The finished build outside Walsh Fabrication in San Antonio. Paint by Lone Star Custom Coatings.
When Marcus Reyes walked into Walsh Fabrication with a box of photographs, dog tags, and a unit patch from his three tours in Iraq, Cody Walsh knew this wasn't going to be a typical build. "He didn't want a show bike," Walsh says. "He wanted something he could ride every day that reminded him of who he is."
The base was a 2024 Indian Chief — chosen for its long, low silhouette and the Thunder Stroke 116 engine that Reyes had always wanted. From there, Walsh spent the first two months simply talking with his client, understanding the details that mattered before a single piece of metal was touched.
“I don't start cutting until I understand the story. The fabrication is the easy part — figuring out what a person's life looks like in metal and paint, that takes time.”
- Cody Walsh, Walsh Foundation
The Metalwork
The fuel tank and side panels were hand-formed from 18-gauge aluminum — a process Walsh describes as more sculpture than fabrication. The tank features subtle embossed detailing referencing the unit insignia of Reyes's battalion, visible only in raking light. "I wanted it to be something you'd notice after a year of owning it," Walsh says. "Not something that hits you over the head."
The fenders were stretched and reshaped to sit lower and tighter to the wheels, giving the bike a more planted, purposeful stance without altering the iconic Chief silhouette. All factory chrome was replaced with satin black powder coat — a deliberate choice to keep the visual language quiet and serious.
The Paint
Lone Star Custom Coatings in San Antonio handled the finish — a deep matte olive that shifts between green and gray depending on the light. Subtle ghost graphics run along the lower frame rails, visible only up close. The only color on the bike is a small American flag on the left side panel, rendered in a faded, weathered style that Reyes specifically requested.
The Result
Reyes picked up the bike on a Tuesday morning in February. Walsh says he didn't say much when he saw it. "He just sat on it for a few minutes. Then he said 'that's it.' That's the best review I've ever gotten."
The bike now logs daily miles between San Antonio and Reyes's job in New Braunfels — exactly as intended. "It's not a trailer queen," Walsh says. "It was never supposed to be."
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