Todd Biller's 1962 Panhead

Getting a new old bike is always an adventure. Who knows what kind of craftsmanship has gone into it over the years, or what the real history is on something pushing 60. Once in awhile a sweet deal comes up on a machine that's been "in the family," and you can actually trust the guy you're buying it from. Such is the case with Todd's new old panhead.

Todd Biller's uncle in Texas owned this bike for years, and when he put it on the market, Todd drove to the Lone Star to make a deal happen. It's Todd's now, and eventually it will evolve into something that's closer to his personal vision. Today Todd's just stoked to ride it the way it is.

Owner: Todd Biller, Temecula, CA

Engine: 1962 FL panhead

Frame: 1956 HD uncut with all hoops and tabs

Fork: Late '30s early '40s H-D springer

Tire/wheel size and style: Front 21” stock drum; 16” drum rear

Favorite thing about this bike: Everything as it was built 11 years ago by my Uncle Dave Biller from Austin Texas.

Next modification will be: Make it stop!

Backstory from Uncle Dave: This motorcycle was assembled in 2003 from various parts. Originally it was a '50s style bobber with Fat Bob tanks,  16” wheels, tank shift etc. Since then it has been taken apart a dozen times and reconfigured. The tank you see here is the eighth one that’s been on the bike. I can’t remember the guy’s name who originally built the motor (doesn’t really matter anyway since I’ve had it apart a couple times since then), but it was cobbled together with the remains of several others: '62 left case,  '63-'65 right case (?), late outside oil heads, 80” shovel flywheel,  S&S Super E,  Mallory ignition. The rear fender was a crusty Ford spare tire ring scored at a swap meet. A gentleman named Richard Kertson frenched some roundbar to my crude cut on the end and made it look real pretty. Some lunatic broad smashed into me from behind at an intersection and twisted the fender to shit. I took it back and Richard’s  son Noah fixed it up, repainted and striped it for me. I bought the sporty tank from a guy on the JJ and didn’t do a thing to it. My buddy’s bike fell on it one day and dented the tank. The frame is a '56 straight leg that was virtually uncut. Of course the rear tank mounts were hacked off and someone cut an inch off the brake crossover. The HD springer is of unknown origin when I found it, however, and it had purple pinstripes! I scored a Revtech 4-speed with a bent mainshaft for dirt cheap. Easy to fix. I ran a nice later style primary cover for a long time but when my shift lever came loose for the 937th time I finally just left it off, leaving the open  belt. I miss the old pan, but I’m real happy that it will stay in my family.