A customer in France leaves the door open for Walt Siegl when he asked a craftsman in New Hampshire to build him “a Harley”. For more than three years, Siegl turned the 1952 Harley-Davidson Panhead bobber into a masterpiece.
While known for its high-end, Kevlar-coated Italian exterior pieces, Siegl has a fondness for hot rod bikes of the ’30s and ’40s — and a special spot for Panheads. “There is something about the little cylinder heads and the castings,” he said. “Design speaks for me.”
The fact that this particular Harley will be an everyday driver in France means that Siegl wanted to trust the bike completely before shipping it across the Atlantic. He found a solid 1,200 cc Panhead 52 engine and sent it to Harley mechanic Andrew Rosa of Rosa Cycles of Long Island, New York.
Once Rosa began rebuilding from head to toe, including cutting it down to 1,340 cc, Siegl began work on the bike’s frame. Instead of using an old original, he used a reconstructed wishbone — a faithful reproduction with the original markings on all castings and an overall shape that allowed him to have the right attitude. as desired.
Siegl used as many stock-looking parts as possible, trying to keep the look of the original bike intact, and wanted his creation to be a lightweight custom Panhead. The oil tank, battery, clutch basket and starter system all had to be heavily modified to fit.
“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted with a laugh. “It takes a lot of work massaging components in stock to make them work with modern systems.”
Siegl bought the bike’s beautiful rear fender 20 years ago in New York and has been towing it around ever since, waiting to find the right application. “It had the visual characteristics I was looking for,” he explains.
He downsized an aftermarket tank and decorated it with a vintage look Motogadget speedo (in kilometers per hour of course). The pipes are sleek and tight, and fitted with a Knucklehead style exhaust.
The leather seats are based on old Bates pans with urethane cushions made by Siegl himself. He’s also replaced the stock front drum brakes with discs for added safety, and the bike’s 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are wrapped in narrow tires that give the Harley an aggressive look and feel. Decoration matches speed.
A stout, streamlined person bobber Three years into production, this Panhead exudes a strong sense of confidence and highlights the range of Siegl’s creativity and expertise.
While it doesn’t represent the direction his company is headed, “It’s a very, very interesting project,” he says with a smile. “But of course, I just love building bikes.”
Motorcycle Walt Siegl | Instagram | From by Michael Hilton | Image of Gregory George Moore
Construction specifications 1952 Harley-Davidson Panhead Engine 1,340 cc Carburettor S&S Super E Transmission process 4 speed head Main drive Belt Ignition Electronic Gas tank Fat Bob shrinks Frames Reproduction of Wish Bones Forks Harley Springer Win first Aftermarket disc Rear brake Drum wheels, front 19” X 325 mm, rear 18” X 400 mm Seats Bates Metal Sheet, Spofford Cover Fabric
The article was originally featured in issue 29 of Iron & Air Journal. Watch it online thisor sign up this.
