Wheeler’s Custom | 2010 H-D Street Glide

Wyan Wheeler, what a appropriate name for a motorcycle rider. Ryan hasn’t always been a Bagger enthusiast. Like most of us who started riding motorcycles at a tender age, in Ryan’s case 16 years old, he started riding on a motocross machine. That first machine was a 238 Kawasaki Greenstreak. The Greenstreak was Kawasakis first mass-produced race bike and after one crack of the throttle Ryan was bitten by the motorcycle bug in a big way.

Ryan started flat track racing, and desert scrambles. A Husqvarna 400 was used for the cactus land racing, and a Montessa 250 for the circle track. Ryan raced out of,and was sponsored by Don’s Tire and Cycle out of Ontario, California racing in the famed District 47 for many years. Yet after all that time in the dirt, the street was calling. Ryan purchased a 750 Norton Commando on which he put many miles on. He quit riding until 1980 and got back into dirt racing for a few short years. He actually stopped riding two wheelers altogether for 20 almost years then got back into it while buying and collecting vintage dirt bikes including a Maico-Bultaco’s, AJS-Greeves, CZ-Husqvarna, Ducati, Montessa-HL 500- and many others. The street bug came back strong so he ended up buying an American Iron Horse in 2003 along with a Honda 750 VFR. We are starting wonder if there is a brand Ryan hasn’t ridden.

The custom 103ci Harley-Davidson Bagger Ryan currently rides is a huge leap from that little dirt bike he started his riding career on. Ryan told us “I thought I would never end up on a motorcycle with a stereo and saddlebags.” That was only until he encountered Darwin Hansen of Custom Werks and his amazing customization skills. Ryan purchased the bike new from High Desert H-D in Boise then shortly turned the bike over to Darwin, and “let him do his thing.” That thing is the motorcycle you see here.

As a Boise Idaho resident, Ryan can count on maybe 7-8 months of comfortable weather riding, and even more if he wants to dress like an Eskimo. Many of us who live in the snow-in-winter states simply acquire the necessary cold weather riding gear we need from our local Harley-Davidson dealer, which includes electric gloves, and in some cases electric socks. Ryan is an occasional cold weather rider. Like when the thermometer reads above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sun is shining.

As comfortable as the bike was stock, Ryan wanted it to have some custom paint and a little extra bling in the form of chrome accessories. He promptly delivered the bike to Darwin Hansen of Custom Werks Designs in Boise, Idaho. The Custom Werks crew applied the graphics and color as schemed-up during a meeting of the minds of Ryan and Darwin. House of Kolor paint in Candy Red over Gold with Marbelized black flames always gets a second look. Crown plating applied the shiny stuff to all the various chrome components. Powdercoating is by Primo. That full-wrap front fender was created by Custom Werks, the rear fender came from John Shope at Sinister Industries. Mister Paul Yaffe supplied the shapely gas tank and dash. That fancy gas cap came from FBI. A Yaffe taillight and turn signals are mounted in that rear fender. Cyclesmiths brand handlebars with 11 1/2 inches of rise keeps Ryan hand in a comfortable location for his riding style and maintains good posture at the same time. Custom Werks Designs craftsmen hand built the saddlebags around the exhaust system. Rolling stock consists of Renegade wheels fore and aft sporting matching Renegade brake rotors. Rubber up front is an Avon Venom 120/70-21, rubber on the rear is a 180/55-18, also of the Venom variety

Ryan knew what he wanted, and Darwin knew how create it. If you’re tooling around Boise on a warm sunny day and you see Ryan on his Bagger give him a wave. You meet the nicest people on a Harley-Davidson.