So, I’m going with this retro-style Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper as strictly show with no interest in go. I’m cool with that as it really looks like a piece of motorcycle sculpture. With a hint of the late David Mann in its lines, it’s a modern day interpretation of Old School with a heavy sprinkling of bling. Chrome, show-polished aluminum and a hint of brass are everywhere the surprisingly low metallic content aqua isn’t. Let’s face it, that Panhead might not even run, but nobody would care as it’s a Panhead even one that’s been dolled up like a Kardashian. There are some crazy cool bits like those twin exhausts that change from machine-ribbed to smooth while wrapping inside the frame before exiting through the fender stay/sissy bar. I’m onboard with this different take on exhausts and gotta give special kudos to the builder for the imaginative fender stay/sissy bar treatment.
Whatever you see in the aqua paint is all part of a one-piece item that includes the frame and bodywork. Everything from the fuel and oil tanks, seat base and rear fender are metal worked together and finished out beautifully. Somehow I can’t see this as being a good thing on the street, but it sure is something to stare at in a bike show while you’re sipping an over-priced beer. It’s beautifully done and it’s all metal too. Somebody really took their time to work out all the lines from the gas tank to the seat, where the seats mold themselves in the frame and fender and especially the fitment of the sissy bar on the rear fender. All very well done.
The wheels appear to be one of my favorites when it comes to laced wheels and that’s high-flange alloy rimes polished like chrome. A vintage drum brake serves as the only stopping power on board and that’s just fine, maybe even expected. It’s a show bike! But that’s not even the thing that makes this a show-only bike to me with no pretentions otherwise, it’s the fork. Did you check that out? It’s two lovely long pinched-end tubes that directly connect the front wheel with the rest of the bike and that’s it. No front suspension? Yes sir.
Okay, it’s a damn good looking Old School show bike and that’s the way it goes. Until someone at the very least changes out the front end for one with some suspension, it’ll always be a show-bike-only and that’s fine by me. Build or buy whatever you want as this is America and we wouldn’t have it any other way. But, don’t ever tell me it was built for the road.