Ah yes, style. Welcome to the Harley world where it’s so about style that no one even has to mention it or explain it. It just is, in a manner of speaking, what it’s all about and everyone tries to showcase their own style in their own way ─ good, bad or indifferent. Think a bike’s ugly? There will be ten people ahead of you who think it’s beautiful. Think a bike’s beautiful? There will be another ten people right behind you who’ll think it’s ugly. You get the picture. So, you just gotta do what you gotta do until your personal That’s a Harley-Davidson I love button is pushed.

 

  In Michael’s case, you might remember he liked the Switchback, but wasn’t in love with it so he continued his search for his perfect H-D. “When I went to check out the El Paso Barnett Harley-Davidson dealership [There is also another Barnett Harley-Davidson in Las Cruces, New Mexico] and saw the Softail CVO Breakout, I immediately knew that was the bike I had been looking for. It has the aggressive look of a sport bike and the comfort of a Harley. I also saw the Rocker, but that was not quite what I looking for.”

 

When I sold Harleys, I was always amazed at the number of people who bought and replaced one model after another every six months or so until they found what they were looking for. I guess I was impressed more that they could take such a financial hit repeatedly until they figured out what they liked. Not so with Michael, even though he had purchased the Switchback with his logical head and not his Harley heart, as he figured out what he really wanted and the best way to get it. “I did not want to buy the CVO Breakout because it had too much chrome and the bike was already complete. So, I decided to purchase the standard Breakout and upgrade to the same SE 110” CVO engine and replace all the parts to my taste and style. I love the aggressive look of the bike, especially the 240mm rear end.”

 

  The 103 to 110 engine upgrade is not a simple cylinder bolt-on conversion, but does involve a bit of pricey work on the cases to make things just right. Hey, if you want more power with a Harley, there’s always more available depending on the size of your wallet and your cojones. In Michael’s case, there wasn’t even any deliberation by his mental jury, he wanted more power and this was the way to go. Barnett’s service department did the 110 conversion along with a few other tasteful power adders like the Roland Sand’s Design air cleaner and the stubby V&H exhaust to satisfy Michael’s ex-sportbike lust for power.  “I have to have the power in a bike so when I need it, it’s there, but the Vance & Hines Competition Series 2-into-1 exhaust is what’s getting all the attention as I’m riding. It has that deep thunderous sound you expect from a Harley,” said Michael. “I would like to say thank you to Hank Rivera in parts and Joel Juratovac in service at Barnett Harley-Davidson. You guys went above and beyond to research what I needed while providing world class customer service.”

 

But even with all the new power and sound, there is one little bit of engine modification that Michael is the most proud of and it’s got nothing to do with riding, power, or sound as he explained, “The derby cover was custom built in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It’s engraved with the POW-MIA logo remembering all my comrades who gave their lives for this country and to thank the ones currently serving with me.”

 

   With the upgrades to the engine done and done and  most of the pieces and parts throughout the bike Michael wanted changed simply because he wanted them changed (like the footpeg to floorboard conversion), it was time to take the bike to a higher level from stock with a bright shiny new paintjob over the stock bright shiny new paintjob. Usually this is the part where most builds stall and builder/owners lose their sh*t waiting for it to be done, but luckily not in Michael’s case. “The color and pattern for the paint was something I researched for a long time. I wanted something that was different and more individual,” he said. “Jose Arriola and Phil Muller at Dip Daddy’s in El Paso were able to help me achieve that goal with a two-week turnaround. I have to thank these guys for a wonderful paint job and helping to create a masterpiece.” Not only was the bike itself getting faster, but it was getting done fast too. Yeah, we’ve all watched chopper TV and know you can get a complicated paintjob done in about 15 minutes or so, but that’s not what we experience in the real world. Dip Daddy’s did an exceptional job especially within the timeframe they were allotted.

 

   Like just about any Harley you’ve ever seen, Michael’s bike is a work in progress. But, it’s a rideable work in progress and that’s exactly what he does, ride the (you fill in) out of it. “I ride my bike to and from work daily regardless of the temperature. I haven’t taken it on a long road trip yet, but that’s coming soon. It rides smoothly, comfortably, and as big and heavy as it is, it handles very well,” said Michael. The bike is about 80% done to my satisfaction right now. There are a more few things that I would like to add and replace on the bike, but as every Harley-Davidson owner knows, H-D stands for hundred dollars.” Hey Michael, by now, you of all people should know that should be the plural form of H-D (hundreds of dollars) and even that doesn’t begin to cover it. But, if that’s what it takes to make your Harley heart happy and your logical brain shut up with its boringly logical chatter, full speed ahead mi amigo.