Cross Bones American-chopper

It seems the American manufacturer of heavy motorcycles is intent on running customisers such as Teutul's Orange Country Choppers out of business.

For a long time, Harley has watched as mechanics have made big money chopping up Harleys.

Inspired by the early knucklehead and panhead models, the Cross Bones looks like an authentic postwar custom bobber. It has a retro Springer front end (but with the addition of a modern shock), sprung solo "tractor" seat, half-round rider footboards, gloss-black round air-cleaner cover, chopped front mudguard and even gloss black bars and headlight like a custom chop shop would do.

Black bikes are booming in the Harley range with the Nightster, Night Train, Night Rod Special, Fat Bob and Street Bob in the dark series.

The Cross Bones has a black and polished twin-cam 96B engine, six-speed Cruise Drive transmission and Softail suspension. At $29,250 it costs the same as the Night Train. The Cross Bones looks low and mean, but when you hop on the solo tractor seat, you sit a little higher than expected.

That also means the "ape-hanger" bars are not as high as expected, so the blood doesn't drain from your fingers every 15 minutes.

It looks retro, but it has a modern remote key fob which can stay in your pocket once you unlock the ignition switch.

And Peter Fonda would shake his head in disapproval, but the LCD on the round speedo includes a digital clock.

Fire up the rigid-mounted 1584cc balanced engine and it shakes and vibrates, but little of that vibration rumbles through to your hands, feet and bottom.

The straight-shot exhaust system with chrome slash-cut mufflers has a low thundering rumble, rather than a sharp crackling sound. It's menacing, without being annoying.

From the rider's seat, it looks very retro with that black headlight and bars, the matt finish tank and hand-laced leather tank panel.

Those modern V-Rod mirrors are good, but they look a little out of place.

The seat is very comfortable, but as you take off, you not only bounce on the sprung seat, but also swivel slightly.

It's kind of like riding a bar stool down the road.

It also takes away some of the bounce from the springer front end, which is a lot less choppy than it was before a shock was added to the complex cantilevered fork set-up. Steering feels heavy with that chunky front wheel, but it doesn't tram-track when confronted by grooves and it holds its line well in sweeping corners.

Left-handers have more clearance than the right, yet both footboards scrape substantially. Thankfully, they are made of tough metal, so they grind down nicely without fracturing and falling apart.

At low speed in the first three gears there is an annoying surge, although there is enough torque to snick it into fourth and tool around city streets without stressing the engine.

Fifth and sixth gear are overdriven and lack power for highway overtaking.

Over a week of commuting and a couple of weekend jaunts through the country it returned fuel economy of 6.6 litres per 100km, which is not bad for a 1.5-litre bike.

The single front brake disc feels very weak, but the back brake is strong and does most of the stopping on cruisers, anyway.

It might spoil the clean lines of the bobbed rear mudguard, but because it is made of metal you can conveniently place a magnetic tank bag there.

A pillion seat ($217.33) and footpeg mounting kit ($71.36) are available as options.

If you are after something a little different, this Harley has the cred to convince people you have had your Springer customised.

Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Cross Bones

ENGINE: rigid-mount, 1584cc fuel-injected twin-cam 96B

PRICE: $29,250

BORE x STROKE: 95.3mm x 111.1mm

COMPRESSION: 9.2:1

TORQUE: 120Nm @ 3300rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, belt drive

FUEL: 18.9-litre tank

TYRES: 200mm rear

DIMENSIONS (mm): 2330 (length), 67.6cm (seat height), 124.5 (clearance) 1630 (wheelbase)

WET WEIGHT: 333kg

ECONOMY: 6.6L/100km (tested)

TYRES: 90B16 72H; 200/55R17 78V

BRAKES: Single-piston front and 2-piston rear

COLOURS: Vivid Black; Black Denim; Pewter Denim; Dark Blue Denim; Olive Pearl; Dark Blue Pearl