In Egyptian mythology, Bennu is an ancient deity associated with creation and rebirth. Depicted as a bird, it is believed that he may have been the original inspiration for the legend of the phoenix—which is exactly why the owner of this enchanting 1978 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead named it after him.
Even though the donor bike was almost a half-century old, this story of rebirth has less to do with the bike’s restoration, and more to do with the man behind it. It comes from Hideki Hoshikawa, founder of the Japanese custom shop Asterisk Custom Works. And it’s the first time in six years that he and his team have attempted a build of this scale.
Hoshikawa-san’s last ground-up vintage Harley was an equally majestic hardtail, nicknamed Jenny Lind, which debuted at that year’s Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show.…