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And go crazy he did. “Rick wanted a mean-looking bike with a wide rear tire and raked trees,” Conley said. “He rides a lot and wanted a dependable bike.”
Barnett didn’t want anything glamorous, but a simple, old-school nostalgia bike with a fat rear tire. Conley added 7 degrees of rake with his own triple trees and fabricated the swingarm to accept that 240-series rear Metzeler tire. Those 60-spoke CCI wheels exemplify the old-school look and he added an Exile sprocket brake to clean up the rear end and convert it to chain final drive. Finally, Conley cleaned up the black engine paint, fuel pump and the emissions system and added the Supreme Legends foot controls.
One of the most interesting aspects of the bike is the paint—and the lack of it. Those silver flames on the tank, side covers and rear fender are actually bare metal. Conley stripped those parts, put in swirls with a grinder, then masked the flames and applied the black paint. After removing the masks he covered the parts with clear, leaving the flames bare.
As we said, the bike’s a rider. Barnett not only rides it to Austin and around locally, but also plans to ride it to the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota this year. And just think—it all began with an old TV show and an article in V-Twin. –Bill Stermer
Owner: Rick Barnett
City: Pinehurst, Texas
General
Model: 2002 Yamaha Road Star
Design: Coyote Customs, Oklahoma City
Fabrication: Coyote Customs
Chroming: None
Engine
Model: Yamaha Road Star
Displacement: 1,605cc
Modifications: stock
Carb: jetted, Kuryakyn Hypercharger
Exhaust: Bub’s Jug Huggers
Frame
Builder: Yamaha
Type: hidden-stock
Rake: 39 degrees
Modifications: lowered, custom swingarm
Front end
Type: 43mm telescopic, powdercoated
Builder: Yamaha
Paint
Painter: Wicked Customs
Type/ Color: black with flames
Special Paint: PPG
Accessories
Bars: Coyote Customs
Grips: rubber
Mirrors: Left ‘em in the dust
Headlight: 5 3/4-inch H-D Springer
Taillight: Coyote Customs Skull
Fenders: D & D front, Coyote rear
Seat: Rage Dave
Wheels: 60-spoke Custom Chrome
Brakes: Yamaha R1 (f), Exile Sprocket Brake (r)
Tires: Metzeler
Photos: Michael Lichter
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