In rural New Zealand, where I am writing this, you often hear that someone has a ?number eight wire mentality.?
‘Number 8’ is a 4.0 mm gauge wire that was used for farm fencing decades ago. More importantly, it was also co-opted by clever types for general repairs and unusual fixes. A forerunner of duct tape, if you like, and now part of the Kiwi cultural lexicon.

So when I saw that this very smart Harley Street 750 was from a company called No. 8 Wire Motorcycles, I knew instantly that the builder had to be a Kiwi?even though the email came from Montana, USA.
Colin Cornberg is indeed an expat Kiwi, although he?s been working in Missoula since 2013. He runs a full service moto-stroke-fabrication shop, and also does the odd custom build.
?This build started with a bone stock Street 750 that I got through a friend at the local Harley dealership,? Colin tells us. ?After building two XG750 commissions?one supercharged?I wanted to have a go at building one under my own direction. How I?d want it if it was my ?daily?.?
Colin regards it as an experiment too, since he rarely builds customs that aren?t commissioned. ?My shop is about 50/50 service and customs. And with such a competitive market for custom builds, I?m still trying to find my niche.?

With this sleek, minimalist build, we reckon Colin has found his métier. It?s clean and uncluttered, throwing the focus onto the v-twin engine rather than cluttering the view with fussy details.
The long subframe a...