Dante DePaolo is a high-school teacher by day and a bike builder by night. Dante’s Santa Rosa, California, shop does not advertise, he doesn’t have a website, and all his work is from word of mouth through his close friends — so don’t go looking for it because you won’t find it (unless he wants you to).

Dante has been a moonlight fabricator/mechanic for more than 13 years and his time and effort building bikes has been recognized a few times. In addition to the attention he received from custom motorcycle media, his evening activities have started to invade his daytime duties. “I primarily teach biology and anatomy and physiology, but because many of my colleagues are aware of my bike building interests, I’ve been allowed the privilege to teach a new, exciting program at Piner High School called Project Maker.

Due to his local popularity and national custom bike rag notoriety, it’s no mystery why his friend, Andrew White, would ask Dante to freshen up the look of his 2000 Dyna. “After some minor trials and tribulations, Andrew decided on a complete remake of his Dyna,” Dante said. “Originally, he wanted the bike all blacked out, but I was able to talk him out of it — there are just too many bikes like that these days — so we compromised by planning to keep the drivetrain dark to contrast with the color I had in mind for the sheetmetal.”

Dante had to create the fenders, tank, and fairing from scratch, which is just the way he likes it. Andrew had a set of old FXRP bags and support brackets that he wanted to use for a project in the future, but Dante talked him into using them for this project. “Andrew was hesitant to include the bags because he didn’t want the bike to be a permanent bagger — he finally relented when I explained to him I’d be able to make them completely removable, yet retain the original support bars and hard mount look,” Dante said.

Mike Taylor painted the chassis black and elaborately pinstriped the frame, swingarm, and support bars for the bags. He then laid down a brilliant coat of candy red on all the sheetmetal, accentuated by black and silver graphics.

Within a week after Dante finished and delivered the bike to Andrew, he had almost 2,000 miles on it. “Andrew rides the bike hard, and that’s no joke. His dirt bike background is real obvious when you see him treat this bike like one. He’s real aggressive with it, whipping it around into sliding skids and popping wheelies all the time,” Dante said. That is certainly unusual treatment of a bagger, but then the builder and bike aren’t all that common, either.

Specifications

Bike Owner Andrew White

Shop Name Dante DePaolo

Shop Phone (707) 322-6558

Shop Website N/A

Year/Make/Model ’00/H-D/Dyna

Fabrication Dante DePaolo

Assembly Dante DePaolo

Build Time Six months

Engine Year/Manufacturer ’00/H-D

Type/Size TC/95ci

Builder Ron at RC Cycles

EFI/Carb Mikuni

Air Cleaner H-D Screamin’ Eagle

Exhaust Thunderheader

Transmission Year/Manufacturer/Type ’00/Baker/six-speed

Clutch Rivera

Frame Year/Manufacturer ’00 H-D

Suspension Manufacturer Front H-D Mag

Length Stock

Triple Trees H-D Narrow

Wheels, Tires, and Brakes Manufacturer Front-Type H-D Mag

Wheel Height-Width 19×2.15-inch

Tire Height-Width Metzeler 90/90-19

Caliper Dual PM Six-piston

Rotor Dual PM 13-inch

Manufacturer Rear H-D

Wheel Height-Width 16×3.5-inch

Tire Height-Width 16-inch x 150mm

Caliper PM six-piston

Rotor PM 11.5-inch

Finish-Paint Color Candy Red/Silver/Black

Painter Mike Taylor

Graphics Mike Taylor

Accessories Front Fender Dante DePaolo

Rear Fender Dante DePaolo

Gauges Autometer

Gas Tank/Cap Dante DePaolo

Handlebars Flanders

Hand Controls/Grips Brembo/PM

Taillight Badlands

License Mount Badlands

Seat Bitchin’ Seat Co.

Saddlebags H-D FXRP