Ever since I mentioned in one of my early editorials that we were going to start putting more Harley-based bikes-bikes people can relate to-into the magazine, readers have been flipping out, thinking the HOT BIKE sky is falling. When I made the statement, I didn't mean walk in to your local H-D dealership, look left to right, and see the types of bikes we are going to fill the pages with. I meant go to one of the top-name bike shows across the country-Daytona Beach Bike Week Boardwalk Show, Rat's Hole Show, or the AMD bike show in Sturgis-and check out some of the entries that are based on either a H-D frame, drivetrain, or both. Those are the bikes I was referring to. Bikes like Ronnie Cooley's Road King-which, amazingly, we didn't find at a bike show, but stumbled across while cruising the vendor area at Destination Daytona this past Bike Week. Ronnie's bike is exactly what I had in mind.
We've all seen a Road King or two in our lives. Many of you probably even own one or have owned one at some time. So tell me, couldn't you imagine yourself in the seat of this badass, flamed machine, slipping through traffic, turning heads on Main Street in (enter your town here), or doubled up with your favorite female companion for a long weekend ride? Ronnie's a pretty interesting character and a good storyteller. I could just regurgitate the story he told us about how his RK came to be, but it'd be better if you just heard straight from him.
"This bike was built with one purpose: to piss off Harley owners. Now, I know that sounds mean, bold, or whatever, but that's the way it is. Several of my buddies with Harleys think they should be ridden the way Harley-Davidson designed them. Screw that! I started out when I was 15 years old, getting into VW drag racing. After a number of years of doing that, winning a couple of times, being points champion three years in a row, finally it was time to move on. I got into the lowrider scene, building custom trucks, criss-crossing the United States, going to every big show. But eventually I got burned out on seeing the same trucks all the time. One year while at the Truck Jam in Southern California, someone gave me a flyer for the HOT BIKE West Coast Super Show that was going to be held the next weekend. I told my girlfriend at the time, that we should stay and check it out so we did, and I was bitten by a new hobby.
After being at the show all day and checking out the bikes, I knew it was time for a new start. I told my girlfriend on the way home that I wouldn't mind having a bike. She just looked at me and said "Hell, no!" She told me I had too many projects already and the more she complained about it, the more I entertained the thought of getting a bike. When I got home I called a friend of over 20 years, Bill Edler. Bill had a Harley and I started talking to him about what bike he thought would be the best for me to start with. Bill told me to get a Road King, so my hunt was on.
The smooth look of the perse...
The smooth look of the perse performance frontend with its hidden axles is a stark contrast to the spiked rc components wheel.
While attending a street rod show in Daytona, I rode over to Daytona Harley to look at some bikes. After working out a deal on a used bike, I told them I wanted some different tires, and the salesman said they couldn't change them out. I thought that sucked, and since they weren't willing to change out the tires, I left. When I got home I told my girlfriend about the bike, and she said, "If you get a bike I'm leaving!" After hearing that, I thought to myself, Hmmmmmm, is that all I need to do to get rid of you? The next weekend I called Bill and we headed over to the Harley shop, where I bought an '03 Police Edition Road King with 800 miles on it. I ended up leaving the dealership with three boxes of goodies to put on when I got home. Needless to say, my girlfriend left, but I had a cool-ass bike.