DP Customs Ironhead Sportster

Clear. That’s the phrase the Del Prado brothers hear most frequently. Clear. Standing of their store in New River, AZ, the place every part has its place, it’s clear that is no coincidence. The security goggles sit folded subsequent to the electrical tape atop a shiny pink instrument cupboard, the instruments tucked quietly inside. There’s a shelf for paint, a desk for enterprise, and a piece bench divides the room into halves, a aspect for every brother. However this isn’t the beautiful face of some bought-and-paid-for store.

“Our mother and I are each neat freaks,” Justin tells me. “I might need a dysfunction. I don’t suppose I can operate amongst muddle.” Then they describe ironing their shirts to go bag groceries as youngsters. Certainly, clear is the Del Prado lifestyle.

But it surely wasn’t till they jumped ship from company life (they each labored as managers in finance corporations till slightly flick referred to as Battle Membership impressed them to desert their stations) that the creed would earn them a repute as high motorbike builders. Since then, they’ve grow to be recognized worldwide for his or her spit-shined aesthetic, bending our minds with one imaginative Ironhead-based construct after one other.

Wanting over their catalog of labor, one in every of these items just isn’t fairly just like the others. We wished to take a more in-depth take a look at one specifically: the Seaside Cruiser. Because it seems, this bike wasn’t constructed for a buyer, however for Justin’s private day by day use, impressed by his outdated day by day journey.

“The important thing design affect on this bike,” says youthful brother Jarrod, “was really Justin’s 1958 VW Bug, which he’d beforehand restored. After having fun with that automobile for a number of years, he ended up promoting it, and later regretted it. The paint scheme and total model of this bike have been impressed by that automobile to assist Justin considerably maintain its reminiscence alive. The paint codes are equivalent.”

It did greater than maintain the reminiscence alive. “It was actually a sleeper,” Jarrod stated. “It seemed classic and enjoyable, however it was really fairly fast! Though we didn’t rebuild the motor, somebody beforehand had, and will need to have upgraded to some sizzling cams. Our seat-of-the-pants dyno guesses about 65 horsepower, which moved this little machine alongside properly.” (Inventory Ironheads carried 45-50 horses.)

I requested if the Seaside Cruiser was a departure from their model. “It’s actually probably the most comfy bike we’ve constructed. The mini-beach bars lend to a pleasant, easy-going using place. Most of our bikes have an aggressive clip-ons stance.”

Realizing how far they’ve pushed the envelope already, I’m wondering the place these two, who’ve been finest pals since delivery, are headed subsequent. To this, Jarrod says, “We simply completed a 154 hp turbo Sportster. The longer term retains getting sooner! And we’ve bought our first customized Triumph within the works. Together with a number of cafe-style Sportsters. We’re already booked till 2015, the longer term is wanting superior for DP Customs, and we’re having a blast!”