Harley-Davidson Rocker is the one bike that looks like it just rolled straight out of the workshops of American Chopper or Monster Garage with the added benefits of H-D reliability and quality. With its extended forks raked out in front running a skinny 19-inch front wheel and a massive 240mm wide rear tyre, your key areas of bike modifications to really give it the custom look are already taken care of. A single front disc brake is probably all that chopper riders demand and that very low single seat (just 622mm off the ground!) perched over the color-matched frame gives the deep "V-shaped" visual look of the bike when it is parked to be admired at by curious onlookers. There is no mistaking it not to be an American original with the H-D emblem placed dead-centre in the middle of the fuel tank.

The bike's stretched out lines are very clean and simple which matches the single color paint with the rough champagne finish on the cast aluminium components including the oil tank below the seat (finned cast-aluminium, horseshoe design), engine cases, forks, lights and along the tank dash. The satin look is actually created by using a resin of finely ground stainless steel and it's a knockout compared to the usual chromed engines parked beside it. Harley-Davidson terms it the monochromatic silver stainless steel powdercoated paint scheme.

The tyre-hugging rear mudguard (Rockertail rear section) found on the Rocker series is the coolest fender we'll seen from the Milwaukee Company in a long time. Suspension is still hidden beneath the bike like the rest of the Softtails to give it a classic solid rear frame look. Look in front and the suspension fork legs are beautifully sculptured in monochromatic silver, another "one-off" on a custom Softtail.

Once out on the streets we were delighted that the Rocker's riding position is surprisingly relaxed and natural and you do not get that cramped "stretched-out" feeling at the handlebars. Engine is grunty with that timeless V-Twin powerplant and 6-gear ratio means highway runs are the standard. It's the easyrider cool look all the way. Both front and rear suspension work well and the bike turns obediently with that long rake and the Rocker's stability rises when you quicken the pace on the V-twin. Our test bike had a host of genuine Harley-Davidson accessories bolted on such as a windscreen and passenger pillion seat, which actually looks more comfy than the pillion perch that comes standard with the Rocker's more expensive brother, the Rocker C.

The Rocker has a modern minimalist custom look with properly raked out forks and a double-skinned rear mudguard which floats over the rear wheel. There are countless avenues of customisation available with the amount of Harley-Davidson accessories in stock, not to mention the aftermarket parts for Twin-Cam. The Rocker is the ideal base for further personal styling touches with its rear end that looks like no other. It offers the most contemporary hard-tail chopper style looks and you'll be sure of its authenticity with that American-made rigid-mounted, 1,584cc Twin Cam 96B engine at the heart of the custom.

MOTOR SHIOK! (WHAT WE LIKE!)
• American production chopper that handles.
• Smooth responsive 6-speed engine.
• Nice paintjob including the matching frame and finishing.
• Solid chassis and suspension.
• That fat 240mm rear tyre and rear fender profile.

MOTOR AIYOH! (WHAT YOU MUST CONSIDER LAH...)
• No pillion seat but optional accessories are available (Don't forget the passenger footpegs!).
• Nothing much.

For more information on the Harley-Davidson FXCW Rocker, contact Harley-Davidson of Singapore at (65) 6475 0123.


This article was contributed by SpinAsia magazine, the Sports and Lifestyle Guide for Wheelers.

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