Actually, that’s a pretty simple interpretation or oversimplification on my part, but you get the gist. In the big picture, this pro street bagger is old as far as customs go being built way back in 2011. I say “way back” as in my opinion, a year in the custom world is like a dog year things move so fast. On a positive note, you gotta give Kenny credit for recognizing where things were going and instead of just jumping on the bandwagon customizing a 2011 Street Glide, he did what he does best, but with his own twist. That’s where the pro street bagger categorization takes over the build with stunning results.

 

   Kenny’s 2012 AMD World Championship contender started out as just another ground-up build like he always does, but with the bagger theme firmly entrenched in the design from day one. There’d be no sticking on aftermarket bags and a fairing to technically be bagger-class legal, but a cohesive one-off design that incorporated the necessary bagger elements. There’s also the possibility that long and low bikes like Kenny’s bike named Tantalizer may have just reverse-influenced the long and low factory-based custom baggers we see today. All the style points of a five-year-old (or more) pro streeter are there now, just with a comically large front wheel. Long and low and sitting on the ground. Sound familiar?

 

    Just to show you can’t take the true pro streeter out of a now bagger builder, Tantalizer has a brute of an engine just like any pro street custom. In Kenny’s case, it’s not just some big-inch mill polished to a blinding shine, it’s a rare bird too. Mike Garrison, formerly the owner and chief designer at Engenuity Motors International, built one of his 120-inch (or 127 depending on what you read) unique billet motors for Kenny. I use the incorrectly and often overused term “unique” here because Mike’s mills are truly one of a kind with distinctive looks and unholy power outputs. Don’t believe me? Find the spark plug wires for one. Or, figure out what’s holding the cylinders in place. Look Ma, no bolts! Plus there’s that crazy hot rod power everywhere that Mike’s known for.

 

   Building a home for this motor was first on Kenny’s hit list and he didn’t disappoint. His frame is really long and really low with a 44-degree rake and a five-inch stretch. Sound a bit pro-street familiar? You bet it does. Air suspension front and rear allows this baby to sit on the ground sans kickstand or jack up the ride height five-inches for interstellar travel or a ride down to the local watering spot. Either way, that’s decent ground clearance for a show bike.

 

   Possibly one of the best things that could have happened is that this bike was built before the 30-inch wheel became standard custom bagger fare. The Performance Machine Luxe wheels feature a reasonable 23-incher up front with an 18-incher out back sporting an also reasonable 240mm Metzeler tire. Nothing outrageous out back, but the 240 puts down an ample footprint for the more than ample power. A K-Tech front caliper works with a Performance Machine trans brake sitting on the BAKER Drivetrain trans output shaft to rein things in as needed. Simple, smooth, and effective show bike brakes.

 

   Where this bike really take sit up a notch is Kenny’s trademark of smooth lines and smooth work combined into one package. The one-off fuel tank is perfect and just flows undisturbed into the seat and steel rear fender. Yup, no glass fender for this guy. Kenny’s laid-down fairing doesn’t look like a pro street afterthought either. It’s laid back like the windshield on a Ferrari. Everything just flows like liquid metal in a wind tunnel.

 

  The all-important bags are made from fiber glass and this is not a disappointment to me in any way. Not only does this make sense from a builder’s view, but I think it was a necessary option as these are not only separate from the fender unlike the one-piece rear ends of baggers today, but they are detachable too. Yes, detachable. Here’s where über-heavy fabricated steel bags would take a couple of people to detach safely. Instead, these just pop right off easily and you’ve got a whole ‘nother look to swoon over.

 

  What appears to be a simple paintjob (and is) is actually not, at least in its execution. Kenny chose a color called watermelon from Mattel’s Hot Wheels collection by PPG. It’s not just a spray and play color as it’s required to have an absolutely perfect black base paint flawlessly followed by a coat of PPG’s Liquid Metal (PPG refers to it as “silver on steroids”) before laying on 25 coats of watermelon. Sure seems like a lot of work for such a “simple” paintjob, but the result is worth it.

 

  Kenny took a walk on the mild, but ultimately wild side when it came to graphics. There’s nothing loopy going on here with an in-you-face scheme. Instead of paint, he fabbed up some anodized billet inserts inserted with carbon fiber and inserted them tastefully in the tank, fenders, and bags. With all the smooth jazz flowing from one end to the other, the last thing he needed was graffiti, tattoos, or bold striping to break up the engineered-in design harmony. Oh, and speaking of harmony, he also lined the inside of the fairing in carbon fiber too. Clean, yet dazzling.

   You know, it’s kinda funny to think of a less than five-year-old custom motorcycle as being old, but that’s the way things are going now. Kenny’s take on a custom bagger pre-dates a lot of what is currently hip right now. Sometimes being the first or one of the first only leads you to being lost in the shuffle, but that is not the case here. Kenny’s still showing and wowing the crowds on the show circuit with a bike that some might consider being long in tooth as far as show bike go. A good design stands the test of time and five-years (or 35 in dog years) is certainly long enough to make this pro street bagger a winner every time. Good design will always do that.   

 

  For more info on what Kenny’s up to, check out http://www.kwbaggers.com/.