Scrambler Inspired Miller Time Sportster

1shawhd2shawhd3-2shawhd3-1shawhd3-3shawhd3-5shawhdSince I used the word Scrambler in this feature headline, let me anticipate your reactions, and write the true definition of what was and what is now a Scrambler motorcycle. Originally, Scramblers were off-road motorcycles mostly used for motocross racing. They died in the 70’s, now replaced by modern lightweight motocross bikes racing on MX tracks. During the last 15 years, custom builders re-invented the Scrambler using modern cruisers as platforms, chopping them, extending the swingarm, increasing rear suspension travel, often using knobby tires although these machines will never taste dirt nor do jumps. It’s all about nostalgia and attitude, no more about off-road racing. A “new” style now so popular that, as you know, all major manufacturers have launched their own interpretations of the modern Scrambler. And they are all hot sellers…

7shawhd8shawhd5shawhd6shawhdAmong today’s factory machines easy to “Scramblerize”, the Sportster, in all its factory offerings, from to Iron 883 to the 1200, is one of the top choices. And if you are a Harley dealer with a custom department, it’s a must choice, especially if you focus on attracting younger customers.

Now in its 7th Year, Shaw Speed & Custom, the custom wing of UK Based Dealer Shaw Harley-Davidson, has quite a successful track record regarding creating modern custom Scramblers. And customers, corporate or individuals, ask for this style again and again. Miller Time featured here is the latest example of what can be accomplished and is a the 3rd part of a trilogy saluting the very publicized 2011 and 2012 custom “Scramblers” that put Shaw Speed on the custom scene map.

10shawhd13shawhd11shawhd9shawhdEvidently, the cost of customization to produce such a gleamy Scrambler for the road exceeds the price of a new Sportster 1200 CA on which it is based. Still, it’s a great inspiration for those with a much lower budget. As an official Harley dealer preserving the factory warranty for its clients, the stock frame was not structurally modified, nor the motor or tranny altered. After tearing down the Sportster to bare frame, Shaw Speed And Custom started the Scrambler makeover, reaching a modern Scrambler stance thanks to adding a longer swingarm and fabricating a a new rear end with mini fender and custom support rods holding the run/brke/turn lights.

12shawhd14shawhd15shawhd16shawhdGas tank is a rare piece found at RSD, one of the shop preferred US vendors. H-D suspension was swapped for an Ohlins race front end and Ohlins shocks. Most of the rest of the job is cosmetic, replacing many original parts with the custom bolt-on ones offered by Roland Sands Design and Performance Machine, working on steel and aluminum metal finishes and colors, with a special mention for the tedious job of customizing the wheels with the Miller Time graphic. Rim art at its best requiring to de-chrome the H_D wheels and to “de-spoke” and “de-nipple” each wheel before painting, then re-lacing the wheel with spokes tightened to spec without damaging the paint….The main custom parts used on this project are listed below. Shaw Speed And Custom.

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Tech Sheet

Gas Tank Roland Sands Design
Tyres Front Michelin Anakee Wild 120/70/19
Tyres Rear Michelln Anakee 170/60/17
Master Cylinder Front Roland Sands Design
Rear Master cylinder Roland Sands Design
Handlebars Street Fighter
Grips Performance Machine
Internal Throttle K-Tech
Rocker Cover Roland Sands Design
Air Breather Roland Sands Design
Taillights Colorado
Derby Cover Roland Sands Design
Timer Cover Roland Sands Design
Engine tuning
Harley-Davidson Screamin Eagle Stage 4 Heads
Pistons Screamin’ Eagle
Camshafts Screamin’ Eagle
Tappets Screamin Eagle
Handlebar Switchgear. Performance Machine
Swingarm Harley-Davidson/SS&C
Footpegs Roland Sands Design
Shifter Peg Roland Sands Design
Solo Seat Shaw Speed & Custom
Rear Shocks Ohlins
Front Forks Ohlins
Exhaust Shaw Speed & Custom
Custom Paint Image Design Custom UK

22 Responses to “Scrambler Inspired Miller Time Sportster”


  1. 1 Freddy Dec 5th, 2016 at 9:13 am

    Nice. But too much color for me.

  2. 2 Roberto Alis Dec 5th, 2016 at 9:15 am

    Great job, Maybe a little bit too “preppy: for a Scrambler

  3. 3 Greeko Dec 5th, 2016 at 9:16 am

    Exhaust burn?

  4. 4 P. Hamilton Dec 5th, 2016 at 9:17 am

    Very tough job to paint spoke wheels. Labor intensive.

  5. 5 Lyle Landstrom Dec 5th, 2016 at 9:54 am

    Why no front fender on a dirt bike? Looks nice though. HD should do something similar.

  6. 6 SIGFREED Dec 5th, 2016 at 10:10 am

    Lyle – because it is not a dirt bike; if it was it would have a front fender.

    The closest this will come to dirt is if dirty jokes are exchanged inside Starbucks…

  7. 7 Tom Ryan Dec 5th, 2016 at 10:18 am

    I like the silver/blue paint job. The bike could probably use some real nice slotted, mesh style or carbon fiber heat shields on the pipes.

  8. 8 Chief Waldo Dec 5th, 2016 at 10:47 am

    Well done!

  9. 9 Tcat Dec 5th, 2016 at 11:32 am

    Agreed Chief Waldo, that is one nice bike. I think everyone is forgetting is that it’s a custom not production bike. The builder can do whatever turns them on. And they did do that.

  10. 10 Stony Crane Dec 5th, 2016 at 11:51 am

    One of the best Sporty customs I’ve seen in quite some time. Hell, I’d ride it because I have a pair and I’m not worried about what others think, but hell, I supported The Donald…I mean the President Elect. Nice work.

  11. 11 Woody's Dec 5th, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    I don’t understand the thought process behind the exhaust, but overall it’s a fun looking bike and I’d love to run it around a cinder track for the heck of it 🙂

  12. 12 richards Dec 5th, 2016 at 4:26 pm

    Silly!

  13. 13 Blackmax Dec 5th, 2016 at 5:44 pm

    Very Nice work !!
    Too bright for me,
    but I bet somebody is going to buy it

  14. 14 D.nous Dec 5th, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    I think the thought process behind the exhaust would be tuned length hence so many bends on the rear to match the length of the front pipe and its high to be traditional to a scrambler…clearance for river crossings, low trees,scrub etc…I think it’s a very nice bike… lots of money and time in it, that’s for sure!

  15. 15 badams Dec 5th, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    Guess this is the new thing.

  16. 16 calif phil Dec 6th, 2016 at 8:59 am

    What Stoney Crane said

  17. 17 New York Myke Dec 6th, 2016 at 11:35 am

    Stoney Crane you supported Trump because you have a brain, it’s not a gender issue! I agree about the the ‘scrambler ‘ too!

  18. 18 JohnnySpeed Dec 6th, 2016 at 1:06 pm

    Ugly and just ridiculous. I thought theme bikes were dead. Looks like an OCC special.

  19. 19 Woody's Dec 6th, 2016 at 5:24 pm

    2D.nous, understood, but hardly seems to be more than superficial and a way to have an outlet on either side. On such short runs, equalizations can be done just as well with unequal pipe diameters. This isn’t the kind of bike that needs a piano tuner, if HP/Displacement was an issue they wouldn’t have started with an XL mill in the first place.

  20. 20 hacksaws garage Dec 6th, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    cool bike. waaaay out of my price range but there is some nice ideas there.

  21. 21 Heavy Metal Dec 7th, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Nice work. I’d like to get it dirty for them.

  22. 22 Bleeding Ears Dec 12th, 2016 at 11:48 am

    H-D used to build that bike. The original XLCH.

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Cyril Huze