Porsche’s 918 Spyder has not even been delivered to buyers yet, and yet it has already inspired many with its GT Silver Metallic over Acid Green beauty. One UK based Porsche fanatic decided that he wanted to build something to set him apart from the pack, and give everyone clues to his 918 enthusiasm. Working with Shaw Speed & Customs, they conceived and built ‘Drey’, the 918 Spyder inspired Harley that wants to be a Porsche.
A Porsche/Harley hybrid is nothing new, as Porsche designed the unorthodox and highly controversial watercooled engine for the VRSC family of Harley Davidsons introduced in 2001. The belt-driven 5-speed V-twin bike is still available in showrooms today, in fact. The take on things displayed by Drey, however, is something rarely seen.
Beginning with a Blackline Softail, Shaw started by stripping the bike down to a bare frame and working from a clean sheet. A displacement increase from 1584cc to 1690cc was the first order of business, and increased airflow was provided by a Screamin’ Eagle intake and a performance oriented Vance and Hines exhaust. When emulating a Porsche supercar, a bit of added power is never a bad thing to have.
Cosmetically, the bike was given a thorough revamping, making use of Roland Sands Design ‘Clarity’ parts to give a crystal clear view of some of the Harley’s inner workings. The wheels, as is often equally true of cars, make the bike what it is, and these Boss-line PM wheels do no disservice to the aesthetics here. The giant meaty 240 section width rear tire, also helps to give this two-wheeler a bit more musculature. The paint colors, however, leave a little on the table. The silver, while a pretty color, is a little light to be GT Silver Metallic, and the green, doesn’t appear within a stones throw of the Acid Green found on Porsche’s halo car.
The use of V-Rod headlight and front fairing, the drilled covers, and contrasting accents make the bike one-of-a-kind, and the Carrera stripe strengthens the Porsche connection. The tank, too, is completely custom, designed with two little faux-intakes on the sides to help along the sports car design.The retro styled sprung leather seat seems a bit too old-school to be on something inspired by Porsche’s new king of techno-wizardry, but it does strike a strong statement.
Taken as a motorcycle, I’d say the execution is phenomenal, and stands out as a beautiful bike. Taken as a modern Porsche-inspired machine, however, I think it falls just short of the mark. Inherently, an air-cooled Harley Davidson is a very rough and tumble machine, more about style and straightline speed than hustling corners or race tracks.
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