Harley Davidson XL 833 breaths more aggression, charm in GunBaby Sportster

No one else, but Joe Cooper could have the balls to customize a Harley Davidson XL 833 into an out of the world, rustic, throttling beauty; which he christened, GunBaby. He gave the sinuous grace of the bike a more provocative and seductive charm through an irised finish and the use of Buell components. Its metallic iridescent colour scheme is the result of acid itching, followed by flame treating the steel parts on the exterior, making it reflect shades of golden yellow, red, deep purple and even blues. Moreover, this powerplant is low geared with plenty of torque for quick throttle response.

GunBaby 883 Sportster

As told above, GunBaby has used several Buell parts in the making and the XL 883 engine is Joe’s personal favourite since its power to weight pins the throttle wide out more often, instead of being over powered. In his opinion, it’s better to snap quickly to 30mph then ride at 150mph and he carried out this idea through chain conversion and larger rear sprocket. He also updated the rear suspension to a progressive suspension monoshock, carried on a single sided swimgram to handle to extra torque. The low end torque is further boosted by the use of custom 2-into-1 headers that also ensure a surprisingly low exhaust note.

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GunBaby 883 Sportster

GunBaby 883 Sportster

Other engine modifications include a solid state, bulletproof, Dyna-Tech single fire ignition. An ultra light weight lithium ion battery secured between the front frame rails supplies power to the plugs.

GunBaby weighs much less in comparison to the donor Buell, owing to the removal of brakes and the front end. But, this resulted in an abundance of stopping power, posing another challenge. To deal with it, Joe increased the master cylinder’s bore and mounted it on the front fork, opposite the massive 6-piston calliper. The cable actuated cylinder feeds up to the front lever resulting in greater adjustable, making the braking system more powerful and comfortable.

Joe Cooper happily prattles that GunBaby is one of the best bikes he’s ever ridden. He claims that its tight suspension, low seat and ergonomic control positions along with low gearing and torque will give you a solid unforgettable ride. If you are all that crazy for the customized bikes and Harleys in particular, you can bid for it on eBay till May 20th, 2012.

Via: Cyrilhuzeblog