Harley Panhead Engine Parts

Harley Panhead Engine Parts

With WWII over and the economy bouncing back, it was perfect timing for the MOCO to revamp their Big Twin engine. The Harley Panhead came next, building on the success of their first mass produced OHV engine. The Pan was indeed a much better engine and the demand for Harleys grew. The only problem is that raw materials were still scarce following the war and Harley struggled to keep up with demand well into the 50’s. They worked hard to meet the demands while raising the quality of their motorcycles. The Panhead helped to bring that level of quality much higher by utilizing significant advancements in design.

The Knucklehead had its share of issues, with overheating and oil leakage being major ones that riders experienced. Both of these issues were addressed with the new Panhead OHV engines. To solve the leaking oil issue, Harley engineers completely covered the valves with large one-piece covers. The covers looked like upside-down cooking pans, hence the name ‘Panhead’. Though this attempt did help the problem, these engines still had some oil leakage from the top-end. Throughout the life of the Pan, Harley engineers worked to remedy this issue as much as possible. For the overheating issue, Harley made a major change by switching the cylinder heads from cast iron to aluminum. The aluminum was better able to dissipate the engine’s heat. The Panhead was offered as both 61ci and 74ci displacements.

Along with the engine improvements coming from the Panhead mill, also came new motorcycle models and design technologies. In ’49, the Hydra-Glide was released and with it came hydraulic forks, freshly designed fenders. With the springer leading-link front-ends reaching their limits, the hydraulic forks were a much needed advancement in HD’s suspension. These forks would later become adjustable to further improve handling and suspension. The Hydra-Glide became the Duo-Glide in ’58 when Harley also gave it a rear suspension. In the last year of the Pan, the Electra-Glide was released, becoming the first Big Twin with electric start.

The Panhead is one of the most iconic motorcycle engines ever created. It has been a mainstay in chopper culture and was the mill that powered the two classic choppers in the movie Easy Riders. Keeping these engines alive is preserving history, but finding parts can be difficult. Fortunately, there are some great companies that are producing new aftermarket Panhead parts. At Dennis Kirk, you will find a great selection of those parts to keep your vintage engine running for many more years to come. And when your order is over $89, we will ship it to you for free. Use the Ride Selector at the top of the page to find all of the parts that fit your specific bike. Also, feel free to contact our knowledgeable Tech Team if you have any questions on which parts are best for you and your Harley.