Whilst living in Istanbul for a year back in 2014 I borrowed a mate’s hyper-pimped Road King and surprised my girlfriend with a wild ride up to the Black Sea coast.  We both loved the bike (which was like sitting in a springy arm chair on top of a box of shotguns) and the next logical stop-off was Bosphorus Harley-Davidson.

Wandering around the showroom, I saw the back end of the VRSCF and knew straight away that I’d found my bike.  The fat 240-section rubber and the sculpted rear fender were all I needed to know about, but then I swung a leg over it and was truly smitten.

Fast forward a few months to February 2015 and I picked up a brand new F from my local dealership in the UK.  I’d done a Stage 1 (Screamin’ Eagle tuner with V&H slip-ons) and had hard bags, rack and sissy bar installed, but otherwise left it as it was from the factory.

I did a few decent trips with the girlfriend (who soon after became the wife and then the baby momma), but once I was a dad (especially the second time) I knew that rides would be shorter, fewer and longer in between. I also knew that any precious spare time would be better spent riding than polishing those bastard acres of ever-corroding aluminium.

So I stripped off and sold the bags.  I cerakoted matt black the wheels, engine covers, swingarms, rocker covers, forks, mirrors and anything else that threatened to gleam or shine.  I mounted 14” Burleigh Highball apes for comfort and style.  I threw on a red Killer Glass illuminated coolant hose for a touch of bling and intrigue and then thought about what to do with the bodywork.

Next up was the installation of a No Limit Custom airbox cover (with painted HD V-Rod logo) to get the clocks integrated and tidied up off the bars, and a no Limit Custom radiator shroud.  Also a black and silver metal plate and a smoked-out rear light housing to clean up the rear end (by now sporting a Metz 260 for some added girth).

I had long since joined the big V-Rod groups on Facebook and noticed a load of disparate UK guys, a lot of whom seemed in need of a local forum to bond and share advice; so I founded the UK V-Rod Owners Facebook group.  It didn’t take us long to have our first Peak District meet, and props to Ankur for supporting me hugely in the coordination of that one – and then pretty much taking the helm ever since!

I can’t think of a single bike I’d rather own than my V-Rod. The combination of Harley-Davidson style and heritage, coupled with un-Harley power, speed and non-conformity suit me perfectly.  I find that a lot of my fellow V-Rod owners are inherently kindred in their shared appreciation of these finer qualities.

I’m a proud founding member of the UK V-Rod Squad and consider all members my brothers.