1981 HARLEY DAVIDSON Ex Johnny Hallyday - Lot 98

1981 HARLEY DAVIDSON Ex Johnny Hallyday SHOVEL 1340 -EX JOHNNY HALLYDAY French CG Serial number: 1HD1BEK16KY025375 25 000 / 45 000€ Following the theft of his Harley Davidson Springer, Johnny's lyricist and artistic director, Pierre BILLON, contacted Jean BASSELIN, then working for Custom Bike, a US vehicle import store, to find Johnny a motorcycle for the following day. As it happened, Jean had set aside a Wilde Glide with a Shovelhead engine that had caught Johnny's eye some time before. It was the ideal bike. In fact, he liked it so much that he ordered two more for his friends. Jean Basselin went on to become Johnny's friend, driver and stage manager in the late 80s. He was even entrusted with the task of looking after Johnny's motorcycles. Our copy will follow Johnny for almost three years. It followed him on all his Parisian jaunts. It was on this motorcycle that Johnny left the Eiffel Tower concert stage during the bicentenary festivities in July 1989, escorted by dozens of bikers. It also appeared on the 1989 Cadillac album, in the video clip for the song "Si j'étais moi". Johnny loved this bike so much that it was sent to a specialist in Marseille for a little customization. The wheels will inherit twisted spokes, the rear wheel will be wider, and the rear fender will be enlarged with the sabers moved inside. The fork will be chromed, and various accessories will complete the look. The engine will also be prepared. Johnny gets his bike back, but breaks down due to a broken rocker arm. The bike is taken to Bob, a Harley specialist at Porte de la Chapelle in Paris. Eventually, the bike was put aside in favor of the Heritage model, powered by an Evo engine, that he owned. He decided to sell the bike on his return from the USA in 1992. The bike was then forgotten, and fell into the hands of an enlightened enthusiast. He set about restoring the bike to its last configuration, retaining its original patina. The bike was given a complete overhaul. We cannot guarantee that it will run smoothly, so it may need to be restarted. This is one of the few motorcycles Johnny used regularly in Paris during this period. It's also arguably the last cast-iron engine he owned.