Creature Feature: Alex Higgins’ 1952 Panhead

Article and Photos by Milwaukee Mike

The Panhead that graces these pages belongs to Alex Higgins out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it’s a perfect example of what happens when a tight group of friends combines their skills to build something special. Known to a lot of people through his Electric Garbage artwork, Alex has built a reputation around a style that’s gritty, a little twisted, and deeply rooted in chopper culture. This bike was his way of bringing that same energy off the page and into something you can kick over and ride.

Like a lot of good builds, this one didn’t start with a grand plan, it started with an idea and the right people to make it happen. A couple years back, Alex decided he wanted a proper Pan chopper. Not something overthought or overbuilt, just an honest machine that leaned on the strengths of the crew around him. What you’re looking at here is what happens when everybody involved knows their lane and brings their best to the table.

At the heart of the project is a 1952 Harley-Davidson Panhead motor sitting in a matching ’52 wishbone frame. Alex tracked down a solid starting point and handed it off to Billy Favata, English Billy to most, over at Billy’s Vintage Iron. And if you’ve ever seen Billy’s work, you know nothing leaves his shop without being gone through top to bottom.

The neck got windowed, the frame got straightened, and every tab, mount, and bracket was gone over like it actually mattered because to Billy, it does. He builds from the back forward, making sure everything flows and lines up the way it should, not just good enough to bolt together. It’s the kind of work you might not notice right away, but it’s exactly why the whole bike feels right when you look at it.

The motor stayed honest, mostly stock internals, just the way Harley built it back in ’52. It’s not trying to be something it’s not. An S&S carb with a velocity stack handles the intake side, while a set of cocktail shaker pipes gives it that crisp, unmistakable Panhead sound that cuts through everything else around it. Backing it all up is a ’52 ratchet-top transmission, keeping the whole drivetrain true to the era.

The stance is exactly what you want out of a bike like this. A traditional springer up front with stock trees, laced star hub wheels, a 21-inch Avon leading the charge, and an 18-inch Dunlop in the rear. Nothing trendy, nothing forced, just clean, proven chopper geometry that works.

Once everything was mocked up and running, it all came back apart for paint, and that’s where things really started to reflect Alex’s personality. Keith Zoller, Groovy Ghoulie himself, handled the paint, but this wasn’t a case of “drop it off and pick it up later.” This was a collaboration.

They started with a white pearl base that almost glows in the sun, then layered in the green flames across the Wassell tank and rear fender. But with Alex involved, it wasn’t going to stop at a standard flame job. The spiderweb detail up top and the subtle hand work throughout give it that slightly off-center feel, like something you’ve seen before, but not quite like this. It’s the kind of paint that pulls you in the longer you look at it.

Details matter on a bike like this, and they’re everywhere. Billy’s work shows up again in the one-off sissy bar and the clean light mounts out back. The seat sits tight over the stock oil tank, keeping everything compact. Bars from Bobby Good Times stretch things out just enough, putting the rider in that laid-back, long-bike posture that never gets old.

No front fender, because it doesn’t need one. Just a headlight out front doing its job and a tight, clean taillight setup out back. Nothing extra. Nothing pretending.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a real build without a little chaos at the end. The chrome shop dragged their feet, parts showed up late, and what should’ve been a smooth final assembly turned into a push. And not just any push—the bike had a standing invite to Mama Tried as a showpiece, so missing the deadline wasn’t really an option.

A couple long days turned into longer nights, and like most of these stories go, it all came together right at the edge of the deadline. Fired up, sorted out, and loaded in just in time to make the show.

Alex will be the first to point at everyone else when you ask about the bike—Billy for the frame and metal, Keith for the paint—but the truth is, this whole thing carries his fingerprint. It’s not loud about it, but it’s there in every choice, every line, every detail that doesn’t try too hard.

That’s what makes this one work. It’s not chasing anything. It’s just built by the right people, the right way.

And for my part, I’m just glad I got to spend some time around it and put a lens on it.

If you haven’t checked out Alex’s artwork yet, do yourself a favor. His illustrations are some of the most unique out there. You can find him on Instagram at @electricgarbage, or go deeper at electricgarbage.com.

General

Engine

Transmission

Frame

Forks

Wheels

Paint

Accessories