Old Glory 1993 FXRL Stunt Bike
Hot Bike: How did you get started doing stunts?
Roger Regan: I’ve been doing wheelies about four years after watching Unknown videos on YouTube. I’ve been riding dirt bikes since I was like five until about 17 when I got a Sportster. I got rid of the Sportster super quick and got a Dyna.
HB: What’s the hardest part of wheelying a Harley?
RR: The hardest part is stopping that tire from spinning. The bikes are super heavy, and the tire wants to spin when you don’t want to do it. I’ve got my setup down to a science. You have to maintain them so they don’t break. When they do break, they catastrophically break and it’s expensive. It’s not just a few plastic pieces; it’s a steel tank, steel fender, $1,500 shocks. It’s 700 pounds and when that thing hits the ground it’s breaking things, not just scraping things.
HB: What do you think kicked off the latest wave of Harley stunts?
RR: Everyone’s been doing wheelies forever, but the popular version or the sport started about four years ago. Social media brought it out into the open and the ability to see it on your phone. You can see Harley wheelies anytime if you’re into it.
HB: Have you always been into FXRs?
RR: I’ve probably had 25 FXRs. I buy them, put my little twist on them—like tall shocks, clutch, T-bars—and sell them. I sell them to people that want an FXR and get in the wheelie game. Right now I have a 2001 Dyna, 1993 FXR, 1989 FXR—that’s it. All are set up for stunt and street.
HB: Tell us about this bike.
RR: That bike is named Old Glory. It’s a 1993 FXR. I like to say it’s a 2017 now because every nut, bolt, bearing, and seal is brand new. It started when I had an old engine on my shelf. It was a rainy day and I got bored and tore it apart. I figured if it was all apart I might as well do a color scheme. With the frame I didn’t want to go the cheap route by doing powdercoat, and my partner Matt said I better chrome that thing.
Next, I had a complete 1993 FXR. I put in on the rack and tore it down to pieces in about two hours. I had three bins laying out in front of me. I started separating what I wanted red, what I wanted blue, and I wanted white, and off it went to powdercoat.
HB: What are your plans for the bike?
RR: I plan to use it for promotional work for my shop Slabsides in Campbell, California. I just wanted to use it for advertising. I had only ridden it for about 10 minutes before today, and I broke it in doing wheelies and burnouts. That’s kind of how I do it. Break it in how you’re going to ride it. I’ll change the oil out a few times and it should be good to go.
HB: Who do you ride with?
RR: I’m part of Straight Up. Straight Up has been around forever. It was a sportbike team before it was a Harley team. A couple of the sportbike guys got Harleys and recruited me, Scott Horton, Rickey, and Ryan Church. We started about two years ago and have been pushing as a Harley team since then to get our name out there.
HB: What’s your ultimate goal?
RR: The goal is to consistently be better and be on top, keep learning new tricks, and be in the limelight. I want to have people know what I’m doing and what I’m about.
HB: Any last thoughts?
RR: Special thanks to my girlfriend Melissa, Big Bear Choppers, Bung King, Bell Helmets, my own shop Slabsides, my partner Matt, Öhlins, Baker transmission, Progressive Suspension, Onyx gloves, Alpinestars, Heat Wave sunglasses. I have a lot of day-one sponsors that stuck with me even when I wasn’t good—I just looked good snapping pictures. The better I got, the more limelight they got. I really appreciate those guys too. HB
Specifications | |
---|---|
Owner: | Roger Regan |
Shop: | Slabsides |
Shop Phone: | (408) 364-0284 |
Year/Make/Model: | 1993/Harley-Davidson/FXRL |
Fabrication: | Bung King |
Build Time: | 1 month |
Engine | |
Year/Type/Size: | 1989/H-D/Evo 80ci |
Builder: | Roger Regan |
Cases: | H-D |
Cylinders: | H-D |
Heads: | H-D |
Rocker Boxes: | H-D |
Cams: | S&S |
Throttle Body: | S&S |
Air Cleaner: | Arlen Ness |
Exhaust: | Big Bear Choppers |
Transmission | |
Year/Type: | 1993/H-D |
Gears: | 5-speed |
Clutch: | Barnett |
Primary Drive: | H-D |
Frame | |
Year/Type: | 1993/FXRL HD |
Rake/Stretch: | Stock |
Suspension | |
Front End | |
Length: | 26 in. |
Triple Trees: | H-D 39mm |
Swingarm: | H-D |
Rear Shocks: | Progressive 390s |
Wheels, Tires, and Brakes | |
Front | |
Builder/Size: | H-D/19-in. mags 9-spoke |
Tire/Size: | 100/90/19 |
Calipers: | 2002 H-D |
Rotors: | Twin Power |
Rear | |
Builder/Size: | H-D/16-in. mags 9-spoke |
Tire/Size: | 150 x 16 |
Caliper: | 2002 Dyna H-D |
Rotor: | Twin Power |
Sprocket: | Bung King |
Finish/Paint | |
Manufacturer: | |
Colors: | Red, White, and Blue |
Paint/Graphics: | American by Chris Roberts |
Plating/Polishing: | Best Chrome, Morgan Hill, CA |
Powdercoating: | Bung King |
Accessories | |
Front Fender: | H-D |
Rear Fender: | Chopped |
Gas Tank: | FXRL |
Handlebars: | Bung King |
Grips: | Avon |
Mirrors: | H-D |
Hand Controls: | H-D |
Foot Controls: | FXR Mids |
Headlight: | Moons MC |
Taillight: | Bung King |
Seat: | Saddlemen |