2005 Harley-Davidson FLH - Not Your Average Cop Bike

2005 H-D FLH Make Over
Back in 2006, David Call and the Gunslinger Custom Paint crew based out of Golden, Colorado, rebuilt this 2005 H-D FLH former police bike. Let me tell you this isn't your average cop bike. The crew stretched the original tank, added a FLHX chrome dash, and an FLHX inner fairing with fairing mount mirrors, and FLHX running boards with an FBI Kit and FBI wheels. A bright custom paint job was also laid down.

"Now in the custom paint business we don't want to show up with the same paint job several years in a row," said David Call. "With the way the market and economy was slowing there was no need to dump the bike just to build a new one. So we thought to just build a new bike and take it to Sturgis."

Anyone can do the same thing. If you like the bike you have and want something fresh why unload it and take a hit? Just regenerate it. Gunslinger had just opened their brand new 5,000 square foot Motorcycle and ATV Collision and Custom build shop the month before and the techs were looking for some cool projects to get rolling on. So other than the motor, wheels and tires, the project was started about six weeks before the Sturgis Rally.

The new build started by changing all of the old sheetmetal, bags, seat, and inner and outer fairing. A full set of sheetmetal, saddlebags, inner fairing, and side covers were scored from eBay. Next came the RWD tank and dash, and they stretched the side covers to meet the tank and seat opening. The rivets were shaved and the front fender smoothed and clearanced to make way for the 21-inch front tire. For style, the rear fender was changed to add in LED lights for extra visibility. The crew at Bitchn Stitchn Inc., based in Lakewood, Colorada, customized the seat to fit the tank and side covers.

Next, David installed the inner fairing without the fairing mounted mirrors, and instead added black powdercoated H-D mirrors up on the controls with PM Renthal grips, and H-D black powdercoated levers. Extra time was taken to redo the brake lines up front and a new 9/16-inch master cylinder for improved performance with the single- sided caliper.

While the bike was apart they improved on all the things they didn't like from the first build; like the rear fender mount and bag mounts. They machined new axle spacers to get perfect alignment between the front and rear wheels. They removed the chrome Reinhardt pipes and had them blacked out. Next came a set of FLH white gauges to replace the stock OEM black gauges. They ran an iPod hook up into the stereo and built a handlebar mount for better visibility and usability while riding. Innovative Metal Technologies built a set of custom engraved logo floorboards with foldout FBI Jac-Knife pegs built in.

Gunslinger applied a whole new paint scheme that combined black, blue and gold leaf graphics. Dave said, "I'm really happy with the changes and as far as I can tell I am riding a whole new bike. It's my old bike, just with a new attitude and a lot less costthat's what we do."

Spec Sheet