When Justin Coleman rolled into the 2025 Motul Hot Bike Tour, his Torch Industries Shovelhead was already a mechanical statement. Now, with paint laid down by Flying Iron Designs, the bike has fully realized its identity—bold, unapologetic, and undeniably Torch.

Originally built around a heavily reworked 1991 Softail frame, the Shovelhead was conceived as a zero-compromise custom powered by an S&S 93-inch engine and backed by a rare Baker PowerBox six-speed. A one-off girder front end—designed in-house by Coleman—set the tone up front, blending vintage Indian cues with Torch’s tight, mechanical aesthetic. But once the bike proved itself on the road, it was time to give it the finish it deserved.

All of the sheet metal was stripped and sent to Andy at Flying Iron Designs—Torch’s trusted go-to painter. Coleman doesn’t micromanage paint. In fact, he rarely gives much direction beyond color and general layout.

“I’ll send an inspirational photo and say, ‘This is the idea—put your spin on it,’” Coleman explains. “I don’t like being told what to do when I’m building a bike, so I respect that same freedom when someone I trust is handling the paint.”

This time, the vision began with the owner, Antonio Melgarejo of California. Antonio pitched pink—fully aware that sending a pink color suggestion to a group of hardened motorcycle builders might raise eyebrows. It didn’t. The moment Coleman saw it, he knew it was right.

“I don’t care about any of that noise,” he says. “I care about what looks the best. And that color was perfect.”

The goal wasn’t to drown the bike in a single tone. Coleman wanted mostly pink, but broken up just enough to create balance. Andy responded with a deep black that, in direct sunlight, reveals subtle reddish-pink undertones—an almost chameleon-like effect that ties the palette together without overpowering it. Ghost lines, tape fades, and restrained pinstriping follow the natural body lines of the fenders and tank dash, keeping everything clean and intentional.

The result is classic Torch: simple at first glance, layered upon closer inspection.

Mechanically, the bike required very little rework post-Tour. Parts were repolished, a front wheel was swapped, and a front brake setup refined—details that matter, but never distract from the overall composition. Coleman even shot the bike before final component changes, wanting the world to see it exactly as he envisioned it during the core build phase.

As of now, the bike awaits final delivery once a small front-end adjustment returns from machining. The owner has seen photos—but not the bike in person.

And Coleman?

“I don’t think it could have turned out any better,” he says.

For Torch Industries, this Shovelhead marks more than just another custom Harley-Davidson. It’s a return to form. A reminder that perfection doesn’t care about deadlines. And proof that sometimes the boldest color choice is the right one. HB

Photos: Mark Kirkland