A custom 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide by Geert Van Hoof.
A 30-inch front wheel. Handcrafted titanium. A distinctive green finish. TITAN is the result of approximately two years of building, reshaping and refining — bringing a personal vision to life, one detail at a time.
I had owned and customised several Harley-Davidson Night Rods before TITAN came along. I still enjoyed the bikes, but another passion — diving with my metal detector — meant I was spending less time riding.
Then my friend Bart asked me to help build a bagger with a 30-inch front wheel.
Working on his bike brought the excitement straight back. Before long, I knew I wanted to build a bagger of my own.
The Night Rod was sold, and I found an original 2022 Road Glide with just 6,000 kilometres on the clock. That became the starting point for TITAN.
Soon, we were building two baggers side by side.
Choosing the wheel, shaping the bodywork and getting the proportions right took time. Every part had to work with the next.
As the build progressed, the ideas kept growing. Knowing where to stop has never been my strongest point.
The front wheel came from SMT Wheels, paired with a bolt-on rake kit designed for a 30-inch setup. This allowed me to create the stance I wanted without making drastic changes to the frame.
Air ride suspension became another part of the build, alongside the front fender and the bodywork taking shape around it.
Bart gave me a damaged rear fender and saddlebag set as a thank-you for helping with his bike. Those parts became the foundation for TITAN's rear end.
I spent months working on the fibreglass, reshaping and refining the pieces until the lines felt right. I prepared everything through to the spray-filler stage before handing it over for professional finishing and paint.
The front spoiler was also built by hand, with titanium details incorporated into the design.
The fuel tank started as an inexpensive aftermarket tank. I rewelded every seam, narrowed and extended the sides, and reshaped it to flow into the side covers. The filler cap was recessed into the cover.
I also made the fibreglass seat pan myself. When the first version did not fit the way I wanted, I started again.
The connection between the seat and tank had to be just right.
As a welder, I wanted titanium to play a major role in this build. Cutting, bending and welding it was familiar territory. Achieving the green colour I had in mind proved much harder.
After contacting numerous companies, I reconnected with an old friend at MP Design and Fab in Italy. Around ten years earlier, I had helped him get started with titanium welding. This time, he helped me bring my idea to life.
The titanium components were sent to MP Design and Fab in Italy for anodising, giving them their distinctive colour.
They also made the exhaust silencer to my specifications.
That collaboration became an essential part of TITAN's appearance, carrying the titanium theme through the bike.
I rarely begin with a drawing. For the exhaust, I started cutting segments from straight tubing, gradually assembling them until I had the shape I wanted.
The sections were tack-welded and sent to Italy for anodising. Once they returned, I completed the welding in small stages, carefully controlling the heat.
It was a slow process, but one that became a defining part of the build.
The handlebars and crash bar were also made from titanium, with further titanium pieces incorporated into the front spoiler.
Look closely and you will see how the material connects different parts of the design.
Some parts of a build deserve a specialist's touch. For the paintwork and seat, I found people who understood exactly what I was trying to create.
The bike went to Radical Customz in Vichte, Belgium, for final preparation and paint.
Lucas and I were on the same wavelength from the start. I shared the colours I wanted, and his first designs immediately felt right.
He worked through the smallest details, bringing the bodywork and colour scheme together.
With the seat pan finally shaped the way I wanted, Jimi at Spirit Leather created the finished seat.
Its fit against the tank was a detail I had spent a lot of time getting right. Seeing the finished upholstery bring it all together was a real highlight.
The wheel, bodywork and titanium may catch your eye first, but the build continues beneath the surface.
Laseur Motoren fitted a different camshaft and carried out the engine mapping.
For me, it made a noticeable difference to the way the bike rides — an upgrade I am very glad I made.
White LED strips run underneath the bike and even inside the front fender.
At the rear, LED strips are paired with compact Kellermann 3-in-1 units. Paul Yaffe front indicators also serve as daytime running lights.
Rebuffini floorboards and brake and shift controls continue the attention to detail around the rider's position.
Lyndall TT-Tracker brake discs form part of the setup, while Hertz speakers replace the original audio speakers.
TITAN took approximately two years to build.
Some pieces came together naturally. Others were reshaped, rebuilt or started again. Throughout the project, I kept coming back to the same question: does this look and feel the way I imagined?
Thank you for taking a closer look at TITAN and the work behind it.
