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Hello,
My name's David. My father was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2015. I'm trying to get any information about the 2 bikes in the photographs (he was not riding either when the accident occurred). The first picture is the 2nd bike he built/owned and the second picture is... well, according to legend: he had a first bike (which I hope to find a picture of) and the bike in the first picture at the same time. He and a friend were riding them. One of the bikes had a "suicide clutch", that is the bike his friend was riding when he ran up the rear end of the bike in the first picture and my dad. Again, according to legend: the bike in the second picture was put together with parts from the previous two bikes as well as other things. I want to say the first bike (the one I don't have a picture of) was a Panhead, I know the bikes in the two pictures I have are shovelheads. Something tells me the motor was a combination of the two. He had a shirt many years ago with the Harley Davidson badge on it, only it said "shovel" in place of "motor" and "pan" in place of "cycles". Or it could have been the other way around. Sadly and obviously he's not around anymore for me to ask these questions, so any help would be greatly appriciated.
P.S. Yes, that's me on my plastic motorcycle some 30+ years ago.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by circustance; Sep 22, 2018 at 01:10 PM.
Man, I ll take a shot. Top bike looks like an FX Super Glide, but it doesnt have the Sportster front end. Did someone put an FLH front end on a Super Glide? also, is it Shovel top end on a Pan bottom?
Bottom bike looks like an FLH Touring bike. I think they were Electra Gildes back then? maybe this one is "stripped down"of all the hard bags and compartments that would have been on it. That is a guess,I may be wrong, and I'm sure someone will chime in to that effect. I do beleive H-D didnt have as many models to chose from in the old days, and alot of bikes were "custom" made or modified from factory bikes. I usually tune in on the engines, ans=d the top pic looks like a Pan bottom with Shovel Jugs and heads. I know soeone who has an FLH in this configuration, so I know it has/can be done (mixing shovel/pan engine parts)
Last edited by Super Glidester; Sep 22, 2018 at 01:17 PM.
Sorry about losing your dad. Top pic is a 66 to 69 generator shovel and it's a built bike not a stock model several different years parts there. Last pic is a 1970 or later nosecone shovel and again it's been modified and upgraded with later years parts, general style is FL or FLH. What was done to them was pretty common back in the day, most of us did the same stuff.
Thank you both very, very much!
It was very tough losing him, however... He used to ride religiously back in the late 60s through the mid 80s. Then his original group of friends kind of drifted away. That combined with becoming a truck driver caused him to hang it up until he just happened to go to bar with an uncle of mine about 4 year before he died where he met a new group of guys that were in his age group. He decided to ride again. The first return bike he bought was a 97 Road King which I now have. I don't ride, but someday I plan on cleaning it up really, really nice and just kind of keep it as a memory item. The second bike he bought, and was killed on, I obviously don't have. It was one of the newer things with all the bells and whistles. I used to pick on him because these bikes were electric start and all that. His best friend was part of his original group, his name was David Bailey. I used to tell my dad "You know David Bailey's looking down on you, calling you a ***** for riding these bikes with all this crap on them don't you?" He would answer with "I'm sure he his, but when I see him again I'll tell that son of bitch had he made it to 73 years old he wouldn't be kicking a bike over either." So, yes, losing him was tough. But he went out doing what he loved, and more than that - you know the saying "you can never go home again"? Well, somehow, someway, my dad was lucky enough to do just that.
Sorry for the rambling, but I love talking about him. He was killed September 26th, 2015 so this time of the year makes him weigh extra heavy on my mind and heart.
Thanks again, and even though you didn't know my father, and even though I don't ride myself - I do know what it means. So thank you all for being part of the thing he loved above all others.
Last edited by circustance; Sep 22, 2018 at 01:47 PM.
I didn't mention in my post, but sorry for your loss. It always pains me when I hear of a Motorcyclist killed while riding. Whether I know them or not. And yeah Id go with Twisted, mine was just a guess.
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Bike identification
