When Rick Levitan bought his 2002 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide, he had no real plans to upgrade his bike.
But when he saw a friend’s modified Harley Sportster he was inspired to add some chrome accents to his own bike. By spring, he started attending bike shows, eyeing an assortment of customization.
“A lot of the choppers had flames. But they were hard to remember once you walked away from them. The theme bikes stuck out in my mind. I decided to go with what I was passionate about,” said the Bethesda resident.
Levitan, a lifelong fan of the Beatles and avid collector, said his choice to do a Beatles tribute bike was simply a given. Scouring the pages of motorcycle books and magazines, he found artist Chris Cruz of DeLand, Fla. Although he liked Cruz’s work, circumstances kept the two from working together until 2006.
Sending Cruz a stack of photos to peruse, Levitan provided specific design instructions, which included everything from John Lennon’s famous self-portrait to the famous Abbey Road album cover to portraits of each of the members painted on the bike.
» Engine: V2, 4 stroke air-cooled, 88.42 cubic inches
» Performance: single disc front and rear brakes, belt-driven transmission
» Torque: 78 lbs @ 2900 RPM
» Paint: Custom graphics by Chris Cruz Artistry
» Fuel Capacity: 5.2 gallons
» Wheelbase: 65.6 inches
Cruz, a master painter, made suggestions such as hedging the designs with other images to reduce distortion on the curvature of the gas tank. Capturing the image of the Beatles walking across Abbey Road was particularly tricky since the surface was not smooth and Cruz had to create the illusion of flatness. It took no more than three weeks in July 2006 to begin and complete the paint job.
The next step included exchanging the stock seat for a custom one.
Levitan contracted Advanced Custom Design in Illinois to create a custom La Pera seat and backrest featuring the faces of the Beatles surrounded by the original labeled records “Yesterday & Today,” “Meet the Beatles” and “Let it Be.” Eckcraft Metal Arts in Binghamton, N.Y., handcrafted the side mirrors to look like tickets — the left side being a replica of a ticket to the Beatles’ first concert in the United States at the D.C. Coliseum and the right side a ticket for the Beatles’ performance at the Hollywood Bowl on August 30, 1965.
The kickstand, a peace sign flowing with the words “Imagine,” is a one-off original by Immortal Customs in Germantown, Md. Levitan said this last addition was the most difficult to come by.
“It was done by a friend of a friend of a friend who knew someone who worked for a company who had the water jetting machine, and he did it after-hours,” said Levitan.
With all the appointments and custom work completed, the $16,000 bike is insured for $60,000.
What do you drive?
A 2002 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide.
Why do drive it?
I love riding motorcycles. I’m not interested in just towing it around and showing it to people.
What makes this motorcycle so special?
As I went through the whole process, I decided I wasn’t going to do flames. I’m not going to paint what everyone else is painting. When you go to these bike shows what you find is the uniqueness of everyone’s style. That’s what makes it interesting. If you see 10 bikes and they’re all the same, it’s no big deal.
What is your most memorable driving experience?
I went to Myrtle Beach Bike Week last year. There was a guy who came up behind me and told me that it’s the coolest bike he’d ever seen.
What was your first vehicle?
The first vehicle I ever owned was the Yamaha Enduro. It was like a 1972.
What’s currently in your CD player?
I do listen to other stuff too (laughs). Mostly classic rock. I like the Stones, the Kinks, Led Zeppelin.
And your first ticket? What was it for?
It was for speeding. It wasn’t on my bike. I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket on a motorcycle. When I’m riding a Harley, I try to ride as safe as possible.
