

While some motorcycles are more capable than others, there are very few bad ones on the market today. Modern machines might not be as stylish as old timers, but they go, turn and stop better.

That’s why engine, suspension and brake upgrades are common on classic custom builds. But if you’re working with a brand new bike—and your budget and time are both limited—isn’t it better to focus your energies elsewhere?

That’s the call Austria-based NCT Motorcycles had to make with this 2016 Harley-Davidson Street 750 . A Harley-Davidson dealer handed the bike over, with a mandate to rework it into a raffle prize for the upcoming 20th annual European Bike Week.

NCT have no trouble going to town on a build. But with a set budget—and their Feldkirchen workshop already overflowing—they had to do things a little differently.

“When you have only a little budget, you have to concentrate on one thing,” the guys tell us. “So what do you want—a new look, or new tech? We decided to put the money into a new design and not in technical parts, because they are still fine.”

So while NCT have left the Harley’s wheels, suspension and brakes alone, all of its bodywork’s gone straight into the bin. In its place are a hand-made tank, tail section, front fender and side covers, all designed to give the Street a radically different visual vibe.

The tank turned out to be the hardest piece to fabricate, but it’s paid off. The new unit is a lot slimmer than stock, and provides a solid cornerstone for the rest of the revamp. “It took so many hours to achieve a good looking and clean result,” says the team, “but it is also the part we like most about this bike!”

A fair amount of fettling went down at the back too. NCT cut and looped the frame, touching up the paint along the way (rather than stripping the bike right down for a full frame powder coat). The new seat cowl includes a tidy LED taillight, with upholstery done in cow leather.

The stock headlight’s been left up front, but it’s no longer wrapped up in the OEM headlight shroud. Kellerman supplied new turn signals: two are mounted behind the rear shock mounts, and the other two are bar-end numbers. The original handlebars have also made way for a more aggressive bend from LSL.

With everything nipped and tucked, the Street’s hefty exhaust system looked way out of place—so NCT trimmed the stock muffler for a more compact effect. As a final touch, they nudged the forks down a bit to tweak the angle of attack.

Although the Street 750 was a bid for Harley-Davidson to reach a wider audience, we’ve always felt that it didn’t quite shake off its cruiser DNA. But by just changing the bodywork, NCT have transformed it into a sharp street tracker -cum-cafe racer.

And complementing the new lines is an equally slick paint job—an eye-catching coat of brilliant turquoise. “We know the color is not to everybody’s taste,” the guys tell us. “But these days, with more and more good bikes driving around, you have to catch someone’s eye with a freaking color scheme and design!”

NCT are also well aware that there’s room for more work. But for now, they’re just waiting to see who the new owner will be. “Maybe the fortunate owner will come back to our workshop with the bike to get the rest done,” they say.

Round two, anyone?

NCT Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Peter Pegam