The 2009 FXD - Super Glide Custom

Dateline March, 2014: With all the recent interest in TCB and with all the great TCB replica bikes that many of you own, I have had the bug to build a Bronson bike, again, or more accurately a Bronson Tribute bike. My name is Tom and I recently built a 2009 Dyna, FXD Super Glide in to a Bronson tribute bike, 40 years later! Why this bike? Well, here is my reasoning, it is of course a Harley and......

I plan on riding this bike anywhere so I need reliability and comfort, I am 6'2", 200 lbs, the Super Glide is a bigger bike than the Sportster. The stock fuel injection will come in handy traveling the mountains and the six speed transmission will afford nice cruising speeds on the interstate. I increased the front wheel to 21 inches and added spokes.

I bobbed the rear fender, and added the correct Bronson tail light. Billy from Bill's Metal Works built me a Scwinn style sissy bar, added a Cobra style seat and changed out the handle bars for ones with a similar bend as the Bronson bike.

A Chrome head light was added as well as a Sportster speedo and tachometer housing. I tried to come up with an exhaust system that emulates the 1969 Sportsters. I added some chrome on both sides, (battery cover and ignition cover) and a round air cleaner, similar to the Bronson bike.

I added rubber fork boots and had the stock front fender chromed, finishing with two round chrome mirrors and of course painted it Bronson Red! I rode this bike to the 45th TCB anniversary in Phoenix, AZ in 2014 with and average of 46 MPG on the interstate cruising at 70 to 75 mph.

Tom

I started with the Harley orange of that year and mixed a little red black. Not to change the color too much. I never kept track of the formula after I had Salinas Automotive in Salinas Ca. mix it, I just went in and told them I needed so many quarts of Bronson red.

They had it mixed, it was centari enamel using DuPont paint. I know some of the Bronson fans were able to find it. I got an email awhile back the color was a new ford mustang color. Hope this helps. I understand DuPont no longer has the formula. If I knew it would have been a big deal I would have saved a can.

Jerry

Tom

The source for Bronson Red at Antique Cycle Supply in Michigan has done exhaustive research to get the color right and can supply you with official Bronson Red.

Also, Antique Motorcycle Supply in Michigan.

Bill W.

Tom and Steve

Jerry is the guy that did all the paint work for the Bronson show. He came up with the color. I wish I had known that before I painted mine! He will steer you in the right direction. I actually talked to people at Dupont and they had no idea what I was talking about. Even after I showed them the picture I attached to this Email. It was a Harley color by Dupont after Jerry invented it! But no one at Dupont or Harley knows anything about it now. Seems like the formula was lost when they went to the new color coat, clear coat systems. They didn't bother to put the old enamel formulas in the computer. Jerry, How about telling us the story about how you came up with the color. And would you mix some again?

Bill G.

Tom

Good to hear that you are starting a new project! I'm thinking about a modern Bronson bike myself with a Softail Nightrain. However, I'm only interested in painting the tank and the fenders and displaying the all-seeing eyes. My question is what's the actual name (or paint identification number) of the Bronson paint?

Steve

Tom

Come to think of it, the Super Glide has a tie-in to the show. Bronson won the green Super Glide as first prize in the desert race, then gave it to the Indian that flipped his bike when the front wheel came off at the finish line. Remember the model with the long fiberglass rear fender?

Bill W.

Tom

I think that's a great idea and a good choice of bikes. I would also think about getting Sportster style gages and mount them on the handlebar risers. You could put a plate with some inscription about the bike in-place of the stock gages. Or get a custom King tank that would be the right shape, with the larger capacity. The exhaust would just be a matter of adding a straight piece of pipe on the lower pipe to move the muffler back to the "correct" location.

Before I started building my TCB replica, I considered using a modern Sportster. I have as much money in the 1970 as I would have had in a new one. Speaking from experience...You are probably going in the right direction by having only one bike to take care of and tag and insurance. The Super Glide is a good choice for an all around bike. I will be interested to see what the rest of the group thinks. Let us know what you decide.

I just looked at the model line up on line. What do you think of the Sportster 1200N. It would be less work to make it look right and it has the 1200 engine. It has a 3.3 gallon tank, I know I'm ready to stretch my legs after 150 miles. I will go back and look closer, I'm guessing that it has a shorter wheelbase and probably rides rougher than the Super Glide?

Bill G.