Humanity devises better ways of doing things every day. Spotify has replaced your grandparents’ record player, cars have a clickwheel instead of a gearshift and AI would like to supplant my role in the workplace. But there are hard heads in every facet of life who prefer things done the old-fashioned way, and in the custom motorcycle scene, there will always be hardtail guys.
Let’s be brutally honest, in an age obsessed with performance, ergonomics and technological refinement, the rigid frame remains the purest, most brutal statement a motorcycle can make. Sure, the comfort level hovers somewhere between regular chiropractor visits and severely slipped discs, but when that uninterrupted line runs from the headstock, through the seat post and straight to the rear axle, every ache becomes a small, worthwhile penance for the sake of visual perfection.
The simple fact is that nothing defines a custom motorcycle’s intent like the structural honesty of a hardtail, and although the industry left rigid frames in the past roughly 70 years ago, they’ll remain an enduring part of the scene. There’s just one problem for most would-be hard-chargers with kidney belts—original rigid frames are scarce these days and fetch all the money.
Thankfully, the aftermarket has caught on, and you can find everything from weld-on hardtail kits to bolt-on options and full frames for many of the commonly used donor platforms, ensuring that we’ll always be able to punish our bodies in the way we see fit. One such company is Voodoo Vintage Fabrication, offering hardtail kits for the Kawasaki KZ, Yamaha XS650, Honda Rebel and, of course, Harleys.
We’ve just added a full suite of Voodoo’s hardtails to the Bike EXIF Store, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look back at five of our favorite rigid-frame customs. So brace yourself, hold onto your fillings and appreciate the perfection of the hard line.
1975 Harley-Davidson FXE by Infinity Inc.
Hailing from Saitama, Japan, this Shovelhead is a masterclass in clean, vintage-inspired work from the builder Masumi Tsuchino and his shop, Infinity Inc. Heavily inspired by boardtrack racers of yesteryear, the project began with an unlikely source, a 1975 Harley-Davidson FXE, but Tsuchino has proven the big Cone-Shovel could play the part with the right influence.
Tsuchino’s approach was one of pure mechanical focus, preserving the original Shovelhead V-twin and four-speed gearbox, then bolting it to a rigid, Panhead-style straight-leg frame. The sloping, uninterrupted line from tip to tail is central to the HD’s low and narrow stance, terminating with unmistakable OG Harley cast axle plates. While the frame is mostly stock, Tsuchino did narrow the rear triangle slightly to suit the skinny 21F/19R wheelset.
The build’s most striking feature is its front end, a replica VL-style springer that was narrowed to fit the bike’s stance. This is paired with a minimalist drum brake, a period-correct choice that fits the bike’s back-to-basics ethos. A custom-made exhaust runs tight to the engine, with twin pipes exiting in a clean, high-mounted setup, while the small, hand-fabricated fuel tank is supplemented by a secondary tank tucked discreetly out of sight, ensuring a pure, uninterrupted line.
From the leather bobber saddle to the clean, spoked wheels, every component is carefully considered to reinforce the boardtrack influence, but without sacrificing rideability. Tsuchino crafted the handlebars himself and relocated the footpegs to achieve a natural riding position, ensuring the bike actually works. “No matter how fantastic a bike is, there’s no point to its existence if it’s hard to ride,” he says, and we couldn’t agree more. [More]
Kawasaki W650 Bobber by Deus Ex Machina
The ‘Nut Kwaka’ started life as a Kawasaki W650 and has been through more lives than most customs ever will. First built in Sydney back in 2008, it wore a peanut tank, hardtail rear end and a 21F/17R wheelset before bouncing through a series of owners and incarnations—including a turbocharged stint powered by a Ski-Doo snail. When it returned to Deus for a ground-up rework, the brief was clear: lean into its bobber DNA, clean up the rough edges and make it a cohesive machine at last.
The overhaul began with the rolling chassis. The old wheels were ditched for matching 16-inch rims, re-laced with brass nipples and wrapped in fat Firestone Deluxe Champions. Wider DNA yokes were needed to clear the new front tire, and they also supplied a custom headlight bracket. Rabbit ear bars were welded directly to the fork caps, with leather grips and internal wiring keeping the cockpit tidy. The stance is finished off with a low Bates-style headlight and subtle fork-mounted mirrors, giving the bike a compact, muscular profile.
From there, it’s all about clean lines and thoughtful details. A Sportster tank sits neatly between shaved gussets, while a sprung leather saddle and abbreviated fender flow into a handmade sissy bar that carries the taillight and plate. The airbox has been binned in favor of pod filters, feeding into a one-off two-into-one pipe that hugs the frame. A discreet electronics box hides under the seat, while the whole bike is tied together with creamy paintwork and green pinstripes by Juds Kustom Paint. It’s a hardtail that feels both old-world and fresh, polished without losing its edge. [More]
Harley-Davidson M8 Softail by Gasoline Motor Co.
When Gasoline Motor Co. set out to build the ‘Wildwood Beach Racer,’ they weren’t just chasing nostalgia—they wanted a bike that felt like it could own the sands at T.R.O.G., but still be ridden daily. Starting with a modern Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight Softail, they chopped it down to its bones and fabricated a new rigid tail section that integrates seamlessly into the frame. A Knucklehead-style springer front end completes the transformation, as do matching 16-inch wheels wrapped in chunky 5-inch-wide Allstate beach race tread.
Braking and handling were key pillars of the conversion. Gasoline didn’t want generic parts; they wanted components that looked like period pieces, yet offered modern reliability. The front now uses a bespoke compact twin-disc Beringer setup matched to the hub size, while the rear hides a caliper on the sprocket side that’s made to look like an old drum. Cockpit and control pieces follow suit—handmade split bars, Beringer controls, modern switches tucked in and dual fuel tanks hand-shaped in the style of Knuckleheads, preserving OEM ignition and electronics, yet giving strong visual cues to bygone Harley heritage.
The finishing touches pull the illusion together without slipping into pastiche. The engine is dressed with finned covers, paired with a teardrop air filter and a pair of ceramic-coated exhausts. The tail sports a solo saddle on chromed springs, an abbreviated fender and LED lighting discreetly built into the fender stays. The frame is powder-coated and pre-aged for a worn-in look, and the tins whisper of salt air and sand. The overall effect? A Harley that looks like it belongs at a 1950s beach race, but with the torque, brakes and build quality to get you there—and back. [More]
The Eisenhauer: An 88-inch Performance Chopper by MB Cycles
Martin Becker of MB Cycles isn’t interested in building fragile show queens. One of his latest creations, dubbed The Eisenhauer, was conceived to prove that a chopper could deliver as much performance as it does presence. Born from Becker’s obsession with rideability and technical precision, it blends classic hardtail chopper lines with thoroughly modern handling and braking components—an unapologetic attempt to rewrite what a custom chopper can be.
The foundation is a 2009 West Coast Choppers CFL hardtail frame with a 32-degree rake and four inches of stretch, stretched further by Pro-One yokes and extended forks. To keep that much front end under control, Becker added an Arlen Ness fork brace and a Hyperpro steering damper—small but telling details that ensure stability at speed. Wheels are Lyndall Fan Tab units (21-inch front, 18-inch rear) wrapped in Metzeler rubber, stopped by Beringer rotors and Performance Machine calipers. Cockpit ergonomics echo Becker’s goals as well, consisting of Vity’s Design risers, ABM bars and a hidden Motogadget speedo.
The motor is an 88 ci hybrid: S&S cases housing Twin Cam internals with Evo-style mounts, paired with gear-driven cams, a Baker six-speed transmission and a Joe Hunt magneto for spark. Power is fed through a 2-inch BDL primary to a Competitor clutch, while fueling comes from a Keihin CV carb topped with a Performance Machine air cleaner. A hand-built exhaust exits into a Jekill & Hyde muffler with an electronically adjustable valve—letting the bike whisper or roar on command.
After taking second place in the Master Builder category of a European bike build off, the Eisenhauer was promptly purchased by a Beverly Hills, California customer. “This is absolutely crazy,” says Martin, “to send a bike that I built from Germany to the land of the choppers. I am really proud of that.” Good on ya, Martin. [More]
2020 Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight by Rough Crafts
Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts is known for his dark, aggressive builds, but the Mad Raider shows a different side of his craft. Commissioned by a client seeking a silver old-school chopper, Yeh chose a 2020 Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight as the starting point. He grafted it into a hardtail frame from The Gasbox, with a 32-degree rake and subtle stretch, topped with a bespoke girder fork that Yeh designed to mimic old tubular girders boxed in with sheet metal, catering to those who say his builds are ‘too new.’
Mechanically, the Mad Raider is all about precision and balance. Five-spoke Invader wheels wrapped in Shinko rubber sit front and rear, paired with Beringer brakes mounted on custom carriers for confident stopping. The scalloped tank, oil tank and Biltwell sprung seat flow naturally with the frame, while a minimalist rear fender and integrated sissy bar complete the silhouette. The cockpit features custom mini-ape bars on Rough Crafts risers, with internal wiring feeding the Motogadget speedo and KustomTech controls. Under the skin, a Rough Crafts air filter, EMD engine covers and a hand-finished exhaust ensure that the bike performs as well as it looks.
What sets the Mad Raider apart is the way it balances artistry with functionality. Every choice—fork geometry, mid-mounted controls, exhaust routing—is deliberate, giving the bike the soul of a classic chopper but the discipline of modern engineering. The silver paint and subtle leaf accents, combined with polished powder-coated components, make it a showpiece, but one that begs to be ridden. In the end, the Mad Raider embodies what Rough Crafts does best: translating a client’s vision into a chopper that looks timeless, rides confidently and feels alive every time it hits the road. [More]
Inspired Yet?
There’s more than one way to build your dream bike, and if there’s no replacement for that uncompromising, hard line of a rigid-frame motorcycle, we urge you to check out our selection of Voodoo Vintage weld-on motorcycle hardtails. Since original iron is hard to come by, or simply never existed in your preferred make and model, a weld-on kit can be the best way for you to stop dreaming, and start building. And when it’s done, shoot us an email. Because like you, we appreciate the finer, less comfortable things in life.
