Many motorcyclists are fascinated by the notion of owning, riding, or even just examining one of those ultra-rare classics that show up at major international classic motorcycle auctions. How about taking a ride on a bicycle-framed 1904 BSA Minerva, which sold at auction this year for $23,100? Or maybe having a go on a 1912 Indian Hedstrom 4-valve board track racer, which sold at auction this year for $110,000? Or a 1922 Harley-Davidson 8-valve board track racer, which sold at auction this year for $93,500? Okay, these true classics from Mecum Auctions’ Las Vegas Motorcycles 2026 event may well be a little out of most riders’ price range.

Wisconsin’s Joe Hackl feels your pain. He also has a strong interest in classic and vintage motorcycles, though most of us don’t to the same degree. He has such an affinity for these rare, expensive motorcycles that he builds replicas for himself as a hobby. But he’s also open to the occasional commission. How Hackl does it and how realistic his replicas turn out is a remarkable story in itself.

How Joe Hackl’s Handmade Classics Come Together

Most of the replica bikes are built from repurposed bicycle frames and tires, which, when you think about it, lends the creations authenticity because so many of the motorcycles in the period he emulates started out with bicycle frames and tires.

Flipping the handlebars upside down creates the illusion of the down-swept bars worn by board-track racers. Flat-side fuel tanks of those early days are mimicked by sheet metal cut and bent to approximate size and shape, though not necessarily complete with a bottom capable of holding any fuel.

Girder forks are created with extra leg bars welded on and non-functional coil springs added for effect. A surprisingly effective look-alike for a period engine can often be achieved with a single-cylinder or V-twin air-cooled air compressor. Old gas lawn mower or utility engines also sometimes fill the bill.

A mash-up of miscellaneous odd parts here and there can add to the old-time, everything-is-mechanical look of the period. For example, on a replica board track racer, Hackl drew my attention to what appeared to be a gracefully curved velocity stack on the carburetor. Surprised by its design, I asked where he’d found it. “It’s a faucet spout from an old bathtub,” he answered with a smile. Imaginative repurposing is part of the magic of Hackl’s handmade classics!

Hackl’s use of cast-off bits and pieces is clever and imaginative. It also lets him build his classic creations on a tight budget, at least when it comes to materials. His labor and time are often quite another matter.

“Some of these bikes I’ve done in only a few days. Others really took some time to work out the design and to put together,” Hackl explains. “I usually have a design in mind when I start, but the details get filled in as I go. Things I get at yard sales or an auction and things like that might be used on a project I hadn’t thought about when I started it.”

Patina, Paint, and Mistaken Identity

Preserving existing scuffs, rust, and faded paint results in authentic patina. Remarkably convincing classic brand logos hand-painted on the tank top off the look.

At a glance, many of his creations are often mistaken for the ultra-rare real things! Hackl once had an observer at a car and bike show, who was a longtime motorcycle enthusiast, insist that one of his creations had to be the real thing. The viewer persisted, even though Hackl assured him he built it and that the “engine” was actually an old air compressor!