A sleek frame, a mechanical aesthetic, a distinct lack of plastic and a lot of polished metal. This Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster café racer must be from Craig Rodsmith. Based just north of Chicago, the Australian ex-pat’s mastery over the dark art of metal shaping is evident in everything he builds.
A few years ago, Craig was approached by a customer, Reto, who liked one of his previous Harley builds so much that he wanted a replica. Craig was understandably hesitant to copy another bike, but he had no qualms taking inspiration from it and fitting it to the new owner. That turned out to be a good decision, because Reto is 6’6”.
I’m not sure how many Sportster café racers you’ve stood next to, but I can assure you that most of the time, they are rather low-slung.…