Thunderbike Brings 1956 Panhead Back From the Dead
Forgotten Old Harley Went From Being Restored to Being Completely Resurrected
Why are Harley Davidson Panheads so popular with customizers?
Maybe it’s because that’s the engine Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper sported in their bikes in “Easy Rider,” probably the most influential motorcycle movie ever made.
Maybe it’s because of nostalgia: the Panhead replaced the Knucklehead in 1948 when disillusioned World War II soldiers were coming home and getting into custom Harleys.
The engine lasted until 1965, four years before “Easy Rider” was unleashed on the public and well into the wild, rebellious era of the ’60s.
Stripped Naked, Down to the Frame
Our German friends over at Thunderbike took their wrenches to a 1956 Panhead that had not been moved in a quarter century with the intention of restoring it.
They started tearing into the old machine, and the engine housing and cylinder heads ended up on their welding table, as did the busted alternator bracket. The exhaust manifold was broken and carelessly patched back together by the former owner.
Then there was the clutch, primary, forks, wheels, brakes and the entire electrical system: Everything had to be rebuilt, replaced, welded or somehow pieced back together.
They ended up stripping the bike naked, down to the bare frame.
‘Boosts the Motivation of Everyone Involved’
It was at that point they turned to Plan B, and by the time they had finished, they had replaced pretty much every part of the old scooter, down to the last bolt.
“…If you’ve already dismantled everything and have to work on every part, then you might as well conjure up a cool custom bike from it,” Thunderbike says on its web site. “That suits us better than a restoration anyway and also immediately boosts the motivation of everyone involved.”
From a simple restoration to basically building a new motorcycle with an old-time engine topped with what looks like cooking pans: quite a change of plans.
Sixties Hot Rod Style
So the final result isn’t technically a restored Panhead, but something else, a “reduced bobber in the hot rod style of the 60s,” according to the builders.
It’s got the bobbed fender, no front fender at all and a sprung solo seat. It differs from most Panhead customs in that the gas tank is not a one-gallon fashion statement; this tank will get you down the road. The most visual element however, the one that jumps out at you at first glance, is the black flames over a soft cream paint job.
That will take you back to the 60s.
‘A Really Hot Pan’
The rest of the bike is black with barely any chrome at all, with “contemporary surfaces,” polished aluminum and other parkerised surfaces, a metal treatment process similar to bluing.
It all ties together into something that has modern touches with old-school influences, or as Thunderbike puts it, a “really hot Pan that looks like it was never intended for anything else.”
If you’re a fan of Thunderbike customs, you may notice they do not list all the parts that went into this build like they normally do. It’s almost as if they don’t want to sell this custom, like they want to keep this baby for themselves.
Photos: Thunderbike
Join the HD Forums now!
