In the 80s the custom world changed radically.
Extreme choppers gave way to a new philosophy: the Fat Bob.
Bigger tanks, muscular rear ends, 21-inch front wheels.
More aggressive bikes, but also finally more rideable and high-performance.
In Europe this revolution found fertile ground.
The increasingly wider rear tires became the symbol of an era: the German style conquered the scene and no noteworthy softail dared to fit tires smaller than 200 anymore.
It was European customizers who brought this vision overseas. The English company Exile Cycles set American rallies ablaze with radical and unconventional builds.
The West Coast took up the challenge: Jesse James transformed that language into a cult, always pushing the concept of wide tires and stage presence further.
In the offices on Jeaneau Avenue, someone was taking notes.
Harley-Davidson responded in 2007 with the Night Rod Special. But it was in 2015 that it finally broke the mold, introducing the most radical production motorcycle ever to come out of Milwaukee: the Harley-Davidson Breakout.
Today, in Teal Thunder guise, with a 117cc engine, 240mm rear tire, and a standard Screamin' Eagle air filter, the Breakout is more than just a motorcycle.
It is the definitive tribute to forty years of custom culture, and to the constant search for perfect excess.
