While there are positive signs the economy is climbing out of the toilet, that’s hardly an occasion to break into three choruses of “We’re in the money.” Nevertheless, those who can pop for a new motorcycle should step up, even if we're still teetering on the edge. For the rest of us, we’ll continue do what we’ve always done: spiff up the old scoot.
This is not just change for the sake of change. Over time, bike parts wear, if not out, at least down. Some pieces break or get bent. Plus, if our riding habits change, we may require mechanical alterations. And we’d all like to see some new, shiny bits added to our precious ride from time to time, right?
All of these factors came into play when doing a makeover on our 10-year-old Harley-Davidson Softail Standard. As a result, we wanted to improve the Softies’ ergonomics to make it more comfortable for both passenger and pilot, tweak the performance a bit, and give the bike a look (employing something other than the Standard’s stock all black paint and that cheesy stock H-D logo it came with).
All this would, we hoped, set our scoot apart from every other Softail Standard in the parking lot. And we wanted to do it all on, if not a shoestring, at least under a reasonably modest $2,500 budget. Plus, let's have some fun in the process.
Getting creative
In order to help keep the makeover budget under a dull roar, we had to get busted-knuckle creative. First, that meant gathering up take-off parts we’d collected for a number of years (and selling or trading the take-off parts from this makeover). Whether sold on EBay or at a swap meet, you might be very surprised how much capital you can rake together by just cleaning out that dank garage. We stumbled upon new, unused items purchased under impulse at charity auctions. Amazing, like finding buried treasure. We dug in the rafters for a while. All the shit we scored was swapped for stuff we actually needed. Brilliant.
So, while we swapped for some items, a number of parts for the makeover were sourced from local Harley-Davidson dealers. We also employed the Internet to find parts in the “bargain bins” of big catalog suppliers. Some of these received low-tech treatments like a rattle can finish. We just plain shopped around for good deals on services like upholstery. By pinching pennies here and there, we had enough cash to utilize professional painters and powder coating services.
Last but not least, was the growing pile of cash you’ll save by doing some project planning. Before you even pick up a wrench, or place a catalog order, visualize how you want the build to come out. We had a theme (in this case, it’s the “Lucky Softail” with gambling motif) and color scheme (we selected black and a special orange hue, with some previously chrome parts now blacked out). I shared that information with anyone who will be helped. After all, I didn't want end up with new pile of unused parts.
Double time
Good planning also involved selecting an appropriate build time (double the time and triple the money isn’t such a bad guideline). For example, starting a makeover two weeks before you’re slated to ride to Daytona is not a hearty plan. Allow for the unexpected: back-ordered critical parts or the wrong shipped component can kick your ass. Painters or the powder coater service folks can be backlogged. And then there is the inevitable fact that one thing leads to another when it comes to bike modifications. Know your limitations: if you need professional help, get it, and take into account that pro-builders will likely have some other bastard's project carving at his limited time.
In our case, we elected to do the changes in a number of stages. This allowed us to extend our budget over a longer period of time. We started our planning in the fall and also acquired some new Garage Leathers bags at that time. As winter came on, we sourced a set of small, adjustable floorboards that would fit with the bike’s extended controls. This mod eliminated the slipping boot syndrome, especially on the brake side. We installed these items in our home garage with no trouble. The major work was scheduled for late winter and early spring.
We then turned to Sacramento mechanic Bobby T who tuned up the bike, mounted new tires (and, in the process, discovered that our front rim was bent, but more on that later). Bobby also located a very reasonable local upholstery source. The old holey seat cover was faded and cracked. For the pattern, we opted for an old school hotrod diamond style.
Looks vs. Function
In performing this makeover, we didn’t lose sight of the fact that this monster needed to run as well as it looked. Plus, we wanted the option to load on a weekend’s worth of gear for longer rides. So, it was time to contact JP at My Evil Twin Choppers in Lodi. After exchanging e-mails with the award-winning custom bike builder on ideas for the Softail makeover, we finalized the build plan, schedule, and budget. But we didn't plan so tight that we couldn’t improvise later.pipes
To kick off this major phase, we ordered a new black 2-into-1 Road Rage exhaust from Bassani, which both improved the bikes looks and performance. Later, JP wrapped the pipes with DEI’s titanium pipe wrap and added a protective “hotrod wire” pattern for added “bad is good” looks. Other performance upgrades included running an open air cleaner, and adding new RevTech sparkplug wires to the tune-up.
The rear portion of the Softail came into play for a number of alterations. First, we wanted to add a removable backrest and low sissy bar. This would provide both added passenger comfort and more options for securing items. We had the new sissy bar pad upholstered to match the diamond pattern of the seat. We also wanted to powder coat black the rear fender struts, the new sissy bar, removable side plates, and the rear-fender mounted package tray. Knowing that the new sissy bar set-up would require reconfiguring the bikes rear turn signals, we ordered a blacked out license plate bracket from Billet Boys with built-in LED turn signals.
The most labor, time, and monetary sponge involved repainting the gas tank a beautiful combination of black with orange side panels (to which we added traditional bar and shield Harley insignia and maroon pinstriping). While the tank was out for paint, the chrome tank panel (a prior aftermarket add-on) and stock instrument cowling were added to the powder coat pile.
We also powdered the chrome mini-apes. When the bar returned, we added a new chrome clutch lever to replace a previously mis-matched part, and new Performance Machine grips. Since the stock gas gauge no longer worked, we added a new digital gauge and matching gas caps with H-D bar-and-shield styling.
During the first phase of the Lucky Softail’s life, it sported throw over saddlebags that worked fine but looked horrible. We shit-canned the crusty saddlebags, but we needed some luggage. We opted to install the previously mentioned Garage Leathers Solo Bag on the left swingarm for packing a change of clothes. From the same outfit, we added a 10-inch “Tilly” utility bag to the right swing arm for tools. Her 12-inch sister bag was mounted to the handlebars for extra glasses, bungee cords, a tire gage, etc.
Keeping it fun
JP had some fun taking salvaged and bargain-bin parts and creating a new air cleaner cover. The dice and poker chip motif matched the existing Lucky 7 derby cover and other parts from Joker Machine. Another poker chip found a glamorous position behind the vintage-looking horn cover. Some more quirky parts included adding a bottle opener to the back of the sissy bar pad and assorted spike nuts. From time to time, JP tweaked a few of the parts to ensure they'd stay put. His machine shop came in handy.
You’re never finished improving your ride. We added a spiffy new aerodynamic black mirror from J&P. A set of black engine bolt covers from Harley also found their way on the bike. And it turned out that bent rim we discovered previously needed to be replaced as well. We ordered one from a catalog and JP laced and trued the wheel.
When all was said done, the old Softie came out looking just as intended: like an old school hot rod with traditional H-D colors. Plus it performs better and is more comfortable. And, while we were tempted to leave the Wind Vest mini windscreen off the bike, a trip or two around the block proved that remounting it was best for all concerned.
Overall, we stayed within reasonable distance of our original budget and timeline. But the need to replace the bent front rim was an unwelcome added expense, but was a critical repair. Ultimately we stretched our strategic timeline an extra 40 days. Shit happens. To celebrate, we entered old Lucky in its first-ever ride-in bike show. We received hearty comment but won nothing. Nevertheless, it was cool just to be there and know the old Softail Standard now looked like no other in the crowd. I'll be back. This won't be my last custom bike rodeo.
The Players
