Over the years I’ve seen a lot of custom Panheads, some really nice and some where the owners should be arrested for crimes against motorcycle humanity. But, if I had to describe what I thought was a perfectly clean and rideable Pan, Chris Wade’s extremely tasteful 1953 FL custom could illustrate my thoughts in a nutshell. This is a bike that isn’t trying to be something other than what it is, a classic design that will look right through any trend or timespan. It’s a perfect showcase to show off the well- groomed engine in all its glory and kudos to Chris for resisting any urges to tart it up for the Easyriders show circuit where Jack Cofano photographed it.

Chris hit the nail on the head with no radical rake or ridiculous front end, a simple unadorned tank, a clean rear fender supported by a sissy bar that doesn’t tell the owner’s life story, and a lack of bright bits except in the engine room. Swathed in a deep blue hue minus any tribal, flame, or silly graphics, it’s subtle yet striking. The only obvious nods to modernity are the Brembo disc brake setup (if you’re only going to have one brake, better get the best), the attractive machined oil filter (smart move for an old mill), and a fancy-ass leather seat covering (I don’t know if the seat is comfortable or not, but it sure is inviting!).

Apparently I’m not the only one that feels this way about Chris’ Pan as he recently won a Best of Show at the 2012 Charlotte Easyriders event. Nice to know there are others out there who value quality and simplicity in a custom Panhead that will never grow old even though it’s already spent six-decades in service. Nice job Chris.

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