Story: Tonian DelleCave
Images: Mark V
Typical and simple it began, a 2015 Harley Davidson road glide. The basic model is the original bare bones feature of this beautiful custom high quality performance machine. Today it stands and rides like nothing else on the road. Setting itself apart in character, style, shape, size, and presence. This bike is truly one of a kind. Refurbished, reassembled, and improved upon to emulate the personality of the owner, Doug DelleCave. We had only been dating a few months before Doug mentioned buying a new bike that I could ride comfortably on the back of. Feeling honored and amazed at this offer, I thought to myself how nice it would be not to be riding on the fender any longer with nothing more than a peewee pad to secure me. It’s all about the experience of riding for me, so I would have been grateful to ride with him in a sidecar, if that was my only choice. The ride brought us together in a way that created the foundation of trust we had been building. I thought of how easy it would be for us to die together on the bike, knowing every ride was worth it. Our most intimate times were spent riding together, and now with this two-seater bagger, we’re on a better built chariot.
The process of evolution this bike has seen is like no other. Doug’s passion for perfection and aesthetics, speaks to every improvement made on the road glide. Another passion, Iron Maiden, was a large element of inspiration for the direction he went in, regarding the paint job. However, much was done before he got to the paint. In other words, the skeleton of the bike needed to be rebuilt before its skin had a makeover, or in this case “tattoos”. Chaos Cycle started by stripping the bike to its frame, to stretch it and then cut off the stock neck. Welding a new neck meant the bike could fit a 26-inch front wheel. The frame was painted, and the front end was reassembled with progressive suspension springs, 18-inch bagger nation apes as well as a few custom parts were added in addition. Doug handpicked the rim, the coffin shaped rear-view mirrors, the elongated baggers pointed, as well as a custom derby cover with Eddie’s face on it. It is all in the details. The floorboards and foot petals mirrored the same gothic style coffin look, with a cross etched into each of the designs.
Furthermore, attention was brought to the rear suspension which included a full Dirty Air fast up with an onboard compressor and air tank was fitted. Chaos Cycle fit the Design tail, bags and gas tank to look uniform to complete the new bad ass look. Once the pipes and frame were painted a charcoal matte black color, it was time to work on the paint job. Doug turned to me one day, he had a true epiphany. After weeks of soul searching, who would be worthy or talented enough to complete his dream bike paint job? And then, a light bulb. Mike Calderone, or otherwise known as the Michael Angelo of our time, was THE answer. Would he agree to this though? For years, perhaps even decades, Mike has been a strict tattoo artist. He had been done with painting bikes. The chemicals, the health risks of using the paint as a medium had worn him thin. True to form and history, Doug got Mike to come through in agreement and consent of the job. His wish was made a reality. Doug is to Beatrix Kido, as Hatory Hanzo is to Mike, and a masterpiece was born. The dark, aggressive yet elegant look was fully complete, and nothing could have matched how perfect it looked when it was finally finished. The money, the time, the energy and collaborative creativity brought this dream to life. Here it stands, to ride and to rival anything else on two wheels or more.
A poem dedicated to my husband, and the bike we fell in love on:
Old lady girl. I’m his.
90 degrees feels really good at 90 miles per hour.
A Harley, we ride together. That gorgeous thing.
Many of our most intimate times were spent on that bike.
An adventure in every ride. We hold each other, we’re close.
I absorb the moment with every breath and thoughts of our love.
The act of love, passion runs through my head.
Not speaking, only feeling.
Enduring every gust of wind, every breath, every color and every smell.
The road is our best friend. The road is our foe. Happy and dangerous. Exciting vitality and an ominous end.
The faces are blurry gestures we soak in as if we were on a stage and our band were performing.
Cher and Sonny or
Sonny and Cher.
He goes first in my mind, always.
Who cares who sings first, we’re a harmony. Famous.
I grip my arms around him tighter and then tighter again as he pulls the clutch. 50-100
100 back down to 80.
Weaving and white lining, were invincible.
If we die, we die together.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now and forever, I’m his.
On that bike we’ve loved and we have lived too.
2 Responses
Amazing! Love every word and picture. Perfectly describes Doug and his love for you and his bike!!
Toni did a great job on the story! How cool is it to be able to let the wife tell tale.. We hope to have Toni contribute more and having stories just like this is just what we are looking for, we don’t want to be the status quo.