Luxury Liner
LUXURY LINER
The not-so-bare Nessessities
WHEN ARLEN NESS DECIDED TO BUILD A CUSTOM touring bike last year, he had a specific concept in mind. "I wanted a sleek performance dresser," he
says. Several months later, that's exactly what he had in the Dyna Luxury Liner. Based in San Leandro, California, Ness created the custom Harley with the intention of producing six more on commission. "I planned to build just a few," says Ness of the 1442cc V-Twin. "But the demand has been really strong." Indeed, Metzeler was so impressed with the Liner that the tire company commissioned one of its own. "We wanted a bike that we could ride to and from big events, like Daytona and Sturgis," says Metzeler's Greg Blackwell. He adds that the Luxury Liner isn't the first promotional model Ness has created for Metzeler. "It's an ongoing
collaboration and, as always, we're pleased with any thing Arlen touch es," says Blackwell. "His creativity con tinues to amaze us." Based loosely on a 1995 Dyna Wide Glide, the bike mea sures 8 feet in length, due in part to the custom frame, which is 5 inches longer than stock. It's no surprise that Ness' creation also boasts 35 degrees of rake,
making for slow going in the twisties. "It's fairly low slung," admits Ness. "The bike's good on the highway but only fair in the corners." Straight stretches of highway are what this motorcycle was built for. Note, for example, the full-coverage fairing and
matching hard luggage, both of which pop off easily. Ness engineered two windscreens for the bike: a shorter model for
round town and a taller ver sion to reduce wind blast at more rapid speeds. "The bike's very comfortable," he says. "The seat is low, and there's room to move your feet around on the running boards."
Despite its elaborate appearance, the Dyna isn't all looks and no substance. "It's a showbike, but you can still go cross-country on it," claims Ness. This seemingly paradoxical versatility is further facilitat ed by hot-rod engine parts that include machined-from-bil let Edeibrock cylinder beads, a Crane cam and a Qwiksilver carburetor. "Compared to a stock bike, it's lighter, and the heads and the cam make a big difference. It's like night and day," says Ness. Which is exactly what he hoped for in the first place. "I wanted a slick-looking touring bike, a bike that wherever you go, people are going to look at it," he says. If the Luxury Liner appeals to you, Ness is taking orders. To date, he's sold 25 of the machines. "They seem to be catching on," he says. "I started out making them for fun, but now it's getting to be serious." Considering the bike's $42,500 price tag, "serious"
might be an understatement.
Wendy F. Black
