Harley Slow Burn by Game Over Cycles

Slow Burn is a custom motorcycle inspired by the car of the same name, which is 1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster owned by James Hetfield, lead singer and guitarist of Metallica.

Designers from Poland built the custom bike as a sister vehicle to the classic car belonging to the famous musician.

The body lines of the motorcycle exactly mirror the shape of the Slow Burn, and its construction echoes the components of the car.

The front lamp imitates the front of a car with a radiator, the rear lamps look like car lights, and the steering wheel and levers are made in the style of the windshield frame. Additionally, the front fender is finished with a chrome cover, just like the Slow Burn’s fenders, the 30" front wheel is inspired by the appearance of a car wheel, and the entire rear of the motorcycle forms a symmetrical line with the rear of the car.

The biggest technical challenge of the project was reproducing the lines of the car on the motorcycle. Game Over Cycles’ designers took care of every detail, visually connecting the vehicle’s exterior (the elements mentioned above) and interior (the leather on the motorcycle reflects the car's upholstery).

Another challenge was scale. The motorcycle had to have large enough proportions to reflect the shape of the Slow Burn’s line., and considering who the owner of the car is, the Game Over Cycles team adjusted the proportions of the bike to James Hetfield's height (185 cm/6 ft 1), which was a particular challenge in the context of maintaining the proportions of the entire vehicle.

At the same time, the entire structure had to be kept in the spirit of the style in which the original vehicle was built, the 1936 Auburn Speedster has a characteristic Art Deco style. This style, both in art and architecture, was expressed in an ordered and coherent form. It is characterized by symmetrical patterns, arcs, ovals and ellipses. The team were inspired by the form and function of the Art Deco movement, from vehicles, fashion and interior design, in which works were distinguished by their unique aesthetics, craftsmanship and the use of high-quality materials.

The entire structure of the motorcycle is made of steel. It does not contain any plastic elements. The vehicle is characterized by a clean body line, which means that all screws are covered. The machine is 3.3 meters long (10,8 ft) and weighs 400 kg (880 lb). The time spent on building the vehicle amounted to 7,000 man-hours.

Rick Dore, an American custom car designer, who together with James Hetfield restored the Auburn 852, said:

“When we’ve seen the pictures of the motorcycle that Game Over built, we were knocked out. It’s an incredible vehicle, especially when you compare it to James' car. The body, the wheels, color, even the levers, everything was right on with the Slow Burn. My hats off to Game Over, they did a great job and the craftsmanship was out of this world.”

Stanisław Myszkowski, founder and owner of Game Over Cycles, explains the genesis of the project: "Metallica has always been a huge artistic inspiration for me. I am a fan of both the band's music and the visuals that accompany their art. James Hetfield is a huge automotive fan, he collects and restores vintage cars, so we decided to combine these two worlds and build a motorcycle inspired by James' vehicle.”

The motorcycle had its premiere in March 2024 at the Daytona Bike Week, one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the world held annually in Florida (around 500 000 participants in 2026). Custom motorcycle from Poland won 4 awards at 2 competitions organized during Daytona Bike Week 2024.

In the prestigious Boardwalk Bike Show, the GOC motorcycle won first place in the "Extreme Bagger" category and the "Best of Show" award for the best vehicle in the competition. In the Rat's Hole Custom Bike Show, the oldest custom competition in the world, the Polish vehicle again won the "Extreme Bagger" category and one more time was recognized by the jury as the best motorcycle in the entire competition winning "Best of Show" for the second time.

Technical specifications of the motorcycle:

Items purchased:
1. RavTech 115'' engine - Custom Chrome Europe (CCE)
2. Rav Tech 5-speed gearbox - CCE
3. BDL clutch - CCE
4. Mikuni carburettor
5. Footrests with accessories – Performance Machine CCE
6. Handlebar accessories - Performance Machine (PM)
7. Meter with electronics – Dacota Digital
8. Front and rear lamps with turn signals - CCE
9. Front suspension - Legend Air
10. Brake callipers - PM Works

Elements made by project partners:
1. Painting: Novol + Anest Iwata
2. Leather seat: WB-Line

Elements made by GOC:
1. Front wheel 30''
2. Frame
3. Rear suspension with swingarm
4. Front fender, rear fender, side boxes, tank, console, headlamp, handlebar, levers, brake discs, front suspension cover, clutch cover, filter cover, air suspension system, oil tank, exhaust, ignition switch.

Additional vehicle features and functions installed by GOC:
1. The exhaust system integrated with side boxes
2. Seat made of the same leather as the Slow Burn’s upholstery
3. The trunks open electrically
4. The license plate is electrically retractable
5. The flap on the tank covering the fuel filler, which contains the meters, is opened electrically
6. The air filter cover is made in the Slow Burn style
7. Front and rear suspension are pneumatically adjustable, just like in the car

Game Over Cycles (GOC) is a Polish custom motorcycles manufacturer formed in 2012. The company is known for its original creations, such as The Recidivst - world’s first tattooed motorcycle. Machines created by Game Over Cycles have won awards at world’s biggest custom bike competitions. The company has already won 30 awards, including 23 international ones, of which as many as 8 trophies were received at the European Bike Week (EBW), the largest motorcycle festival in Europe.

The company also won awards in the homeland of bike customization, the United States of America. In 2017 The Recidivist received first place trophy in the "Most Unusual" category at the Rats Hole Custom Bike Show - the most prestigious custom bike competition in the world organized every year at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - the world's largest motorcycle rally (538 000 vehicles in 2025). In total, Game Over Cycles has already won 9 awards in the US.