Street Tracker Sportster from Ness Customs

Sportsters come in all shapes and sizes. That is one of the most appealing things about Harley's entry level motorcycle: that it is built to be modified. The build we are looking today at has been through some pretty serious modifications, taking it from the docile old Ironhead Sporty it once was, to this new-fangled dirt and street eating machine.

Zach knew he wanted to take a little bit of a different direction with this build than the Ness family is known for. Coming from classic choppers and diggers, this bike takes on a completely different feel, while requiring just as much work. The rear frame was chopped and a custom subframe was fabricated to allow for the new mono shock rear suspension system. The oil tank has been moved to the rear of the tail section, where it hides nicely behind the seat. ProTaper bars and dual-sport tires help finish the look, but more importantly with the mild rear-sets, they provide the traction and stance of a proper tracker.

This style is much more aggressive than your typical Sportster custom, as it places the rider much higher up on the bike with more of your weight on your feet underneath you. Having your weight right underneath you can benefit when riding over obstacles on diverse terrain, as well as in extreme cornering, when throwing your weight off of the seat and into the turn could help carry you through (Moto GP style). Also the flatter seat of the tracker-style tail section allows for more rider positions than a saddle that cradles the rider and holds them in place.

We are stoked to see the variety of bikes coming out of Ness Customs with Arlen, Cory and Zach all working together. Zach is an invited builder on this year's Hot Bike Tour and his dad, Cory is an invited builder for Baggers. Check out more of their work at ArlenNess.com and stay tuned on details of the Hot Bike Tour HERE