I have featured quite a few custom bikes built by the Custom Department of Thunderbike, a very renowned official Harley-Davidson in Germany. The most recent and most famous one is of course the amazing PainTTless voted by its peers 2012 AMD World Champion during this last Sturgis the Andreas & his crew started to make the yearly summer trip to South Dakota in 2008 and if that year they didn’t get the title of World Champion (at the time showcasing a cool custom called “Open Mind”) they came back home with a 1951 Harley Panhead that they purchased during the rally. Arrived in Germany at the beginning of 2009, it collected dust during almost 2 years before Andreas decided to work on it to turn it into the “Flying Pan” feature here.

All Thunderbike custom bikes are interesting in the sense that the shop being an official Harley-Dealer, all their creations use a new, recent or old Harley powerplant mixed with new “old school” style proprietary parts with a result that must meet (after minor modifications) the tough standard of the European Union road legislation. So, their custom bikes are usually good references for American individuals and builders who want to see what they can modify on a Harley while keeping it road legal and road worthy.

The 1951 EL Panhead Engine was fully rebuilt with only genuine Harley parts, except an S&S manifold, an S&S Super G carburetor and new custom rocker boxes for Pan sold by Custom Chrome Europe. Flying Pan rolls on a pair of beautiful 18″ Thunderbike (model Vegas) wheels (also available in 21″ & 23″ sizes for American & Metric bikes) wrapped in Firestone rubber. Fuel tank is from a Sportster with oil tank, fender struts and rear fender custom fabricated at the shop. Most other parts are from the Thunderbike catalog. The complete building list is below. Thunderbike Germany.

