From Black Cycles AU: The Scrambler We Want Harley Had Constructed…
Launched again in 2007, the Sportster XL1200N Nightster was a blacked-out, lowered model of the common Sportster — one thing of a “manufacturing facility customized.” Although it was primarily an aesthetic train, the Nightster garnered sturdy reward from riders and reviewers. Simon Bradley of Motorbikes Right this moment referred to as it one of the best Harley he’d ever ridden, going as far as to assert he’d purchase one along with his personal cash, whereas Motorbike Information praised the Nightster’s appears to be like and dealing with:
“The bike might be flung round loads simpler than a 251kg bike ought to. Floor clearance isn’t nice however it’s nonetheless a number of enjoyable out within the nation in addition to posing down the excessive road.” –MCN
Effectively, our pal Noel Muller of Black Cycles Australia has actually addressed the bottom clearance situation on this Nightster, nicknamed the “Evening Scrambler” (Nightster + Scrambler).
The 2011 Nightster 1200 donor comes from a brand new buyer, Daniel — a pal of Zach from Retromotive, who commissioned the Black Cycles KTM 300 and Yamaha XT500 we beforehand featured. Daniel seems like a dream shopper — he gave Noel a couple of requests, and let his creativity fly.
Noel shortly determined to construct this Nightster right into a Sportster scrambler that wouldn’t look misplaced proper on a showroom flooring:
“I needed this bike to nearly appear like it was a manufacturing bike from Harley-Davidson!”
Right here at BikeBound, we’re huge followers of Sportster scramblers, however we’ve by no means seen one which seemed a lot like a manufacturing facility manufacturing mannequin. We’re particularly enamored with the saddle / rear fender / oil tank space, which flows so properly from the gasoline tank. As is so usually the case, it took an amazing quantity of labor to realize such a clear look.
Noel provides us a full rundown on the modifications under, that are in depth. The bike is using on 13″ billet shocks mounted to 30mm raised swingarm shock mounts to offer the bike extra top. Noel chopped the rear fender struts, leveled the rear rails, and constructed a customized subframe for the one-piece gripper seat from Carman’s Auto Trimmers. He then minimize the tunnel out of the gasoline tank so it might be lowered down 70mm at entrance and 30mm on the rear, reaching the fitting stream between the tank, saddle, and hand-shaped rear fender.
Different highlights embody the 18″ spoked rear wheel, 316 stainless 2-into-1 customized exhaust, 5mm-thick customized aluminum bash plate, chopped / raised entrance fender, LED lighting, Rollie’s Velocity Store chain conversion, and Popbang Classics wiring and paint, together with the SCRAMBLER emblem within the H-D Forty-Eight type, accentuating the manufacturing facility look.
Noel says the completed bike rides nice:
“The bike rides fantastically and really feels nimble and cozy. Take off with the chain drive now could be instantaneous too.”
Consider it or not, the shopper, Daniel, didn’t see the bike till Noel delivered it earlier this week — not surprisingly, he was blown away! Beneath, Noel provides us the total story on “The Evening Scrambler.”
Nightster Scrambler: Within the Builder’s Phrases…
New buyer Daniel contacted me about doing a scrambler construct on a 2011 Nightster 1200 that he’d simply purchased late in 2022. Daniel really is aware of Zach, the proprietor of the KTM 300 and XT500 beforehand featured on BikeBound.
He had minimal requests and gave me a number of freedom on this construct.
So firstly the title: As a result of it’s a “Nightster” mannequin and is now a “scrambler,” naturally it’s referred to as “The Evening-Scrambler”!
Firstly an 18″ rear wheel was blacked out and laced as much as the unique hub (as the unique 16″ simply wouldn’t look appropriate and there’s principally no off street tyre selections in 16″ anyway), so we fitted up some Avon dual-sport tyres and a pair of Arlen Ness wave discs had been fitted additionally.
A pair of 13″ black anodized billet shocks had been fitted to the rear (because it had lowered shocks beforehand). The swingarm shock mounts had been additionally raised 30mm so as to add a bit extra top.
A 5mm thick aluminum bash plate was constructed (the rationale was to degree out the raked body rails barely).
A 316 chrome steel 2-into-1 exhaust was constructed, topped off with a brief SC Mission muffler.
The unique rear fender struts had been chopped and the rear was leveled barely earlier than the customized subframe was constructed above. The entire thought is to lift the seat top to stream with the strains of the tank.
The tunnel was minimize out of the gasoline tank so it might be lowered down 70mm at entrance and 30mm on the rear. And the gasoline cap opening was eliminated and offset to the fitting (primarily to clear the now greater tunnel). A billet gasoline cap was machined as much as look just like a dust bike type.
An aluminum rear fender was hand-shaped to suit the rear and the unique entrance fender was chopped and raised to the decrease tree — it’s really been curved extra harshly in direction of the rear to get the look proper, as a number of the scrambler builds entrance fenders appear to go skywards?
Biltwell tremendous low tracker bars had been fitted together with motogadget micro change blocks, an aftermarket throttle, and motogadget mini oval speedo mounted behind the bar clamp. Additionally the risers had been machined shorter by round 25mm.
The levers / perches are unique fitment gadgets however closely smoothed, shaved, and rounded off. Headlight is a Objective Constructed Moto “flashpoint” LED. LED indicators all spherical utilizing Kellerman Atto micro all-in-ones on the rear.
The in-house constructed seat was lined in a one piece “gripper” moto-x materials by Adam at Carman’s Auto Trimmers.
There are too many minor mods performed on this bike to say that may by no means be seen! A whole lot of elements had been blacked out in gloss 2k additionally. Hel brake strains had been made to order. And a brand new shorter clutch cable fitted as this got here to me with 8″ ape hangers!
As all the time Justin at Popbang Classics did an superior job wiring all of it collectively, and he additionally did a tremendous job laying down the Audi “mocha latte” coloration and graphics. I made a decision early on so as to add the SCRAMBLER font on the tank in THE FORTY EIGHT type, as I hadn’t seen it performed earlier than and I needed this bike to nearly appear like it was a manufacturing bike from Harley-Davidson!
We additionally transformed to chain remaining drive because the belt simply wouldn’t swimsuit this type. Because of Rollie’s Velocity Store for supplying the equipment for the conversion.
The bike rides fantastically and really feels nimble and cozy. Take off with the chain drive now could be instantaneous too. Daniel is blown away with the top consequence and stated it was rather more than he anticipated!
Builder Thanks
Daniel
@popbangclassics
@carmans_auto_trimmers
@helperformance
@rolliesspeedshop
Comply with the Builder
Black Cycles Australia: Black Cycles Australia | @blackcyclesaustralia
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