Every five years, Harley-Davidson releases a fresh slew of special anniversary editions. They’re usually existing models, upgraded with fancy liveries and, in some cases, numbered plaques. But the fact that they come out twice a decade (and in strong numbers) sort of diminishes their allure.
It’s little wonder, then, that the owner of this 100th Anniversary Harley Springer Softail had no qualms about handing it over to our man in Taiwan, Winston Yeh, for a Rough Crafts makeover.
As implied, the 2003-model Harley-Davidson Springer Softail followed The Motor Co.’s typical Softail formula, with a vintage-style springer front end added to the mix. This particular example had already been dressed in a handful of aftermarket parts, so Winston’s client had no illusions about keeping it stock.
The brief was to turn it into a no-holds-barred Rough Crafts special, with one particular note. “He’s obviously into that old school vibe,” explains Winston, “so the one request he had was to keep it a ‘springer’ Softail.”
Winston sought to retain the vintage aesthetic of the front end—but improve its performance. So he ditched the OEM Harley springer fork in favor of a stunning billet aluminum setup from Rebuffini. The black-anodized fork utilizes a pair of Öhlins shocks.
Next, Winston specced the rest of the Harley’s running gear to perfect its stance. “I decided to go with that old school chopper vibe,” he tells us, “but, as usual, without changing the frame.”
The Softail now rolls on carbon fiber wheels from BST, with a skinny 21” hoop up front and a less skinny 17” unit at the back. They’re wrapped in Pirelli rubber, with Rough Crafts-branded Beringer Aerotec brake calipers to slow them down. Rough Crafts brake carriers and Beringer discs complete the setup.
A Progressive Suspension shock is hooked up to the stock swingarm, improving the rear-end ride feel. The Softail not only looks perfectly balanced now, but it should perform a whole lot better too. The new components also go a long way to shedding visual weight, giving the machine a lithe appearance that’s echoed in its svelte bodywork.
As we’ve come to expect from Rough Crafts, every part is pixel-perfect. A bolt-on Rough Crafts ‘Guerilla’ fuel tank perches atop the Softail frame, mounted high and far back to add a little Frisco style. A bespoke solo seat sits behind it, followed by a tight rear fender that has just the slightest kick in its tail.
There’s no front fender—just a small headlight covered in a vertical grill; a hallmark of Rough Crafts’ bikes since day one.
The cockpit wears a set of mini-ape bars, held in place by Rough Crafts risers. The grips are RC x Arlen Ness items, and the controls and switches are from Rebuffini. A tiny Motogadget speedo sits in the middle of the bars.
Koso LED turn signals hang from the handlebars, with three-in-one Koso LEDs attached to the swingarm to act as taillights and rear turn signals. The mid-mounted foot controls are from Famous Fabricator, while the actual pegs are, once again, from the RC x Arlen Ness catalog.
The engine internals are stock, but the exterior boasts a handful of tasty upgrades. An open belt drive from Belt Drives Ltd dominates the left-hand side, Roland Sands rocker box covers sit up top, and a Rough Crafts intake pokes out on the right. The Harley’s been converted from a belt to a chain drive too, with an RK Takasago chain and Supersprox sprockets.
An elegant two-into-one exhaust adds a finishing touch, sporting a pseudo-fishtail muffler. It’s a style that Winston’s been playing with lately, and it’s a welcomed break from the garden variety exhaust systems you typically see on old Softails.
Nicknamed ‘Imperium Talon,’ Rough Crafts’ Harley Springer Softail was put together by Winston’s usual coterie of collaborators. CT-Garage handled the heavy lifting, SFC Simon Fiber Craft added the lush carbon fiber accents, and Rover Works Custom Paint and Rebirth Sign Painter teamed up to execute the livery.
Finally, 2 Abnormal Sides created a pair of Rough Crafts tank badges, plus collars to mount on the custom brass pushrod tubes. With judicious chrome and brass details shining against the mostly-black finishes, this Softail is Rough Crafts at its best.
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