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 Ray Henke's first bike, which his parents got for him as a Christmas present when he was 11 years old, was a "Honda 50," not even a proper dirt bike, but he rode it like a dirt bike through the hills and agricultural fields and groves above his rural home. He's had a number of other bikes over the years, after gaining his motorcycle license riding street bikes. He also rode Honda and Kawasaki cruisers for several months while on sabbatical writing a legal book on the island of Phukett, Thailand. His preference, however, is for the potato potato potato sound of the Harley Davidson, and now his mechanical mistress is a custom Harley chopper he had built by Johnny O in Florida, and which became the initial prototype for what, with few modifications, is now the "Pro-Street" Custom Harley, manufactured by Steelehorse Motorcycles, Florida.
 The concept was for a 5 inch stretch, 38 inch rake, with 250 cm (9 inch) wide rear tire, with pure Harley drive train components. It was determined that the Pro Quad frame would be best suited for the bike, along with the Pro One "Monster" front end. Johnny O also incorporated the Pro One swingarm with 4 link racing suspension and 2 inch adjustable chrome softail shocks. The drive train consists of the Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88 motor, Harley Davidson 5 speed transmission, and Harley Davidson primary and clutch assemblies. Also incorporated is a stock Harley Davidson wiring harness, with self-diagnostic unit, allowing the bike to be readily serviced at any authorized Harley dealer. It has a 42 mm Mikuni polished single carb, and awesome Yaffee Crack pipes. And for the tank we chose a 5 inch Aero tank with pop-up cap that jumps up from its recessed position with a quick two finger twist. Because I am 6' 4", we combined 3 inch and then 4 inch forward controls to get my legs fully extended. And then we sub-contracted the leather seats to Johnny Grengo, who fashioned both the single seat and a removable passenger seat for my seven year old son (who has been riding since he was three).
 Before shipping the bike to me, Johnny O and the President of Steelehorse Motorcycles, Bill Hughes, took the bike to a Florida bike show to see whether the concept was one that might catch the imagination of the Florida bikers. Johnny and Bill felt that they were at a substantial disadvantage because I had insisted that I wanted a basic black paint job with nothing fancy, just letting the shape and components of the bike speak for themselves. However, the bike was immediate hit, capturing first place in the Custom category and "Best of Show."
After this first and last exposure to the limelight, however, Henke retired her from show business, and she is now happy just to be his everyday transportation and weekend bike. Henke will strap down his sleeping bag and tent with bungee cords and ride her long distances to biker events with his buddies.
It pains Henke to think that he could ever part with this bike, but his oldest son just turned 18, and he's had his eye on his Dad's bike from the day in December 2002 when it was first wheeled out of a trailer onto the street in front of Henke's home, 6 months after Henke, Johnny O and Bill first began the project. It feels to Henke a little bit like cheating on his wife, but ... a man's eyes will sometimes wander. Truth be told, as some men are leg men and some are well ... you know... Henke has always been in his gut an old school "Chopper" man. Bill Hughes and Henke have been talking about it for the last year, while Hughes and his engineering staff at Steelehorse have been fine tuning the concept for a new high-end component old school Chopper and Bill has just now built the bike which is turning Henke's eye. If you want to check out the bike on Henke's 2004 Christmas wish list, click on Henke's "Motorcycle Manufacturers Index" page, where you will find photographs the "Steelhorse Chopper," Henke's current dream bike.
To see photographs of other motorcycles, you may consider consulting Henke's manufacturer index page where you will find web sites that have photos of a wide variety of cruisers, cruiser and custom motorcycles choppers chopper photographs pictures of sport bikes dual sport bike dual purpose motorcycles off road bikes dirt bikes motocross and enduro bikes racing bikes scooters pics and photographs of other categories of motorcycle. You can see photos the variety of motorcycles manufactured by BMW pictures of the current line of Harley Davidson motorcycles as well as pics of custom Harleys and a variety of other Harley Davidsons and Inidian motorcycles as well as all manner of Honda motorcycles, also Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki motorcycles as well as Triumph and Ducati motorcycles and photos of bikes and trikes scooters and big V-8 motorcycles manufactured by other medium and smaller motorcycle manufacturers and builders, like Jesse James, West Coast Choppers.
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