Charging Bull Softail Deuce

warr11warr12warr13Another fine example of a customized job done on a factory Harley Softail without altering the factory engine and driveline to produce a result you would expect from a bike built from the ground up. It’s currently the pride of King’s Road Customs (and of course of his private owner), the custom division of London based Warr’s Harley-Davidson, the oldest Harley dealer in Europe. A custom among many others built by Warr’s to be displayed later this year when the dealershipp celebrates its 90th anniversary with the opening of a new state-of the-art building which will house not only the main dealership and the custom shop but also the Warr’s Museum.

warr4warr5warr10The Warr’s King Road Customs division was created in 2000 around a team of H-D trained technicians led by Charlie Stockwell, a guarantee for clients that their custom Harleys will keep the road reliability of the original production ones on which they are based. Preserving the official Harley-Davidson title associated with the bike is also a very big deal in Europe if you don’t want to take the risk of having your bike confiscated by the local police…

warr6warr7The only way to properly customize a factory bike (in this case a 2003 Softail Deuce) is always to first strip it down to bare frame, just keeping the front end and wheels to re-imagine it from the original chassis. Neck was slightly stretched and raked to give room to the replacement leaf spring front suspension. A standard Fat Boy gas tank was modified, creating symmetric recessed panels on which perforated aluminum plates were attached.

warr8warr9A solo seat using a beefy Ohlins spring for suspension required the relocation of the oil tank, the stock one being replaced by a round one sourced at Mooneyes and placed between the frame lower front rails. A new steel rear fender was adjusted to closely hug the new  18 x 5 120-spoke rear wheel. During that time, engine and transmission were disassembled, went to the beauty department to receive a fresh coat of satin nickel finish, then reassembled replacing the stock rocker boxes by the much better looking ones offered by Covingtons Customs. All tiny nuts, bolts and fittings were also finished in satin nickel to compliment the  motor.

warr9bisOnce all welding and fabrication tasks were completed by Russell Brown, the chassis and bodywork were sent to trusted custom painter Image Design Custom who laid down a rich gold base before finishing with a burnt bronze candy and denim lacquer. Full tech sheet is below. King’s Road Customs (photography copyright MLoFoto & Roberto Aguilar for Cyril Huze)

Spec Sheet

Bike Name: Charging Bull Softail
Owner: Private
Shop: Warr’s Harley-Davidson
Shop Phone: +44 (0) 207 751 9121
Website: www.warrs.com
Year/Make/Model: 2003/Harley-Davidson/Deuce
Fabrication: Warr’s King’s Road Customs – Charlie Stockwell & Russell Brown
Build Time: 18 weeks

Engine H-D
Year/Type/Size: 2003/Twin Cam 88/1450cc
Builder: H-D
Cases: H-D
Cylinders: H-D
Heads: H-D
Rocker Boxes: Covington
Cams: H-D
Throttle Body: Carb
Air Cleaner: Warr’s Customs

Transmission: H-D
Year/Type: 2003/5-Speed
Gears: H-D
Clutch: H-D
Primary Drive: H-D

Suspension:
Frontend: Paughco Kiwi Leaf Spring
Length: Stock
Triple Trees: N/A
Swingarm: Modified H-D
Rear Shocks: Progressive Suspension 422

Wheels/Tires/Brakes

Front:
Builder: Ride Wright Wheels
Size: 21″ x 3.5″ 120 Spoke
Tire/Size: Avon Cobra 130/21
Caliper: Performance Machine
Rotor: Performance Machine

Rear:
Builder: Ride Wright Wheels
Size: 18″ x 5″ 120 Spoke
Tire/Size: Avon Cobra 180/18
Caliper: Performance Machine
Rotor: Performance Machine
Pulley: H-D

Finish/Paint:
Paint by: Image Design Custom
Colours: Burnt Bronze
Plating/Polishing: Satin Nickle by London Chroming Co.
Powdercoating: N/A

Accessories:
Front Fender: N/A
Rear Fender: Warr’s Customs
Gas Tank: Modified H-D
Dash: H-D
Gauges: H-D
Handlebars: Warr’s Customs
Grips: Todds
Mirrors: N/A
Hand Controls: H-D
Foot Controls: Arlen Ness
Floor Boards: N/A
Headlight: CSC
Tailight: CSC
Turn Signals: Kuryakyn
License Mount: Warr’s Customs
Seat: Wild Hog

17 Responses to “Charging Bull Softail Deuce”


  1. 1 Seymour Nov 17th, 2014 at 9:11 am

    A little busy but looks rideable

  2. 2 Kyle Sharp Nov 17th, 2014 at 9:23 am

    Like both the bike and the lady.

  3. 3 Joshua Nov 17th, 2014 at 9:25 am

    Let’s not forget that it’s still a legal Softail when on the road. It’s the merit of this custom.

  4. 4 Tom Ryan Nov 17th, 2014 at 11:39 am

    If you like V-Rod’s, these guy’s did a nice job on a bike they named the Dreadnought.

  5. 5 TJ Martin Nov 17th, 2014 at 11:51 am

    The bike ? Ehhh … its .. OK … Way too busy for sure [ the builder needs to get his head around FLW’s adage … ” eliminating the insignificant ” ] … but still fairly decent overall especially in light of it being based on a pretty much stock soft tail …

    The girl though ? That aint no lady … thats a mere child ! IMO The likes of her should never be posing on a custom motorcycle seeing how she looks thoroughly incapable of even starting the bike ..never mind riding it

    Stick her in front of say a Ducati or as a show stand girl ? Maybe . But sitting her on top of what I assume is being promoted as a macho custom build ? Ludicrous ! Must of been somebody’s daughter 😉

  6. 6 Gary Nov 17th, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    I think it’s pretty good except too much rake for this type of front end.

  7. 7 Kroeter Nov 17th, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    Don’t know how it rides but that’s a damn fine looking bike.

  8. 8 takehikes Nov 17th, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    I think they misspelled Deuce…in this case it should be Douche. Only bright spot is you can ride it but its not a very good job of design, the work is fine, design not so much.

  9. 9 Eric Nov 17th, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    The top 8 that posted need to post what they have built before bashing this bike just enjoy and keep the bad comments to yourself . Use to like this site but to much negatives on the blog

  10. 10 Blackmax Nov 17th, 2014 at 7:48 pm

    An interesting take on an existing model
    Looks “rideable” if you like that “European” type of style
    Not my cup of “tea” as they say across the pond
    But I do think that somebody, with a lot more cash than I have, will step up to the plate & buy it
    Hey TJ, if you don’t like the young lady on the bike
    I’d be MORE than happy to have her straddle my bike as we ride happily of into the sunset !!!!!
    LOL !!!!!

  11. 11 Iron Horse Nov 17th, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    Good lookin’ bike and lady!

    They have quite a few more nice looking scoots on their web site. Most would appear to be very ride able and well thought out.

    Have to agree with Eric…way too many people bashing others work.

  12. 12 Freedomlaw Nov 18th, 2014 at 8:00 am

    It looks “fun” to me. I would enjoy taking a Sunday ride around Gettysburg and Frederick County, Maryland and just having fun on the bike. At least to me, it is still one of the main reasons I ride: it is fun!

  13. 13 SIGFREED Nov 18th, 2014 at 8:25 am

    For what it is, you are going to struggle to fault this build, other than personal taste.

    I say, well done, good attention to detail and a reasonable practical custom – the (lucky) owner will enjoy this for many years, if not decades – it will ‘age’ well an may even see a next generation. Now that is the kind of custom that makes (common-)sence.

    Good tires, reliable motor, reasonably comfortable, still unique enough to make the owner feel special – GREAT!

    Gooseneck frames have an x-factor. Unless you are completely daft – they generally turn out well. A while back somebody commented that the thousands of late ’90’s early ’00’s softails standing rusting in garages is the next custom ‘wave’ – WISE WORDS.

    The hideously strict EU legislation re ground-up builds, which can only be done by shops that are themselves near factories, have made the cost near prohibitive. Bolt-ons and/or customisation od factory machines (eg retaining the original frame and vin. no) is now the vast bulk of the business.

    It is perhaps not entirely my kind of build, but WARR’S like SHAW, remain a top-shops this end of the pond.

    Gary:

    You commented about the rake – not sure if you meant aesthetically of functionally. Aesthetically – in the eye of the beholder; functionally – I would note that the effective rake on this kind of front end, with a ‘reverse’ yoke, is actually a bit deceiving and from I can see, it looks fit for purpose – ie riding slow enough to be seen and heard, yet fast enough to be smiling all the way…

  14. 14 Mike Tomas, Kiwi Indian MC Co Nov 18th, 2014 at 9:09 am

    Style is always subjective. Not every bike will hit a home run with every one of us but we’ve got to give credit where its due. It takes a lot to build a custom bike with strict regulations (usually overseas) and usually the client has some of his special requirements. Some may laugh at the guy who came in dead last in a foot race but he’s still ahead of us because he ran it. These guys are front runners.
    Congratulations.

  15. 15 Martin Twofeather Nov 18th, 2014 at 3:43 pm

    Very well done.

  16. 16 nicker Nov 18th, 2014 at 3:50 pm

    Nice stance.
    Space above the headlight could use a small “six-pack-rack” to give it some functionality.

    -nicker-

  17. 17 burnout Nov 19th, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Best use of a Deuce yet. At my age I look at the lady’s footware first. By looks alone she is a keeper. So is the bike! peace

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Cyril Huze