Just imagine this radical Road King without the bags and you’d have a pretty damn nice chop right there. All the elements of a modern day chopper are there with a lot more sophistication than what we think of when we think chopper, but it’s getting hard to really see the big friggin’ difference unless you’re comparing it to a real Old School chop. That’s the David Mann stuff and that’s cool. This modern design built by Chris and his Misfit cohorts, Chris Moos, George Lowe and Shon Brammer, utilizes the advancements in parts, equipment and skill that the Old School builders of back in the day would embrace today in a second. Just like today’s builders, they were trying to do new things at every opportunity and look for new horizons.

 

   What Misfit has done here with what was born as a 2011 Road King leaves no stone unturned. First off, there’s some serious chopping going on worthy of any Old School mojo. The stock Harley-Davidson FLHR frame has been cut, modified and re-welded like any OS build, but with a lot more knowledge (accumulated or invented) as to how to make it more road-usable even with a monster front wheel. Misfit’s Short Neck Slip-Fit Kit for 30-inch wheels provides quick, calculated work of modifying a front end and trying to keep it within stock rake and trail dimensions. Chris and the lads have done their homework coming up with a frame kit that is about as close as you can get to being able to install in your garage if you are a good welder or just know one.

 

   But, there’s a bit more to this front end frame mod than just the kit and that’s their Lay- Frame aspect Misfit built into this ride so it can sit on its bottom rails. Misfit can provide this whole trick to your frame too if you feel the need to get as low as you can go. All of this comes courtesy of Misfit’s front and rear air suspension that can change the bike’s attitude just about as quick as a flashing blue light in your rear view mirror can change yours. One thing that’s definitely different than usual is the use of a knockout springer-style fork design that utilizes twin air shocks instead of coil springs. It’s brutally simple and modernly clean with a set of beautifully built and possibly the longest clip-on handlebars ever. Old School builders would have jumped on all this high-tech stuff if they had the chance. Good taste has no timeline.

 

    Up front the handsome satin-finish, eight-spoke 30-inch wheel blends smoothly into the 21^st century front end with a hint of restrained motion present in the design. Who knows what’s up out back, but you know at least that’s where the braking comes from as the front is a brake-free zone. You just have to assume that the Misfit Monarch foot controls are tied to something other than the Monarch Series floorboards and stomp on the brake pedal as needed. Single-brake bikes are not my thing, but it sure does look good.  

 

   The late model Twin Cam engine’s been pumped up a bit with an always classy velocity stack and what looks to be the exhaust from Hell. Misfit’s Nasty Bastard 2-into-1 exhaust is nothing like the typical dual-exhaust hidden under the bags only ashowing its tips. It’s a stand-alone extrovert that lets you know exactly what it’s there for without any need to hide itself or its intentions. There’s a definite Don’t screw with me! look that takes it out of the cute custom-tip bagger class. Part of that look, the smooth Scotch-Brite/satin finish, extends to the rest of the engine too and provides a patina of real, raw but finished metal that draws you in instead of glaring your eyeballs out like chrome or show polishing can do. To me, it’s a very satisfying look of performance with style.

 

    Frankly, everywhere you look on this bike you see what Misfit’s become famous for and that’s everything you look at was made in-house at Misfit probably other than the seat covering. The stretched tank and custom Road King-style dash atop it along with the steel rear fender and bags are all Misfit made just like their shop logo says. Even the paint is done in-house and that’s a specialty most bagger shops look for somebody else to do. Can’t blame them as paint is its own world as far as I’m concerned. But, as you can see by the faux-patina tank and bag graphics on matte red paint, Misfit’s got that handled too.

 

   The bike’s a looker, no doubt about that. Underneath the minimalist bagger bodywork is that heart of a chopper as far as I’m concerned. Not an Old School one, but a modern day version that those aforementioned Old School builders of the ‘60s and ‘70s would be proud to call their own. A builder today couldn’t ask for much more than that.

 

  For Misfit parts, pieces or the whole shebang, visit https://www.misfitmade.com/ or check ‘em out on Facebook.