ROLLIN’ A FLATTY

It’s a crying shame when a motorcycle doesn’t get ridden all the time. Why else would you have one? They look good sitting parked, but they look even better out in the wind being ridden by someone who loves and appreciates the joys of riding a good bike. Mike Harden at HardCo feels the same way, and that just might be his mantra for the whole custom bike experience: “We build them, we show them, we ride them, we break them, then we rebuild them better.” A guy like that rides his metal hard and isn’t big into trailer queening it.

“I have always wanted to build a single

ICONIC | 1949 FLATHEAD

drop tube frame 45-cubic-inch Flathead,” Harden says. “Five years ago, we did. Oklahoma City has a lot of talented chopper guys. With their help, we built a modern twist on a legendary chopper.”

Some think the 45 side valve an underpowered motor. In the hands of a good mechanic and with the right transmission and gears, it will run with V-twins like the Shovelhead. This motor was originally built up by Manny in OKC, who did right by Harden. The Oklahoma roads were less kind. Thanks to those streets, the frame broke after approximately 15,000 miles. Luckily, Paughco warrantied the frame; Hardco set out to rebuild it better after that.

“It may have been easier to weld up the frame, but I ride hard, so we started over,” Harden says. Harden and Mike Antinoro tore the bike down, then welded all the tabs and mounts to it. The Acme Choppers narrow wishbone springer got fitted with 6-inch risers from Lowbrow Customs and stainless bars from Acme. After that, they fabricated a new set of fishtail pipes and it was on to cleanup and bodywork.

Harden molded and painted the frame. Meanwhile, he sent the fender and tank to Mik’s Pinstriping & Custom Paint in Oklahoma City, which laid down a beautiful ’70s paint job and striped the frame to help with Harden’s imperfections.

Specifications

GENERAL

OWNER Mike Harden

SHOP HardCo/Garage built

YEAR/MAKE/MODEL 1949/Harley-Davidson/45 ci Flathead

BUILD TIME One year

ENGINE

YEAR/TYPE/SIZE 1949/H-D/45 ci Flathead

BUILDERS Mike Harden and Mike Antinoro

CASES H-D

CYLINDERS H-D

HEADS H-D

ROCKER BOXES N/A

CAMS H-D

AIR CLEANER Aftermarket of some sort

EXHAUST Homemade fishtails

TRANSMISSION

YEAR/MANUFACTURER/TYPE 2011/RevTech/Ratchet top

GEARS Four-speed

CLUTCH BDL

PRIMARY DRIVE BDL

FRAME

YEAR/TYPE Year unknown/Paughco

RAKE/STRETCH Stock

SUSPENSION

FRONT END Acme Choppers narrow springer

LENGTH 2 in. under

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES

FRONT

BUILDER/SIZE Unknown/21 in.

TIRE/SIZE Avon/21 in.

REAR

BUILDER/SIZE Unknown/16 in.

TIRE/SIZE Avon/16 in.

CALIPER Performance Machine

ROTOR Performance Machine

FINISH/PAINT

MANUFACTURER PPG

COLORS Green and gold over silver flake

PAINT/GRAPHICS Mik’s Pinstriping Custom Paint

PLATING/POLISHING Diversified Plating

POWDERCOATING Jet-Hot

ACCESSORIES

REAR FENDER Lowbrow Customs

GAS TANK Lowbrow Customs

OIL TANK Made from 1951 Plymouth hubcaps

RUNNING BOARDS Distinct Customs

CONTROLS Manny’s Fineline

HANDLEBARS Acme Choppers

FOOT CONTROLS Manny’s Fineline

FLOORBOARDS Distinct Customs

HEADLIGHTS Bates-style

TAILLIGHTS Sparto

LICENSE MOUNT Side mounts

SEAT Distinct Customs

Ashley at Distinct Customs in OKC continued the killer design work with a floral Western pattern on the seat. He also engraved brass inserts and tooled leather surrounds for the running boards. Once all of that handcrafted handiwork was done, the two Mikes set about reassembling the bike. Since then, the HardCo 45 Flatty has become a fixture in the Texas and Oklahoma chopper scenes. Harden says he’s already attended and rode in to a lot of events this year, coast to coast. Why are we not surprised? HB

What motivates any of us to do anything? After spending most of my adult life trying to nd this answer, my best guess would be that what motivates us to wake up in the morning and why we live and breathe is love—love for our family, love for our friends, and love for these two-wheeled gas-drinking and re-breathing objects we call custom motorcycles.