The famous Harley-Davidson Panhead engine, affectionately called a frying pan (or a saucepan, depending on your taste), was in service for 17 long years – from 1948 to 1965. But even today, half a century after the end of production of this engine, many aftermarket companies produce replicas of the famous twin!.. Because the Panhead is truly an iconic and, as many believe, the most beautiful Harley-Davidson engine!

The history of the Panhead began long before its debut: the starting point can be considered 1936, when the American motorcycle manufacturer introduced its first OHV big-twin – the 61 Overhead model, known as the Knucklehead. "Knucklehead" (this is how the engine's nickname is literally translated) was the most important achievement of the Harley-Davidson company in the first half of the last century, allowing the company to survive the difficult times of the 30s and continue its development. However, by the beginning of the next decade, it became obvious that the engine was in dire need of an update! Which became the "new-old" Panhead, created on the basis of 61 Overhead.

Work on the creation of a new engine was carried out even during the Second World War! And although the Panhead presented in 1948 was structurally similar in many ways to the engine of the previous generation (which is generally typical for Harley-Davidson V-twins, the basic principles of which are inviolable and unchanging, like the recipe for a classic cheeseburger), it was a globally modernized unit, the potential of which was enough for almost two decades.