Collectible EL Goes from Pop-Up Book to Beer Cans
This period-correct restoration has a long backstory about friends.
Book Tribute
The stories that accompany vintage rides are often lost to time, but not so for this first-year Knucklehead. Hitting the Mecum Las Vegas auction block at the end of April, 2021, the 1936 EL has not only been treated to a period-correct restoration, it was animated in a book and served as a boozy tribute to Harley-Davidson's 100th Anniversary.
Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
Next Caretakers
Finished in gorgeous Teak Red, the EL's past is an interwoven story of tight-knit friendships and a genuine passion for motorcycling. Included in an estate sale, the iconic ride is part of the John Bernard collection to be offered at auction. In a Mecum Magazine feature, Bernard's brother expressed his hope that the next caretakers would continue to treasure the bike.
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Antique Expert
The EL has an interesting pedigree and its former owners were dedicated enthusiasts. Dick Winger was one of them, and while there is no exact record he sold the EL to Dale Walksler in the early 1980s. Winger, a twenty-year board member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, was widely considered to be an expert on antique motorcycles.
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Shared Friendship
Many will recognize Walksler's name as the founder of the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Sadly, Walksler passed away on February 3, 2021, at the age of 68 after a four-year fight with cancer. Bernard and Walksler shared a forty-year friendship and this is part of the reason why the EL ended up in Bernard's possession.
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Parts Quest
Walksler sold Bernard the EL in 1989 to help fund his Harley-Davidson dealership in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. They became friends during high school in Wheaton, Illinois, where Walksler was already working as a mechanic at Villa Park Harley-Davidson. Together they began a quest to accumulate old Harley-Davidson parts, but it was a couple of movies that really got things going.
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Chopper Affair
Bernard’s obsession was heightened in 1968, after watching Hells Angels on Wheels, starring Jack Nicholson. Like so many others, Bernard’s motorcycle destiny was sealed in 1969 after seeing Easy Rider. Over the course of the next five years, Bernard and Walksler managed to build a chopper, but it was a one-time affair and Bernard turned his attention to collecting.
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Rare Display
During the late 1970s, Bernard attended nearly every swap meet, bike rally and auction that occurred in the United States, looking for unique bikes and specialty parts. His collection included a 1976 Bicentennial FX Super-Glide and a 1982 FXB Sturgis. These and other rare bikes were alter purchased by John Parham and are now on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa.
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Centennial Birthday
Bernard's 1936 EL was featured in the 1998 pop-up book Harley-Davidson: A Three-Dimensional Tribute to an American Icon. In 2003, the Miller Brewing Company put the red EL on commemorative beer cans to celebrate Harley-Davidson's centennial birthday. For a chance to add your own history to this storied bike, here is the listing—although the book might be a more affordable option.
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