The Boogie-Woogie FLH That Elvis Did Not Get

King Ribbing

Harley-Davidson accidentally started a rivalry in 1959, by giving away a pair of brand new Duo-Glides. Deluxe versions of the FLHF were gifted to Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Despite being the 'King of Rock ‘n Roll,' Presley got the second bike, a point that irked him and led to years of ribbing between the two musicians.

Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

One Owner

The giveaway made headlines, and reportedly, Presley asked Lewis if he wanted to trade. Both artists were at the peak of their careers, selling millions of records a year, along with other music greats like Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, and Little Richard. After fifty-five years, Lewis put his one owner Duo-Glide up for auction in 2015.

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Real Bike

In this undocumented newspaper image, Ralph Murray of Harley-Davidson Sales in Birmingham, Alabama, is shown delivering the new Duo-Glide to Lewis in 1959. With the money earned working on the family farm, Lewis had bought his first bike in 1951, at age sixteen. It was a Cushman scooter. He is quoted as saying it “wasn’t big enough for a real bike.”

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Incendiary Version

A short five years later, Lewis released Crazy Arms, a Ray Price cover, on Sun Records in 1956—it sold 300,000 copies. In 1957, Lewis released Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On. Originally written by Dave Williams and first recorded by Big Maybelle, Lewis' incendiary boogie-woogie version was a global hit. As a reward, Lewis bought himself a new 1957 FLH Hydra-Glide.

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Stylish Accessories

Introduced in 1958, the Duo-Glide was Harley-Davidson's first touring motorcycle to feature rear suspension. New for 1959 was a neutral indicator light on the instrument cluster and a Trip-O-Meter speedometer on the redesigned Tele-Glide fork panel. Also introduced was the stylish, red, and chrome Arrow-Flite tank logo. The dual saddle and Royalite Bubble Bags were optional accessories.

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Slogan Shift

The 'gift' bikes were the best on offer from Harley-Davidson. As the second year for the fully-sprung chassis, Duo-Glides were called the 'champions of the road,' confidently advertised with the provocative slogan, “One ride, and you’ll decide it’s a Harley-Davidson for you.” The second 'F' in FLHF denoted the foot shift option, as opposed to the more common hand shift version.

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Modest Price

The pair of Duo-Glides were powered by the 74 cubic-inch OHV Panhead motor. When Lewis put his FLHF up for auction it had a scant 2,257 miles on the odometer. He stated, “This motor is just as good as the day it was given to me.” Despite the expected one million-plus price tag, the FLHF was sold for a modest $385,000.

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Second Panhead

Before the auction sale, Lewis stated, “This bike is like a child to me.” Despite his six wives, ensuing divorce settlements, and a raid by the IRS in 1985, Lewis managed to retain the Duo-Glide throughout the years. It is rumored that he only sold the Panhead to avoid a family feud. There is no word as to the whereabouts of the 'second' Duo-Glide.

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