t’s one thing to take a stock motorcycle and build an awesome custom version using parts from the 2004 FatBook. It’s another thing altogether to contemplate the three-inch thick, 1106 page catalog and prepare to attempt to create an entire motorcycle out of nothing but parts from those pages. That was exactly the dilemma faced by Cobra Special Projects Division’s Denny Berg when he accepted the challenge to build a bike out of the 2004 FatBook.
     And not just any bike. He got a clear idea of what he wanted, and that was to pay homage to a classic 1932 Roadster High Boy with its smooth clean curves at the rear, mated to a stretched and exposed front end that’s all business.
     As the project progressed, Berg never strayed too far from this simple concept. “I also really wanted to pay attention to the time-honored Harley stuff as much as I could, which explains the 1929 Harley-Davidson horn mounted on the left,” said Berg. “So wherever possible I went with chromed steel over billet parts. That idea kept me focused whenever I was faced with a parts decision.” Though the project was ultimately not as easy as one might expect with the nearly limitless offerings in the FatBook, the finished motorcycle is stunning, a testament to Berg’s creativity at combining the jigsaw puzzle of parts.
     He began with a Fat Guy Pro Comp frame with its 1.5-inch lower than stock neck. The frame has a 5-inch stretch on the backbone and a 40-degree rake that would stretch the front but keep it in the rideable realm. He then stuffed in an S&S 124-inch fuel-injected engine mated to a Baker six-speed transmission. The Cobra PowerPro 2-into-1 pipe takes care of the exhausts while providing a great sound and a bit more juice for that engine.
     Though most custom bikes are carbureted (less weight, far fewer complications), this one uses a Delphi fuel-injection system. Using one part not from the catalog, Berg fitted an Acura automobile fuel pump to the left front. “I needed a small, quiet pump that could produce at least 50 pounds of pressure for the FI system,” said Berg. “This was a perfect fit.”
     The rest of the bike comes out of the pages of the FatBook, so be sure to consult the parts list later to get a full rundown on everything used. A couple of other highlights would be the 40-spoke wheels, a 21-incher up front and a 16-incher on the rear, as well as the peaked front fender, tank and rear fender, that again pay homage to the hot rods days.
     One of the neatest of all touches though has nothing to do with parts; it’s the attention to the details that sets a Cobra Custom apart from the others. Berg hides the cables and the wires as much as possible so you won’t see clutch cables and brake cables arcing at will. These are tucked in and routed cleaverly out of the way. The wires disappear into the frame, keeping them neatly out of sight.
     This bike is proof positive that with little more than talent, experience and all 1106 pages of FatBook parts available, (oh, and did we say a very high maximum amount on your credit card) you can build just about any kind of custom you can dream up.