Denim Black Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo
“I wanted to give someone the vision that a bike like this is within their reach. They can do this easily and not spend a lot of money,” said Adam.
THIS bike started as a Fat Boy Lo. I’ve done a lot of rear-end kits and modifications for Harleys but I wanted something in the workshop that everyone would say, “Wow, I want to do that! How long does it take?” In a well-equipped workshop, I could build this within two weeks.
It’s a stock motor but it’s got a ThunderMax computer and a dry nitrous kit. The whole kit comes from Zippers. I keep them in stock and I’ve got the nitrous refilling station active.
There are two ways to have nitrous. The first is wet nitrous which needs two solenoids, one fuel pump, extra fuel nozzle and one nitrous nozzle. The second is this system which only runs one nitrous nozzle; it gets the extra fuel it needs from a program within the ThunderMax. The program steps up the rate on the injectors so it adds more fuel and it’s safe. Nitrous can be dangerous when drilling manifolds, having fuel squirt out or trying to get the ratios right. This is a 20 minute bolt-on kit programmed by myself. You don’t even have to drill one hole, don’t have to find an odd bolt or anything. The switch is there along with its air-filter and it’s set for each particular bike. I try to set the nitrous to kick in at around 60 percent throttle and the 60 km/h mark.
I love riding big cubic inch motors, but a lot of people don’t, so nitrous is really good by giving you all the benefits of doing a long ride on a well running standard motor—with the ThunderMax and pipes—and then having the nitrous there when you feel like having a crack and a bit of fun.
The denim black is standard. It’s a funny paint to look after because you’ve got to buy the Harley denim cleaner; you can’t polish it and you don’t use Mr Sheen. I’m actually finding that it’s easier to keep clean than a normal bike. I glossed-blacked the front-end because I didn’t want too much flat around. It really had to have a balance between the flat and gloss paint.
The handlebars, running boards and risers are stock. The seat is standard with Heartland struts and blinker LEDs in the back-end which makes them legal.
That’s a Heartland rear-end with a 250 rear wheel, my own Tuff Bike Series wheels—which are a lot cheaper than the American ones, unique to me and not glitzy too fit with my Tuff Bike series—and two-into-one Vance & Hines pipes.
It’s got a left-side brake set-up for a clean right-side.
I’m using Shotgun shocks which are really good, and I set all the front suspension up so it handles really well.
All the chrome covers around the motor are normally a satin finish but I bought this bike second-hand with 1000 km on it and the customer had already spent $7000 on Harley parts. It didn’t really look much different to a standard Fat Boy to me.
It gets a massive response everywhere it goes, people fall in love with it, and on top of that, it rides really well which is important to me—all the bikes I do, have to ride really well.
I wanted to give someone the vision that a bike like this is within their reach. They can do this easily and not spend a lot of money; it’s my answer to this tough economy. You’re talking about spending $20,000 to this bike to get it where it is, which is not a lot these days to have something looking this good. I’ve tried to keep it looking aesthetically pleasing.
Words by Adam Layton from APL Performance Bikes; photos by Wall 2 Wall
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