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I like the way the black primary cases contrast with the chrome side covers. Also, I like the black cylinders, I think they really look good with the edges of the fins machined. Plus, leaving enough black on the engine really "pops" the modest amount of chrome thus the black/chrome complement each other nicely.
When one of the reasons people like Harley's is that they engines are beautiful industrial/mechanical designs. The engines are exposed to be seen and appreciated not as the other bikes that cover up/hide their engines behind body work.
So when you get a Blacked Out bike you then are hiding the engine. Making it's detail, thus it's beauty obscured. Harley owner's are proud of their engines.
So why hide them by camouflage the engine with flat black paint?
Now Black paint on the tins is a whole other story. To me nothing shines as a black bike after washed and waxed.
I love the look when the aluminum parts of an engine are polished. Wash it little wax and it looks new. The black paint on the engines is harder to keep looking like new.
the beutiful thing about HD is that each person can make it fit them. Why Skulls? Why Flames, why lower, why bright colors, why rake out the front, etc etc. the why is because it fits that individual.
I picked my HD because it has a blacked out engine. I like some chrome, but the whole engine was too much chrome for my liking. I like the no hassel wrinkle black.
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Back in 01 when i got my FXDX, i heard all sorts of comments about the black engine...pipes..tranny...rocker boxes..belt guards...anything covered in wrinkle black..who knew that it was cool before it became a trend..
I really liked that it stood out from the others at the time..and got some nasty comments about it being a "econoharley" from the chromosexuals who spent more time raggin on others bikes and shopping for windex sales than riding..
I like the look of chrome in moderation...and i've added some to my bike over the years...pearl white/wrinkle black/chrome makes for a nice combination,i think...
But i do find it funny that the black accessories sure aren't priced any lower...
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.