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As you know, we have built some really cool Chicanos – the green El Dorado or the blue El Toxico for example, both with metal flake paint. Our customer Mats from Sweden had a different idea and it’s even cool in another way. He sent us his Softail Deluxe CVO by freight so we could lower it and increase some chrome details. That was at the end of 2019. And we all know what came next. Corona. The regulations that followed separated Mats and his bike for 9 months. The borders were closed! Meanwhile the chic bike was standing in our showroom and became much attention.
About 2000 kilometers northwards there is a nice little place called Järpen. One of the 1500 inhabitants is a quite crazy guy. A Harley maniac, to be exact. His name is Mats and he is a genuine Swede. But the times when he rode with a genuine long forked Swedish chopper have changed. His 14th bike is a Softail Deluxe, which we conversed for him.
During the snowy winter Mats packed his bike into a big wooden box and shipped it to Hamminkeln by a shipping company. “I bought it last year for a good price in Kerpen (near Cologne) and brought it to Sweden. “But I was’nt really happy with the bike. I never liked riding stock bikes. Thunderbike has already rebuilt my breakout, so it was my first choice again.”
Why do you ride almost 2000 kilometers to have your bike customized? Do you have no Harley dealers, no customizers around?
“A few years ago I was searching for custom bikes and found Thunderbike in the Web. That’s when it started. I bought a Breakout somewhere in Germany and Thunderbike customized it. Motorcycles are cheaper in Germany than in Sweden, just because of the taxes. In the 40 years that I have been riding motorcycles, I have had many different bikes. Sometimes I need something new and I sold my Breakout to Thunderbike.”
Mats reveals himself as a Thunderbike fan: “When I’m on the road, people always ask me where did you get the fender and where did you get the handlebars and so on. I think I’ve already sent a lot of people to you.
Probably this will continue with his Deluxe. Not only why it get the extra load of chrome – we lowered the fork with a kit and shortened the original rear shock. With the new, bigger wheels the bike now looks much more compact.
We accompanied Mats on his first round. “That’s super easy to ride!” beams the Swede. He is satisfied with a 130er rubber in the front and a 150er in the back and the change from Metzeler to Dunlop. “I am happy with the choice of wheels and the narrow tires. This makes it very easy in the curves.” The original wheels in 16″ were exchanged for our FLH wheels 21″ in front and 18″ in the back.
Mats is also happy that he has a good grip on the bike with the new handlebars and can get a nice deep turn. The chromed exhaust system from Freedom Performance is high enough for that and not too long. With the low seat of only 655 mm height Mats is always the captain of his Deluxe.
“Maybe it should be painted. Red maybe. Or grey.” In addition to some exclusive components from the Harley-Davidson Parts & Accessories program (the famous P&A catalog), high-quality custom painting is actually one of the special features of a CVO…
It would be a pity about “Dark Tungsten”, as Harley-Davidson calls this paint job, which means “heavy stone” in swedish. “Okay, maybe I better get another tank and fenders and put the CVO parts on the garage.”
By the way… in case you’re wondering about the engine: Unlike the other 2015 models, Harley-Davidson actually brought the CVO Softail Deluxe with the air-cooled Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110.
Mats will stay in Germany for a few days, unfortunately alone this time. Due to Corona regulations his buddy Svein is not allowed to leave the country. Usually the Norwegian is always there when Mats needs help, does the electrical work on the bikes and also likes to go to Germany. Normally the two crazy guys would go around the houses, stray through the pubs in Düsseldorf’s old town and take a cab back to Hamminkeln in the night. Distances are relative and so is the craziness.
“Tusen Tack!” says Mats when he leaves. This is how you say thank you in Swedish. We say “Thousand thanks” back. See you next time, Mats!
- Thunderbike Handlebar Flip II 34cm
- Thunderbike Mirror Joker
- Harley-Davidson Visor Style Trim Ring for Passing Lamp chrome
- Thunderbike Fork Lowering Kit
- Thunderbike Lowering Kit OEM Shock Absorber 35mm
- Thunderbike FLH wheel
- Thunderbike Brake Disc Spoke Floated 300mm
- Thunderbike Brake Disc Spoke Floated 292mm
- Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines