1957 Harley panhead custom by Ace Motorcycles of Japan

There seems to be a trend towards compact, muscular customs in Japan. And if that means fewer vintage Harleys desecrated with ape bars, peanut tanks and cheesy metalflake paint, I’m happy. This Panhead is a classic example: it didn’t grab me immediately, but the longer I looked at the pictures, the more I liked it. It comes courtesy of Guy Bolton, editor of the excellent Greasy Kulture magazine in the UK. “There are lots of beautifully rendered touches to the bike,” Guy notes, “from the K-model front wheel to the narrowed wideglide, the Smiths speedo and the narrowed fatbob tanks....