It Takes $77K to Turn a Fat Boy Cruiser Into This Harley-Davidson Mountaineer

It probably can’t actually climb mountains, but the modified Harley-Davidson Fat Boy shown here definitely looks like it could if the trail ever pointed uphill. The bike even carries that new personality in its post-build name: Mountaineer.

The project comes from Swiss custom shop Bundnerbike, a garage that has spent years creating one-off takes on the Fat Boy. This newer build doesn’t try too hard to be flashy, but the changes run deep enough that at times it’s almost hard to recognize the original cruiser underneath.

Like many of the shop’s builds, the first targets were the wheels, the limited bodywork, the fenders, and the exhaust. Most of those parts were replaced with custom components, shifting both the stance and the overall role of the motorcycle.

The instantly recognizable Lakester aluminum wheels appear to remain, though they now wear a darker, more subdued finish. Exact dimensions aren’t listed, but the thicker tires make them look larger than the stock setup.

Above the wheels sits a new spinal layout built around a custom seat with orange diamond stitching. It replaces the original two-up saddle, while the fuel tank comes directly from Bundnerbike’s own stash of parts.

Custom fenders were fitted at both ends of the bike. A number of smaller details also changed, including drag-style handlebars replacing the cruiser bars and a license plate mount with integrated LED lighting. Most of those pieces were designed and made in Switzerland.

As it often does, the shop also borrowed a few components straight from Harley-Davidson itself. That includes the grips, footboards, several covers, and the braking system.

Mechanically, the engine stays largely stock. However, the original suspension is now paired with an air suspension setup, and the factory exhaust has been swapped out for a system built by European specialist Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde.

For the finish, Bundnerbike chose a dark base paint layered with brown glitter. Several components — including the wheels, fork, and handlebars — were powder-coated black to give the bike a tougher, more unified look.

The lower, more aggressive Fat Boy is now sold as the Mountaineer, with pricing starting at about CHF60,000, or roughly $77,000 at today’s exchange rates. That’s nearly three times the price of a standard Fat Boy equipped with the Milwaukee-Eight 117, which currently starts at $22,599. The donor bike used for this project originally came with the earlier 114 engine, but the real transformation here is in the styling and stance, not raw power.