I’ve known the builder of this fine machine—Ray “Ray Ray” Llanes—for over 20 years, and let me tell you, the man just keeps getting better with every bike he builds. This 1976 Harley Shovelhead custom motorcycle is one of his finest builds to date, and it’s turning heads everywhere it goes.
Ray originally started this project with the intention of keeping the bike for himself. That changed when his friend Alex Rosario, after seeing a previous build Ray had done for a mutual friend, drove up from Miami and laid eyes on the mocked-up version of this chopper sitting on the lift. The rest is history. Not wanting to let a good friend down, Ray made a deal, and “Who Me?” was officially spoken for.
Built From the Bins: A Shovelhead Born from Spare Parts
This custom Shovelhead is a Frankenstein of all the right parts. The engine came from a guy in Spring Hill, Florida, who swore up and down it had been rebuilt. Spoiler alert: it hadn’t. Ray ended up rebuilding the top end himself—new jugs, pistons, and heads—while keeping the displacement at a classic 74″. It breathes through a tried-and-true S&S Super E carb and fires up reliably with a Dynatek ignition—crucial, since it’s kickstart-only. An Andrews cam adds performance punch, while a 1974 ratchet-top transmission from a swap meet just needed new seals and gaskets to come back to life.
The wheels? A pair of vintage aluminum Akront rims scored from a swap meet, giving the bike a perfect stance. The frame is an untouched, stock 1976 Harley-Davidson unit bought from none other than Warren Lane, the “King of Florida” himself.
The Legacy of the 1976 Harley Shovelhead
Where this bike really sets itself apart is in the details and fabrication. Ray reworked a pair of stainless Harley buckhorn bars into a custom, comfortable setup with a sleek, minimalist feel. The gas tank? Formed from two cast aluminum halves that were welded and shaped to fit just right.
The exhaust is a standout feature—a true collaboration between Ray and Dan Toce of Toce Performance. The two came up with a stunning and functional two-into-one design that’s now in full production and available to the public. So yeah, if you want a piece of this bike on your own build, hit up Toce.
The front end combines late-model 41mm tubes and legs with billet aluminum trees from Pilgrimage, dressed in Hydra Glide tins for that perfect old-meets-new balance. Out back, a Tsunami fender was reworked to match struts built by Paul Cavalo of Spitfire Customs. A 1.5″ BDL belt drive spins behind custom ribbed aluminum covers by Ryan Gore at Paper Street Customs, while a stabilizing primary plate from Sunset Cycles ties everything together seamlessly.
Ray even polished all the aluminum himself and turned down the hardware to match. That’s the kind of commitment that separates real builders from the rest.
The Finishing Touches
The paint was laid down by Mo Diaz at Mo’s Image Customs, and it’s absolutely flawless. One of the most personal touches on the bike is the shifter knob—custom machined to resemble one of the wheels from Alex’s 1936 Ford hot rod. Details like that give this build a story you can feel.
From the Shop to the Spotlight
“Who Me?” didn’t just sit in a garage. It made waves. The legendary Michael Lichter handpicked it for the Motorcycles As Art exhibit at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, and that alone is an honor. But it didn’t stop there. Randy Noldge invited the bike to Cycle Showcase in St. Louis—one of the best custom shows in the country—where it received an overwhelmingly positive response from everyone who saw it.
So, Why “Who Me?”
There’s a story behind the name—and let’s just say it involves Ray, Alex, me, some late-night antics in the back of a van, and a bewildered White Castle drive-thru worker in a shady part of St. Louis. Next time you catch any of us, ask for the full version. We’ll gladly tell it—laughing the whole way through.
This 1976 Harley Shovelhead custom motorcycle is more than just a showpiece. It’s a testament to friendship, craftsmanship, and 20 years of dedication to the art of building choppers. I’m proud to know Ray Llanes and Alex Rosario, and even prouder to have the opportunity to write this story.
