Modified Stockers
It was that Old School look with modern comfort that drew Karen Proctor of Ashland City, Tennessee, to her 2007 Heritage Softail Classic she calls Stinger; the look, but also the classic paint job. “The bike began as a dealer build and I purchased it off the Boswell’s Harley-Davidson [in Nashville] showroom floor with many of the custom parts installed, including the numbered paint set from H-D. I love the paint,” she said. “I traded a 2004 Softail Deuce for this Heritage. The Heritage is definitely a nice bike, but not my style. But I kept being drawn back to it on the showroom floor because of the paint. The black, red, and white so compliment each other and the custom finish of the white is so radical and different. That’s what sold me on this motorcycle.”
Karen is a self-admitted gear head, and she did install many of the chrome pieces herself, but she’s quick to give the lion’s share of accolades for Stinger, to Boswell’s Harley-Davidson. “Most of the work was done by Boswell’s, but the other work was done by me in my garage,” Karen said.
On Stinger, Karen was able to avoid the real headaches that often come with any build. “I have built a bike since then, so I do know the headaches,” she said. “I bought a stock 2010 Wide Glide last year and spent all winter swapping parts until I got it like I wanted. I really enjoyed the work that I did on the Wide Glide and have been complimented on my work by H-D dealers. I really don’t classify myself as a builder, though.”
Stinger rides like a dream, according to Karen. “Well it is a Heritage, so it’s definitely the class of that model and is very comfortable and smooth because of the balanced engine,” she said. H-D’s proven 88” Twin Cam engine was upgraded to a more potent 96” and backed by a new 6-speed on all of the ’07 Heritages , as well as the electronic sequential port fuel injection that made for easy-breezy-lemon-squeezy start up. Like a brand new car, you just start it up and go-go-go with none of that nasty spitting and staggering downtime. Starting is as simple as turning the ignition switch on the console, flippin’ that kill button to run, and poking that starter button to hear that wonderful sound that can only come from a Harley. For Karen, that sound is a lullaby, as she grew up riding on the back of her dad’s and uncle’s Harleys.
She started out on dirt bikes and didn’t move on to street bikes until she was in her late 20s. Stinger had no handling surprises for an experienced rider like Karen, who found the bike handled solidly at low speeds, but with a highway in front of her, she’s been able to disappear in a flash. “Now because of work I typically just ride for transportation between point A and B, but it allows me to ride so that is all that matters.” She’s put almost 10,000 miles on the bike, “which isn’t a lot for its age,” she said, “but for several years it was my daily rider. This bike was already cool when I bought it and I added to it with the idea of meshing the Old School Heritage styling with new, radical pieces. The Street Slammer bars from H-D really gave it a lean, kick ass look that was different because it was on a Heritage. It’s those Street Slammers that Karen wouldn’t do without, as well as the exhaust she chose. “I love the Street Slammer handlebars and the Vance and Hines 2-into-1 Big Radius exhaust — they define the vision I had for this bike.”
So I guess Karen’s grabbing the brass ring, trying this bike and that, and my hat is off to her. What could be more fun than window shopping all the different H-D models? Buying them, trading them, and riding the hell out of them, that’s what. And it doesn’t look like Karen is going to slow down anytime soon.
If you want to have as much fun with this Heritage Classic as Karen did, it’s back on the market. You won’t have to look far: it’s at Boswell’s Harley-Davidson in Nashville. Visit them at www.boswellsharley.com.
Up Close: H-D Custom Paint Sets
Customizing has always been a big attraction for Harley owners and The Motor Company is well aware of it. Harley-Davidson’s paint sets are an easy way to customize your Sportster, Dyna, Softail, VRSC, or Touring bike. The new Core Series paint program from Harley-Davidson offers Harley owners the opportunity to create their own paint jobs using select designs, colors, and finishes. Painted by professional artists and pinstripers to strict original-equipment standards, the Core Series offers 58 possible combinations utilizing five designs, six custom colors and the choice of gloss or denim finish.
A customer begins the Core Series process by selecting one of five designs: Two-Tone, Grind, Flames, Graphics or Touring Flames. All designs start with a black base, and are detailed with Vivid Black, Shiny Side Up Silver, Real Fine Red, Push the Boundaries Pink, Agave Blue or Iconic Orange accents. Each design is available in Denim or Gloss finish.
The Core Series is available as a complete set, including factory-fresh sheet metal, for many 2010 and 2011 Harley-Davidson Touring, Sportster, Dyna and Softail models, priced from $2,000 to $5,300. You get what you pay for may be an old saw, but it’s certainly true of the Harley-Davidson paint sets. Core Series color sets are covered by a two-year factory warranty when installed within 60 days of purchase of a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Core Series designs may also be applied to the customer’s undamaged sheet metal through the Sheet Metal Exchange Program, available for many models up to ten-years old, with no additional strip or prime charges. Core Series paint is available year-round and in unlimited quantities. Standard lead time is 45 days. See your authorized Harley-Davidson dealer for details or visit www.harley-davidson.com.
Builder: Karen Proctor
Karen Proctor, owner of the ’07 Heritage Softail she calls Stinger, works for an engineering company doing electrical design and also owns an electrical contracting company. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she grew up in a family of gear heads. “My Dad and his brother raced all during my childhood; drag cars first, then stock cars,” she said. My Dad got my brother racing go-karts while I served in the Army. Since I got out, my brother and I have raced on and off for the last fifteen years. We ran Dirt Late Models locally and had some success. A couple of years ago we got back together and ran at the local track with his kids and won the track championship, so we had a lot of fun.
On buying her first bike years ago, she said, “It was totally different than the dirt bikes and I wasn’t a very good rider at first, but I rode a lot and learned and became comfortable, probably too comfortable since I like to ride my bike like I drive my cars — fast.” Karen has a fully-equipped garage complete with a lift to work on bikes and cars. “I think I just transferred my mechanical skills from cars to bikes. I don’t have the kind of knowledge of a bike as I do a car, but they do share a lot of the same technology, so I learned.”
Karen had a 2010 Wide Glide, but as of this interview she’s traded it and the Heritage for a new 2011 Street Glide. “I bought the Street Glide hoping it would accommodate more riding this year because it is easier to carry things,” she said. I’m in the process of choosing my first pieces for the Street Glide. It will definitely not remain stock.”
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