Instead of outsourcing trike customization to aftermarket companies, Harley-Davidson has leaned more and more into the trike category over the last decade. Most recently, the Motor Company rounded out its three-wheeler range with the addition of the 2023 Road Glide 3. Positioned over the Freewheeler, the new model enters the lineup as a mid-tier option, but the Tri-Glide remains the patriarchy of the family.
Launched in 2009, the flagship grand tourer has been around the block, but Japan’s Trijya Custom Motorcycles added some style to that seniority with its White Whale Tri-Glide. The project delivers on that nickname with custom bodywork of large proportions. The standard full tank gives way to an oversized, stretched fuel cell while a 23-inch front wheel steps in for the 16-inch stock hoop.
Gallery: White Whale: Harley-Davidson Tri-Glide
Trijya pairs that large front wheel with a tire-hugging full fender, but the back end receives the most substantial overhaul. The Tri-Glide's car-like trunk area already commands considerable physical and visual weight. The team only increases the heft with re-sculpted fenders and length-running sideboards. An enormous, Fast and Furious-worthy rear spoiler only draws the White Whale closer to its hot rod influences while upholding the larger-than-life motif.
The Osaka-based shop applies restraint in particular areas, however. Though the standard Tri-Glide features auxiliary lights, Trijya streamlines the lighting scheme to unencumber the iconic Batwing fairing. The team also maintains the OE lower leg fairings and cockpit accommodations to suit both cruising and cross-country adventures. The Twin-Cam 103ci engine remains as well, though a Jekyll & Hyde exhaust lets the V-twin roar thanks to its variable volume control.
Staying true to its Moby Dick inspirations, the team paints the custom trike in a brilliant white base. However, matte black, gray, and red graphics keep the hot hod theme intact. Everything from the handlebars to the floorboards to the LED headlight receives the same level of attention.
Harley-Davidson may have rounded out its trike lineup in recent months, but Trijya Custom Motorcycles proves that there’s still plenty of life in the stalwart Tri-Glide.
