The builder: 2LOUD Custom. The client: Yellow黃宣. The brief: A Sportster Chopper with a faux fur seat.
Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng is known for building custom motorcycles that shine in their subtlety—making his workshop’s name, 2LOUD Custom, a playful misnomer. But when he was asked to build a chopper for the mercurial Taiwanese pop star Yellow黃宣, ‘subtle’ wasn’t part of the plan.
The donor bike was a 2013-model Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200, and the brief had one unusual specification: Yellow黃宣 wanted a faux fur seat that could accommodate a passenger. With this in mind, Max set out to create a Sportster chopper as eclectic as his client’s music.
This Sportster boasts the sort of attention to detail that we’ve come to expect from 2LOUD. Max extended the front forks, and turned their lowers on a lathe to remove their fender mounts. The lowers were then polished to match the enclosed vintage rear shocks that were sourced for the project.
A 21” wheel sits up front, using a chromed rim and hub with stainless steel spokes. The 16” rear wheel features one of the bike’s most unique touches—a pair of hand-hammered Meinl cymbals that have been cut and repurposed as wheel covers. The wheels are wrapped in Firestone (front) and Unilli (rear) rubber.
The continuous interplay between textures and colors continues with the Sportster’s chain drive conversion. Max specced it with a black-and-gold EK chain, then bolted on a 2LOUD chain guard. The front brake caliper is a polished four-piston unit from an early-2000s Sporty, and the discs are from Max’s performance parts brand, 2SPEED.
Moving to the bodywork, Max sourced a peanut tank for the Sportster and fabricated new mounting tabs for it to create a cleaner effect. It’s matched to a custom-made two-up saddle—wrapped in a glorious faux fur cover, as per Yellow黃宣’s request. A handmade rear fender pokes out behind it, sporting a shorter and skinnier vibe than the OEM unit.
Given the overall style of the build, adding a sissy bar was a non-negotiable. Max fabricated a short stainless steel unit, with a clever mounting bracket that also accommodates the rear turn signals. A 2LOUD license plate bracket and a Motone taillight are bolted to it.
The front end of the bike is equally well dressed. Max swapped the headlight for a smaller unit, adorning it with a custom-made brow that curls elegantly towards the front. The yokes were polished, and the instrument cluster was moved to the left of the fuel tank.
The entire cockpit arrangement is pitch-perfect. Laid-back handlebars are fitted with aged-copper KustomTech controls, simple push-buttons integrated into their clamps, and little else.
Max’s mission on this chopper build was to create a bike that was not only creative, but also comfortable and rideable. To that end, he created a stainless steel exhaust that would sound pleasant, but not overly loud, and then installed a ThunderMax ECM to make sure the bike ran smoothly. Other upgrades include a Lithium-ion battery from Shorai and an air intake and engine covers from Fork in Japan.
Despite the audacity of the overall aesthetic, the Sportster’s myriad finishes harmonize beautifully. The frame and swingarm wear a triple-coat of ceramic paint with a textured finish, while the tins sport an aged paint finish. Finer details include a matching paint job on the rear fender struts, a mechanical gas cap with an aged brass effect, and dirtied white grips and foot pegs.
Riffing on classic styles while simultaneously treading new ground, 2LOUD’s Sportster chopper is another smash hit from a builder at the top of his game.
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