Post Listing Update: Despite 35 bids up to $19,500, this FLH did not meet reserve.
3-4-2018 Update: Nine months later, this Duo Glide is back up for sale. Find this FLH for sale in Canoga Park, California with bidding up to $16,599 and the reserve not yet met
Despite Harley-Davidson changing up their offerings and introducing models that are more appealing to the next generation of riders (like the FXSTC and 883), their bread and butter has been a selling motorcycles that boast a classic appearance (and some mechanics) that the company’s earlier models possessed. This all original ’61 Panhead is one of the machines that decades of later models heavily drew from and it’s not that hard to see why. This bike also sports a handful of features that are seriously hip by today’s standards like its (pre) bobber-style seat and jockey-shifter.
This example was supposedly a display bike at a dealership up until a decade ago before undergoing an unknown level of restoration. The seller says only 369 miles have been added to the odo since being restored but it’s suspected that this Harley had very few miles prior to the restoration as it was a display bike. A paint job was definitely given to this Panhead at some point, although it was just repainted in its stock color. According to the seller: “The Parkerizing (electrochemical phosphate conversion process …) is all correct,” and this machine boasts “matching belly numbers. A road-ready uncracked set of period-correct Goodyear “Eagle-style” tires were wrapped around the stock rims during the resto in an effort to keep this H-D as original as possible.
The Panhead got its name from its pushrod V-Twin engine’s rocker-covers and was produced from ’48 to ’65, replacing the beloved Knucklehead until it was replaced itself by the popular Shovelhead power plant models. Both iconic motorcycles from 1969’s “Easy Rider” were both Panheads. Following WW2 where Harley enjoyed a booming war-time industry influx, the American manufacturer was flush with R&D money and as a result was able to deliver the legendary Panhead.
This classic hand-shift, foot-clutch model embodies what countless people love about motorcycles from this American manufacturer. The Panhead is reported to fire right up, and to run and shift like it did half a century ago. Making this original FLH Duo Glide even more special is the fact that it’s in fairly pristine condition, the seller claims it was crowned “Best Vintage” at an unspecified show, though I’m inclined to believe him. This bike is also wearing CA plates with current registration. As the seller points out: “This bike is ready to show or go,” though the possibilities are somewhat endless (though I don’t think this is the type of example you’d want to enter into TROG).
You can find this beautifully restored 1961 Harley-Davidson FLH Duo Glide Panhead for sale here on Craigslist in Los Angeles, CA with a price of $30,000.