Author: ian

Start your own build

There is a nice little 1912 single motor for sale on eBay currently at just $8k. All the other parts you would need to finish the bike are available as reproduction parts and in time you could find several original parts to add to the bikes credibility.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1912-Harley-Davidson-Single-Cylinder-Belt-Drive-Motor-/252561037164?hash=item3acdcf976c:g:FmgAAOSwTA9X6-uF&vxp=mtr

 

1912a 1912b

There is also a 1912 single cylinder complete bike listed on eBay. It has been for sale for a long time now but I guess the sellers reserve price has never been reached. It’s up to over $40k already, so the single motor, complete with carb and magneto looks like good value.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Davidson-Other-/191981270997?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2cb2f9b7d5:g:HIYAAOSwLnBX6nLa&item=191981270997

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Davenport

Last week was Davenport again. We flew over, went to the HD Museum and Anamosa again on the way to the event. I found a pair of 1912 bars and a same period front wheel. A few hard to find small pieces as well but the best part was meeting up with all the guys who make the difficult parts.

There was a OK ish 12 single and reasonably priced at $47.5k and a few of the Cannonball bikes that were setting off after the show. The dirt track racing in the evening was better than my photographs!

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1910 motor work.

After months of work going through most parts of the machine we finally got her running, and running fairly well. There were still some issues to resolve but they would have been attended to over time. However, the seal of the bronze bush in the left side crank case was installed such that when the motor was run it just oozed oil.

Up to that point the only thing we hadn’t done was split the motor cases; so we did and found that the bush was OK. Machining the case and installing an oil seal made a big improvement.

There was a new piston and connecting rod inside but with no oil ring on the piston and no oil feed to the small end bearing. The exhaust valve also needed a little work in the seating department and we made a new valve lifter.  She starts and runs a lot better now.

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56 Panhead for sale

1956 frame, all intact bar the sidecar mounts. 56 motor recently rebuilt, 56 trans with ratchet top. Offset HD forks, cut down 0 bars, internal controls, Flanders risers, Anderson pegs, Hap Jones tank, Bates seat & pad, etc. All the best parts.

SOLD

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1912 motor comparisons.

I have two builds to start this summer; both 1912 twins but very different motors. The first is the earlier motor; it is the smaller twin with 6 1/2 H.P. and the follow-on from the first twin put to the market in 1911. It has an open magneto and a 2 inch belt drive with the sheave mounted on a clutch drum (if it’s an X model).

The second is the first real big twin with the 7-8 H.P. motor. It is the first year of the chain drive and is also magneto powered.

These ’12s make good bikes to ride because of their lower seat height, the ful-floteing suspension and the clutch. One will be a restored machine but not overly so and not with an exhibition finish. The other will be built using original un-restored parts where possible and with an original finish. I will post some more motor comparison shots before I start the builds.

If the figures in “The Legend Begins” are correct (!), there were 11 of the smaller twins built without a clutch (8D), 49 with a clutch (X8D) and 63 of the larger chain driven twins (X8E) so these are quite rare machines.

  

1913 at Brighton

I didn’t post any news on the London Brighton Pioneer Run after all the efforts I went through to get the bike ready in time; I just forgot. The only reason it’s come to mind is that I was browsing the web today and saw a review of the Run and a photo of my bike.

https://occhiolungo.wordpress.com/

She ran great and had no problems other than the mirror worked itself loose so I removed it at the Handcross stop. I know the City of London University broadcasters also took some film and that will be posted somewhere, maybe. It was another great day out.

You can see the seat off the restored 1910 which was pressed into service after the original failed. Jethro Smith has since done a great repair on the original (see earlier post).

The second photo of the bike in action came from the site:

http://www.scribblers-inc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=14&id=96

 

1913 at Brighton pioneer-2016

Back together again.

These early Buco covers are real easy to work with. All off and back together in less than an hour. The screw holes are all gone and the cover is bent but all repairable.

Forecast tomorrow is bright sun and 20C.

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