Despite being steeped in the custom scene, Harley-Davidson doesn’t often donate bikes to custom builders. So this Sportster Iron 1200 from Prism Supply Co., dripping with early 80s style, is something of a rarity.
It’s a Sporty with an impeccable pedigree: brothers Zach and Jake Hindes built it with input from Dean Micetich of DicE magazine.
The Sportster must be the most customized motorcycle platform around the world, but Prism have delivered something special without firing up the grinder.
“We wanted to build something that looked like it could have rolled off the showroom floor in the early 80s,” Jake tells us. “But we didn’t want to cut the frame or make any major changes.”
“The goal was to build a bike with minimal tooling and fabrication, to show the home builder that they can do something similar.”
It’s a helluva transformation, thanks to some very clever decision-making.
“The first thing we did was to strip the majority of factory components,” says Jake. “Such as the front end, bars, tank, fenders and electrics. That left us with a frame, a rear wheel, and the engine.”
Prism sourced a bunch of early 80s parts to replace the ditched components—notably a dual disc Super Glide front end, which Zach and Jake modified to fit the 2019-spec Iron 1200.
The biggest visual jump comes from the back, though—and the extreme stepped seat atop the valanced fender. “We wanted a ‘Crazy Franks’ fender,” Jake confides, “so we cut and narrowed a fender from Throttle Addiction and then added the Crazy Franks ‘hump’ to it.”
That sounds simple, but it wasn’t. “The first effort didn’t work. It was way too tall and just didn’t look right, so we scrapped the ten-plus hours of work we’d done on it and started again from scratch.”
The final version is shorter, and according to the Prism boys, a much cleaner result. Wes from Counterbalance Cycles handled the upholstery, going for a subtle approach with black leather and classic diamond stitching.
Topping off the rear end is Prism’s own version of the old style ‘Chopper Box light’. This one hides a dual function LED cluster, acting as both a brake light and a running light.
Sitting atop the frame is a Frisco-style gas tank from Throttle Addiction, which is modified to hide the EFI pump and a snake’s nest of wiring. Zach and Jake’s younger brother Caleb applied the glossy black paint and the classic Harley logo. The wheels look aftermarket but are stock—thanks to a lick of gold paint.
The visible wiring has been upgraded to Prism’s own vintage cloth-covered 16g wire, and Zach and Jake also raided their own catalog for the ‘Cyclone’ bars with Biltwell risers. They’re fitted with Kustom Tech hand controls and DicE grips that match the retro aesthetic of the Sportster.
The 1200 versions of current Sportster engines have plenty of grunt for most riders—specifically 97 Nm of torque—so Prism have avoided breaking open the engine cases.
They’ve simply installed a classy Mini Ham Can air cleaner from LC Fabrications and a megaphone-style exhaust from Lowbrow Customs—with around six inches trimmed off, so it terminates just ahead of the rear axle.
The pegs are from Biltwell, who also supplied the throttle. A more obvious change is a switch to a traditional chain drive—a Prism prototype system that will soon become a production part.
It all hangs together as beautifully as a prime slab of yacht rock. But Jake doesn’t take all the credit for that. “This build wouldn’t have been possible without Dean from DicE magazine,” he admits.
“We really did a great job bouncing ideas off of each other, and Dean’s ‘eye’ was very helpful throughout the whole process.”
The Sportster was released at the Congregation motorcycle show last weekend—a show that Prism put on every year in their own backyard in Charlotte, North Carolina, in association with DicE.
“Our goal was to showcase bikes that might not get seen very often, and focus heavily on drawing these bikes from the southeast area. At this year’s Congregation we had over 150 motorcycles and 30 traditional hot rods.”
The Iron 1200 was one of the best machines on display, and one lucky rider will soon find it in their own garage, because this Sporty is going to be given away. So keep an eye on Prism’s social channels—and your fingers crossed.
Prism Supply Co. | Facebook | Instagram | DicE Magazine | Images by Matt Best
