Panheads are "real" Harleys! I'm ride'n a '65 Pan E-glide that I've had for over 30 years. It was a recovered stolen bike that was a rat and nobody wanted her. I put a soul back into her and we've never looked back! You want to go to point A from point B with a little wind in your hair,
get a jap bike. You want to ride something that is pure American and experience something like nothing else in this world: ride a Panhead. A real Pan, not one of the put together ones youget from a catalog either. Even though I don't ride as much as I use too. I'll all ways have my Pan,
she is a part of me just asI am a part of her!

 

could'nt have said it better.

 

I have owned my 54 for 26 years, and it has been one of the most reliable vehicles I have owned.
My dad told me that I would not be able to ride a old bike everyday, that was almost 300,000 miles ago, I'm runningthisrebuildfor over 120k miles (allS&S inside) I would never sell my pan. As far as not being able to ride a ridged unless you are young, Ha!I'm 50 years old and If I see you at sturges in 08 I will be on my panhead, I ride it more than my 89 electraglide. If you can find a good pan youbetter buy it, they are going the way of knucks and flattys fast!
Just a note, I helped a friend build a reproduction pan a few years back. It feels just like the real deal, gets as many looks, and it's new!

 

Crazy - hell no! Pans are great to ride, easy to work on and fun to ride.

Get one set up the way you like it and make sure everything works good.

A few tricks to learn are how to start it on the first kikck or two, how to use the timing advance, and make sure your carb doesn't mess up because of the new crap gas. Get a modern float.

 

Butcher -

Here is my first, and my present primary road machine: '59 FLH Duo-Glide

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...HDuo-Glide.jpg

My '76 FLH was my primary travel machine. Bought it new. It's been in every state but R.I., Hawaii, and Alaska. Almost made the Alaska trip, but Mt. St. Helens popped. Believe that was 1980. Anyway, the '76 is totaled, because of a chance meeting with a minivan, 01Sep04. I'm recovered as much as I will ever be. Doing pretty good. Tried kickstarting the '59 last Fall (06) and it cranked as easy as ever. It's a daily rider, now, unless I need to haul something in the truck. Cold, I prime it with one kick, full choke. Then, choke off, find compression, spark retarded, ignition on, fires with one kick. Been like that since I first put it on the road in the Fall of '74 (just got out of the Army). Took it on a Poker Run a couple months ago, first road trip since my accident. So, this was a shakedown run to see how I would hold up to an all day event. You should have seen the how it attracted people. And, all were amazed at each stop as to how easy it cranked, when we were ready for the next leg of each run. I more than kept up with the 43 other machines there, though I couldn't accelerate with the big inch rides. But, they couldn't leave me behind. The '76 will be restored in the next couple years. Along with some other old iron that I have.

You will never regret buying a Panhead. If you buy the right one. I prefer to start with stock machines. I know Linkert carbs, manual spark, and kickstart bikes. I know how to make them all work together. I've built my share of strokers and modified engines. I always come back to the old reliables. If I were you, buying my first Pan, I'd stay away from the modified machines, and go with a basically stock engine. All you need is a really bad experience to leave you with a bad taste about them. I'm sure others will disagree with this philosophy. That's ok. I build old machines. I know how difficult it can be to dial in a modified. They run very well when they are set up right. Sometimes it takes the second or third owner before it is right.

Jack

 

butcher,

I just just got rid of my 1963 Pan. It was on a hardtail, 9 over, Apehangers, 3 inch open primary with foot clutch and hand shifter. I owned and road that bike for about 26 years but I am 51 and was craving 2 wheeled comfort and reliablity sonow Iown 1998 Ultra w/ side car.

Like Yuk said, my style of bike is a young mans pleasure. Not sure how it is with a stock set up on a Pan. I do know with the right carb (I had a Zenith Bendix) and everything timed and tuned and gapped right mine would start every time. It had a procees though. First, 3-5 twists of the throttle, choke on bike off and 2-4 kicks through. Then turn off choke, turn bike on and it will start on first, second kick for sure. Let one thing be outta whack and forget it. It was also setup to automatically advance and retard the spark so that helped.

No matter what style pan, stock,modified or radical as long as you stay on top of its care through regular maintenance and you don't mind putting in the time and having to kick a bike instead of pushing a button go for it. Old school technology recquires alot of attention, more so then todays technology,in my opinion. I'm sure others will disagree.

 

Ive always wanted a 48 pan, I had the money after I paid off my car, but i decided to go w/ the springer classic. Im not very mechanical & didnt want to have to take the bike to the shop all the time. I got a springer & the look i want w/ the reliability of a new engine, but like you I still really want a pan! Just not as a daily driver

 

Hmmm, Butcher hasn't been in this thread since Feb. Wonder what he decided to do.

Scooter

 

my first harley was a 1949 panhead, bought the bike home in baskets, chopped her down and made a sweet looking chopper, this was around 1968. A panhead engine has a soul of its own, can't blame you for wanting one.

 

Hell No !!!! Keep those pans on the road........