They say the first step is the most important and I had just taken my first step and hoped I wouldn’t look too silly. That was yesterday and today I’m writing about a custom Road King owned by Floyd Traywick not only covered (tastefully) in airbrushed skulls, but possibly taking graphics to a different level. All of a sudden, my dinky skull and crossbones sticker is kinda embarrassing. Not for the sticker itself, but for my being so proud of what I had done. Man, I’m a graphics pussy.

 

   I’m going out on a limb, but today’s custom baggers have kind of found their formula that, even though they’re absolutely unbelievable customs, doesn’t stray too far from the big wheel bagger norm. Zoomy bodywork –check. Lotsa chrome – check. Air ride front and rear – check. Big front wheels – check. Killer audio systems – check. Mini-apes – check. Etc. You get the picture. The way I see it, paint makes or breaks a custom bagger and with the talent out there, it’s more a matter of personal opinion and taste rather than the quality or complexity of a paintjob.

 

  So the question becomes, “How do you finish off your custom bagger and make it stand out?” Well if you’re Todd Stogner of TBS Kustoms in Lilesville, North Carolina, you change the canvas to better accommodate and showcase your graphics. And, that’s exactly what he did here on this 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King. The canvas, all the tastefully done extreme-bagger bodywork, becomes a three-dimensional paintjob instead of the regular old two-dimension panels painted up cool. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just bringing form and texture into bodywork and paint like Todd has done is a whole different challenge with a whole different set of rules. Hey, wait a minute, there are no custom bagger rules, only norms, and like a crafty NASCAR mechanic, Todd’s exploiting those rules of bagger norm to his advantage.

 

   Todd’s use of intricately molded 3D skulls with LED eyes certainly brings the drama to what might otherwise have  been another skull-inspired paint scheme. Mounting one on the otherwise familiar bat wing fairing and incorporating it as part of the graphics brings sculpture to air brush art work. He also added validity to the term “chin spoiler” with two skulls (and two chins) prominently displayed peering out each side of the spoiler. The real flame graphics pouring off them and moving over the bodywork adds real life to real flames. Speaking of flames, I’m pretty over them normally, but the way Todd made a relatively thin line of them gracefully fall from the tank downward to the bags where they end up in some crazy flame dance is pretty damn nice without going overboard. Nice touch and even factory worthy. I wouldn’t be surprised if this idea was stolen by a big name motorcycle company for its special editions. It’s that tasteful. 

 

   Not to demean all the extremely hard work that was put into this bike to get it where it is, but Todd’s imaginative use of paint and sculpture is what really sets this build apart. I have no idea how or where the molded skulls came about, but I’ll assume Todd worked this out himself and he gets kudos for that aspect of this build. Pretty daring stuff and he totally pulled this off without looking cartoonish in any way like a lot of dragon or razorback choppers I’ve seen over the years have. Now the toughest part he has to face on future builds is how to top this and not lose the motorcycle underneath it. I’ve got a good feeling he will take it up a notch and still pull it off.

 

  For more info on TBS Kustoms, check out Todd Stogner’s Facebook page.