American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 178 May 2014 | Page 55

Written by Duncan Moore - [email protected] IN the Modified Harley class at the 2013 World Championship of Custom Bike Building there was a strong representation of retro styled builds, and the most successful build of that style was ‘La Salle’, from One Way Machine in Germany. The build was good enough to take second place in the class and has since gone on to pick up numerous trophies at custom shows around Europe NE Way Machine is the name of the custom shop run by Julian von Oheimb in Staufenberg, Germany, and it was one of his builds – La Salle – that took second place in the Modified Harley class at the 2013 World Championship of Custom Bike Building. O www.AMDchampionship.com Julian’s plan when he began the build of La Salle was to try and create a bike that looked old but featured modern running gear, and to achieve this he began by rolling a ’94 Softail into his shop, complete with EVO motor. Given that Softail frames already mimic the look of older rigid frames, and the restrictions on frame modifications within the class, the base frame was left basically stock. However, at the front of the bike a VL Springer has been bolted up to give the appropriate vintage look to the bike. The old bike look is further helped by the lack of chrome on the fork and around the rest of the bike. That lack of chrome continues with the wheel choice. The stock 2.15 x 21in H-D wheels have been black powder-coated and carry Continental tires. At AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MAY 2014 55