Billy Lane has had his ups and downs in the past, but he is on fire as of late. Well, not Lane exactly, but his new project, dubbed the World’s Ugliest Shovelhead. In a YouTube series, he drags out a very unappealing 1972 Electra Glide and documents its reconstruction. In the process, Lane literally torches the tins to create a fitting finish.

Lane first entered the public eye after appearing on the& Discovery Channel's& Biker Build-Off& series& in 2002. Interviewed by renowned photographer Michael Lichter for a Dennis Kirk blog feature in 2021, Lane sought to clear up a bit of public misconception. He stated,& “Everyone thinks I made great money from the Discovery Channel, but I never made a dime from them.”

Instead, Lane made a living by channeling his new-found fame into Choppers Inc., a custom bike shop, formerly located in Melbourne, Florida—his home state. The title of Lane's ugly Shovelhead rebuild indicates that he paid $3,200 for what most would consider a parts bike. Yet, with all the accessories stripped off, the old FLH appears to be in reasonable, but crusty condition.

Lane admits that it was his wife,& Erynn,& who named the Shovelhead project. Unlike the majority of online motorcycle build videos, the lengthy feature is devoid of music, effect and embellishments. Instead, it is a glimpse into the time-consuming reality of working on old bikes—accompanied by Lane's narration, a few stories and several guest appearances by his cat.

Like most old Harley-Davidsons, the bike has a backstory. At some point in the early 1990s, the FLH's Shovelhead motor was rebuilt. Lane wagers that the engine was oil-starved for whatever reason, causing damage to the top end. He also believes that after the rebuild, the bike was never fully reassembled and remained parked until he acquired the 'ugly' machine.

When new, the Electra Glide was the best touring machine available. To this day, it still occupies a spot in the Harley-Davidson lineup. Now married and a father, Lane's notorious party days are behind him. An early-riser, some of the video was shot before sunrise, giving viewers a hint of the hard work required to make any restoration or rebuild project a success.

There are a couple implied takeaways from the series. Lane's detailed processes and background information reveals the simple, but rugged construction of classic Harley-Davidsons. It is a fundamental part of their longevity and continued value. Not stated, though present, is that the skill set demonstrated by Lane is one shared by countless other enthusiasts—knowledge that is earned one bolt at a time.

Ever the showman, Lane really does light the old FLH on fire once complete, while issuing the disclaimer, “This is very dangerous.” His intent is to accelerate the paint-aging process. Post-incineration, there is still a lot of manual labor left to bring the effect to fruition. The videos are available on Lane's YouTube channel. Fair warning: part one is over an hour long.

Images courtesy of Billy Lane, text: hdforums.

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