Fastec Racing, based in Newmarket, is an engineering company who manufacture custom parts for everyone from race teams to joe public. To promote their work (and because they live and breath bikes) they have built a string of show bikes. One of the latest is this disrespectful, insolent Harley Sportster Scrambler / Tracker. This bike reeks of attitude and bad manners but man, it looks like it’s fun.
Originally an XL1200 Sportster, it’s been rebuilt, piece by piece from the ground up. The engine has had a complete nut and bolt rebuild including brand new pistons and barrels. Exhaust gasses exit fast and loud through some hand made stubby pipes
One of the most impressive tricks up the sleeve of this mischievous Harley is the electrical system. The old Harley wiring was ripped out and replaced with a Motogadget M-unit blue. This is the heart of the entire onboard electrical system and controls everything from the ignition to the lights to the alarm and everything else electrical. The coolest thing about this system is the Bluetooth capability. All of these features and more can be controlled from an app on your phone. Remote start, engine diagnostics, positioning and a whole host of other stuff.
The rear frame overhang on the standard Sportster has been cut off behind the upper shock mounts and an upswept rear hoop has been seamlessly grafted in, following the line of the fame, from swingarm pivot to upper rear shock mounts. An in house fabricated short rear mudguard and hand fabricated oil tank, ignition cover and custom made short seat gives the bike a tough, hard as nails look and those CNC’d footpegs have a steampunk kind of vibe.
A Suzuki GSF 1200 Bandit rear wheel has been expertly squeezed into the rear with a Fastec brake calliper mount and spacers. Up front, there’s a Bandit 1200 front end; forks, wheel and brakes. That’s not as easy as it sounds. The bandit forks are beefier than the Harley forks and the spacing is wider to allow for the wider front wheel. To accomplish this, Fastec designed and manufactured a custom set of yokes to take the 43mm Bandit stanchions. The forks are held tight with one of their own Suzuki Bandit fork braces. Bars are mounted on custom risers with machined handlebar grips, all made in house.
Why a Bandit front end on a Harley? The GSF Bandit is a great bike to modify and always has been. By grafting on a Bandit front end they get a twin disc front brake setup and a wider front wheel allowing for a much broader choice of rubber.
Talking of rubber, this scrambler/tracker runs Heidenau K73 supermoto tyres to give that hardcore look and still offer plenty of grip, with 120/70-17 up front and 160/60-17 at the back.
The icing on the cake is the paintwork, taken care of by Hilary at Hurricane Airbrush Art.
