“The King” Custom Road King

Story and Photos by Sedrick C. Mitchell

Back in 1994 when Harley-Davidson introduced their new Road King model to the motorcycle market, I personally witnessed several serious arguments between Electra Glide riders and owners of new Road Kings. The arguments were all about the name, Road King. I mean, Classic and Ultra riders would sit around local bars and cafés and get into some serious arguments trying to explain to the new Road King owners that just because their bikes were dubbed “Road King” doesn’t mean that their bikes were actually the true King of the Road and that it was only just a clever name for one of Harley’s models. After sucking down a few glasses or bottles of their favorite adult beverages, many of these arguments ended just short of an outright brawl. I’m sure the Motor Company had no idea that the name of their new sport-touring model would cause such a ruckus among their legions of loyal riders.

Being an Ultra Classic owner since the bike’s introduction back in 1989, I must admit that even I became a little sensitive and concerned about the name, Road King. Especially since I personally felt that the Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic is the king of all roads when it comes to any brand or model of touring motorcycle. But like most everything that involves conflict of some sort, the passage of time has a strange way of healing and naturally resolving all wounds and misunderstandings. It’s been years since I’ve heard one of those arguments.

Sidney “Sid” Smith is one of those die-hard Road King riders who will eagerly challenge any rider who gives him the slightest indication that Sid’s 1996 FLHR is not the king of the road, especially since he runs a 100” RevTech engine making 105 horsepower. But to assist in minimizing all the ruckus and disagreements and keeping the Harley brotherhood as one, he modified the name of his bike by dropping the Road part and simply dubbed his custom, The King.

As a strong believer of keeping your Harley stock or customizing it only with genuine parts from the Motor Company, I can understand Sid replacing his stock engine with a hopped-up RevTech model, especially if you are the type of rider who craves rocket-type acceleration during take off. And according to the sizes of Harley- Davidson’s new engines used on their 2007 big twins, particularly the CVO bikes, it’s quite obvious that the folks in Milwaukee have done their homework and are listening to the market. It’s also obvious that the success of aftermarket makers of six-speed transmissions has grabbed the attention of the folks in Milwaukee. One can only wonder, “What in heck took them so long, especially for a motorcycle company that’s over a hundred years old and has the technology?”

Sid designed and orchestrated the customizing of his bike, and outsourced much of the work to different shops. The original H-D engine was swapped out for the RevTech and the installation was done by a local Harley dealership, including the procurement of the motor. “Of course, the stock Harley engines are very good and very reliable, but they can be lacking when it comes to raw power, especially riding in the Washington, D.C., area where speed limits are rarely obeyed,” said Sid.

Sid installed the 16” Xtreme Machine wheels and matching rotors, H-D brake calipers, and the Maxxis tires himself. “I have some training and experience in brake systems and wheels, so this is an area I decided to do myself, especially since a mechanical failure involving any of these parts can cause your lights to be turned out, permanently,” stated Sid.

Sid ordered the fairing, front fender, and chin spoiler kit from Corbin, and Cycle Dynamics did the custom paintwork, which included spraying the tank, saddlebags, and rear fender, green with ghost flames. They had the responsibility of removing and replacing all parts requiring painting, and installing the Corbin body parts. Personally, I think the end results turned out great on Sid Smith’s “King of the Road.”