`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
A lot of the time, we plan our bikes in advance according to some idea in our heads. It’s a mental dictator that knows what it wants and won’t shut up until you’re done building it—after which the realized chopper rewards you with the privilege of being able to ride it whenever and wherever you like.
This is not one of those times.
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
Well, the second part is. Owner Cody Davidson rides this ’62 Panhead that he built all over the place at his whim. It’s the whole preconceived part that’s out of the equation.
Changing bikes is sort of his thing and has been for years. When he turned 19, Cody’s dad gave him his personal Shovelhead as a birthday present. It had been dad’s personal bike for Cody’s entire life. For as much as the younger Davidson loved Dad’s Shovel, it only took him two days to tear it down to the bones for a rebuild. Dad understood though. “I built it into a couple different versions over three years, but really, I always wanted a Panhead,” Cody says.
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
RELATED | MORE PANHEADERY
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
That may be the only real vision in Cody’s head as far as a dream chopper went. One winter he parted that bike out, sold his truck, sold most of his belongings, and scraped every penny he had together to buy a Pan motor from a friend in California. “I built the first version of this bike that winter/spring and finished it in the summer,” Cody says, “I spent every bit of time and money I had building it.”
All of that was just to get into an accident with some airhead driver the third time he rode it.
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
That sucked to say the least. While Cody was laid up in the hospital, his good friend Warren Heir came to visit. Not empty-handed though. Warren showed up with a stack of vintage custom chopper and Street Chopper magazines in hand. “I studied those magazines for months on end, and once I was back on my feet this bike started to take shape into what it is today,” Cody says. “I changed it up a couple different times and added my own little flair along the way, but this ended up being the final result. I never really sought out specific parts or anything. It’s just what I had or came up on or traded with friends.”
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
In the time Cody’s had this Pan, he’s ridden this bike all over the country with his best friends. That’s all he wanted. He’d like to send thanks to his Dad, Bravetown, Chicago, Milwaukee, and all of the Rotten Eagles.
`62 H-D Panhead Chopper | Pan-demic
Photography by Josh Kurpius
You can see a whole host of custom iron from Hot Bike magazine here.
