Heavy Metal

1994 Road King

Dago Dane’s Road King Dreams Come True

It’s funny how the smallest things that happen to you as a kid, end up having a huge impact later in life. Sometimes it’s a car or a motorcycle that appears in a favorite movie. Other times, it’s the neighbor or family member that you looked up to as the “cool guy.” When it comes to the Lowrider scene, the influences start early on and progress with age. The first custom often comes in the form of a baby stroller, done up with chrome and paint. From there bicycles usually follow. It’s those influences early on that lead those driven towards motorcycles that almost always impacts the way a custom goes.

“Dago” Dane Souder is an accomplished tattoo artist from San Diego who grew up surrounded by car culture. “I was always into Lowriders growing up. Either it was cars, trucks, or bikes. Whatever it was, it got my attention. When I was a kid, I would take my bicycle to shows all the time.” As Dane got older, his customs progressed into larger projects. When it came time to create the motorcycle he had always wanted, the choice was simple. “I came across my Road King and from day one, I had a vision on what I wanted to build. A year of dedication later, this is what was created.”

The standard for West Coast flavor always starts with a nice paintjob. The simplicity of Dane’s champagne color, ghosted lace patterns with thin pinstripes drives that look home. What makes Lowriders different from the rest of the custom world is a 21-inch front and 16-inch rear spoke wheels, wrapped in thin white walls. This is a direct influence from the 5.20x13s that define the Lowrider cars from any other custom. Fishtails are a must and the longer, the better. There’s something about the sound of the “blat, blat, blat, blat” reverb heard on deceleration that takes you back to the boulevards of times gone by. Make sure not to forget the front-to-back chrome. There really is no limit to the amount of show and shine. Throw in a set of stretched bags and beach bars, and you have yourself one firme-looking custom.

Dago’s Road King, just goes to prove that the sum of the parts often has a greater impact than piling on every bolt-on out of a catalog and sometimes, less, is just the right amount.

Specifications

General

Owner “Dago” Dane Souder

Year/Make/Model 1994/H-D/Road King

Build Time One year

Engine H-D

Year/Type/Size 1994/Evo/80ci

Builder H-D

Cases Chrome

Carburetor S&S Super E

Exhaust Samson 39-inch Fish Tales

Transmission

Year/Type 1994/H-D

Frame

Year/Type 1994/H-D

Suspension

Frontend

Length Lowered 2 inches

Rear Shocks Custom Air shocks

Wheels, Tires, and Brakes

Front

Builder/Size Ride Wright/21-inch

Tire/Size Avon/21-inch

Calipers Chrome DBI

Rotors Single Front

Rear

Builder/Size Ride Wright/16-inch

Tire/Size 16-inch

Caliper Chrome DBI

Finish/Paint

Manufacturer PPG

Colors Champagne Gold with Pink Pearl

Paint/Graphics Bengy’s Paint Shop, Cisneros Pinstriping

Accessories

Gauges Digital Gas Gauges

Handlebars Custom Beach by Bukey Bars

Crash Bars Custom by Bukey Bars

Bags Stretched Bags

Bag Latches Custom Billet

Foot Controls Custom Billet

Floorboards Custom Billet

Seat Custom Leather Seat

Stereo Dominic Cardinale, iSimple

Amplifier Rockford Fosgate

Speakers JL Audio 8 speakers