Race Paint Harley-Davidson Dyna Glide Motorcycle
“This bike is my version of what a Dyna should look like and sometimes reminds me of the old Wide Glides and Low Riders I grew up with. Those things were cool!” said Matt.
I’VE HAD 48 bikes — that’s a lot of good times — riding and racing big 500 cc two-strokes through the 1990s then building and owning some close-to-factory 450 four-strokes (good times). Still racing my 2009 RMZ450 in the Vets Class these days. What a buzz. I had a lot of big road bikes throughout my young years. I even swapped my 500 MX bike in 1995 for my neighbour’s GS1000 with a Mr Turbo kit on it. Fuck me! That thing was fast! Everything after that seemed slow. But owning a couple of Ducati and Aprilia twins, I’d worked out V-twin power was the go.
Starting my own business, I bought a new spray booth and got to work painting a lot of cars. I was always experimenting in painting different surfaces, plastics, alloys, chrome, even painting MX bikes.
Finally I bought my first Harley-Davidson, a 96 cube Dyna. Finally I got to paint my own Harley-Davidson. For years I’d always wanted a black and orange Dyna so that’s what I did. Lowering the guards and putting a Zinto/Kerker exhaust and Rolland Sands air-cleaner, etc. That thing used to hammer. It used to drop a mean power burnout until one day I threw it away up in the hills chasing some mates on their Dukes. I totalled the bike. It was gone. I was lucky to still be here.
I had to focus on the business so I limped around in a cast on my leg for a couple of months to remind me of my stupidity that day, pushing the Dyna too far. Anyway, there was plenty of work coming through the door so I got on with it.
The missus wouldn’t let me get another Harley-Davidson so I brought a new RMZ450 MX bike. Eventually, after a year and a half, my missus gave in letting me buy another Harley, a Street Bob stock standard.
I knew I wanted to de-chrome the bike so I started prepping and painting everything gloss black. I always wanted to do something with skulls and candy so I called in my good mate Kel (Von Pato) to help with airbrush and pinstriping and gold leaf.
Then, as usual, I had to do some performance work, so I saw Ross from RPM, and after some advice, booked it in to do some engine work. I decided to get the heads cleaned up and raise the compression as much as needed. Using some Screamin’ Eagle 254 cams, he also bolted on a two-into-one exhaust. I wanted bottom and mid range power. This thing runs strong. It loves to rev. Thanks Ross at RPM.
I was going for the old school look, that’s why I used the S&S air-cleaner. The more I look at the bike the more I like it. It came out just how I wanted it.
Photos by Rod Cole; story by Matt
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