Softail Cross Bones Photochop Custom
January 27th, 2008 at 7:37 am by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"
It didn’t take long. No sooner does Harley introduce the Softail Cross Bones and someone is already taking the idea a little further. Adam sent in this quick photochop just to give us an idea of the direction he thought it might go, and come to think of it, it’s pretty much along the lines of some of the suggestions we’ve already heard from you.
Adam gave it shorty pipes, lowered the bars, cleaned up the tank, enlarged and lowered the headlight, swapped the front fender to the rear and removed the front fender entirely. He tried to squeeze in larger wheels, too, just to see how it looked. Overall, as a rough concept, I think it’s pretty sweet.
Harley might have come up with a winner here. They did a lot of what many buyers would do to begin with and turned out a brand new old school custom, no extra work required. The best part, though, is with a base like that to start from, you can take it a little further and really get the look right. If the Motor Company wants to sell a lot of these (who am I kidding, … IF?), they could take some of these ideas and offer the parts in their catalog, of course they might already be thinking along those lines, that catalog is pretty thick already.
I have a hunch the Cross Bones might sell pretty well and given the recent reports of soft sales numbers, it’s a good time for something like this to show up.
Thanks for the chop, Adam.
Posted in Motorcycle Business, Motorcycle Design
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13 Responses to “Softail Cross Bones Photochop Custom”
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January 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I think it could be even cooler if it were given the total blackout treatment…no chrome at all. That would be eeeeevil. =)
January 27th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Good work Paul…. you’re really adding something to the world of motorcycle publishing and fans like me.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Maybe a full rear fender or Indian Chief front and rear fender .
January 28th, 2008 at 12:15 am
What this really shows is that Harley doesn’t need a new product planner, they need a new product designer. Adam’s photochop bike looks 100 times better than the real thing. I believe it took quite a stretch of the imagination to think the original bike could look as good as he made it. I had written it off completely. This rendering breathes new life into a new design.
-todd
January 28th, 2008 at 9:00 am
The more I look at this photochop version, the more I like it. Harley couldn’t do some of it new, the pipes would not pass, but aftermarket options are plentiful and I would opt for a bit more fender, too, they do come in handy at times, but the look is right. If Harley put something closer to that on the showroom floors, they wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand.
If HD doesn’t offer a version like this or parts to get close, custom shops and smart dealers should jump on it.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:51 am
What I find really interesting is how tall and goofy-looking the original front end design looks, after looking at the photo-chop version.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:35 am
That’s what I’m talking about !!! 2 wheels, a vile engine, no unnecessary iron/plastic, a great retro look, this is beautiful !
Great job Adam.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I think HD is smart enough to market a bike that encompasses the Kneeslider’s comments above. Todd - HD has good designers (Nightster do anything for you?)
HD builds the “platform” or “canvas” for their owners to take it from there with the parts catalogue.
It has been a successful business plan for decades that pleases both the financial statement and their customer base.
nice job Adam with the photochopping. Zero Engineering and Chica’s influences (and their influences) come through in a cool way.
I’d also like to see a little more black as Phoebe mentioned…..starting with black spokes for the wheels and perimeter brakes.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Yes, the Nightster does look good to me. That’s why it’s doomed to being removed from the lineup. In fact it reminds me a little of my own BMW bobber:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tsorel/bobber/?action=view¤t=DSC_00441.jpg
-todd
April 18th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
this bike is harley’s best work…a big step backwards with a modern twist…nicely managing the balance of both. this puts the rocker and fatbob to shame….and will become a sustainable bike in the lineup for years to come…the only thing they really screwed up on this bike is the seat…it throws you forward and makes you feel like u are sitting on top of it and not in it. however, that is an easy fix with the brawler seat or one like it. in fact, when you put the brawler on it…the back fender works well…and allows for bags or sissy bars….which a bobbed fender would be difficult to pull off. beyond that, it doesn’t need much beyond the personalization that everyone does.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Where can I get a better quality picture of the Photochop version? It is the coolest bike I have ever seen and would like it on my desktop as a wallpaper. Please let me know.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Looks kind of like a ZERO Engineering bike. Just not as cool.
October 24th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
The photochop version is bitchen,rad,way cool. How ever you want to term it. Reminds me of the OD Green Nightster I had, but with the engine size I need, and a bit more wheel travel.
I currently own one of the few OD Green CrossBones. I love this bike. Looks cool and still practicle.
I would like to know how many were produced in OD Green, or rather Olive Pearl…