Though this fine yellow 55 Panhead will stay in the Parham family, hundreds of other motorcycles and thousands of pieces of memorabilia will be offered in the John Parham Estate Collection Mecum Auction at the National Motorcycle Museum, Anamosa, Iowa, September 6 – 9, 2023. In 1966 a new OHV engine design came on line, the one we now refer to as the Shovelhead. In 1952, foot shifting became an option, in 1958 rear suspension became standard with the introduction of the Duo-Glide, and in 1965 electric starting came along with the Electra-Glide, the last model Panhead. The forks, headlight nacelle, dashboard, distinctive fenders, tombstone taillight and chrome speed stripes were among those components that received a re-design. The distinctive valve covers are what led enthusiasts to refer to this engine as the “Panhead.” In addition, the valve lifters were switched to hydraulic and lubrication as well as induction and combustion were improved. Though the bottom end was little changed, for the first time in many years, the heads were cast from aluminum.
Not since 1936 had Harley’s big twin been given such a makeover.Ī new OHV big twin engine was first offered in 1948 in 61 and 74 cubic inch versions. Motorcycle Details: 1955 Harley-Davidson FL Hydra-Glideīeginning in 1949 the all new design Hydra-Glide with a hydraulic fork was introduced.
I’m just happy to still own a bike that went through so many trials and tribulations with me, a bike that means so much to me.” The 1955 Harley-Davidson FL will remain in the family, going to John and Jill’s son Zach and then to the grandkids. Jill’s happy we got it restored back to its original yellow. In raw dollar value the yellow Panhead is well down the list in Parham’s collection of over 250 motorcycles, but Parham then offered, “While I have been lucky enough to gather many great, rarer and much more valuable bikes in my collection, the ’55 Pan has the greatest sentimental value to me it ties to my life experiences with my wife Jill and also to the development of J&P Cycles. But in their day, John and Jill came out on top through very close attention to the details of the business, sometimes ignoring “experts,” sometimes listening, but always following their instincts.īack in the 2010’s, when asked how many Harleys he then owned, Parham said probably about 65, with some really great bikes including a 1908 “Strap Tank” Harley. Over the past few decades, times have been good and times have also been tough for members of the motorcycle industry like the Parhams. DealerNews, a venerable motorcycle industry publication once called J&P Cycles the largest after-market motorcycle parts retailer in the world.
Most know John and Jill as the founders of J&P Cycles. Those are the high points of John and Jill Parham’s lives with John’s favorite Harley-Davidson, and he owned many. The bike suffered ups and downs similar to those of our lives and our business, even kept us in business when money was tight.” We started our swap meet and catalog business small, began to grow, got successful, then went out of control. Some years back the late John Parham told the story. “The bike sort of tells the story of J&P Cycles. This time for good, and it gets restored yet again to its original yellow. A 1939 Harley and the yellow Pan are hocked to cover payroll and a delinquent bank loan payment. In 1991 expenses at J&P Cycles get way out of control.
Five years later the Panhead burns in a fire at J&P Cycles. Putting together about all the money they had, including their IRS refund, they buy it a week later for more than they felt they bargained for. At an Indiana swap meet a man and his wife find the Harley-Davidson of their dreams, a yellow 1955 FL Hydra-Glide.
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