her name must be Dyna cuz she looks like a wide glide ...

 

Definately a SOFT tail

 

Deuce Bagger




Function 100% Looks-your call





I decided on a Softail Deuce as I saw potential in the basic setup and was convinced I could add some civilized "manners" into the bike given enough time out on the road sorting it out.

I am not new to the trade-offs involved in taking a big custom out on the highway and really riding the wheels off it. I started riding big Harleys in the early 60s. Making the most out of them has all ways been an obsession starting back when I wondered why my '63 FLH felt overweight and clumsy compared to my '67 Norton Scrambler. And so the madness began.

I bought the Deuce and have modified the suspension, had four seats on it, five shield setups, five sets of handlebars and all different kinds of road bags and gee gaws to make long trips more comfortable and satisfying.

I get a lot of strange looks from expert road bike touring riders that simply do not believe ANY chopper/lowrider/bobber can be as useful as their full-on rigs on the highway. The fun part is keeping up with and PASSING them with a bike that works really great AND looks hot. And going state-to-state quite nicely even without a stereo in the dash.

Here's a picture of how far she has come. And a photo shop image of where I want to be at the end of next riding season with some black paint and my new factory Deuce-only Hard Saddlebags...

Hope you like it. But if you don't, well I do and that is all that matters.

 

I don't know, for being born a TC88 I think I nailed performance, comfort and looks, IMHO!!!

 

To answer the OPs' original question as simply as possible:

I START with getting all the comfort, handling, ridability and performance parameters finished FIRST. I don't want to worry about "good looks" other than to keep an eye on the general style the bike has going for it.

AFTER the bike is thoroughly thrashed to within an inch of its life and it has NOTHING LEFT to offer in improvements as a machine THEN I MAKE IT PRETTY.

While you are beating the snot out of a bike getting it to behave with satisfying "manners" as a machine you simply should not have to worry about dropping it or scratching the paint or whatever.

AFTER it is perfect. THEN you paint it and add "farkle."

That is my theory and I am sticking to it.

If a bike is not a total and absolute blast to ride--why are you risking your life on it?

ANY bike can have Farkle. Few are totally satisfying. If I am going to put my life on the line to ride the thing---it had better be worth it.

My two cents.

 

One thing tops on my list its the seat..I bet the ones with drivers back rest are more comfortable but to me look geriatric so....not gonna do it..no offense meant..really..
I'm gonna have my stock seat rebuilt with more/ better gel foam padding and two tone leather with purple piping..and I hope I'm satisfied all way around..
Btw, I really like tbonetonys bike and I'm jealous of all internally wired bars

 

Thanks amkaos, I knew when I wanted apes I wouldn't have them unless all was run through the bars. I jut don't like all that stuff out and flapping around. Its so much cleaner looking this way.

 

 

this thread has gone in many different directions and the one thing I have learned from my build is to put a lot more thought into what I am doing. I really like my bike and the changing of parts is part of building a bike. I started out going one way and have changed several times. is it expensive... Yes! but I have learned a lot since I have joined the forum and it has me thinking a lot farther out for my future build.

 

Hilarious. I had totally forgotten that SNL skit.