If you’ve been around the V-Twin world for more than five minutes, you’ve heard the name Drag Specialties. This iconic brand, for over five decades, has been pusging the passion of racers, builders and riders living in the rumble of American V-Twin engines. Whether it’s a chrome cover, a performance upgrade, or something to make your bike just a little nastier, there’s a good chance it passed through their hands. But Drag didn’t start as the V-Twin parts powerhouse it is today — it came from a much rowdier place. This is the story of Drag Specialties: a voyage of creativity, flexibility, and a strong dedication to the motorcycle community.

Drag Specialties got its start in 1968, founded by Tom Rudd, a motorcycle mechanic and drag racer who opened a small parts shop in Minneapolis. As the motorcycle drag racing was booming at that time, speed hungry racers wanted performance components that could handle the strip's rigorous requirements. By recognizing this gap, Drag Specialties was established to serve the specific requirements of drag bike lovers who expected nothing less than the best. What began as a modest operation, It quickly gained traction under Rudd’s leadership, eventually becoming one of the biggest names in the motorcycle aftermarket world.

In its early days, Drag Specialties was all about speed — supplying high-performance parts for drag racing bikes during a time when the custom scene was raw, loud, and unapologetic. Their focus was simple: help riders go faster and look tougher doing it. That meant tuning parts, big carbs, loud exhausts, and all the go-fast gear needed to tear up the strip.

But Drag didn’t stop at performance. They were among the first to blur the lines between race parts and custom style — paving the way for a new kind of rider who wanted their bike to perform as hard as it looked. As the custom Harley scene exploded, Drag Specialties evolved right with it, leaning deep into the world of V-Twins, choppers, and cruisers.

By the early ‘80s, the brand had shifted almost entirely to the American V-Twin scene. The chopper boom had riders all over the country tearing into their Harleys, and Drag was there to feed the beast. They added chrome accessories, fuel tanks, fenders, lighting kits and custom seats for their Harley-Davidson. Whether it was performance parts, handlebars, controls, or chrome dress-up kits, they were building the catalog to match the moment. This tactical shift made Drag Specialties to maintain it's leadership position in a rapidly growing market.

They started working directly with shops and builders, becoming the go-to distributor for parts that were hard to find anywhere else. Because of their dedication to quality and rider-focused design, they have achieved a trusted name in Harley customization. If you had a shop and were building Harleys, you had a Drag account — simple as that.

In 1988, Fred Fox, founder of LeMans Corporation (the parent company of Parts Unlimited), acquired Drag Specialties. The move brought Drag under the LeMans umbrella, giving it the resources and distribution network needed to seriously expand its reach in the American V-Twin market.

With Parts Unlimited already dominating the metric scene, adding Drag Specialties gave LeMans a powerful foothold in the Harley and custom V-Twin world. From there, the growth was nonstop — more warehouses, thicker catalogs, and an ever-growing roster of brands. But the real transformation came with Drag Specialties FatBook, which swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most significant catalogs in the motorcycle aftermarket sector. From performance suspension parts to custom wheels and exhaust systems, this annual catalog included thousands of parts and accessories.

By utilizing LeMans' vast marketing resources, Drag Specialties also raised its profile at important occasions like Daytona Bike Week, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and other custom bike exhibitions. The company solidified its position at the forefront of the American V-Twin and custom motorcycle scene through partnerships, sponsorships, and event activations. These strategic moves enabled Drag Specialties to go through a phase of unprecedented growth

As its catalog expanded and the quality of its products improved, Today, Drag Specialties is one of the biggest distributors of aftermarket V-Twin parts on the planet. Their catalog includes a solid mix of their own branded gear and heavy hitters like Saddlemen, Vance & Hines, Biltwell, S&S, and many more.

What’s kept Drag Specialties relevant after all these years is their focus on the riders, shops, and builders who keep this scene alive. Whether it's a set of handlebars made for ergonomic comfort on long rides or a high-performance exhaust system that produces both sound and power, Drag Specialties creates parts that are not just to look good but are made to ride. Additionally, they collaborate with some of the leading brands in the custom world, supporting shops and builders who push the boundaries of innovation and creativity. Every product in their lineup is chosen or developed with real-world functionality and rider feedback in mind. They don’t just move boxes — they support shows, races, and grassroots events all across the country. If you're a shop building bikes for the street or the strip, Drag has your back.

Drag Specialties went from drag strips to backroads, from racing machines to raked-out choppers and mile-hungry baggers. They’ve been a part of motorcycle culture for over 50 years, and they’re still at the center of it all.

If you ride American V-Twin, odds are something on your bike came from Drag — even if you don’t know it.