55 flh

[Larry May]

just bought 55 flh with side car, looked in the legend begins and it says only 63 flh were made in 55, is this correct

[droptopford]

Larry, IIRC, the figures in The Legend Begins are kind of misleading. Without the book in front of me, I can't remember exactly how the numbers are broken down by model designation. A bike titled and stamped as an FLH could be hand or foot shift. In that book a bike that rolled off the line as a foot shift bike is categorized as FLHF (footshift). I think the FLH category is just the handshift models. But... I'm sittin' by the pool with a beer and no book so I certainly could be way off base. Cheers!

[panhead]

For what it's worth: https://www.hydra-glide.net/kb/info_1955.php

[droptopford]

Thanks Panhead. Yeah I think that's the way the figures are presented in the Legend book. Since there are no Pans stamped FLHF, every now and then you'll see an FLH advertised on eBay as "extremely rare" with a citation from the book.

[RUBONE]

The '55 FLH was introduced during the '55 model year. I have two factory order forms, the first F-404-55 dated 9-1-54 with no mention of the FLH.
the next is F-404-55A dated 2-1-55 with the FLH listed in both handshift and foot shift configurations available for order. Dealer price was $68.00 more than an FL $1083.00 versus $1015.00. Keep in mind that by February at least half of the total years production had occurred. Most late year production was dealer re-orders, special orders (Special paint,Motor Maid, Shrine), police, and commercial. The factory usually offered a spring special color combo to keep sales up late in the year. Production generally ceased mid summer(factory shut down for a couple weeks,employees got their vacations except the guys setting up the new line, and production was switched over to the next years line with new next years models available to ship by September.

[Larry May]

thanks guys for all the help, Robbie thanks for the factory info

[1950Panhead]

just bought 55 flh with side car, looked in the legend begins and it says only 63 flh were made in 55, is this correct

63 FLH hand shift, 1040 FLH foot shift

[BreakerJo]

I believe as follows as to the FLH model and other 1955 models and the 1955 season (aka model year, sales season, selling program, etc.):

The factory was closed for vacation on and from July 19, 1954 through Sunday, August 1, 1954. For models other than the FLH model, production started on August 2, 1954. Shipping (for demonstrators and floor stock, generally to farthest dealers first) started on August 3, 1954 or August 4, 1954. The 1954 season ended on August 27, 1954. The 1955 season started on August 28, 1954. The season start date was generally also the earliest authorized initial public showing date, subject to exceptions (e.g., for certain earlier exhibitions, fairs, and shows). The FLH model was introduced in November 1954.

HD provided dealers with a special order blank in November 1954. As of November 1954, the FLH model was priced $50 net above the FLF model.

I have seen a regular order blank form identified as form F-404-55 and dated September 1, 1954. I assume that it may be (a) the same as a form that rubone referred to above and (b) the initial version of the regular order blank form for the 1955 season.

I have seen a “Spring Color Special” marked version of a regular order blank form identified as form F-404-55A and dated February 1, 1955. I don’t know if it is or isn’t the same as a form that rubone referred to above. I don’t know if there is a version of form F-404-55A without a “Spring Color Special” mark.

I assume that there is a dealer confidential price list marked version of each regular order blank form, but I have not seen any.

I don’t know if there are any other versions of a regular order blank form for the 1955 season (e.g., form F-404-55C?).

Please feel free to let me know if I may be mistaken about anything. Happy to be corrected if I am mistaken. Trying to learn.