The world is a melting pot, and the motorcycle scene has always benefited from that simple fact. A South African designed the most beautiful Italian motorcycles, the Germans taught the Japanese the dark art of the two-stroke, and America gave us Kenny Roberts – although admittedly the sequel wasn’t nearly as good. So, it was a little bizarre that when Harley-Davidson launched the 1980 Shovelhead-equipped FXWG, featuring some premium Japanese parts, plenty in the US press threw a tantrum. Thankfully, those days are gone, and the world is now a blissful utopia; okay, perhaps not. But here in the world of bikes, we truly can teach the globe a lesson, and exhibit A is this breathtakingly beautiful American V-Twin, built by the boys from Japan’s Infinity Motorcycle.
Infinity is located in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, and offers everything from basic repairs and vehicle inspections to customisation and restoration, as well as sales of new and used Harley-Davidson machines, largely focused on Evolution and later models. The business was founded by Masumi Tsuchino, who first worked in the world of four wheels, obtaining a level one mechanic certification with Toyota before branching out into the world of two wheels. A long-time friend was running a custom bike shop, and Tsuchino-san decided this was the path he too would follow, growing his business, expanding his range of services, and finally settling into his new shop at the beginning of this year.
Although the day-to-day operations of the business focus largely on modern American muscle, his passion for vintage Harleys continues to grow. So, a request from a client in Hiroshima piqued his interest, and thus commenced the build of this beautiful bike he calls ’50s Bobber. To set the foundation for the build, Tsuchino-san needed just the right frame, and with OEM vintage steel not the easiest thing to find, let alone in good condition, he made the wise choice to opt for an aftermarket frame. There is no bigger name in the game than V-Twin Manufacturing, which supplied one of their Wishbone replica frames from the Panhead era.
But Harley fans and eagle-eyed readers will know that ain’t no Pan; the powerplant is, in fact, a Shovel taken from that controversial FXWG. For those not up to date with their Harley lingo, that’s a Wide Glide and the 1980 example Shovelhead engine, with its Japanese carburettor and ignition, packs a lot more punch than the old Pan. It’s not actually that hard a conversion at all, and with the newer engine in the older frame, the four-speed Wide Glide gearbox was added, sporting that cool kick starter. To connect the two, Tsuchino-san opted for an open primary, and the big slapping belt definitely gives this bobber some attitude.
Going a step further, he then started playing around with linkages and pedals and converted the bike to a suicide shift. It’s an extremely popular modification in Japan, and it’s been expertly executed here. To give the engine some extra bark, a complete custom exhaust has been fashioned, with both pipes running tight to the engine, coming out of the left side of the bike, and all finished off with a set of classic mufflers. The rest of the mechanical package is dressed up to fit the theme of the build, with some cloth-covered leads, a custom carb cleaner and points cover, and some tasteful brass fittings.
Having gone for the minimalist look of the old rigid frame, Tsuchino-san didn’t want to spoil the lines with a big old-school tank. So, he set about custom fabricating a very small unit in his own signature style. Not only does it sit low over the backbone, but when you view the bike from above, it’s extremely narrow. Personally, I absolutely love the look and the way the unpretentious lines allow the motor to take centre stage. However, you’re just not going to get a lot of fuel into such a small tank. To get around this problem, the gas flows from the main tank down to a smaller secondary fuel tank, which is mounted behind the primary. From here, a small electromagnetic pump sends the fuel up to the carb, giving a respectable 6 litres of total storage.
To get his Bobber rolling, the Infinity chief wasn’t going to go down the path of fat rubber; this is a true old-schooler. To get the job done, a new blacked-out rim is laced with stainless spokes to an OEM Harley Hamburger drum brake. The rear too is all old school kit, rebuilt to operate like new, with the shoes on the inside featuring the benefits of modern materials. A springer wouldn’t quite have worked, so Tsuchino-san went with a homemade solution. “It looks like a 33.4mm fork; the inner tube is a new part with a 39mm inner tube, and fork covers were made and installed to look like an FL fork.” Steering duties fall to a pair of custom bent bars, and the white grips and pedals add some pop.
The paint and panel work speak for themselves, with the deep midnight blue offset by perfectly laid down pinstripes in contrasting red and cream. The solo saddle continues the theme and sticking with the original-style springs over the popular chromed 2-inch coils, is another big tick. But if you look very closely under the seat, you’ll see a hidden surprise: this hot rod now runs a modern ignition system. And it’s these kinds of touches that Tsuchino-san believes sets his bike apart. “The number one attraction is that while styled as era-inspired, the customer can ride it as if he or she were riding a modern motorcycle.” And when this is what you get when you mix and melt together the best of old and new, Japanese and American, how can you not love the result?
