Skip to main content
Tag

restoration

Extremely Rare 1908 Harley Strap Tank Auctioned for $850,000

By General Posts

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

It’s one of the finest examples of this model known to still exist in 2023.

When you’re talking about highly collectible motorcycles, there are a few makes that consistently come up. Vincent. Brough Superior. Henderson. Occasionally, a rarity among rarities makes its way to the auction block, such as a Crocker Big Twin, or, if you’re really lucky, a Harley-Davidson Strap Tank. The latter extremely rare machine is what just took the honor of the top-selling bike at the 2023 Mecum Las Vegas auction, and one of the coolest things about it is that it’s lived in Wisconsin for its entire life.

As you can see in the video, as the bid amount quickly increased into the high six figure range, it still hadn’t met reserve. When it got to $850,000, the seller decided to lift the reserve—and indeed, that’s the selling price at which this pristine, beautifully restored, 1908 Harley-Davidson Strap Tank crossed the stage.

Under Mecum’s listing of its top ten bikes from this auction, it gives the total price (including all applicable fees) as $935,000.

For those unfamiliar, the Strap Tank is most definitely one of the most important models in Harley history—if not the most important.

This model is what evolved from William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson’s initial shed builds, and was the first model to roll out of the Chestnut Street—later Juneau Avenue—factory. It quickly established a reputation for the brand’s builds that endured through the decades.

As the story goes, 150 Strap Tanks rolled out of the factory in 1907, increasing to 450 in 1908. Of those 450 bikes produced in 1908, fewer than a dozen are thought to still exist in 2023—and far fewer in as correct a condition as this one.

What makes this particular example so special? As the story goes, Milwaukee businessman David Uihlein, heir to the Schlitz Brewing fortune, discovered it in a barn about 70 miles outside Milwaukee, all the way back in 1941. This bike was complete—so he brought it home, and kept it there for the following 66 years. It was restored at some point by noted vintage Harley restoration expert Paul Freehill, and the original tank, wheels, engine belt pulley, seat cover, and muffler sleeve were included in this auction.

Watch the Auction Video here:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NEVER MISS A GIG – Subscribe to Bikernet.com Free Weekly Newsletter to Stay on Top – Click Here to View

Mike Egan Story 1943-2021

By General Posts

Mr. Big Candy Finds Motorcycle Nirvana

by Bandit

I worked with Mike and his wife Patty for about 40 years covering his restorations, working with him on project bikes such as the Dicey Knucklehead which I still have.

Hell, I made a deal to retrieve a Panhead from a brother partially because it held a Linkert Carb rebuilt by Mike Egan.

I owned a 1931 VL for 25 or so years, which was owned by Lou Kimzey, the original Publisher and Editor of Easyriders Magazine. It was restored by Mike Egan, and I was offered the matching sidecar, which I mistakenly turned down.

As Mike would say, “It’s worth Big Candy.”

CLICK HERE To Read this Feature on a Legendary Personality in Motorcycle Industry.

Join the Cantina – Click Here to Subscribe & Support Motorcycling Legacy of America

Barn Find Project: Where to Start

By General Posts

Key tips for enthusiasts

No matter how old we get, we keep daydreaming. It’s these hopeful visions of what’s possible that help fuel the proliferation of the barn find trend.

So, let’s all close our eyes and ponder: What you would do if you opened that random garage door and found a 1928 first year of the Harley Flathead 45 or a racing OHV Peashooter? Where does one even start in bringing a project like that back to life?

As the venerable Tom Cotter has said any number of times on the Barn Find Hunter video series, it certainly involves more than just dropping in a fresh battery, airing up tires, and turning the key. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier to bring a bike back to life than a car.

CLICK HERE To Read this Feature Article on Bikernet.com
Now stay updated on Motorcycle market news, tech, tips, reviews, products, deals, events & fun –
simply Subscribe to Bikernet Free Weekly Newsletter – click to sign-up

Dave Currier, aged 68, on Winning Cannonball riding his 1911 Harley-Davidson

By General Posts

by Kevin Wallevand from https://www.inforum.com

Fargo man wins Motorcycle Cannonball with 1911 Harley Davidson

  • Dave Currier turned 68 years of age on the road while racing in the Motorcycle Cannonball
  • Earlier, Dave Currier had been a runner-up in 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball riding a 1915 Harley-Davidson
  • His father sold Indian and Harley motorcycles in the 1940s and 50s in Fargo and also raced them
  • Dave Currier credits John Rouland of Northern Crankshaft in Thief River Falls for doing a lot of the technical and engine work on his 1911 H-D

“To start it, you have to pedal to start it, it is a belt drive. To move it forward, you have a lever which tensions the belt and the bike moves forward.” – Dave Currier

Fargo man wins Motorcycle Cannonball with 1911 Harley Davidson

A Fargo man has just won a cross country motorcycle run called The Motorcycle Cannonball.

Dave Currier is finally getting some feeling back in his rear-end. He is back in Fargo after competing in the most difficult, antique endurance race in the world: The Motorcycle Cannonball.

“I think this has been the toughest ride of my life,” Currier said. “It is a real grind, I had about eight hours in the saddle every day.”

Riding his 1911 belt-driven Harley Davidson, Currier and 88 competitors crossed 11 states over 16-days straight. From Michigan to South Padre Island, Texas, they racked up just over 3,700 miles.

“The bike is tall. I have short legs, so my feet don’t touch the ground,” Currier said. “To start it, you have to pedal to start it, it is a belt drive. To move it forward, you have a lever which tensions the belt and the bike moves forward.”

But Currier, who had a team planning and tweaking this bike, not only competed; he won.

“I had a police escort, it was an absolute incredible deal,” Currier said. “They closed the roads off.”

He crossed the finish line with this checkered flag, bringing home the trophy.

“Before the finish, they handed me the checkered flag, and I rode in with the checkered flag,” Currier said. “It was incredible. (It’s) still hard to talk about it.”

Currier credits John Rouland of Northern Crankshaft in Thief River Falls for doing a lot of the technical and engine work on the 1911 Harley.

He said his local sponsors; Milwaukee Tool, Acme Tools, Dakota Fence, and TechLine Coatings all played a role in the win.

Currier, who turned 68 during the race, thinks he had a little help from angels above. His dad, Dick Currier, sold Indian and Harley motorcycles in the 1940s and 50s in Fargo. He raced them as well, and Currier believes his dad would be pretty proud.

“He was a big part of my life,” Currier said. “That’s why I called it, ‘The Last Ride.'”

For more info on the Motorcycle Cannonball visit their website by clicking here.

Earlier Dave Currier had been a runner-up in 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball riding a 1915 Harley-Davidson

From September 2018.

“I’ve already been doing a lot of thinking,” Currier said, chuckling. “I have done the twin cylinder. The next challenge for me would be to take a single cylinder and make it across the U.S. But this was a trip of a lifetime. Going over the mountain in Kalispell, Montana, that’s when I turned 65.”

‘Trip of a lifetime’: Fargo resident named runner-up in world’s hardest antique motorcycle run

Currier says his bike, a 1915 Harley-Davidson twin-cylinder boasting an 11-horsepower engine, took him two years to restore.

by Emma Vatnsdal from https://bismarcktribune.com

PORTLAND, Ore. — Enjoying a sunny 48-degree morning in The Dalles, Ore., Dave Currier and his entourage were getting ready late last week to point themselves east and head back home to Fargo.

While many go west to escape the cold of winter or spend time with family and friends, Currier had a different motivation — and to end up in Portland, he had to start in Portland, Maine.

In 2010, one man set out to become the first person to take a group of 45 like-minded antique motorcycle riders across the U.S. from Kitty Hawk, N.C., to Santa Monica, Calif. Sixteen days later, 10 of the original 45 riders rolled their roughly century-old bikes onto the Santa Monica Pier, completing the inaugural Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run.

Now in its fifth running, the 2018 installment of the run saw more than 100 people ride from Maine to Oregon, giving participants a chance to see much of the U.S. in a whole new way.

Three classes of motorcycles — single cylinder, twin cylinders with two-speed rear ends and bikes with three-speed transmissions — set out, racing to navigate the roads to each day’s checkpoint before 5 p.m. Taking only the “back roads” across the whole country, Currier and the rest of the crew averaged around six hours of riding per day beginning at 7:30 a.m.

In true-to-history fashion, modern navigation systems like a GPS device were not allowed. Instead, riders were given maps each morning 30 minutes before they set out with directions consisting instructions like “drive north 3.2 miles, turn left at the blue house and head west.”

Currier said it was a voyage to remember.

“It was incredible,” Currier said. “It was a fantastic trip kind of re-enacting what the old-time people did when they had the opportunity to go across the U.S. What was really kind of special was I had my birthday (during the trip). Going over the mountain in Kalispell, Montana, that’s when I turned 65. It was kind of a monumental trip in many ways for me.”

Lifelong passion
There are few requirements about which motorcycles qualify for this cross-country road trip, but there are standards that must be met. For the 2018 run, all motorcycles had to be manufactured in 1928 or earlier, and must still appear original in nature.

While period-correct modifications were accepted, no modern replica bikes could be entered.

Electrical charging systems, auxiliary fuel tanks and modern wheels were OK, though GPS systems were specifically banned.

Currier says his bike, a 1915 Harley-Davidson twin-cylinder boasting an 11-horsepower engine, took him two years to restore.

“I started with the basic frame and completely refurbished it from the ground up,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed the motorcycles since I was 7 years old when I first rode one. Restoring this was pretty special.”

Safety is the No. 1 concern during this race, especially because the bikes are sometimes older than riders’ grandparents. Upon arriving in Portland, Maine, riders completed a half-day of safety classes consisting of rules of the road and safety features.

Each Cannonball rider is also allowed a support team to help them along the way. Currier chose his wife, Kay, two friends from Alaska and a co-worker to assist him with any repairs after each day was done.

“When you get done with the day and you check out, you can do any service work you want on your bike,” he said. “You can change motors, you can overhaul it, whatever you can between 5 at night and 7 in the morning. The support team can’t have anything to do with you during the day.”

Even with the small issues he faced — losing bolts, tough winds and unsoldered ground wires — Currier says he wouldn’t have placed runner-up in his class without the support of his wife and family.

“They’ve always been incredibly good,” he said. “I couldn’t have done this without them.”

The Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run happens every two years, and Currier said he’s started planning for 2020.

“I’ve already been doing a lot of thinking. Six to seven hours a day, you got plenty of time to think about a lot of stuff,” Currier said, chuckling. “I have done the twin cylinder. The next challenge for me would be to take a single cylinder and make it across the U.S. But this was a trip of a lifetime.”

The Last Crocker Ever Built

By General Posts

The Duesenberg of Motorcycles
By Steve Klein with images from the Bob T. Collection

The Crocker motorcycle has long been known as “The Holy Grail of Motorcycling” due to its rarity.

It also carries the nomenclature, “The Duesenberg of Motorcycles,” due to its hand built high-quality, and finally “America’s Superbike,” due to its performance. Three titles suggesting strongly that no other machine has reached such a high pinnacle of acclaim.

CLICK HERE To Read This Photo Feature Article Only On Bikernet.com

Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today.

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative to Ensure Access to Public Lands for Outdoor Recreation

By General Posts

from https://menafn.com

Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative and Recreate Responsibly Coalition Partner to Ensure Access to Public Lands for Outdoor Recreation.

VISIT THE WEBSITE https://yamahaoai.com/

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA , today announces the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) and the Recreate Responsibly Coalition (RRC) established a strategic partnership to spread awareness of the need for land stewardship among all types of visitors to public lands. By promoting responsible recreation practices and the safe and sustainable use of trails, the partnership works to further the aligned missions of both organizations. A priority for the collaboration is to increase awareness of the availability of funding and support for public land access projects through the Yamaha OAI. As the Powersports industry’s leading land-access program, the Yamaha OAI remains an essential resource to grassroots efforts of riding clubs, land stewardship organizations, and public land managers across the country.

The pandemic made getting outdoors a priority for more people than ever before, putting pressure on the maintenance of public land to ensure everyone’s safety. Without action, public lands can become unsustainable, and access limited. The Yamaha OAI and Recreate Responsibly believe everyone has a responsibility to sustain the outdoor spaces we enjoy and can contribute by understanding their potential impacts in natural spaces and surrounding communities.

“Public lands are America’s gateway to fun and adventure in the great outdoors. Visitors play an important role in their protection and preservation. Recreate Responsibly and the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative are working together to educate and raise awareness of responsible use of trails and open spaces for motorized and outdoor recreation,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s Motorsports marketing manager.“The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative was created specifically to help those who see the need to protect or expand access to public land and need some support to get it done. By working with Recreate Responsibly, we hope more people take advantage of our resources by applying for a grant.”

Part of the collaborative effort will raise funds for the Recreate Responsibly Coalition to bolster its focus on safe, accessible, inclusive, and responsible outdoor recreation. People posting pictures to social media platforms featuring their visits to public lands can simply tag @Recreate.Responsibly and @YamahaOutdoors on Instagram or @RecreateInfo and @YamahaOutdoors on Twitter, and the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative will donate $5, up to $50,000, to RRC and help maintain access to the beauty and wonder of nature for everyone.

“This campaign with the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative marks the first strategic partnership for the Recreate Responsibly Coalition, and it makes perfect sense; to work collaboratively to get grant resources to grassroots’ stewardship efforts, while reaching a broader audience with responsible recreation messaging; it aligns perfectly with everything the coalition has built towards since its inception early on in the pandemic,” said Eugenie Bostrom, founder of Embracing the Bear Consulting, managing agency, Recreate Responsibly Coalition.

About the Recreate Responsibly Coalition
The Recreate Responsibly Coalition aspires for everyone to have a holistic outdoor experience by advancing all aspects of responsible recreation: keeping yourself, others, and outdoor places safe; accessing outdoor benefits essential to the human experience; and building an outdoors for all through justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The RRC is an active coalition of more than 1,300 businesses, agencies, nonprofits, and influential voices who are working together to help everyone experience the benefits of nature. Born out of a desire to see people enjoy the outdoors safely at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our diverse community has grown into a collaborative hub; working to share common-sense guidance about getting outside responsibly and to foster an equitable outdoor community.

About the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
For more than 12 years, Yamaha led the Powersports industry in guaranteeing responsible access to our nation’s land for outdoor enthusiasts. Yamaha has contributed more than $4.5 million in aid to nearly 400 projects across the nation over the life of the program, supporting thousands of miles of motorized recreation trails, maintained and rehabilitated riding and hunting areas, improved staging areas, supplied agricultural organizations with essential OHV safety education, built bridges over fish-bearing streams and partnered with local outdoor enthusiast communities across the country to improve access to public lands.

Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs and associations, national, state, and local public land use agencies, outdoor enthusiast associations, and land conservation groups with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable public use. A committee then reviews each application and awards grants to deserving projects. Examples of appropriate projects for grants include, but are not limited to:

  • Trail development, restoration, and maintenance
  • Trail signage and map production
  • Staging area construction, renovation, and maintenance
  • Land stewardship, safety, and education
  • Submission guidelines, application form, information and news about the Outdoor Access Initiative are available at YamahaOAI.com .

For specific questions about the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative, call the dedicated hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724) or email . Connect with Yamaha on social media via @YamahaOutdoors or search any of the following hashtags on all platforms: #Yamaha #YamahaOAI #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #AssembledInUSA

About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.

Richard Schultz collection of Vintage Motorcycles on display

By General Posts

Seen with a 1919 Excelsior motorcycle with sidecar, motorcycle collector Richard Schultz will have vintage motorcycles on display Aug. 3-29 at the Betty Strong Encounter Center.

by Earl Horlyk from https://siouxcityjournal.com

The Betty Strong Encounter Center will rev up its engines as collector Richard Schultz brings his “Marvelous Motorcycles” to the center’s atrium Aug. 3-29.

Among the vintage motorcycles will be a 1938 Indian 4-Cylinder and a 1941 Harley Davidson Military Prototype.

A longtime rider from Le Mars, Iowa, Schultz began restoring vintage antique motorcycles and cars beginning in the late 1960s.

Schultz has been active in the Antique Motorcycle Club of America for more than 48 years and was its former national director. In addition, he has published two books for enthusiasts, including one about Henderson Motorcycles, that featured a forward by Jay Leno.

Admission to the Betty Strong Encounter Center and the adjoining Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center is free. For information on the center’s programs, call 712-224-5242.

Using 3D printing to make a 1919 Harley-Davidson rideable

By General Posts

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

This 1919 Harley-Davidson Is Now Rideable Thanks To 3D Printing. Vintage problems require modern solutions.

Let’s say you’ve decided to take on a vintage Harley as a project. Maybe you’re passionate about the early days of Harley-Davidson, for example, and you see an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up. The Motor Company has been around for over a century, though. While it has fans all over the world, as you might guess, some parts are easier to find than others.

That’s the problem faced by one Harley enthusiast in the Netherlands. He’d gotten his hands on a 1919 Harley-Davidson, and had been diligently doing hands-on restoration work for the better part of 50 years. Clearly, this guy was almost unbelievably patient. Eventually, though, even he got to a point where he had to think creatively to replace the one part that was holding him back from finally being able to go for a ride: a broken Bakelite distributor cap.

As the story goes, the man had searched high, low, and everywhere in between for a spare. Since there probably aren’t many out there to begin with, finding one on the used market seemed chancy. So, the restorer (who appears to want to remain nameless) reached out to Carl van de Rijzen from Visual First in the Netherlands, which is known for creating 3D scans of existing items.

1919 Harley-Davidson with 3D Printed Distributor Cap
Van de Rijzen, in turn, frequently collaborates with Edwin Rappard of 4C Creative CAD CAM Consultants to successfully 3D print the components he’s scanned. This was a unique challenge, for sure. They had the broken original distributor cap to scan, but a large chunk had broken off. How can you scan what isn’t there?

Luckily, the broken part was a mirror of what already existed, and not some other unique shape. Between the two technicians, they were able to successfully come up with a suitable 3D printed replica part. Since the original part was made out of Bakelite, crafting a 21st century polymer substitute so close to the bike’s 100th birthday seems kind of poetic.

It’s an incredibly modern solution to an age-old problem, and it will be interesting to continue seeing what motorcycle enthusiasts are able to accomplish using tools like this. For those who want to actually be able to go out and ride their vintage machines, it seems like a pretty great solution.

Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle Documentary

By General Posts

“Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” Documentary – Coming Soon

Slinger, Wisconsin – March 8, 2021 – The Edge Ltd., producer of “Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend,” announces the release of “Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” documentary.

Walter is a feature-length narrative documentary featuring Walter, a 1913 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck, and his former caretaker Michael W. Schuster. A meticulous restoration by Ally Schuster and his grandson Michael, Walter ultimately became an acknowledged motorcycle artifact recognized as the last-known Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck in existence.

In 1913 an unusual motorcycle negotiates through the mud-rutted streets of old Milwaukee. This is one of the first Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck forecars and represents a unique early venture in commercial service delivery motorcycles for the Motor Company. Fast-forward to the present-day as that very same motorcycle truck negotiates through the world of motorcycle collectible artifacts. This is the last-known Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck in existence, a remarkable motorcycle affectionately known as Walter.

This documentary chronicles the life and times of Walter the forecar from its early days of service, through many decades of desolation stored in a horse barn, and then many years of restoration to eventually become the most valuable service motorcycle in the world. Along the way, the producer explores the history of three-wheeled vehicles; the Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s development of commercial service motorcycles, and most importantly documents one man’s adventure in restoring a motorcycle that has been in his family for a century. Independent producer James Cutting considers the discovery of Walter to be the most extraordinary barn-find of our times. In the end, Walter delivers a lesson to embrace our past and forge relationships for our future.

“Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” documentary will be released in 2021. A late-summer premiere is planned in Milwaukee. For more information please contact executive producer James Cutting.

For more “Walter” documentary content visit www.walterdoc.com

Friend Walter on Facebook @Walterthemissinglinkmotorcycledocumentary

“Walter” documentary trailer –

 

Final-Year 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead on auction

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

How do you prefer you vintage Harley motorcycle? Do you like them restored to their former shine, or would you rather go for some modifications to make them unique, but somehow spoil them in the process? Well, if you’re a collector, there’s only one possible answer to that.

At the end of April, auction house Mecum will be holding its massive, annual motorcycle auction in Las Vegas. This year, a prominent presence on the auction block is that of an impressive Harley-Davidson collection belonging to a single, Tacoma, Washington resident museum owner by the name of J.C. Burgin.

The incredibly well preserved 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead we have here is part of the collection. It entered Burgin’s possession all the way in 1983, and then underwent a careful restoration process that left the two-wheeler looking like it does now.

Wrapped in blue on the body parts that support paint, the two-wheeler retains the chrome shine the bike maker envisioned it for the Knucklehead engine. Most of the FL’s original hardware was preserved, from the front fender lamp to the horn cover. There’s even a red ball tank emblem in there for effect.

The motorcycle is powered by the same powertrain back when it was made, meaning a 74ci unit running a four-speed transmission.

The fact that this bike comes from 1947 might boost its price a bit in the upcoming auction. That was the last year of production for the Knucklehead, as starting 1948, the era of the Panhead began. For reference, back in its day, a motorcycle such as this sold new for around $600 – that would be roughly $7,000 adjusted for inflation.

Now, of course, they sell for a hell of a lot more on the collector’s market. For this particular 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead, Mecum gives no estimate as to how much it is expected to fetch.