Location: Cleveland, OH - Longing for Savannah, GA
Posts: 444
Am I crazy for wanting an old Panhead?
Hey all.
I have had many Harley's. Nine to be exact. Painted them, rebuilt them, I even built a custom chopper a few years back. But all newer stuff. Don't get me wrong and no offense to anyone out there, but anything past the 1990's when all the hype took over, these bikes nowadays are nothing but a contest of who has more chrome and who has a bigger engine. The only passion that exists, it seems in most newer circles, is "how can I possibly out-do theperson next door?". I just sold my 06 bagger....it just simply had no soul. I really get into the older stuff and have always dreamed of having a Panhead. I, however, have never really known much about the mechanics of one. I gather from working in the bike shop along side my mentor for a few years, that they are fairly simple machines...in fact even though they are older than the Shovels, they are more depandabel and more fun to own.
I really enjoy traveling and having my bikes to ride them rather than put them in my driveway on Sundays and polish them with the rest of the crowd. I also don't own a trailer and don't see the need to haul the bike everywhere on a flatbed to ride a couple of miles and put it back on, or just display it and load it back up and trailer it back home. So I have a few questions....
1. Am I nuts for wanting one of these beauties?
2. Is a Pan the way to go if I like to ride - both alone and with my lady from time to time?
3. Will I regret my purchase even if, God willing, I find one that is mechanically sound and a decent street machine after owning all this new fangled stuff over the past few years?
S.O.S.....help please
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Another round over here....
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Butcher, if you get a pan you will never be sorry. Guarantee they have a mind of their own...just like a woman tho. Have a 65 I have owned since 1970, and a couple of other pans as well. They take maintenance but that goes with any of the older pans and shovels. Most of it you can do yourself with the correct parts manual, wrenches, an understanding wife, and a bottle of Jack.
Pan and Shovel owners each have thier loyal following....as it should be.
I never looked back when I got my pans; only looked forward to the next stretch of two-lane blacktop cuz that's how you really see America. The interstate is for people who do not see the beauty of this land (and for those with a very tight schedule!).
1958-1965. 58 was the first year of the Duo Glide, swing arm frame with twinrear shocks, theinner camshaft bushing was changed to a needle bearing,the cooling fin areaon the heads was increasedfor better cooling, hydraulic drum rear brake.heavier and stronger valve springs were installed onthe FLH models, the former bronze exhaust valve guides were replaced with special alloy steel guides, 2-brush generator, the size of the pinion shaft and it's main bearingwere increasedby 1/4 in. this info came from my Clymers service-repair-maintenance manual. i love my 1959 pan. go to ebay motors and click on harley davidson, then type panhead in the search box. i allways find panheads in there.
Location: Cleveland, OH - Longing for Savannah, GA
Posts: 444
RE: Am I crazy for wanting an old Panhead?
Wreck74...I have been living on Ebay looking at the Pans....problem is, I really don't know what to look for. I am used to the ironclad-ness of the Evo motors. I know the Pans are a little more sensitive and may need constant maintainance? I worked along side a fella at a local shop. He was a crabby old bloke and always bitched and complained about the goings-on with the Shovels especially, but also the Pans. Now I don't know if that was just crabbiness talking or reality.
Any input from you guys is well appreciated.
I could be wrong, but the Pans existed throughout the era prior to the AMF years. That may make them a more dependable bike than the Shovels? And how about power? Are they really slow compared to the later years?
Thanks everyone in advance.
i own a stock 64 flh duoglide as far as maintenance oil changes are a must every 2k. and checking everything for tightness. Thechanges that I made was a belt drive and rear chain tensioner and timken wheel bearing upgrade .It got very old adjusting the primary chain and then the rear on every run. I did 1200-1500 miles in a weekend.mine has always been dependable in stock form. It always ran great and would keep up with everything up to the evo. But the TC's were a different story.
Butcher this is a hardtail wit a springer. It takes a young buck wit a set of nuts to tame this beast. Heres the linkto more information. If u call or e-mail ask for Miller, he's the shop owner. A 2% Old School'er to the bone. Tell em YUCK sent ya.
I was you a year ago. I graduated from sport bikes and wanted something with soul, that wouldn't get me in trouble. My practical side won't allow me to go out and spend 20k on a new Harley so I went classic.
I scoured ebay for a few months, read a few books and pulled the trigger on a 61 Pan FLH. I never saw the bike until it was delivered to my house. The seller was a good'ol boy and I spent enough time on the phone with him to trustthat he wasn't scamming me.
The first month was torturous. I kicked the bike every night for 30 min trying different things to get her started. I talked on the forums, ordered some parts, got a new battery..................then she started. A few months later, after some more repairs, and learning how to operate the foot clutch. I ride her a few times a week. Last night I loaded a 40lbs bag of dog food on the back rack cause I didn't wanna drive to the pet store.
Maintenance, consists of fluid changes, tightening screws, getting new seals to stop oil leaks, changing points and plugs, adjusting the timing. Basically if she wont cold start in five kicks something is wrong. I rode her all last summer withalmost no wrenching. I'm keeping her healthy, but want her to show her age.
Once you get the bike wired it's nothing but fun (as long as you enjoywrenching). I'm 34 years old and when I think about what this bike lived through it blows my mind. Cold war, civil rights, Kennedy....................... When see footage of his assassination, at the head of themotorcade is a row of Harley, and Ibet at least one of them was a'61.
So when you go to a Panhead forum and ask if your gonna regret getting a Pan, the answer is always gonna be the same.
I was you a year ago. I graduated from sport bikes and wanted something with soul, that wouldn't get me in trouble. My practical side won't allow me to go out and spend 20k on a new Harley so I went classic.
I scoured ebay for a few months, read a few books and pulled the trigger on a 61 Pan FLH. I never saw the bike until it was delivered to my house. The seller was a good'ol boy and I spent enough time on the phone with him to trustthat he wasn't scamming me.
The first month was torturous. I kicked the bike every night for 30 min trying different things to get her started. I talked on the forums, ordered some parts, got a new battery..................then she started. A few months later, after some more repairs, and learning how to operate the foot clutch. I ride her a few times a week. Last night I loaded a 40lbs bag of dog food on the back rack cause I didn't wanna drive to the pet store.
Maintenance, consists of fluid changes, tightening screws, getting new seals to stop oil leaks, changing points and plugs, adjusting the timing. Basically if she wont cold start in five kicks something is wrong. I rode her all last summer withalmost no wrenching. I'm keeping her healthy, but want her to show her age.
Once you get the bike wired it's nothing but fun (as long as you enjoywrenching). I'm 34 years old and when I think about what this bike lived through it blows my mind. Cold war, civil rights, Kennedy....................... When see footage of his assassination, at the head of themotorcade is a row of Harley, and Ibet at least one of them was a'61.
So when you go to a Panhead forum and ask if your gonna regret getting a Pan, the answer is always gonna be the same.
Am I crazy for wanting an old Panhead?
