The H-D XL 1200 CX Snow Drag Bike
Harley-Davidson of Banska Bystrica churns out the ultimate winter project for the third annual Battle of the Kings Contest.
This Sportster-based Slovak custom is snow joke
Harley-Davidson's 2017 Battle of the Kings custom bike competition was full of amazing entries. Roughly 200 H-D dealerships from around the world built Sportster-based customs this year with an eye on taking home the big prize – and bragging rights – from EICMA 2017. One of the more unique bikes entered isn’t really a bike at all, but a drift-chewing, ice racing snow machine built by Harley-Davidson of Banska Bystrica.
READ MORE: Italian Bombshell Wins 2017 Battle of the Kings
Banska Bystrica is an old copper mining town located on the banks of the Hron River in Central Slovakia. Primarily a tourist spot now, the picturesque city gets a fair amount of snow due to its proximity to the Low Tatra, Veľká Fatra, and Kremnica Mountains. It makes a certain amount of sense then that the crew at H-DBB built a snow bike for the competition rather than a road-going bike.
READ MORE: Harley-Davidson's Battle of the Kings Showcases European Custom Beauties
To make their radical custom, the H-DBB crew started by stripping down a donor XL 1200 CX. The front wheel and rear swingarm were then removed and tossed into the corner to make room for the snowmobile parts. A single ski conversion was mounted to the forks, and the rear skid-frame system was installed with its own suspension. Since the Roadster's drive belt is on the right side, a conversion was done to move said belt to the left side to accommodate the snowbelt kit. The snowbelt came with its own brakes, so the Roadster's stock brakes – including the ABS – were eighty-sixed to make room.
READ MORE: 'Beach Bobber' Wins Harley's UK/Ireland Battle of the Kings
After the mechanical bits were sorted, the crew moved on to the cosmetic work. A new “blue smoke” vinyl wrap was made to cover the tank, forks, side-panels, headlight cowl, tail, and part of the snowbelt kit. A secondary LED light was mounted beneath the aftermarket headlight, and a new intake and skid plate were added.
Once that was done, all there was left to do was take their new snowbike out for a rip on some ski slopes. You can check out one of their videos below, and it's definitely worth your while.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
LiveWire's 2026 Has Been Positive, But Also Illustrates How Stats Can Mislead You
Here's The Insanity of What Racing a Scooter At The Nurburgring Is Like
Harley-Davidson's Sportster Is Returning, And an Entryl Motorcycle Will Be Under $10k
The Philippines’ Fuel Crisis Is Creating Motorcyclists Out Of People Who Never Wanted Motorcycles
Harley's Profits Are Way Down Over Last Year's
Aprilia’s Rainy Test Day Might Actually Matter More Than A Race Win
Harley-Davidson Thinks It Can Quadruple Profits Even As Dealerships Close And Sales Plummet