An Abnormal Union
Throughout the 2011 World Championship of Custom Bike Building, there were a small number of bikes that people kept going back to, to have another look. One of those was not in the Freestyle class and nor was it a bike.
Abnormal Cycles had entered the Modified Harley class, and had entered with a sidecar outfit, and it was this that was getting all the attention. The attention was well deserved, too, as come the end of the show the outfit rolled away with the top prize.
Hailing from Bernareggio, near Milan, Italy, Abnormal Cycles is the custom shop responsible for Union, as the side car outfit is known. Based upon a relatively stock 1942, 74ci powered model U, the most major change was the addition of an Indian styled leaf spring front end. However, the one used is no straight copy of an original Springfield-made fork, rather this one features double springs to compensate for the added wait of the 'chair' at the side of the bike.
One of the more unusual touches on Union, besides the chair, is the design of the handlebars. The one-off bars can't really be described as bars as they have been made up from a series of flat sections of steel, which makes them look like the leaf spring used for the front suspension.
The detailing on Union continues with the use of three matching wheels. Built around Kustom Tech drum brake hubs, the three 18in Jonich rims all carry Ceat tires and both the rear and side car wheel are covered by matching full length, wrap-around fenders.
Of course, what really set Abnormal Cycles Union apart from all the other bikes in the Modified Harley class was the addition of the side car. It began as a Stoye body, but was rebuilt and restored by the Italian customizers before having the seating area crafted in wood. The whole outfit was then clad in titanium leaf and then clear laquered to give it its unique finish.
