The Sex Machine FXR

May 29, 2026

A Ground-Up FXR Built To Push The Limits of Style and Performance

A little FXR Friday action with The Sex Machine FXR which was originally featured in Issue 304 of Cycle Source Magazine. You can find this and more in the pages of Cycle Source Magazine.

Over the past few years, the FXR community has seen just about every imaginable configuration of FXR you can dream up. While the purists are chasing mostly stock examples, regardless of which configuration that FXR happens to be, builders like John Jessup continue pushing the envelope beyond factory appearance and into a world of elevated performance and custom aesthetics. One thing Jessup never compromises on is the powertrain. Known for some of the highest-profile and top-shelf builds in the underground FXR scene, Jessup has become a staple at events like the FXR Jams East and West, as well as the FXR Mixer during the annual rally at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip.

Introduced in 1982, the FXR platform originally came equipped with what some considered a less-than-ideal Shovelhead engine in stock 80-inch trim. While the Shovelhead remains a legendary choice for Choppers and traditional four-speed applications, many riders felt it lacked the punch needed to truly wake up the FXR chassis. Builders throughout the 1980s—including Dave Perewitz, Arlen Ness, Donnie Smith, Don Hotop, and Billy Westbrook—proved the critics wrong by transforming the FXR into one of the best-handling and most customizable Harley-Davidson platforms ever produced. In many ways, the FXR helped define what became known as the “Pro Street” category.

Team Dream Rides was founded in Stockton, California, in 2004 by John Jessup. Today, the company operates from two locations, including the original California shop and a second full-service facility in Maryville, Tennessee. In 2020, John and Janine Jessup relocated with their family after falling in love with both the area and the people, opening Dream Rides Tennessee and continuing to build some of the most recognizable FXRs on the road.

John makes it a point to complete at least one ground-up bike every year, and more often than not, that build revolves around an FXR. A few years back, John and his daughter Gwen pieced together an award-winning FXR project. Not long after, John decided it was time to build one for his wife as well. The vision was clear from the start: create a motorcycle that captured the style and attitude of late-1980s and early-1990s FXRs while maintaining the legendary handling characteristics that made the platform famous. Then, in true Jessup fashion, he shoved a massive billet Shovelhead engine between the frame rails.

Like many great custom motorcycles, the build started with a single hard-to-find part. Through years of connections in the FXR underground, John sourced obscure and otherwise obsolete components, including correct side covers, vintage spun aluminum wheels, and a rare aftermarket fuel tank that perfectly matched the era-inspired styling he was after. At the same time, the bike needed to blend seamlessly with modern billet performance parts and upgraded components.

A proper Saddlemen seat was a natural fit, considering John’s longtime relationship with the brand. Power comes from a beautifully polished Shovelhead engine featuring a bulletproof S&S Cycle bottom end paired with a billet top end from Speed and Science. Out back, the suspension duties are handled by a Trac Dynamics swingarm, while the billet rear fender struts came courtesy of The Cutrate. Exhaust exits through a vintage set of BUB pipes sourced directly from John’s mentor, Dave Perewitz.

To stay true to the spirit of an early-’90s custom FXR, John turned to longtime friend and fellow Hamster Dave Perewitz for the finishing touches. Perewitz handled the body modifications, frame sculpting, tank fabrication, and layers of paint and clear that brought the entire vision together. Dave’s influence on the custom motorcycle world is undeniable, and with this bike carrying special significance for John’s family, there was no better choice to help bring the “Sex Machine” to life.

Over the last four decades, there have been more than a few iconic FXRs to emerge from the custom motorcycle world. One of the most recognizable remains the FXR chopper featured in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. Whether the “Sex Machine” ever makes it to the silver screen remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—you’ll spot it ripping down highways and showing up at FXR gatherings across the country for years to come. And if you like what you see, maybe John Jessup will build one for you too.

Sex Machine Tech Sheet