2006 Harley Davidson XL1200C

What was your intended objective when you started the build?

I wanted to build a bobber with knobby tires so that I could ride it on or off road, or on the trails on my property.

What motivated you to start your project?

I was inspired to build a bobber after seeing photos of other people’s builds on Pinterest and Facebook.

What was the most unique and creative thing you did to the bike?

The original front end on the 2006 XL1200C had a narrow triple tree. I liked the way the front end on the sportster 48 looked with the wide front end and fat tires. So I removed the stock triple tree and replaced it with one from a 48, then bought the wheels and tires and installed them. I like the aggressive stance that the combination gives to the bike.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the fact that I had never built a motorcycle before in my life. After much research, YouTube and asking professionals advice, I was able to put it together. Also much patience and support from my wife, for listening and putting up with me through it all. This project started out as just a frame and engine, which I bought for $1000. Little by little, I bought parts as I could afford them, over the span of 18 months. I learned a lot of lessons along the way, some hard, some easy. I had to download a shop repair manual to figure out things like cam gear alignment, wiring diagrams, etc.

What do other people say about your motorcycle?

They love it. Everybody that has seen it, whether on social media or in person loves the color, but most of all, they all love the tires.

Videos

One Comment

Marc Frank says:

November 14, 2019 at 1:05 pm

Nice build, a sweet looking ride

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Submitted by: Terry R

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Specifics

Make, Model & Year: 2006 Harley Davidson XL1200C

Fondly known as: Ginger

Time spent: 50

Motorcycle cost: $1000

Money spent: $4000

Engine: Harley Davidson 1200cc engine (stock)

Intake: Stock Harley Davidson carburetor , aftermarket high flow air filter (Manufacturer unknown)

Exhaust: Fire Dragon Brothers straight pipe exhaust, no baffles.

Transmission: Harley Davidson stock clutch and 5 speed transmission

Frame: Harley Davidson stock 2006 sportster frame

Suspension: Stock 2006 sportster swingarm, sportster 48 triple tree with 39mm fork tubes. 13″ shocks

Wheels, tires and brakes: Duro Median 130/90 16 tires 16″ stock Harley Davidson wheels Stock Harley Davidson brakes/ calipers

Finish – Paint: I painted it. The color is burnt copper. 5 coats color, 5 coats clear coat. All hand sanded and polished.

Accessories: The handlebars are an ebay purchase. I liked how low drag bars look and feel. They weren’t wide enough as purchased (29″), so I made solid steel inserts for each end. They are 4″ long. The inserts are stepped down so that 1″ fit inside the tube and 3″ outside. Then I TIG welded them in place and used a grinder to match the contour. So now they are 35″ wide, and the extra weight helps turning.