Heavy Duty – July-August 2019

Words & Pics Doc

GILBY CHOPPER

T

he first is the front guard of the 1949 Hydra-
Glide, designed by Brooks Stevens and which
is still being used to this very day. Described
as having ‘a deep square skirt with a strong
horizontal line that implies an axis of motion
running down through the length of the bike’ it

changed the front end of the FLs. Forever. The

second iconic image burned into our DNA is that of

the so-called ‘Bobtail’ rear fender, with its turned-

up end, that first became widely recognised with

the advent of the 1984 Harley-Davidson FXST

1340 Softail.

If Harley oil runs through your veins, and you think that when you die you will

go to Willie G’s house – or in other words, you are a hardcore Harley-Davidson

aficionado – there are two iconic shapes that resonate deeply with you.