Making a Road King look more Classic
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,403
Likes: 72
From: North Dakota
I know this bike is a Street Bob and not a Road King, but I used Road King fenders to convert to a 1960 Duo-Glide look. I too decided against the tip lights to get an older look.
For a more "Classic" look, I would suggest:
-Solo Seat with a seat rail
-Fishtails on the exhaust
-Wide White Wall tires for a 50's or 60's look otherwise black walls
-perhaps a nostalgic type mud flap
-blackout the side covers. You could spray Plasti-Dip on them to see if you like it. It will peel off if you don't
-a retro paint job is the ultimate change. Though I painted mine red/white, I have always been in love with the 1955 Hollywood green color with 1955 tank emblem.
For a more "Classic" look, I would suggest:
-Solo Seat with a seat rail
-Fishtails on the exhaust
-Wide White Wall tires for a 50's or 60's look otherwise black walls
-perhaps a nostalgic type mud flap
-blackout the side covers. You could spray Plasti-Dip on them to see if you like it. It will peel off if you don't
-a retro paint job is the ultimate change. Though I painted mine red/white, I have always been in love with the 1955 Hollywood green color with 1955 tank emblem.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 702
Likes: 16
From: Zebulon, NC
Top of page - sticky thread
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,388
Likes: 132
From: Baltimore, MD
Blasphemy! Where's the fun in that??? The OP has the right idea: already thinking of how he's gonna make it "his".
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 88
From: San Quirino, Italy
...You sure left that one stock...Nice job!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 575
Likes: 4
From: SouthWestern Ontario
Yeah, suppose you guys are right, its always more fun to make it your own unless we are talking "true classics", then it is best to leave everything as it was when available new, patina and all.
Mkguitar - Your '53 Pan sure brings back memories and is a fine original example. I had a '52 Pan as well as a '62 Pan amongst the hoard of bikes over the years. Long gone...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
Thanks! It's funny how mods accumulate if you own the bike long enough. I like that the OP is formulating a plan early on, envisioning what the final result will be. Guess that's what most of us do. Just about everything I do is on the cheap, using others take off parts or fabricating parts myself. My goal was to make the mods appear stock and most don't notice much of anything out of the norm. My bikes have never been taken to a dealer or shop.
Yeah, suppose you guys are right, its always more fun to make it your own unless we are talking "true classics", then it is best to leave everything as it was when available new, patina and all.
Mkguitar - Your '53 Pan sure brings back memories and is a fine original example. I had a '52 Pan as well as a '62 Pan amongst the hoard of bikes over the years. Long gone...
Yeah, suppose you guys are right, its always more fun to make it your own unless we are talking "true classics", then it is best to leave everything as it was when available new, patina and all.
Mkguitar - Your '53 Pan sure brings back memories and is a fine original example. I had a '52 Pan as well as a '62 Pan amongst the hoard of bikes over the years. Long gone...
I like your Cop Bike! I also try to bargain hunt as much as possible and do almost all my own work. With selling the take off parts and wheelin and dealing it has cost me nothing to change bikes.
Making you bike look classic is easy, just envision what you want it to look like and accumulate the parts.
You should be able to remove the front fender light and replace with the road king classic fender tip.
Post up some pictures !!
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver
[QUOTE=AFMM3;12507537]I know this bike is a Street Bob and not a Road King, but I used Road King fenders to convert to a 1960 Duo-Glide look. I too decided against the tip lights to get an older look.
For a more "Classic" look, I would suggest:
-Solo Seat with a seat rail
-Fishtails on the exhaust
-Wide White Wall tires for a 50's or 60's look otherwise black walls
-perhaps a nostalgic type mud flap
-blackout the side covers. You could spray Plasti-Dip on them to see if you like it. It will peel off if you don't
-a retro paint job is the ultimate change. Though I painted mine red/white, I have always been in love with the 1955 Hollywood green color with 1955 tank emblem.
Now we're talkin....what a great lookin ride....
That gets the juices flowin for me....brings back great memories
Will post pics after I inspect and pay....apparently "like new not a scratch"..
This is an ebay auction that I won...a long distance tranasction
For a more "Classic" look, I would suggest:
-Solo Seat with a seat rail
-Fishtails on the exhaust
-Wide White Wall tires for a 50's or 60's look otherwise black walls
-perhaps a nostalgic type mud flap
-blackout the side covers. You could spray Plasti-Dip on them to see if you like it. It will peel off if you don't
-a retro paint job is the ultimate change. Though I painted mine red/white, I have always been in love with the 1955 Hollywood green color with 1955 tank emblem.
Now we're talkin....what a great lookin ride....
That gets the juices flowin for me....brings back great memories
Will post pics after I inspect and pay....apparently "like new not a scratch"..
This is an ebay auction that I won...a long distance tranasction
Last edited by Kristo; Mar 29, 2014 at 01:39 PM. Reason: addition
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 594
Likes: 10
From: Seminole County, FL
tires are generally considered to have a shelf life of 6 years, max.
a contributor to the crash which killed the fast and furious actor Paul Walker, was 9 year old tires...a type which should have been changed out at 4 years max.
they get hard and don't grip so well, so do that first.
Also, pull the seat and make sure the fender isn't damaged or scuffed up...if you want a solo, you gotta have a presentable fender
you have to define "Classic" for yourself.
here a pic of my original '53:
of note is that the "Classic" bikes- pre-80's, were/are much smaller than the current touring bike, above you may note that the V twin motor is the largest single component- the gas tanks are 14 litres total- so 1/2 the size of current tank.
the frame neck/ forks are different, wheelbase smaller, fenders smaller etc etc
mike
a contributor to the crash which killed the fast and furious actor Paul Walker, was 9 year old tires...a type which should have been changed out at 4 years max.
they get hard and don't grip so well, so do that first.
Also, pull the seat and make sure the fender isn't damaged or scuffed up...if you want a solo, you gotta have a presentable fender
you have to define "Classic" for yourself.
here a pic of my original '53:
of note is that the "Classic" bikes- pre-80's, were/are much smaller than the current touring bike, above you may note that the V twin motor is the largest single component- the gas tanks are 14 litres total- so 1/2 the size of current tank.
the frame neck/ forks are different, wheelbase smaller, fenders smaller etc etc
mike
I would take that over mine in a heartbeat!
That is the epitome of a classic.
Lucky bastard!
