I wanted to build something that would bring people to the bike as a witnessing tool, something that was different and with much attention to detail. We had to tear down the bike to the frame. We pulled out the engine, the primary and various other parts to get the look I wanted. It took us six months to complete the bike from start to finish. Here are the main steps we went through in case you are in the middle of a redesign:
- Removed all tins;
- Fab new tins and fit to get proper gaps.
- Sent to Paint / Body / Powder Coat: One piece 8” stretched bags and rear fender
- Stretched Tank
- Wrapped front fender
- Faring mods
- Tear engine down for performance upgrades and detail touches
- Remove primary and replace with #2 open primary
- Replace suspension, Front and Rear
- Rake front end to fit a 26” front rim
- Internal fairing support
- Audio upgrades
- Digital gauges to match color scheme
- Panhead covers
I chose this paint because it hasn’t been done before and I wanted it to be subtle, yet the bike pops when the sun hits it. The dark red flakes are beautiful in the sun and hard to see in the shade or at night. If one knows bikes, he or she can pick out all the small details that set it apart. The bike definitely draws people in with all kinds of questions and opens a door to witness to them and talk about God and what He has done in my life. All kinds of people – believers and non-believers – ask me about the bike and many are surprised to find out I am a Christian.
The bike has won several trophies: Best of Show, People’s Choice, Best Bagger, and Best Paint to mention a few. But the bike is not a show bike. It was built to ride. The ride is very good and comfortable. The front end is heavier at low speeds, which makes for a comfortable and balanced ride. I chose a Road Glide instead of a Street Glide, because I like the way the Road Glide cuts through the wind as opposed to a Street Glide. I had the help of my good friend Chris Bergman throughout the build.
Words by: Jeff Hemm
Photos by: Steve Key