Brian Karing was about 18 when he spotted a 1973 Harley-Davidson Sportster in his brother’s garage and decided it belonged with him. More than 35 years later, the Hermitage, Pennsylvania, rider still has it. The bike carries early custom work by Dave Perewitz, along with a handful of changes Brian made for himself.
There’s plenty to look at: the paint, engraved headlight, fairing, rear fender and homemade spoiler. But what makes this Ironhead worth a closer look is that Brian knows how each piece got there. In our latest Outta Focus feature, he tells the story himself.
A Perewitz-Built 1973 Sportster That Stayed in the Family
The Sportster was built at Cycle Fabrications by Dave Perewitz. Brian remembers seeing it in his brother’s garage and making a declaration: “This bike’s mine.” After getting it going, he started adding his own touches. He has kept the motorcycle in much the same recognizable form for more than three decades.
That long history matters. This isn’t a newly assembled tribute to an old-school custom. It’s a motorcycle that has survived with its early paint and a combination of the builder’s work and the owner’s decisions. For more on Perewitz and his history in motorcycle building, see our earlier Perewitz Cycle Fabrications feature.
From an Engraved Headlight to a Fairing
Brian says the motorcycle’s early paint job made it into a coffee table book, photographed on the beach during Daytona Bike Week with Dave. He recalls an earlier look with what he believes were six-inch risers and an engraved headlight.
Then came the fairing. Brian and his brother spotted one, his brother went and got it for him, and Dave painted it to match. Brian says that single addition changed the motorcycle’s look. It’s a simple example of how a custom can evolve without losing the identity that first made its owner want it.
The Pieces Brian Made His Own
Brian fabricated the small spoiler himself at work. He also changed the intake setup, eventually fitting an SU carburetor after running an earlier carburetor and small round air cleaner. Asked why he chose the SU, he doesn’t dress it up with a technical speech: “I put this on because it looks cool.”
And he is quick to give credit where it belongs. The rear fender is Perewitz’s work, not one of Brian’s own modifications. “That was all Dave,” he says. Those details tell you a lot about the bike: Brian has put his stamp on it, but he knows exactly what came from the original builder.
Watch Brian Tell the Story in Outta Focus
Photos can show the paint and chrome. Brian’s account adds the garage story, the fairing his brother picked up, and the reason he still has the Sportster after all these years. Watch the complete Cycle Source TV feature below.
Yankee Lake Bike Night and 170 Feet of Dirt Drags
Brian’s motorcycle story isn’t his only connection to the riding community. He also talks about Yankee Lake Bike Night in Brookfield, Ohio. As he describes it, Wednesday nights bring an old-school mix of bikes, games, motorcycle audio competitions and dirt drags on a 170-foot track. He also mentions pull-start minibike racing as a planned addition.
Look for Yankee Lake Bike Night on Facebook and Instagram, and New Yankee Lake Bike Night on TikTok for event information and updates.
Still His Sportster After All These Years
It takes plenty of effort to keep an old custom together, especially one with paint and parts tied to a well-known builder. Brian’s Sportster still carries Perewitz’s early work, while the fairing, handmade spoiler and carburetor tell the story of the owner who has lived with it.
The best part is that the bike didn’t disappear into a collection or get rebuilt beyond recognition. It’s still Brian’s—the Sportster he laid claim to when he was a teenager.
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