MUDDY BEACH HARLEYS
– THREE EXAMPLES OF MILWAUKEE’S FINEST IRON PAINTED NORTH O’ THE BORDER
Alex Shannon, the owner of the first bike here, the bagger, was inspired to build it after a friend’d casually opined that there was nothing much that could be done to customise an Electra-Glide. As a veteran V-Rod customiser, he took it as a personal challenge, and purchased a 2013 ’Glide Classic and, deciding that a Mexican/ US-style bagger was the way to go with it, set about looking for the parts he’d need to create the look he was after.
One of his first purchases, and the one to really give the bike its stance, was a 26” SMT Penthouse wheel, and an American Suspension neck kit to get it to fit the Electra-Glide’s frame. Next was a full set of bodywork from Lithuanian bagger specialists Killer Custom
(www.killercustom.com) including, of course, a suitably-sized front mudguard, one of their
over-sized batwing fairings, one of their sculpted tanks (and sculpted side-panels too), a massive swoopy tail-dragger of a rear mudguard, and matching rear boxes too. In order to get the required ‘slammed’ stance, a Dirty Air (www. dirtyworks-kc.com) air-suspension kit that, via an onboard compressor, allows the back of the bike to be dropped down to the ground when parked, and lifted up to ride height when it’s time to go, was bought too, and then he started putting it all together.
With the bike assembled and checked, it was shipped over to the paint maestro who is Gus at Muddy Beach Customs (you’re going to get really sick of reading his name…) for the very bagger cream n’ brown paint scheme, with its leaves and graphics. Scottish seat specialist Blazin’ Saddles (07800 650145 or Facebook) made the matching seat and bag tops, and wrapped a few other bits in leather too, and that, bar a few nifty dress-up parts, was that.
Since it was built, he’s really racked up the miles on it, and reports that it rides beautifully. It’s won a stack of awards, including Best Touring at an event in Slovenia (there’s a video on YouTube – look up 25th European HOG Rally, Slovenia – Custom Bike Show), and I doubt it’ll be the last it picks up too!
Craig’s bike came about as a promise he made to his late brotherin-law Martin. He (Craig)’d been blatting about for years on a very trick 1100 Katana built by the late Colin Rutherford RIP, but when the electrics started to play up he got himself a ZRX 1100. He had that for a few years, but always had a hankering for something a little different. Martin’d always said he should get a Harley so, a couple of months after the bastard big C took him, he placed an order for a brand new Softail Standard, with Vance & Hines ’pipes and a set of drag ’bars, and that was fine for a while until he got the itch…
He spotted a nice black tank on fleaBay that had nice airbrushed Harley logos on it, and bought it, then found it had a couple of issues with the lacquer. His good mate Gus (yup, that Gus) is, as you probably know by now, quite handy with an airbrush, and offered to fix it for him. After a week he got the call to pick up his tank, but there was just one thing – Gus said he’d taken a bit of artistic licence with it. Craig admits he was quite worried for a while, but as soon as he went into the paint booth he was blown away... staring back at him was Billy Gibbons on one side, and Dusty Hill on the other. The portraits were photo-quality, and the detail incredible. He laughs: “Gus knows me well – what a job!”
Of course, the rest of the bike now looked a little shabby so he sourced the other parts needed to bring it up to scratch, and Gus put Frank Beard on the rear mudguard, and tied the whole bike together with grey smoke.
To say Craig’s happy with the way it looks is an understatement, and he loves the fact that the unenlightened see a Softail with a fantastic paint job, but those who know can see it’s so much more...