The inspiration for a custom bike can come from anywhere. This bike, for example, started life as a 2002 Kawasaki Mean Streak that Doug Morton, of Morton's Custom Cycle in Concord, North Carolina, bought used. He wanted to utilize the bike to develop some raked triple trees and pipes. Then one day, Morton was at a car show and picked up a devil's head taillight for a 1939 Ford. When he got to looking at it and looking at the Mean Streak, something clicked.

Morton got together with his painter, Scott Andrews, and started throwing ideas around and Andrews also became inspired. He had wanted to do a bike with a pin-up girl theme and that idea melded with the devil theme to create "Devilish Temptation." On this bike, the various pin-up girls have grown devilish horns or tails and the one on the front fender holds a mirror in which the devil is reflected. In keeping with the devil theme, Andrews painted the frame red and the Maltese cross headlight just seemed right.

But this bike goes well beyond a simple paintjob. The team at Morton's stretched the backbone of the frame 3 inches, raked it to 38 degrees, stretched the tank and installed a 6-inch-over fork. Other custom touches include those naked lady levers, aircraft-style gas cap, pinstriping by Eddie Brown and the horn cover that serves as an ignition switch holder. Of course the bike carries Morton's M-Tric Skirt Blowers exhaust and M-Tric handlebars, available for your own Mean Streak.

Doug Morton wants to give special thanks to Pooh, Lanny, Dan and Scott for bustin' ass! Speaking of that, the diamond-plate insert on the seat looks like a real pain in the rear, but Doug assures us it's not so bad for riding. Inspiration? It can come from anywhere. But in the case of this bike and Doug Morton, the devil (taillight) made him do it.

Owner: Doug Morton, Morton's
Custom Cycle
City: Concord, North Carolina
General
Model: 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Mean Streak
Design: Morton's Custom Cycle
Fabrication: Morton's Custom Cycle
Chroming: Charlotte Metal Finish
Engine
Model: Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
Mean Streak
Displacement 1,470cc
Modifications: Dyna ignition
Carb: rebuilt by Pooh
Exhaust M-Tric Skirt Blowers
Frame
Builder Kawasaki
Type: backbone-style
Rake: 38 degrees
Modifications: 6-inch stretch
Front end
Type: Telescopic billet, 6 inches over
Builder: Pooh and Dan
Paint
Painter: Scott Andrews
Type/color: chalkboard black
Special Paint Morton's Custom
Cycle special blend
Accessories
Bars: Morton's M-Tric
Grips: Schwinn Twins
Mirrors: Ted's V-Twin
Headlight: Drag Specialties Maltese
cross
Taillight: '39 Ford Devil's Head
Fenders: Morton's Custom Cycle
Seat: Morton's Custom Cycle
Electrics: Pooh at Morton's
Wheels: RC Components Warlocks
Brakes: Performance Machine 4-pis-
ton
Tires: Avon Venom X
Photos: Brad Patton