

We don’t get to see many custom motorcycles from Germany. Modified BMWs are becoming more common, especially R-series scramblers or café bikes. And we’re big fans of LSL-Motorradtechnik creations too.

But this is something completely different, and completely over the top: a Harley V-Rod cafe racer.



It was built by a company called Dr Mechanik in Stuttgart—the capitol of Baden-Württemberg and the home city of Porsche, Daimler and Bosch—at the behest of Georg Friedrich, an Austrian actor. Friedrich had his V-Rod rebuilt after it was heavily damaged in a collision with a car, and it’s now packed with handmade parts.



That includes the swingarm and even the rear shock, adapted from a Ducati 916 item. The front brakes are from Buell, and the engine is no longer rubber-mounted in the chassis—it’s now firmly bolted in for a more direct feel. Around nine kilograms have been shaved off the frame weight, and further reductions come from the handcrafted aluminum fuel tank and seat unit.

The owner of Dr Mechanik, Max, describes the V-Rod as “retro meets high performance”: it’s unorthodox and it’s hardly subtle, but it looks like fun. [Information and images by Timo Großhans.]