Paul Rodriguez' bike Melody started out life as a stock, violet colored 1997 Road King. "Back in '07," Paul says, "some drunk decided to drink too much alcohol, take some pills, and then drive his pickup truck around town. He jumped the curb in front of a bar I was performing at and wiped out three bikes, including mine. Of course we had to physically restain him until Johnny Law got there. The police wondered why his mouth was all bloody, but they didn't seem too concerned how it happened."
Paul's insurance company totaled the bike but he bought it back from them after they cut him a check. With the extra money in hand Paul tore the bike down to the frame, with the motor and tranny being the only salvageable parts. He decided to fabricate, paint, or replace everything else that the bike needed. "With me being a musician," Paul said, "I figured my passion for music should be reflected not just in my songs and tattoos, but also in my bike's paint job too."
Among the main features on this bike are the custom rear fender and taillights. The frenched and molded-in taillights act as run, brake, and turn signals and shaped like musical notes. Paul mentioned how much work it was, not to mention time and money, to get the lights how he wanted them. Light boards and custom boxes had to be fabricated to hold the LEDs. Auto Innovationz in Wichita, Kansas, performed all of the rear fender fab work, boxes for the lights, along with the paint job. Jason Rogers from the local Big Dog affiliate built the light boards for the LEDs as well as adding pigtails for two LEDs to illuminate the license plate.
Paul fabricated the handlebars and integrated mirror himself. He states that after the paint and the hidden music notes people are most likely to comment on the shape of the internally wired handlebars. He had a heck of a time trying to cram all of the wiring and the throttle cables inside. He swears that his next set won't be as radical to ease the wiring process. Paul also made the 2-into-1 exhaust pipe that mates to the stock Evo heads. Other than a new carb and a cam the motor is stock.
Paul's goal was attention to detail when he set out rebuilding his King. Every nut, bolt, and washer was polished if it wasn't already chrome. He took off anything he deemed unnecessary including the front running lights. Paul also takes pride in the fact that Melody isn't a trailer queen-he's ridden to Sturgis seven or eight times and all around the southern part of the country. Even with 70,000 miles on the Evo it still doesn't leak.
When Paul originally had the idea for his RK he wanted to have the option to ride with or without the saddlebags but still look good. Paul painted or replaced everything that resides behind the saddlebags and tossed or cut off any brackets that served no purpose. Melody can go bagless in less time than it takes to drink two Beam and Cokes (his favorite). Paul says, "I can pull off the saddlebags and the quick release windscreen and go from old man bike to bar hopper in no time at all."