Kento Oketani goes crazy on a Sportster

WORDS: MARK MASKER PHOTOS: TIM SUTTON

Kento “Fury” Oketani’s 1970 Ironhead Sportster here may be a few spikes short of starring in a Mad Max movie, but it’s only a few spikes short. It’s a blend of styles you don’t usually see mashed-up together. Part chopper, part desert sled, it’s definitely a stand-out custom bike. We were able to pin him down to talk about it, and rather than doing him the disservice of trying to describe it secondhand, we thought it was best to let him put it in his own words.

Hot Bike: Before we dive into the Ironhead, let’s talk about you. How did you come to live in the US?

Kento Oketani: I go with Fury as my nickname. I don’t have a business or anything but you can find me on Instagram @fury36.

I am originally from the city called Kanazawa in Ishikawa, Japan. I worked as a mechanical engineer for about five years before I moved here at the beginning of 2015. I went to school in La Verne, California for three months. I was going to go back home after that but it wasn’t enough for me so I transferred schools to one in Torrance.

Around Born Free 7 in 2015, my friend Yace (@hwzn.mfg.co) visited me from our hometown. He had been friends with Oliver Jones (@thecutrate) for a long time. So he took me to Oliver’s house during Born Free and introduced me. Shortly after I ended up moving in. I have been living in Long Beach since.

HB: When you found this bike, what kind of shape was it in?

KO: I bought this 1970 XLH, a couple sportster frames, motors, and some parts in…2017? I kept the 1970 and sold the rest of the stuff. The bike actually looked like a fully assembled motorcycle, but I decided to take it all apart in my bedroom.

HB: Why did you build the bike? What was the inspiration?

KO: I took the inspiration from my friend Yace’s bike. His bike got me into custom motorcycles. He also led me in the right direction to build it, too. His is a 1956 Triumph. He imported it from the US to Japan back in the early 2000s. I remember when I saw the bike in person for the first time, 10-plus years ago. It was the first vintage scrambler I had ever seen, and it blew my mind. It’s really hard to explain it but the bike was a scrambler/chopper/desert sled.

So when I bought my bike and a pile of parts I thought it was a great opportunity to see if I could build a bike like that Triumph from a Harley-Davidson Sportster.

HB: What was the most challenging part of the build?

KO: I spent a lot of time looking at old pictures to see what the differences were between a Triumph and a Sportster.

Making the subframe, the oil tank, and the exhaust for the first time was exciting, but also challenging for me.

And I also didn’t want to build the exact same bike. I added digital gauging to the handlebars, futuristic looking switches, and a bigger battery for the electric start, etc.

Building the motor was one of the most challenging parts, too. It was my first time working on an Ironhead motor and every single step was a learning experience for me. Also the motor I used is from a ’76 XLH I purchased in 2021. The 1976 was a hot rod motor. I had to be very careful fitting all the parts together when I was rebuilding it.

HB: What is/are the most interesting aspect(s) of the bike?

KO: The “mix-up of styles.” Desert sled, chopper, and performance; old and new.

HB: Now that it’s done, is there anything you’d change or do differently?

KO: All the fabrication work isn’t the best. The exhaust, the subframe, and the oil tank, I think I can make them better now.

HB: What’s next?

KO: I just bought a 1984 Harley-Davidson FXSB. HB

Spec Sheet

BIKE OWNER KENTO OKETANI, AKA FURY

SHOP NAME @FURY36

YEAR/MAKE/MODEL 1970 H-D IRONHEAD SPORTSTER

FABRICATION KENTO OKETANI

ASSEMBLY KENTO OKETANI

BUILD TIME 4 YEARS

ENGINE

YEAR/MANUFACTURER

1976 H-D

TYPE/SIZE SPORTSTER/70.8 CI

BUILDER KENTO OKETANI

CASES H-D

HEADS THUNDERHEADS BY ROBINSON INDUSTRIES

ROCKER BOXES THUNDERHEADS

EFI/CARB MIKUNI HS40

AIR CLEANER MIKUNI VELOCITY STACK

EXHAUST CUSTOM

SPECIAL FEATURES S&S FLYWHEELS/VENOLIA PISTONS/ANDREWS V-9 CAMS/ROLLER ROCKERS

TRANSMISSION

YEAR/MANUFACTURER/TYPE

1976 H-D

CASE STROCIEK ENGINEERING TRAP DOOR/ANDREWS GEARS

CLUTCH STROCIEK ENGINEERING

PRIMARY DRIVE KARATA BELT DRIVE

FRAME

YEAR/MANUFACTURER

1970 H-D RAKE STOCK

SUSPENSION

MANUFACTURER FRONT H-D 33.4MM FORKS, SHAVED

LENGTH 4 INCHES OVER

TRIPLE TREES H-D

MANUFACTURER REAR BETOR 14.5-INCH SHOCKS

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES

MANUFACTURER FRONT-TYPE 21-INCH SPOOL HUB SPOKE WHEEL

MANUFACTURER REAR 18-INCH STOCK HUB SPOKE WHEEL

FINISH-PAINT

COLOR LEFTOVER PAINT THAT MY FRIEND KRIS HAD IN HIS SHOP

PAINTER MITCH FROM KELLY & SON, THE CRAZY PAINTERS

GRAPHICS PINSTRIPED BY HOTDOG KUSTOMS

ACCESSORIES

REAR FENDER

RIBBED FENDER

GAUGES MOTOGADGET

GAS TANK/CAP WASSELL STYLE TANK WITH PANGEA SPEED

FUEL FILLER

OIL TANK

HANDLEBARS

HAND CONTROLS/GRIPS

FOOT CONTROLS/PEGS

KENTO OKETANI

KENTO OKETANI

KENTO OKETANI

KENTO OKETANI

HEADLIGHT SWAP MEET

TAILLIGHT

LUCAS STYLE

SEAT SADDLEMEN