Cool Customs: Brad Ritondaro’s 2007 Softail Dream Machine

By Cameron Vanderhorst - April 21, 2020

**Like something out of a dream, this custom Softail Deluxe seems larger than life in every sense of the word.**

On my visit to the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Cleveland, Ohio, earlier this year, I expected to get up close and personal with the newest Harley-Davidson motorcycles. What I didn’t expect to find was a dizzying array of heavily customized bikes.

All of the bikes were entered into the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. This bike, a heavily modified 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe, was by far my favorite. It went on to win runner up in the Custom Street class.

Unlike some of the custom bikes on display, this one didn’t hide its origins as a Softail Deluxe. Instead, the builder, Brad Ritondaro, exaggerated every trademark detail to almost cartoonish proportions. This bike looks like something out of one of our dreams — or a heavy metal album cover.

The lowered stance comes from front and rear air ride, as well as a custom billet aluminum swingarm that accommodates bike’s super low, “in the weeds” stance. The fenders were stretched for a long, freight-train look. Similarly, the fishtail exhaust pipes and wide, swept-back handlebars accentuate this Softail’s perceived length.

Image is Everything

The paint job is similarly dreamy. It’s a bright, two-tone metallic light blue and purple scheme, with a ton of small details. Every time I look at this bike, I find something new. It’s almost as if the painter pulled out all the stops and used every trick they knew on this one bike.

Check out the “Deluxe” script airbrushed onto the front fender, and the matching half helmet. I’ll admit, the silhouette of Homer Simpson and his son Bart painted on the helmet made me laugh.

Everything about this bike is larger than life in ever sense of the word. Like the handlebars, the seat is long, low and wide. The front wheel is enormous. It’s almost tall enough to ride a roller coaster.

If it’s not painted, it’s chromed. There are acres of chrome on this bike. It was almost painful to stare directly at it under the bright fluorescent lights of the I-X Center. The wide chrome beach bars are capped off by custom-made purple grips that match the Softail’s intricate paint job.

It’s not that often that I get to see bikes like this up close. I spent two days at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show, and there’s a tiny part of my brain that wishes I could have stayed longer. Why? It’s all because I wanted to see more of this bike. There was a crowd around it nearly every time I stopped to sneak a glance, and for good reason.

Occasionally, bike builders go too far when they build their custom creations. However, in my opinion, this bike is just right. Like a beautiful piece of artwork by one of the great masters, I could stare at this thing all day. It’s just that beautiful.

Photos for H-D Forums by Cam VanDerHorst