Daily Rider to Show Stopper, from Aden Customs…
The Harley Big Twins have always received the bulk of attention from custom builders, particularly for chopper builds. But we love the Sportster for its comparably light weight, solid performance, and more compact unit-construction drivetrain. If you want to build a Harley hot rod, a big-bore Sportster is the way to go.
This “Hot Rod” comes from our new friend Chet Aden of Aden Customs. We first came across it via the Fuel Cleveland Show, which has been unfortunately postponed for 2025. Chet’s old man built hot rods and custom bikes, and Chet got his own start at an early age:
“When I was younger I started out by building custom chopper bicycles out of old mountain bikes. I would cut and section the forks to extend them and get wild with the frame modifications. I fell in love with creating different things. Art has always been a huge part of my life, from sketches to sculptures I loved doing it all.”
Fast forward to present day, and Chet has a home shop outfitted with a Bridgeport mill, lathe, English wheel, shaping stump, sand bags, and a Sosa Metalworks Shape-O-Matic Power Hammer — all the goodies to shape metal to his heart’s desire.
The ’06 Sportster 883 you see here began as Chet’s daily rider, outfitted with a Hammer Performance 1250 kit. Then Jesse Bassett from Cleveland’s The Gasbox — a 12,000 square-foot manufacturing facility that produces everything from exhaust systems to full frame kits — offered up one of his Evo Sportster rigid frames for Chet to build up and show off.
A bike like this one has so much custom work it’s hard to detail it all. Just about everything is modified and custom. Chet went so far as to modify the frame gussets to lend them a bit more shape and character, and he even fabricated custom gussets to hide the motor mounts.
Chet put his metal-shaping skills to good use hand-crafting the tank, fender, and oil tank from 3003 aluminum, polishing them until they gleam like the fuselage of a P-51. If you’re interested in seeing more of the process, check the videos on his Instagram account: @adencustoms.
Chet also shaped a custom seatpan, which Philip Anderson of Anderson Custom Interiors upholstered — his buddy and go-to seat guy. It’s good for a custom builder to have a signature, and the custom stainless exhaust features Chet’s gradual 2-into-1 tailpipe section, which sounds downright sinister matched with the big 1250 Evo engine.
With the lighter rigid frame and alloy bodywork, this Sportster “Hot Rod” offers a lot of both show and go.
“This bike is a lot of fun to ride. It’s fast with the Hammer Performance 1250 kit and it turns a lot of heads. Kids love it.”
We’re not kids, but we love this build just the same. Kudos to Chet for turning his childhood passion into an adult reality. We look forward to seeing what rolls out of his shop next. Below is our full in-depth interview with Chet about the build, along with additional photos of “Hot Rod.”
1250 Sportster Chop: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’ve been obsessed with bikes and cars my entire life. My father built hot rods and custom motorcycles. I was extremely inspired at a young age by his ability to build anything he could imagine.
When I was younger I started out by building custom chopper bicycles out of old mountain bikes. I would cut and section the forks to extend them and get wild with the frame modifications. I fell in love with creating different things. Art has always been a huge part of my life, from sketches to sculptures I loved doing it all.
As I got older I started to develop the desire to start building one-off handcrafted pieces of rolling art. The goal was to challenge myself as much as possible and to push my abilities to their limits. That is still the goal with each build.
My my home shop has been slowly growing over the years out of necessity for my creative desires. Now with a Bridgeport, lathe, English wheel, shaping stump, sand bags, and a Sosa Metalworks Shape-O-Matic Power Hammer. I often make videos to show the various ways to shape metal by hand or by machine.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
This bike is a 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 with the Hammer Performance 1250 kit.
• Why was this bike built?
This bike was built out of my daily rider. I was given the opportunity to build something different using the Gasbox ’04 and up hardtail. Jesse from the Gasbox was generous enough to challenge me with this build and to assist in a few of the custom parts I needed cut and bent. thanks Jesse for the opportunity to build this and showcase it.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
This build really just came to life by me sitting and staring. Like most builds, I sat and stared for hours and made cardboard shapes for the tank to see if I saw any lines and shapes that worked for me. I work in a pretty organic fashion and try to let the art that already exists come to life.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
There are a ton of custom pieces on this bike. I modified the frame’s gussets to give them
more shape and character. Custom gusset accent pieces for looks and to hide the hardware
that holds the solid motor mounts.
Custom handcrafted gas tank, fender, and oil tank made from 3003 aluminum with a polished finish. I have videos on my Instagram (@adencustoms) of some of the process.
Custom seat pan upholstered by my buddy Philip Anderson of Anderson Custom Interiors. He finishes all of my custom seats; he’s the best.
Custom stainless steel exhaust with my signature gradual 2-into-1 tailpipe section. And many more smaller parts.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
I just call this bike “Hot Rod.”
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
This bike is a lot of fun to ride. It’s fast with the Hammer Performance 1250 kit and it turns a lot of heads. Kids love it.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
I’m happy with this entire build but I’m most proud of the support that I received from those closest to me.
Follow The Builder
Web: www.adencustoms.com
Instagram: @adencustoms
Facebook: Aden Customs
Frame: thegasbox.com | @thegasbox
Seat: www.andersoncustominteriors.com | @andersoncustominteriors
Beautiful job.