Lord Drake Kustoms’ Sportsters
Inspired by the cult TV Biker Build-Off shows Francisco Ali Manen began building custom bikes in 2008 and hasn’t looked back. With headquarters in Velez Malaga and Miami, his Lord Drake Kustoms is not only one of the best known, but is also one of the most prolific custom bike businesses in the world
Lord Drake Kustoms carry out motorcycle modification works in many styles such as cafe racer, scrambler, bobber, Brat, street tracker and many more and Fran Manen and his team of mechanics are also specialists in Harley-Davidson, BMW, Yamaha, Triumph, Ducati and any other model.
Among their wide-ranging work are some slick Sportsters, whether based on the highly-popular Evo platform or the all-new Sportster S 1250. Here’s a handful to feast your eyes on…..
‘Draker’
Fran reckons LDK’s Sportster S ‘Draker’ was one of the first custom shops in the world
to have installed a 240 rear wheel on a Sportster S 1250 and also with custom rims.
The owner of this Harley motorcycle, from the very beginning, asked Fran if he could put a wide rear wheel on this motorcycle. Fran did not hesitate and got down to work and after a very hard work he installed a 240 rear wheel.
Handlebars, cut and modified front fender, turn signals, a small fairing over the headlight are some of the components that have been modified on the front end of this custom Harley bike.
At the rear, a brutal two-in-one exhaust finished in black, modification of the subframe, modification of the seat with custom upholstery, handmade license plate holder for Sportster 1250, led pilot and indicators and much more.
And to finish off two spectacular big spoke rims, with different measurements from the original ones and in which the rear stands out with a measurement of 8.5 x 18 to house a 240 Avon tyre on this Harley Davidson Sportster S; with new front and rear brake discs.
The icing on the cake has been the striking Harley orange paint combined with pearl white and details and pinstriping in black and magnesium brown. The work done on the wheels stands out in the paint, with magnesium brown spokes and orange wheel rims with 1250 graphics on the rear wheel in black.
‘Hand on the Torch’
Jazz and Hip Hop meets Harley Sportster, Malaga-style. At the request of his client, LDK Owner Fran Manen was commissioned to make this Sportster scrambler – on this occasion, inspired by the cover of a music album ‘Hand On The Torch’ by jazz and hip-hop fusion group Us3 and featuring a very colourful cover on a cream or beige background – although the client indicated that instead of cream or beige for the background, he preferred white.
This build is based on an XL 883 Low and loosely transformed to the LDK ‘Bultracker’ and ‘Soulbreaker’ scrambler styles of previous Sportster builds.
The two-into-one RSD tracker exhaust along with fat spoke rims for Harley, are as usual some of the characteristic components of these models and of course the one-inch BMW handlebar, the motogadget mini odometer integrated into the towers of the handlebar.
The fenders, license plate holder and spoiler are handcrafted by LDK. And the front suspension has been modified, to which upper covers have also been installed (on which the bike’s name has been painted). At the rear are a pair of Ohlins shocks.
Finally, a spectacular paint job inspired by the album cover with different colours has been used on both fenders, gas tank and also on the number holders. The GMR graphics and the number 411 are two other details airbrushed on the gas tank and the number holders at the customer’s request.
Other parts of the bike have been painted in black and white with gold details, such as the front suspension legs or the rear swingarm.
Camaro ‘67
This Sportster Scrambler is inspired by Chevrolet’s Camaro muscle car. Lord Drake Kustoms, received a call from a client from Belgium who followed Manen’s work and was in love with his Bultracker-type Sportster Scrambler models.
After several conversations, the client told Manen that he wanted a Sportster Bultracker but inspired by a ’67 Chevy Camaro that he had…complete with same colour scheme, stripes and even the exhaust pipe that in both cases are by Supertrapp.
The Nightster 1200 now sports modified forks, Ohlins shocks, modified sub-frame, new rear and front fenders, as LDK began the transition of Sportster to muscle car on two wheels.
Custom wheels measuring 18” at the rear and 21” at the front, 2:1 stainless steel exhausts with Supertrapp tailpipe, custom air filter with Chevrolet emblems, BMX handlebars, Koso odometer, Kellerman turn signals and endless details gave shape to this ‘Camaro ‘67’.
Finally, the black engine has been highlighted with chrome covers and the body has been painted with the identical colours of the Chevy Camaro – orange with white stripes and lines of the same size.
‘Rothmans’
This is a tribute that Lord Drake Kustoms owner Fran wanted to pay to one of his idols and automotive legend, Ayrton Senna, on the 30th anniversary of his death.
On May 1, 1994, during the San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix, Senna died after crashing at the Tamburello curve of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari with his Williams FW16.
Fran wanted to pay tribute to his idol with this “Sportster Rothmans” that mimics the colours of Senna’s car.
This new Sportster S arrived completely original and its owner wanted to give it a new look and do more of a restyling to get more out of the features of his Harley. The first idea was to modify the rear, especially the license plate support, and place some type of mask or dome on it. Fran got to work with his work team and the result was a restyling on this Sportster S 1250 RH in which a cafe racer motorcycle screen, a new tracker handlebar, new minimalist LED turn signals and an led headlight have been installed. Additionally, the odometer has been relocated to the front of the handlebars instead of its original location.
In the rear, the license plate holder and all the lighting have been modified, the seat has been upholstered with double thread in red with diamond shapes.
In terms of performance (in addition to aesthetic changes), it is worth noting that on this custom motorcycle, LDK has installed a spectacular complete 2:1 exhaust system from the Dr Jekill & Mr. Hyde brand, approved for the Harley Davidson Sportster S 1250 RH, which in addition to sound regulation has a beautiful carbon-fibre collector protector to give a more racing/Formula 1 touch.
But the most significant change in this restyling has been the paint job inspired by the colors of the Rothmans tobacco brand that the Williams FW16 racing car driven by Senna.
’69 Sixty Nine’
Based on the Sportster 1200, this bobber, called “69 Sixty Nine” has a very casual style and for all audiences (young and not so young, bikers and non-bikers) it is a perfect custom motorcycle to ride on any street in the most Californian style.
Mods include; chain drive conversion by LDK; DNA brake discs, 21” Fat Daddy front rim, 16” Fat Daddy rear, front suspension modified by LDK, rear suspension lowered by two inches, fenders by LDK, exhaust by LDK, Joker Machine side mount for stock speedo.
The ‘Sixty Nine’ also has a somewhat radical stance that encourages you to twist the throttle at the entrance to a highway. What was clear, it was the Lord Drake Kustoms team, they were looking for something striking and simple at the same time. That’s why when it came to painting this Harley Davidson, striking white was combined with elegant black. In addition, he put a touch of union between both colours in gold (aged) without abusing this colour.
Words and pictures courtesy of Francisco Ali Manen
www.lorddrakekustoms.com