The Time the Hells Angels Had a Funeral for a Harley-Davidson

1. The Story of two Funerals

When beloved Hell's Angels San Francisco chapter president Harry “the Horse” Flamburis was killed in his Daly City home back in 1977, it was just another death in a long line of them that barely made the papers. Flamburis was laid to rest in Cypress Lawn Cemetery of Colma, but that service wasn't the end of the story. You see, the charismatic leader, like every other Hell's Angel, loved his unique Harley-Davidson, and he never wanted to see anyone else saddle up his ride. So following his death, his brother bikers made sure that would never happen. Thankfully for us, San Francisco Chronicle journalist Bill Van Niekerken recently dove into The Chronicle's archives to tell the story all over again.

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2. Burying the Bike

When Flamburis was laid to rest on that January day, nearly 175 members formed a funeral procession on the way to his grave. Just a few months later on April 22, a second funeral was held for his motorcycle. This time, the service was much smaller, drawing only his closest friends, five Hell's Angels members and two "mamas."

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3. The Procession

The small group of mourners rolled into the cemetery on their bikes, accompanied by a van carrying Flamburis' beloved black Harley-Davidson. They all assembled once again at the grave site. The motorcycle funeral's organizer, Gordon Grow, talked about how Flamburis always kept his bike immaculate. “It was a special kind of bike,” Grow said, “and we didn’t want anyone else to ever have it.”

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4. Paying Tribute

Obviously, this isn't your typical funeral, but aside from the fact that they held a ceremony for a motorcycle, the Hell's Angels members in attendance paid tribute to their fallen friend in typical Hell's Angels fashion. Meaning, they passed around bottles of wine and smokes as they took the bike apart and prepared to lay it to rest, in pieces.

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5. Final Resting Place

After digging up Flamburis' grave site, the Angels lowered the disassembled bike on top of his coffin, and it remains there to this day. While hardcore Harley enthusiasts might understand the appeal of being buried with their beloved rides, Flamburis' wife at time didn't agree, but she respected his wishes anyway. “What they’re doing is silly,” Margret Weaver told the San Francisco Chronicle, “but if it means something to them, okay. It’s a funny world.”

>>Join the conversation about A Funeral for a Harley-Davidson right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

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