We’ve seen our fair share of custom bikes that could be classified as works in progress. Some have been cobbled together crudely while waiting patiently for parts to arrive. Others look complete, until you scrutinize them and discover a lack of wiring—or the infamous ‘Bluetooth brakes.’
Richard ‘Mule’ Pollock operates on another level. This pristine Harley Sportster street tracker is ready to shine at a show or tear up the streets. But Mule still has a laundry list of mods that he plans to throw at it.
The bike started as a humble 1997-model Harley-Davidson XL883 Sportster. The order came from a customer in New York, while the donor bike came from a friend of Mule’s over in Connecticut. The brief was simple enough—build a signature Mule street tracker with all the trimmings.
Mule dipped into his usual bag of tricks, kitting the Harley with a fuel tank from Storz and a flat track tail section from First Klass Glass. The subframe was altered to accommodate the fiberglass tail, with a handmade bracket underneath it offering structural support. Finishing touches include a neatly integrated taillight and a Saddlemen seat pad.
Mule’s customer initially specced the Sportster with upside-down Yamaha forks and laced wheels—both of which Mule delivered. But as the project moved along, its scope grew.
The bike now sports a set of right-side-up Öhlins forks, locked in place by custom yokes. The wheels are lightweight CNC-machined 19” flat track items from Lowery Racing, wrapped in Maxxis rubber. Mule had already relocated the lower shock mounts on the swingarm and installed K-Tech shocks, but a new set of Öhlins units are currently en route.
Twin Brembo brake calipers sit on bespoke brackets up front, with a single Beringer caliper out back. The front brake lines snake their way up to the front of the lower fork clamp, where they converge via one of Mule’s signature brake line junctions. Further up, a classic chromed headlight sits on stubby brackets that also support the front turn signals.
The cockpit wears wide stainless steel Mule handlebars, fitted with fresh grips and simplified switches. A Trail Tech Vapor dash sits front and center, mounted on a bespoke bracket.
Mule ticked all the right boxes on this build. The belt drive has been converted to a chain setup, the battery is held down by a leather strap, and the wiring is obsessively tidy. The foot controls and the mounting plate that supports the right-hand side’s setup are custom, while the rubber pegs themselves are Bates items.
The rocker box and engine covers are all chromed, as is the traditionally styled air filter cover. The stainless steel two-into-one exhaust system is a one-off, adding a bark to match the Sportster’s bite.
For the livery, Mule’s customer worked directly with David Tovar at Superbike Paint, who delivered a gorgeous AMF-inspired design. No sooner had Mule buttoned the Sportster up, than his client booked in another round of mods.
The engine is being rebuilt as we speak, with a 1,275 cc kit from Hammer Performance, bigger cams, a Mikuni HSR45 carb, and a Barnett Scorpion clutch all on the cards. But whether Mule will stop there is anybody’s guess.
Mule Motorcycles | Instagram | Images by Bart Cepek
