The History Of The Panhead

The first Panhead—or model FL, available in both 61- and 74-cubic-inch models—arrived in dealers’ showrooms in 1948, just in time to be a major part of the postwar motorcycle boom. A generation of young servicemen had grown up on the battlefield, some of them having ridden Harley’s WLA 45-inch military model in combat. Though slow as molasses, the big, low-powered twin captured the im­a­g­ination of many of the soldiers who rode it, while stirring pangs of jealousy in many of the foot-slogging infantry.

Full history:

The History Of The Panhead