Bike EXIF | 6 of our favorite Harley Softails

The Harley-Davidson Softail platform is not just a motorcycle; it’s a cheat code. It provides the raw, clean aesthetic of a classic rigid frame, while retaining the hidden luxury of functional rear suspension.

First introduced in 1984 with the FXST, the Softail has since become a darling of the custom world, giving riders a timeless profile without needing a chiropractor after every ride. Big name custom builders like Winston Yeh and Roland Sands recognize the platform’s versatility, and have repeatedly proven that the Softail is the blank canvas for creating everything from slammed drag monsters to neo-retro performance choppers.

Let’s take a look back at six custom Softails that have stood out on Bike EXIF.

Rough Crafts’ Raked-Out Harley Softail Rocker

Winston Yeh, the mastermind behind Taiwan’s Rough Crafts, built this menacing machine, the ‘Dark Cannon,’ as a shop project. It was conceived after his Sportster won an AMD World Championship, prompting him to apply the same aggressive concept to a Softail. The donor, a 2009 FXCWC Softail Rocker C, was chosen specifically for its factory-raked neck and accommodating swingarm—the perfect foundation for extreme modification.

Winston pushed the drag-bike aesthetic to the extreme, fitting a girder front end, a 23″ Roland Sands Design front wheel, and a massive 7.0×15” Rough Crafts rear wheel shod with a Mickey Thompson ET drag tire. Despite its intimidating, impractical appearance, Winston famously rode this bike on the Hot Bike Tour, proving that even the most stylized customs can still be functional. [MORE]

Harley-Davidson Breakout from Fangster

The Taiwanese parts specialist Fangster showcased the already muscular 2016 Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout, featuring their custom parts and prototyping new ones. The resulting bike, ‘Rev Falcon,’ is a Twin Cam-powered beast draped in aggressive, sharp aluminum bodywork. Highlights include a fuel tank that traces the motor’s angles, and a seamless tailpiece that amplifies the Softail’s faux-hardtail illusion, while maintaining the Breakout’s raw DNA and low-slung geometry.

Fangster’s commitment to both form and function is evident in their high-end modifications: an Öhlins cartridge kit was installed in the modified OEM forks, and they utilized a Legend Suspensions air suspension kit to adjust the ride height on the fly. Performance upgrades include an inboard eight-piston Arlen Ness caliper up front and a complex custom pulley-brake system at the rear. The build is capped off with a stunning, layered, feather-inspired paint scheme featuring blue anodized accents. [MORE]

MB Cycles’ Softail

This sporty, low-slung bobber was created by the German master builder Martin Becker, of MB Cycles. Built on a road-legal 2002-vintage HPU Softail frame, this bike is a performance package, anchored by a mighty 113 ci S&S Cycle Evo motor that puts out around 100 horsepower. The engine breathes through a Super E carb and a modified BSL exhaust featuring a sound management system from Jekill & Hyde for switchable loudness.

Mixing modern performance with custom fabrication, the Softail features Suzuki GSX-R1000 forks and Brembo calipers up front, matched with a JMC aluminum swingarm at the rear. The suspension is an adjustable-height Legend air system, giving it its slammed stance. In an elegant touch of retro-sourcing, the fuel tank was cleverly adapted from a 1960s 125 cc German moped, topped with a pop-up cap and perfectly matched with a modern fairing from a 2018 Harley Sport Glide. [MORE]

NamiXII Design’s Low Rider S Chopper

Fo Huang of NamiXII Design took a high-performance modern machine—a 2022 Low Rider S with the potent 117 ci Milwaukee-Eight engine—and transformed it into a radical, Frisco-style chopper. The challenge was integrating classic chopper aesthetics with the modern Softail chassis and electronics. Fo achieved this by stripping and extending the stock upside-down forks by four inches and swapping the stock wheels for stylish 21-inch Lyndall forged aluminum hoops up front.

The level of detail is exceptional. Fo handcrafted a 4.5-gallon Sportster-style fuel tank that features a three-dimensional lightning bolt motif created by welding metal ridges to the tank. This sculpting is layered under a mind-bending blue and purple ‘Purple Haze’ paint scheme. Performance is retained with a factory Stage 1 kit and a one-off chunky air cleaner, ensuring this neo-retro chopper is as much a thrill to ride as it is to look at. [MORE]

Demiurge Cycles’ Softail Deuce

Wojciech Aleksiejuk of Demiurge Cycles in Poland chose the 2005 Harley Softail Deuce (FXSTD) to showcase his vision of a slammed, stripped-down bobber infused with Frisco chopper style. To achieve this look, Wojciech installed a replica H-D springer fork up front and a lowering kit out back, replacing the solid OEM rear wheel with a 16″ laced hoop.

One of the most complex modifications was relocating the foot controls to a mid-mounted position, requiring extensive modification of the inner and outer primary covers to reroute the shifter linkage—a challenge on the mid-2000s Softail. The custom bodywork includes a Lowbrow Customs tank, a one-off solo seat, and a modified trials-style fender. The final result is a minimalist custom that demonstrates a profound understanding of the Softail’s aesthetic potential. [MORE]

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy from CW Zon

Yuichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda of Custom Works Zon in Japan are masters of intricate detail, and their Fat Boy custom, dubbed ‘Huracan,’ is a testament to their skill. Inspired by medieval armor, the bike was built for a customer from a 103 ci Twin Cam, incorporating a mostly custom steel frame that retains the OEM Softail rear suspension.

The level of craftsmanship is staggering. The Huracan features massively exaggerated aluminum wheels—21 inches up front and a road-dominating 23 inches out back, and necessitating modification of the swingarm. The bodywork was fabricated from steel after a wireframe mock-up. A separate fuel tank is covered by an additional layer that flows into the seat. The ultimate details are the engraving work by Silver Smith Fin and the elegant gold graphics, showcasing why this bike took home the overall prize for best detail work at the Mooneyes custom show. [MORE]

Your Chance to Build a Legend

The Softail’s flexibility has inspired every imaginable custom style, from the aggressive to the elegant. This legacy makes the current 2009 Harley-Davidson Rocker C auction an unmissable opportunity to acquire an excellent foundation for your own custom vision. Will you follow Rough Crafts’ drag style, or pursue the intricate detail of CW Zon? The choice is yours.