2006 Harley-Davidson Road Glide | Saved From A Life of Shame

Smooth. Beautiful. Curvy. Sleek. Eye candy. Sexy. No, we’re not talking about your dream girl. We’re talking about this candy-coated red and pearl white, smooth machine you see here. Yes, this sleek and classy 2006 Road Glide hits all the descriptors listed above.

Nine times out of 10, every badass motorcycle build starts from something neglected or wrecked bad enough to hide in the corner of some garage or warehouse. This Harley-Davidson was abandoned and left outside some neglectful owner’s house as if it were a stray dog on a chain. Regular oil changes, tune-ups, and any type of maintenance was not part of this bike’s life, not until the day the previous owner was in need of a few dollars to pay off some bills. Richie Martin and his wallet were eager to rescue this H-D from its rough life.

Had you seen this bike in its previous condition you’d think it might have been a waste of time or money to revive it. It’s a good thing two friends didn’t stop at first sight. Lee Myers, owner of Rankin Creek Custom Cycles (RCCC) out of Virginia, along with his good friend, Richie, already had the perfect plan for this Road Glide. “The only thing on this bike worth a damn was the engine, it had already been bumped up 95ci,” explained Lee.

RCCC added a little extra detail to the front fender by flaring out the outer edge.

Many parts and components came in from all kinds of purchases, scraps, and even off another cycle in Richie’s garage. Resting in his garage was an Ultra Classic that was turned into a trike for his wife—leaving all kinds of spare parts to be used on this build. A rear wheel and Arlen Ness saddlebags leftover from the trike build were money-saving parts that could be used on this project. Pride isn’t the only thing RCCC strives to achieve. Uniqueness is also a main priority. The crew at RCCC loves making one-of-a-kind parts on all their builds and the front fender on this bike was no exception. The front fender was completed with the spacers incorporated into it with some added trim along the edge of the fender lines. As most builders have their favorite painter that they turn to, Rankin Cycles turned to its trusted shop, Copperhead Graphics for the Kandy Brandywine and Pearl White paint scheme. Chad McCreay, owner of Copperhead Graphics, knew just how to flow the beauty of this Road Glide with the candy and pearl white colors and the chrome appeal.

RCCC had Copperhead Graphics spray a Sinister Industries windscreen with candy brandywine so it would blend in with the top of the outer fairing.

RCCC had Copperhead Graphics spray a Sinister Industries windscreen with candy brandywine

While everything was off in great hands for paint, Lee and his crew were back at the shop installing a set of Yaffe 10-inch Monkey Bars with internal wiring and PM controls/ switch housings. A set of Yaffe mirrors were also installed to keep an eye out for the five-O while cruising the highway. The floorboards were replaced with a sick chrome set from Wicked Image and the foot controls were replaced with a much smoother set from Arlen Ness. Before the rest of the body was re-assembled after paint, it was the perfect time to replace the taillight with something from Arlen Ness that was brighter and more fitting for this H-D. An Arlen Ness rear fender and license mount were used to smooth out the rear end. The addition of a Colorado Custom 26-inch front wheel caused the need for the frame to be raked 35 degrees and stretched out 1 inch to fit the new wheel. Once everything was back from paint, it was nothing but easy street to put this bike back together just in time for Myrtle Beach Bike week. “I’d feel rushed if I didn’t have the great team I have at my shop to get builds like this one completed on time,” Lee explained when asked if he was rushed for the build.

In order to become excellent or great at what you do, you must spend countless hours learning and trying new things in the shop. Lee knows this, thus is always learning and creating new things in and amongst RCCC. Richie knew this growing up and being great friends with him, staying alongside him while he devoted himself as a bike builder in the mountains of Virginia. This candy-coated dream is just another one of the beautiful machines to roll out of the shop doors of Rankin Cycles.