Not too long ago, our good friend and ace photographer Kazuo Matsumoto introduced us to the work of Minoru Watanabe at Fatech in Tokyo, Japan. Watanabe-san clearly never takes a day off, because he’s already blessed us with another glamorous vintage Harley Shovelhead. This one’s dripping with just as much nostalgic Americana as the last—but it’s way more sparkly.
The lines, details, and finishes on Fatech’s custom bikes reflect Minoru’s personal interests. He’s equally passionate about vintage choppers and hot rods, and is the proud owner of a 1930 Ford Model A Roadster. “The owner of this machine and I both love old American motor culture,” he explains, “so we decided to customize it based on the style of 1960s gasser drag racers.”
The goal was to build the two-wheeled equivalent of a muscle car, with a shimmering paint job that would evoke images of 1960s Californian summers. The bike needed a whole lot of shiny bits, an appropriate name, and an accompanying logo in a period-correct style. With a 1936 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide on the bench, Minoru had his work cut out for him.
As per Fatech’s usual operating procedure, the Shovelhead motor was the top priority. Minoru rebuilt the stock 74 cubic-inch engine into a stonking 93 cubic-inch powerhouse, with a balanced Truett & Osborn bottom end, coated pistons, and modified S&S Cycle heads. Other hop-up parts include an Andrews camshaft, Jims USA tappets, and a Dyna S ignition from Dynatek.
On the outside, you’ll find a Sputhe cam cover and a 2” open belt primary from Rivera Primo. The carb is an S&S Cycle Super E, fitted with a custom-made scooped intake that adds a little hot rod flair. Woven between the drivetrain’s components are elegant copper-nickel oil lines, hand-bent by Minoru.
Everything is housed in a bespoke chassis that uses the OEM lugs, but nothing else. “After talking with the owner, I decided to build a frame that, although it looks like a four-speed frame, is different upon closer inspection,” says Minoru. “I wanted to create a frame that no one had ever seen before.”
The Fatech design places the steering neck an inch lower and the rake at 34 degrees, and the rear end is now an inch shorter. Wrapped tightly around the Shovelhead motor, the whole thing looks squat and purposeful. The absence of a traditional rear rigid triangle is also worth a closer look, as are the myriad pinstriped details that adorn the polished frame tubes.
Shortened Harley Wide Glide forks sit up front, gripping a 21” front wheel with Firestone rubber. The rear wheel is a 16” item, wrapped in a Coker whitewall. Minoru kept the OEM brakes—a standard drum brake up front, with a Wagner Lockheed hydraulic drum brake at the back that’s integrated with the sprocket assembly.
As we’ve come to expect from Fatech by now, this Shovelhead’s bodywork is extremely well judged. Minoru fabricated the slim fuel tank and flared rear fender from scratch, adding twin filler caps and an aluminum strip to the tank to make it appear like a split setup. The center console, which houses a Motogadget speedo, is lined with rivets that reference old aircraft—a nod to the owner’s grandfather, who was a naval pilot.
A vintage Elctroline headlight is mounted up front, followed by a narrow set of mini ape hangers. The bike employs a foot clutch and hand-shifter, so the bars wear little more than trimmed Beck grips, an internal throttle, and a front brake lever. A pair of micro-switches adorns the left-hand side of the bars, with the bike’s ignition barrel and remaining switches hidden elsewhere.
Atelier Cherry handled the seat upholstery, while Minoru finished the tail end off with a vintage Ford taillight. The bike’s tight proportions are what Minoru calls “Tokyo style,” built for darting between cars on Tokyo’s bustling streets.
That philosophy is echoed in the stunning drag exhausts, which are notched to tuck them inside the frame rails. A custom tank is wedged in between the pipes and seat with Tetris-like precision, holding oil in one section and the bike’s battery and electronics in another. Minoru also fabricated the stunning finned aluminum oil filter housing.
There are countless more details to take in, but none loud enough to detract from the Shovelhead’s hot rod-worthy ice blue flake paint job. That was the work of the immensely talented Shakin’ Speed Graphix, who also handled all the pinstriping and graphics.
To finish things off, Minoru dubbed the bike Mighty Roar, before conceiving a tank graphic that depicts a winged cam and tappet roller. “This is the logo of a fictitious cam grind manufacturer that I came up with, called Fatech Company,” he adds, cheekily.
Fatech’s Shovelhead is a rolling tribute to an era when muscle and style ruled the streets, blending hot rod heart with vintage Harley soul. Honoring the past while pushing boundaries, it brings a touch of Californian cool to the streets of downtown Tokyo.
Fatech | Instagram | Images by, and with thanks to, Kazuo Matsumoto
