Frisco Glide. A Murdered Out Harley Bagger.

Few builders would take a brand new 2010 Harley Road Glide to start a full custom project. Even less would touch the “old” 96″ stock engine with only 40 miles on it to transform it in a monster 131″ Screaming Eagle/Jim’s motor. Wait, there is more. Sean Belitsos of Empire Engineering has a very simple philosophy:  “F…k Plastic and F…k Fiberglass”. So with partners Robert and Marcus he began an aggressive surgery job. Not just a little tummy tuck or liposuction, or lip injection, but a full blown super DD boob job and complete body lift.
The Harley came apart all the way to the bare frame with nothing left. The seat was dropped 3 inch with a removable sub-frame like the stock piece, all set to meet the custom airbag suspension and the handmade steel side covers.  Next the boys slit her neck and raked it out 18 degrees more while maintaining the stock backbone.  They cleaned up the engine mounts and welded in new radius down tubes, giving brand new lines to the frame. The custom gas tank built by Sean flows well with the angles of the stock outer fairing shell. This one-off fuel reservoir incorporates all the gauges via a Dakota digital cluster that is blacked out and illuminates in a red LED readout. The custom inner fairing houses a trick 1000 Watt Kenwood and Kicker audio system with DVD player performing like a competition car audio system. Of course none of you missed the fact that Frisco Glide got a one-off 26″ front wheel (designed and machined by Mark Susman and Wendel Smith of Rampage Wheels and Classic Customs) dressed in V-Rubber and looking very good so close to the fairing but with enough clearance to handle with no trouble the surprises of the road. Rear is a reasonable and wide enough 17 x 6.35″ wrapped with a 200 mm tire.
To make riding a big bagger a whole new kind of fun, the stock 96” Twin Cam motor was replaced by a Jims 131″ Performance engine developing over 145hp! I will pass on the complications of simplifying the “miles” of wires and layers of “black box” controls that are intended to electronically program everything on a new Harley. A big headache that they overcame. The traditional Harley Davidson hand controls were replaced with a set of Brembo RCS radial hand controls mounted on a set of 1″ Empire Engineering angled baby-ape bars with all wiring and hydraulic running internally. The bike is fitted with mid-controls for a more aggressive position while riding it.

I like very much the one-off 2 into 1 stainless steel exhaust system with industrial looking mesh heat shields in contrast of the shiny all blacked out engine and transmission. The necessary oxygen sensors were preserved to keep the mill in touch with the bike computer control module. The matte black & red paint job (the shop colors) is laid out such a way that the bike looks all black when seen from the rear. Empire Engineering. (photography H. Roesler)

16 Responses to “Frisco Glide. A Murdered Out Harley Bagger.”


  1. 1 Sean Triley Sep 13th, 2010 at 7:35 am

    Bloody bagger job.

  2. 2 Kruzer Sep 13th, 2010 at 7:44 am

    The way Harley should make them, but of course it will never happen.

  3. 3 joe dirt Sep 13th, 2010 at 8:36 am

    love this bike. looks even better in person!

  4. 4 hddave Sep 13th, 2010 at 9:14 am

    Simply amazing!

  5. 5 Brent Sep 13th, 2010 at 11:43 am

    Would ride cast to coast on this one.

  6. 6 bobx Sep 13th, 2010 at 11:54 am

    nice. chromeless. anti-bling.

  7. 7 1550tc Sep 13th, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    the stock 96” Twin Cam motor was replaced by a Jims 131″ Performance engine developing over 145hp

    why stop there, might as well put a set of bobby’s wood 408g’s cams

  8. 8 WS Sep 13th, 2010 at 1:03 pm

    That thing looks killer, but I don’t understand why the yell “f*ck fiberglass” when fiberglass was used to build the bike, it’s pretty obvious when you look at the build pictures on their website.

  9. 9 Todd8080 Sep 13th, 2010 at 6:10 pm

    Ever the naysayer, I may be the only one who doesn’t care for the oversized bicycle wheel up front with 1″ of travel and a single disc to stop an 800 pound bike. Good luck going coast to coast on that.

    A lot of time and effort no doubt, but different doesn’t necessarily equal better.

  10. 10 Woody Sep 13th, 2010 at 10:58 pm

    So, that’s a metal fairing & bags, sidecovers too?

  11. 11 B'COOL Sep 14th, 2010 at 6:08 am

    Sean, great job as always. Very impressive!

  12. 12 MDSPHOTO Sep 14th, 2010 at 9:22 am

    I never wanted a bagger…….until now! How much to get one?

  13. 13 BIG SEAN Sep 14th, 2010 at 11:36 am

    Thanks for all the positive and negative feedback. I feel that Cyrils Blog is the best to get through to the people in our industry. I guess all I can say about the “FUCK PLASTIC” and ” FUCK FIBERGLASS” is that there is some glass on that bike but what we where trying to say is that we built the steel rear fender, tank, side covers and Randy at B’COOL built the front. I stand corrected. You guys are the best!

  14. 14 jatinder pal Sep 14th, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    Nice mean bagger…love the anti chrome treatment.

  15. 15 Designer Henry Sep 17th, 2010 at 10:06 am

    Excellent “Werk”!!!! The creaftsmanship is flawless and the look is definitely Bad Ass!! I’m a glass guy but I have the utmost appreciation for those who can manipulate metal like that. It is definitely an art. Sean, what type of speakers are you using in the fairing? It looks like you’re stuffing a pair of 8″ subs in the bottom openings and Kenwood 6.5’s in the top. I’m currently fabbing a Road Glide style fairing for a Road King just for a killer stereo system. I learned vey quickly that speakers in the bags while running 80mph pretty much go silent. Speakers up front is definitely the way to go. Lastly, where can we see mor pics of the finished product? Bad Ass Glide!!!!

  16. 16 Hans Goudzwaard Feb 14th, 2011 at 1:16 am

    I have never liked the bags. They don’t blend with the sweep of the fender.

Comments are currently closed.
Cyril Huze