an unmistakable race vibe.

With the limited-edition BT-03, Blacktrack continues to mine the past for inspiration as it has on previous builds, which were also sporty designs. The shop's first bike, the BT-01, was based on a 1980s-era Honda CX500—a practical ride appreciated more for reliability than styling. Blacktrack clapped on all-new bodywork to sleeken the aesthetic, and chose components to improve performance and weight.

With the BT-02, Blacktrack went bigger and bolder, starting with a new Triumph Thruxton and bestowing it with iconic Norton Manx styling. It too featured bespoke bodywork and a custom exhaust to yield a nostalgic sound. As you might’ve guessed by now, the Blacktrack Motors business model is building exclusive performance-based café racers.

For the BT-03, a burly Harley-Davidson Fat Bob was chosen as the donor, 114ci Milwaukee-Eight powerplant and all. But, frankly, this Softail just doesn’t seem like a natural fit for a racy bike, so…why?

Lakic explains, "The Fat Bob is the most exciting Harley to ride. The wheelbase is certainly a bit long, but the geometry is well thought out, and allows you to roll turns faster than any other Harley so far." Not only that, but there's not much left of the original Fat Bob anyway; Blacktrack kept only the motor, transmission, and frame—replacing everything else with custom and upgraded components to improve looks, reduce weight, and improve handling.

Every aluminium part is designed in the Blacktrack Motors studio and then CNC-machined by a trusted technical partner. A crucial point is the rear frame assembly—which acts as an interface between the Bob’s original frame and the BT-03’s custom bodywork. Composite parts include the front fairing, front fender, fuel tank, tailsection, and a cover plate for the rear shock.

The Fat Bob’s main frame and geometry remain unchanged, but Öhlins suspension, Dymag forged aluminium wheels, and Beringer brakes all make the scene here. Blacktrack Motors also installed a performance air filter and a custom-built stainless steel exhaust system with fuel mapping to match.

Replacing the weighty OEM parts meant the Fat Bob’s unsprung mass was reduced and the BT-03’s overall dry weight came down to 546 pounds, giving it an excellent power to weight ratio.

So can you buy one? Yes—if your wallet can withstand the hit. Past Blacktrack builds went for somewhere north of $50K, and we’d expect this one to be more as only four will be made.