The Red Stag

February 13, 2022

Article And Photos By: Chris Callen

Originally Published In The April 2020 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

We met Kyle Post, the owner of this sweet seventies time machine, the first year we attended Motoblot in Chicago. It was crazy to see him roll in on this pan. Kyle looks a lot younger than he is, so it blew our minds that a young kid has such a bitchin old school chopper but we were drawn to it right away. It turns out Kyle is 29 years old and has been a plumber by trade for the past ten years of his life already. He started with his stepdad’s company right out of high school and still works there, but this is an example of his work ethic. Kyle bought his first bike when he graduated high school. It was a 1997 Heritage Softail. While when I was surprised by this being his first bike, Kyle explained that he had worked through high school to save up for it. That gives me great hope for a world where most kids aren’t even driving when they leave school; this kid already had a big twin. Anyway, that bike went through its transformations, big apes, he slammed it down, all the right stuff for that time period. Post did a lot of riding with his parents at the time, stacking up experience, and bit by bit he turned that Softail into a So-Cal style low rider.

Fast forward to 2016 when Kyle was given the opportunity to buy a bike from Kenny Slaughter, this bike. Although at the time it had a Shovel engine in it. Kyle knew that he was ready to make his first long bike. Post, along with a crew of friends went to work on the bike and changed it up. Kyle did all the paint and molding with the help of his boy Alex at Fi Customs where he spent every day fabbing and painting in Alex’s shop. The real change came when Kyle told Kenny he had another Shovel motor to trade for a ’56 Pan that Kenny had. The deal was done, and the Panhead was torn down for some case repair. Once the block was solid again, Melo at a local shop did the build and they slid it into its new home. This changed everything; this was a legit way back machine. With 30 over front forks, it was as long as Kyle could make it and feel comfortable riding it, and he does. The first big trip this bike took was out to the Boogie Farm Clam Jam, but other than that, he tools all around on it and loves the hell out of her.

Like most good stories about a build like this Kyle had a crew of guys with him along the way. He would like to thank Andrew, John, Jimmy and Gary for helping make this happen. One way or another, they were all in on the project with him. So what now, other than this cat taking the frequent trip back to the seventies? Well, it doesn’t stop there. Kyle already had a Genny Shovel motor and trans sitting in the corner of his shop for the next run. He says that he’s saving up, a piece at a time for when he’s ready to build that one. Just like it should be!