Your Motorcycles: My Custom Sparkling Violet Springer Softail

Right out of the crate, I started to make my 2004 Harley-Davidson Springer Softail fit me. I had it lowered and installed a LePera Silhouette solo seat so my feet would be planted firmly on the ground when maneuvering parking lots.

After a trip to Montana, via the South Dakota Badlands, I realized that the stock handlebars were not comfortable for long days in the saddle. That winter, I put the bike on a lift, closed my eyes, and found my comfortable hand position.

Adding height to the bars meant adding length to all cables, lines and wiring, so a winter project it was. The stock color was a beautiful blue and black two-tone, but purple is my favorite color. So to make the Springer even more personal, it was painted “Jen” purple, a color that is a mix of a purple with a sparkling violet flamboyance laid over top.

Most recently, my best friend and riding buddy surprised me with new laced wheels, with the spokes powder-coated purple to match the bike, right down to the sparkles!

The best part of my bike is the character it has developed as my steed for many rides across this great country. My Springer is not a trailer queen and boasts more than 86,000 miles on the odometer. So the wear and fading that is noticeable up close is earned and worn proudly. And the stories from the road are fantastic memories.

In 2012, I purchased a Harley-Davidson Street Glide as my daily driver and touring machine. The Springer is now in a well-earned semi-retirement, but I never tire from taking it out for a day or a long weekend of riding.