Veteran observers of Anglo-American crossbreeds will remember the Goodman HDS 1200 of the early Nineties. Also a Featherbedded Sportster 1200, the Goodman was set up as a café roadster, with low bars (below yoke) or higher (above yoke), and some impressive specs: Reynolds 531 tube frame, 42mm Marzocchi fork, Brembo 2x4 brakes, and Koni shocks. Five gallon tank, 58.5 inches of wheelbase, 450 pounds dry.
Builder Simon Goodman, whose great grandfather John founded Velocette, had in mind a production motorcycle. Most of the major components came from his own shop; in addition to the frame, Goodman manufactured “the swinging arm, all the aluminum castings, top and bottom yokes, exhaust system, oil and petrol tanks, and side panels.”
The wheels and fork were built to Goodman’s specs in Italy, and he…