Derek started out on this build with a rather nice 2006 Road King to begin with and the fun just went from there. After a tidy strip down to see exactly what he had, Derek got to work setting up the frame for the 26-inch wheel conversion he had in mind. After welding in a Pickard USA 9-degree replacement neck along with Pickard’s 9-degree triple trees, he was off and running to the big wheel happiness of correct rake and trail. And, a place to put a big ol’ 26-inch front wheel with a Fat Katz front fender covering it.

 

   After putting in the now required tank stretch, Derek installed a rear fender and bag kit from Cylent Cycles, but being the carport perfectionist he is, he couldn’t leave well enough alone. Seems he was not thrilled about how the sde panels flowed into the bags and fender, so he filled and sanded until everything was one happy piece just ready for an undisturbed paintjob. But before that he had to attend to little things like jacking up the bars with some new apes, a cool headlight nacelle, and a bit of a chin spoiler. Oh, and don’t forget the customized to fit thin tour pack as that’s one bag most bagger builders leave off their baggers. It looks cool here and heavens of heavens, Derek actually plans to ride the hell out of this bike so they make perfectly good sense too. Plus I guess I could mention for all you tour pack haters that it’s detachable.

 

    Not only was the guy busy building his bagger half outside, but he did intelligent things like source eBay for parts and pieces while he did a little more online research and found a way to make his own air suspension. You gotta appreciate it when a guy, in the middle of a big-ass project, takes the time to sweat the details to save a buck or two so he can spend it somewhere else. He basically left the Harley 88-inch Twin Cam stock except for external mods like intake and exhaust and again that goes back to that riding thing he plans to do. That little bump in power he gave it with those goodies should be more than enough for a custom motorcycle.

 

   Where he did save some dough, he also spent it as the surprisingly sane purple paintjob strikingly stands out without being cheap or gaudy. Maybe it’s all of the gorgeous graphics that seem slightly more real than life. Don’t know how this technique is done nor does it matter if I know, but I sure do like it. It’s such a pretty paintjob that I hope Derek finishes the carport into a garage to keep it out of the weather.