writer: J. Ken Conte
photographer: Paul Miller
It seems things in the motorcycle industry come full circle on many different levels, and the Sportster chopper is no different. Back when choppers were first emerging on the San Francisco scene, people favored Sportsters because of their nimble handling and better weight-to-horsepower ratio compared to a Big Twin. These days a Sportster can be picked up for less than $5,000-a fact that makes them more attractive to a broader range of potential riders.
Pat Patterson, owner of Led Sled Customs (LSC) in Dayton, OH, has always seen the potential in these smaller, more maneuverable Harley-Davidsons known as Sportsters, and has made a business out of catering to Sportster enthusiasts' needs. Although several of his parts and bikes are not what you would call run-of-the-mill, he has hit his stride by providing radical custom parts for the Sportster market at reasonable prices.
Jake Dysinger, owner of this bike, had known Pat for a while and saw the potential in the Sportster he bought when he was in college. After college he was working as a car mechanic and toying with the idea of attending MMI to get schooling in all things V-twin and began fixing cars with blown motors and reselling them to put money aside for tuition. He brought his Sportster to Pat and was going to get one of Led Sled's weld-on wide-tire kits and a few custom parts. About this time Jake realized his business was going well and he didn't want to go to school anymore. He took the tuition money he had set aside and sunk it into his '96 883 Sportster to turn it into a full-on custom.
Jake knew he wanted a 240mm tire in the back with a blacked-out solid wheel, and he knew he wanted to run it on a stretched-out rigid frame. To keep the bike basic, Jake wanted it to be black and simple. First Pat pulled the 883 motor and built it up to a 1200, then the frame went up on the jig and the chopping began. A week later the frame was complete and had the Led Sled signature gooseneck and stretched-out backbone. They decided on a hydraulic frontend with blacked-out lowers and a spoke front wheel. Then it was time to decide on handlebars. Jake liked the bars on Pat's infamous "Whiskey Bent," so Pat bent up some similar bars and bolted them below the triple-trees. The bike was taking shape, and Jake really liked what he saw.