Ballad of a Flathead 80

There was once an 80 Flathead,
That served the Pennsylvania Police,
It’s been said,
It was bought around the year 1939,
By the father of a friend of mine,

It saved them from the gas rationing,
During W.W. II by the handlebar timing,
It served his father while building the turnpike,
By heating his lunch on the exhaust pipe.

After years of a kicking whiz,
When it started it was his,
To Atlanta from around Pittsburg,
Riding so fast, he probably set a record.

From beyond the watermelon patch,
With a shotgun to match,
The farmer caught them by surprise,
“Oh! So it’s you guys!”

Narrow Trail between the trees,
Handlebars bent back to his knees,
Throttle to the max,
He had the first pull backs.

Somewhere now a new owner smiles,
The bike is still logging miles,
Still tasting the winds,
Just like old friends.

Author's Note:
This is a true story. The old bikes had a timing lever on the handle bar. Back then in many cases a young man or woman would not be allowed to ride until they could start one, and pick one up. The shot gun was an over under, and his windshield was found to have a hole about the size of a 30/30 round. Many people have wondered who came up with the idea of pull back handlebars. We think when he went between the trees following a narrower British bike that fit through, the handlebars caught the trees and presto! He had the first pull backs. The roadways in the early 1950s were before the Interstate expressways and were pretty rough. This is a historic account of a 1939 Harley Davidson Flathead 80 cubic inch.