My search is a few months premature, but my road king is almost paid up and I plan on buying a second bike when it is.

In my search (dreaming), I found a mint condition rebuilt - show quality '56 panhead chopper that looks very cool. I never thought about a bike like that but now that I see it, I love the idea of it - BUT now I wonder what it takes to own that in terms of maintenance and finding parts, etc.?

Thoughts?

 

how much? The non-chopped are worth more but it comes down to individual taste and what you plan on doing with the bike. Do NOT expect it to be as easy to maintain as your RK!

 

The asking price is 12,900 - no idea if that's even close to what it should go for. Here is a pic though:
I probably should find someone who knows how to work on it before considering something like this.

 

Hard to say what is or isn't a good deal quite honestly. Looks like a nice bike tho'.

 

the only extra maintenance you are going to have is dealing with the points. judging by the bike,it is a good bet it has electronic ignition, so that isn't even going to be an issue... the price sounds on the high side of normal for a nice custom build. the only thing that looks like panhead, is the motor and trans. they look like they are rebuilt and mostly new.. shouldn't be much different then riding an evo chopper except for kick starting. do you know if the engine is a rebuild original, or a repop S&S or something?

 

devils advocate here------------------------If you are a rookie so to speak with this kind of bike I would discourage it the way this one sets-----------open primaries are cool until the belt grabs your pant leg taking it behind you then kicking it towards the asphalt .I have seen guys go down because of this.


second thing is I don't understand why guys build stuff with a old style engine and a fat back tire-----------------------this engine repro or not would be way cooler in a indian larry style frame and bobber look with a regular width tire

 

Thanks for the info jimmy - the ad doesn't say anything about the engine rebuild except it reads this way: Professional rebuilt 1956 Harley-Davidson Panhead, w/show quality custom chopper build.

Yep, I've never ridden a chopper before but have always wanted one (my dads buddy had one growing up - the longest front end I've seen!) - anyways, thanks, the potential danger of the open primary is something to consider for sure.

 

I have a 49 pan hardtail,springer front.i've owned since 1973.If you dont enjoy wrenchin I'd stay away.this was my first hharley.I'll own it till i die!!

 

If your going to play devil's advocate so will I. I have been hearing this same story about open primaries for years and years. A friend of my cousins brothers sisters aunt knows a guy that got his pants stuck in an open primary and ripped him off the bike...yada, yada, yada. Amazingly enough, I have had at least one bike with an open primary since 1979 and it haven't got anything caught in one yet. Aside of hearing all the fantastic stories of how this always happens to someone that somebody else knows, Amazingly enough I have never met someone that had it happen to them.

Now, I'm not saying it could never happen but I could get hit by lightning too....

IMO open primaries look cool!

To the OP...I do think that bike is over priced.

 

I have seen it but there were other issues at hand one was the amount of adult beverage that was consumed and second was the fact he also had another bike with mid mount controls.I don't know if one or the other made the difference that day but he was going slow enough he just looked foolish and messed up a tank



I have had them as well but always wore leathers that were tight at the ankle so I didn't worry