Possibly like a lot of you, I first thought it was a mildly customized bagger with a killer paintjob. But, it’s a lot more than that and probably closer to the average guy’s idea of a custom Road Glide they’d like to call their own. On second glance, just about everything has been touched in some way, but noting so far out that you couldn’t hop on this bike and just go for a ride to nowhere in particular without a timetable. In other words, it’s damn good looking, but still totally streetable as hell. I like it!
Take Harley’s workhorse 103 Twin cam that powers this baby. Sure it’s got the standard intake and exhaust fixes like the Screamin’ Eagle free-breathing air cleaner and the Rinehart pipes. Almost any aftermarket intake/exhaust combo livens up the 103 quite nicely providing more than enough power for touring, cruising or just honing around while giving a much nicer soundtrack to flog it to. Where Fernand really finished it off was getting rid of all the shiny bits it came with stock for more black. Apparently he wanted more cowbell and making it blacker than black was one way to get a custom look, but avoiding a complete teardown. The contrast of the bright fin ends is enough to keep it mechanically appealing. As far as the rest of the engine, it’s the same unit that’s powering billions and billions of Harleys day in and day out. A nice street engine.
The initial look of the bodywork is more stock looking than not, but it’s actually not. The Road Glide fairing still looks pretty damn Road Glidey and in my opinion, any Road Glide fairing seems a bit sleeker looking in black. I don’t know about you, but the FLTR double headlight frame-mounted fairing takes a back seat to the traditional bat wing fairing for looks, at least for me anyway. But that’s the outside, the inner fairing is absolutely different looking and that’s what a rider actually sees, so score some points for those changes just like you’d possibly like to do to yours too.
The rest of the bodywork is familiar looking in profile even though everything’s been changed around quite a bit. The stretched fuel tank curvaceously flows to the rear and eases the transition from fairing to the ass end without looking like it’s just sitting on the top tube. The extended bags are not too extended and I personally like the way there’s not a filler piece between the custom rear fender and the bags. Big one-piece bag and fender back ends remind me too much of a Vespa and just look too Kardashian to me. The simple and clean license plate/taillight piece does what it’s supposed to and doesn’t clamor to grab your attention with something so trick and complicated that practically nobody would understand or appreciate anyway.
Technically this is a big wheel bagger, but it’s more of a Goldilocks’ version with a wheel that’s not too big and not too small. Its visual impact is the wheel design itself that looks like something straight out of Game of Thrones. It’s very medieval looking to me and could have been inspired by some horrible middle age weapon, but here it looks nicely butch without trying to look butch or themey. Plus the wheel and tire sizing looks like you could flog the bike on a back road or highway without fear of tire problems. Another plus and it’s a big plus is that the combo looks good without trying to be a caricature of itself like a 30-incher or larger can do. May not be as eye-grabbing at first like a big, big wheel, but it’s something I wouldn’t have any trepidation about riding.
Maybe I’m just easily trepidated.
Every other little piece from the bars to the floorboards to the controls to the fork bells has been changed and as we all know, that stuff doesn’t come cheap. Obviously there’s been a real sense of commitment on Fernand’s part to gather up the pieces he likes and pay the price to make it look exactly how he wanted. But, none of these pieces get in the way of hopping on and riding the hell out of it just because. I like that too.
Where this bike takes a sharp turn from stock is the paint. I wish I could give credit to whoever spent all the time painting this bike, but I don’t have a clue. Even though I’m not a big graphics guy on my own bikes, I sure can appreciate those of you not afraid to make a statement on yours even if it’s a (in my opinion) bad one. Fernand’s graphics are awe inspiring with delicious detail that makes you have to walk around the bike and dissect each and every piece of artwork. The flow from the front fender to the back of the bike is a sensuous wave of gold with a dark world living inside. The paint was good enough to win first place at the 2014 Daytona Boardwalk Show. With all the best of the best painters making a showing in Daytona, that’s says it all about the universal appeal of this paintwork. Or should I call it artwork?
Obviously I’m a fan of somewhat stock profile bikes although I do appreciate the nutty bunch just for what they are ─ all-out, no holes barred showbikes. Like my momma used to say, “It takes all kinds” and when it comes to custom baggers and most everything else, momma’s always right. Fernand Francoeur’s got a stunningly gorgeous Road Glide that he can tour the shows with or just plain tour the countryside as the mood hits him. Never mind the show awards, this is truly a win-win custom build.