Willie Little took a 1996 Harley-Davidson Sportster and customized it with chrome, a six-inch oversized springer front end, and a custom sissy bar.
Little, an engineer, worked on the bike himself during the Covid lockdown, buying the 1200cc sportster for $5000 in 2019 and importing parts from the United States.
He stripped it down, replaced the front, lowered the back, handcrafted a sissy bar, replaced the belt with a chain, added new exhaust, custom chromes, and paint work.
Little added a 1950s-style peanut tank that holds about 3.5 litres of fuel, perfect for a quick trip to the pub and back. The bike was showcased at the Originals Ashburton motorcycle show and shine at the Ashburton RSA, alongside bikes ranging from 1953 to 2025.
Little completed the motorcycle in time for last year’s November bike show and now plans to rebuild a Pan America.
