What brand of bike was never in question as Big Dee said, “Me being from Los Angeles, a lot of my friends had gotten rid of all those lowriders and Harley was the thing. It looked so cool to do it. Me being a big guy, I can’t see myself on anything else (laughs). Most people getting a first bike get something that’s expendable, but not Big Dee. “I did my homework before I bought. I wanted either the Street Glide or the Road Glide, but I didn’t feel as comfortable with the Road Glide. I’ve always been into customizing vehicles whether they’re an SUV or a car, whatever. I’ve always been doing that,” he said. “So, I pictured how I wanted to do a bike and that’s the reason I went with the Street Glide. It has a little more of a sport look to it, yet a street look.”

For a self-admitted customizing junkie, stock would never do. “I bought that bike on July 2 and started customizing that bike by the middle of July. I didn’t know no one and I met a couple of people who knew shops that did this and did that,” said Big Dee. “I went from getting pipes to one thing to another to another to another to another. Since I got this bike, I’ve probably put at least 25 to 30 grand into it. It got crazy without a doubt.” The exhaust change is not the biggest customizing commitment as seemingly everybody changes a stock H-D exhaust (except my friend Okie) and was followed by a 21” front wheel conversion that is a definite styling change. “I was on the Hawg Halters’ website (www.hawhhalters.com) and there was something about the Renegade Phoenix wheel I knew would look good on my bike. The thing about it, it actually matches the 24” Foose rims on my Tahoe SUV,” said Big Dee. “It’s definite a big change going to the 21, but it’s not too much of a difference since I put a big tire on there. I learned you cannot use a bias tire mixed with a radial (with a bit of background chuckling from Big Dee as he recounts that lesson in his head).” Making sure you get an unobstructed view ofRenegade’s seven super-shiny spokes comes courtesy of a single 13” floating rotor clamped by a six-piston Hawg Halters Inc. caliper replacing the dual-disc H-D brakes while he stuck with the H-D setup out back. Unless you got (and still have) those X-ray glasses from the back of comic books as a kid or you’re a native of Krypton and can see through fiberglass or ABS plastic saddlebags or whatever they’re made from, it doesn’t matter anyway. Making it even tougher are the Bad Dad (www.baddad.com) bag extensions and wide rear fender cover.

Doing all the custom changes you see including the flame graphics was Gary Queen of Other Side Customs in Dallas (www.othersidecustoms.net) . “Gary does all the custom work for Strokers, he’s an artist. I met him through other guys that have worked with him and he gives good prices and his work is really good. I’ve never had to go back for anything. Once it was done, it was done. He’s got a great group of guys working for him too,” said Big Dee. “He’s my man, I trust him. Not only that, he’s a good guy and he’s a really good friend.” When it came time to do something with the factory Sunglo Red finish, Big Dee said, “I trusted Gary and I said, ‘I want something funky, I want something different. You just come up with something.’ When I came back to pick it up, I was pleased, very pleased. After he did that, I got flame grips, pegs, bag latches, shift linkage ― flame everything done on the bike.”

Big Dee left the engine basically stock― for now. He did put a set of RineHart pipes and a Screamin’ Eagle Stage 1 air cleaner and said, “To be honest, after the warranty is over I will be doing something to the engine, but I’m not going to mess with it until then. I’m happy with the 96, I don’t need speed, but I am going to get it Diamond Cut in the near future.”

In the meantime, high-performance comes via the sound system Big Dee had installed by Car Toys in Hurst, Texas, (www.cartoys.com). “I’ve got at least four grand in that. It’s fully custom. I went with four 6”x9”, two 6.5” in the lowers, two 5.5” in the fairing and four tweeters in the fairing, so it’s loud,” he said. I took out the stock radio and put a Kenwood pullout CD player and amp. The sound system is crazy, when I’m coming, you will hear me, but I’m respectful of others too. I don’t sit there playing any cussing if there’s kids around.”

Remember the part of how Big Dee said “I have not stopped riding since,” well that turns out to be true as he’s got over 7,500 mile son it and wishes he had even more. “I would have more, but I travel a lot all over the country doing quality audits for ATT-Verizon. Whenever I have a chance ― I ride it. The group that I ride with, Second II None DFW M/C Club (www.secondiinonemc.com), made me even more of a rider. We ride hard, at the speed limit, but we ride hard,” said Big Dee. “We do a lot of 300 mile [one-way] trips. We’ve got a trip coming up to Arizona next week. There’s about thirty members and we all ride Harleys.” That trip alone should get his odo to register five figures.

Basically Big Dee’s bike is done and he has no desires to do more or build another bike (as long as you don’t count the new floorboards he was having put on as we spoke or the planned engine work) and he said laughing, “This is it. I’ve got three vehicles that I’m making payments and paying insurance on, so this is it. Anyway, this bike I’ve been told is the hottest Street Glide in Dallas right now. Everywhere I go people want to take pictures of it.”

SPECIFICATIONS
Name of bike: The Beast Owner: Donny “Big Dee” Clark Year/Make: 2008 H-D FLHX Street Glide Fabrication: Gary Queen-Other Side Customs Assembly: Gary Queen-Other Side Customs Build time: Six months Engine: TC 96 Cases: H-D Rods: H-D Pistons: H-D Cylinders: H-D Heads: H-D Cam: H-D Ignition: H-D Carb: H-D EFI Pipes: Rinehart Racing Air Cleaner: Screamin’ Eagle Stage 1 Transmission: 6-speed H-D Primary: H-D Clutch: H-D Frame: 2008 FLHX Rake: Stock Stretch: Stock Forks: H-D chrome lowers Fork length: Stock		Additional rake in trees: Stock Front wheel: 21″ Renegade Wheels Phoenix Rear wheel: 18″ Renegade Wheels Phoenix Front Tire: 120×21 Metzeler Rear Tire: 180×18 Metzeler Front Brake: Hawg Halters Inc 6-piston/13″ rotor Rear Brake: Stock Fuel Tank: H-D/Shroud Stretch tank-Gary Queen Oil Tank: H-D Fenders: Front-21″BadDad Wrap Rear BadDad Cover Handlebars: Handle Bar Lee Meat Hooks Risers: H-D Headlight: H-D Taillight: H-D Hand Controls: H-D Grips: H-D Foot Controls: H-D Painter: Gary Queen-Other Side Customs Color: H-D Sunglo Red Graphics: Gary Queen-Other Side Customs Polishing: Other Side Customs Molding: None Electrical: H-D Seat: H-D/Alligator cover-Gary Queen Favorite aspect of bike: Custom Sound System by Car Toys/Hurst, Texas Special thanks to: Gary Queen-Other Side Customs, Second II None DFW M/C Club, Harley-Davidson of North, Texas, Car Toys.BadDad, Thanks, now I am broke. LOL