Rough Crafts Goes American with the First U.S.-Built Race Guerilla Harley-Davidson

For more than a decade, Winston Yeh has built some of the most recognizable Harley-Davidson customs in the world. His signature "Guerilla" style has become instantly identifiable thanks to aggressive proportions, premium race-inspired components, and an unmistakable blend of matte black, gloss black, and exposed carbon fiber.

Until now, every Rough Crafts motorcycle had one thing in common—they were built in Taiwan.

The Race Guerilla changes that.

Built around a 2023 Harley-Davidson Street Bob, this project marks the first Rough Crafts motorcycle assembled in the United States, thanks to a collaboration with renowned custom motorcycle builder Max Hazan. More than just another custom Harley, the Race Guerilla proves that Winston's vision can now be built virtually anywhere in the world without sacrificing the craftsmanship and performance that made Rough Crafts famous.

Why Rough Crafts Needed a New Approach

Taiwan's vehicle regulations have long shaped Winston Yeh's design philosophy. Strict inspections make extensive frame or engine modifications difficult to register for street use, forcing Rough Crafts to focus on creating high-end bolt-on components that dramatically transform stock motorcycles while remaining legally rideable.

But shipping complete motorcycles halfway around the world created its own headaches.

Between international freight costs, customs paperwork, registration requirements, and ever-increasing logistics expenses, delivering finished motorcycles to overseas customers became increasingly complicated.

"When you ship a complete bike, every step becomes more difficult," Winston explains. Building closer to the customer simply made more sense.

When Harley-Davidson introduced the Milwaukee-Eight platform in 2018, Winston immediately saw new possibilities. The platform's electronics and modular design made it easier to engineer universal components that could integrate with factory systems. Rough Crafts began developing a broader catalog of parts specifically for modern Harley-Davidsons, making remote builds increasingly realistic.

The concept sat in development for years until an unexpected conversation with Max Hazan brought everything together. Fresh off completing his Ferrari-powered V8 custom motorcycle, Hazan had room in his schedule.

"When Max offers to help," Winston jokes, "you don't say no."

The project started with a stock 2023 Harley-Davidson Street Bob shipped directly to Hazan's California workshop. Once Rough Crafts' custom components arrived from Taiwan, Winston flew to Los Angeles to oversee the assembly. Surprisingly, the complete transformation only required a matter of days.

Rather than fabricating an entirely new motorcycle from scratch, the Race Guerilla demonstrates the effectiveness of Rough Crafts' modular approach. Premium engineered components replace factory equipment while preserving the reliability of Harley-Davidson's proven chassis. The result feels less like a bolt-on build and more like a purpose-built factory performance special.

As with every Rough Crafts motorcycle, performance received just as much attention as aesthetics. The Race Guerilla combines race-proven components throughout the build, including:

• Öhlins FGRT216 front forks with a Rough Crafts triple clamp

• Öhlins HD503 rear shocks

• BST BlackStone Tek carbon fiber wheels

• Beringer radial braking system

• Rebuffini RR90 CAN Bus controls

• Rough Crafts fighter handlebars

• Rough Crafts performance exhaust

• Rough Crafts x Arlen Ness intake, grips, and rocker covers

The reduction in unsprung weight from the carbon fiber wheels alone dramatically sharpens handling, while the Öhlins suspension and Beringer brakes elevate the Street Bob far beyond stock performance. This isn't simply a show motorcycle—it was built to attack canyon roads.

Beyond the catalog components, the Race Guerilla features numerous handcrafted details exclusive to this build. A beautifully sculpted fuel tank and carbon fiber rear fender were produced by SFC Simon Fiber Craft, while custom jewelry studio 2 Abnormal Sides created cast pushrod collars and a one-of-a-kind tank emblem that reinforce the handcrafted character throughout the motorcycle.

The signature Rough Crafts finish remains intact, layering satin, gloss, machined aluminum, and carbon fiber into one cohesive design language that has become synonymous with Winston Yeh's work.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Race Guerilla isn't the motorcycle itself—it's what it represents. Winston readily admits he considers himself more designer than mechanic.

Every Rough Crafts motorcycle has always been assembled by trusted technicians following his vision. That means customers no longer need to ship motorcycles across the globe.

According to Winston, any experienced Harley-Davidson technician comfortable installing aftermarket parts, performing basic wiring, and paying close attention to fit and finish should be capable of assembling a Rough Crafts build using his engineered components.

For enthusiasts dreaming of owning a genuine Rough Crafts Guerilla motorcycle, that dream has become considerably more attainable.