Even though there’s been no official word from The Motor Co., it looks as if the venerable Harley-Davidson Sportster is slowly fizzling out. It’s been completely removed from H-D’s European website, and the once extensive range has been reduced to just three models on the US listing. And with H-D currently on a mission to scale down, we’re not holding our breath for a replacement.
But the Sportster’s notoriety will continue long after the last model rolls off the assembly line. That’s because the Sporty is arguably the most prolific custom donor out there.

There’s a plethora of aftermarket parts available for it, and countless custom shops have cut their teeth on it. Rough Crafts‘ Winston Yeh is one name that stands out?he released his first custom Sportster just over a decade ago, and has scored numerous hits since then. The Taiwanese designer’s latest bike is a 2019-model XL 1200CX Sportster Roadster, dubbed ‘Obsidian Fighter.’ And it’s not only a showcase for Rough Crafts’ signature aesthetic, but also an ode to classic Sportster style.

Winston’s customer is a fan of the era of raked-out choppers, but he already had the Roadster in hand?and it’s tall for a Sporty.
?The main question,? says Winston, ?was: ‘How do we combine a Roadster with chopper style, wrap it in a Rough Crafts package, and still surprise the owner"’ The answer is a ?Frisco? Sportster bobber...